Taebo.com
Billy Blanks.com
Nickname:
- Big Bill
- Mr. Tae Bo
Sometimes credited as:
- Billie Blanks
Nickname:
- Michael 'The Kicking Machine' Blanks
Sometimes credited as:
- Michael Blanks
Place of birth: Erie, Pennsulvania
Billy was born and raised as 4th of 15 kids, with Michael Blanks being his brother. Despite an anomaly in his hip joints Billy became a world champion martial artist in the 80's and a famous actor and trainer. He won many Karate Champion titles, and eventually he also became a good Tae Kwon Do practisioner and has a 7th degree black belt. He also holds black belts in 5 other forms of martial arts. Boxing is also an expertise of his and he won the 1984 Massachusetts Golden Glove Championships in the light-heavyweight class and Tri-State Golden Glove Champion of Champions.
He has some great and impressive stats:
7-Time World Karate Champion
Nationally ranked by Karate Illustrated from 1982-1989
Karate Hall of Fame since 1982
1980 Captain of the US Olympic Karate Team
Member of the US Karate Team, winning 36 gold medals in international competition
1975 Amateur Athletic Union Champion
Later Billy became even more famous after developing Tae Bo. He combined dance with boxing and Tae Kwon Do moves. This made him one of the most popular instructors in the world. Billy travels the world and teaches at his Billy Blanks' World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, CA. He is married to Gayle, whom he met at high school. They have two children; Shellie and Billy Jr.
Billy's brother Michael Blanks is also a martial arts actor and has also been in Billy's movie Expect No Mercy. Michael almost had the record for the highest kick, but lost to Jesse Frankson. Michael's personal record is 9-6. One of his coolest movie roles was in Dragonfire, where he wsa one of the lead baddies and had some cool fights. Most recently he had bigger roles in the circuit 1 and 2.
Hollywood Squares (2004)
The Wayne Brody Show (2004)
The Circuit 2: The Final Punch (2002)
The Circuit (2002)
Praise the Lord (2002)
Tae Bo videos (1999-2000)
Sunset Beach (1999)
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1999)
The Parkers (1999)
Martial Law (1999)
E.R. (1999)
Melrose Place (1998)
The Parent 'Hood (1998)
Don King: Only in America (1997)
Assault on Devil's Island (1997)
-aka Shadow Warriors
Kiss The Girls (1997)
Suddenly Susan (1996)
Balance of Power (1996) -aka Hidden Tiger
Expect No Mercy (1995)
Tough and Deadly (1995)
Extra: The Entertainment Magazine (1994)
Bloodfist VI: Ground Zero (1994)
Ring os Steel (1994)
Back in Action (1994)
Showdown (1994)
Dragonfire (1993) -aka Dragon Fire
TC 2000 (1993)
Takons of the Eagle (1992)
Invincible (1992) -aka Zhan long zai ye
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Time Bomb (1991)
Karate Tiger 4: ing of the Kickboxers (1991)
-aka No Retreat, No Surrender 4
China O'Brien 2 (1991)
Wrong Bet (1990) -aka Lionheart
-aka Absent Without Leave -aka AWOL
Bloodfist (1989)
Driving Force (1989)
The Master (1989) -aka Long xing tian xia
Low Blow (1986) -aka Savage Sunday
Spenser: For Hire (1985)
Stand Alone (1985)
Good Morning America (1975)
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Mardi Grass Moon (????)
Soldier of Fortune (????)
Street Justice (????)
Hard Copy (????)
: Himself (guest)
: Himself (guest)
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: Himself (guest)
: Himself/Instructor
: Himself (1 episode)
: Himself (episode #4.7)
: Himself (episode #1.5)
: Travis King (ep. #1.21)
: Kickboxing instructor (ep. #5.14)
: Himself (ep. #7.12)
: The trainer (ep. #4.21)
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: Creagan
: Instructor
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: Niko
: Justin Vanier // Fight choreographer
: John Portland
: Billy
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: Billy
: Jason Storm
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: Tyler Wilson
: Billy
: Billy Cole
: Mr. Brown
: Khan
: Stunt fighter
: African Legionaire
: Black Rose
: Pool
: Black Thug
: Guard
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: Jesse 'Black Jack' Jessop
: Big circuit fighter
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: Buster Douglas
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: Spyder
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: Ahmad
: Hood #3
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: Ahmed Mustafa
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