Taimak
Taimak | |
|---|---|
 Taimak at the 2014 Florida Supercon | |
| Born | June 27, 1964 Los Angeles,California,U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
Taimak Guarriello[1](born June 27, 1964), knownmononymouslyasTaimak(/ˈtaɪmɑːk/), is an American actor, martial artist and stuntman, known for his lead role as Leroy Green ( "Bruce Leroy" ) in the 1985 martial arts filmThe Last Dragon.[2]
Personal life[edit]
Taimak was born on June 27, 1964, in Los Angeles, California, to an Italian father and anAfrican-Americanmother.[3]He currently lives in New York City.
Career[edit]
Taimak's leading role inBerry Gordy'sThe Last Dragon,in which he played Leroy Green, aBruce Lee-inspired martial artist in search of "The Glow," was his first major break in acting. The film was a financial success and grossed more than $25 million at the box office.[4]
SinceThe Last Dragon,Taimak has appeared in a number of TV roles and over a dozen plays.[5]
Taimak later appeared in a number of TV roles and music videos including the lead male inJanet Jackson's "Let's Wait Awhile"music video and Debbie Allen's" Special Look "video. He played a date rapist in an episode of the TV showA Different World.He appeared in36 Crazyfists' music video "Bloodwork."
Taimak has worked with a number of celebrities, includingMadonna,and starred in the playCheaters,which toured the United States. He starred in a hitOff-Broadwayshow calledRoadhouse The Comedy,based on thePatrick SwayzefilmRoad House,from December 9, 2003, to February 1, 2004, at the Barrow Street Theatre in New York.[6]
In 2002, Taimak opened a gym called Fitness Concepts on theEast Sideof Manhattan.[7]He published a fitness DVD titledTaimak FIT (Find Inner Transformation),intended to be the first of a series.[8]
He is an accomplishedmartial artistand has received black belts inGoju RyuKarate,Jeet Kune Do,Wing Chun,Hapkido,Jujutsu,Taekwondo,andBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu.He studied Chinese Goju under "The Black Dragon",Ron Van Clief.[9]
He officiated the preliminary MMA bouts atUFC 6andUFC 7.[9]
In 2006 he made a few appearances alongsideJimmy YanginRing of Honor.[10]Yang's character at the time had adopted some of Leroy Green's traits as his own.
In November 2015, Taimak andCary-Hiroyuki Tagawawere honorees for the Fists of Legends Legacy Award at the Urban Action Showcase & Expo at HBO.[11]
In March 2016, Incorgnito Publishing Press published Taimak's autobiography,Taimak, The Last Dragon.[1]
In 2018, Taimak starred inSean Stone's martial arts comedy filmFury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece.
Filmography[edit]
- Double Cross (2023- Present) as Cade Cross
- Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece(2018) as Dragon
- They're Just My Friends(2006) as Captain Taimak
- The System Within(2006) as Pastor Ricky
- Book of Swords(2005) as Lucky
- Third Watchas Spider (1 episode, 2004)
- "Family Ties: Part 2" (2004) TV episode (as Taimak Guarriello) as Spider
- Night Class(2001) as Kick boxing instructor
- Masquerade(2000) (TV)
- Beverly Hills, 90210
- I Will Be Your Father Figure(2000) TV episode (as Taimak Guarriello) as Barback
- That's the Guy(1999) TV episode (as Taimak Guari) as The Bartender
- Dog's Best Friend(1999) TV episode (as Taimak Guari) as The Bartender
- Dreamers(1999) as Sam
- Red Shoe Diaries
- The Forbidden Zone(1996) TV episode as Zoner
- WMAC Masters
- "Battle of the Brothers" (1996) TV episode as Striking Eagle
- Kickback with Scott Pastore(1994) TV series as Guest
- No More Dirty Deals(1993) as Sean Halloway
- The White Girl(1990) as Bob
- A Different World
- "No Means No" (1989) TV episode as Garth Parks
- The Last Dragon(1985) as Leroy Green
Stunts[edit]
- Madonna: Drowned World Tour 2001 (2001) (TV) (martial arts coordinator) (as Taimak Guarriello)
Self[edit]
- Acapulco Black Film Festival (2000) (TV) as Himself
- Singled Out
- Episode dated 13 December 1995 (1995) TV episode as Taimuk
References[edit]
- ^abTaimak Guarriello (2016-03-19).Taimak, The Last Dragon.Incorgnito Publishing Press.ISBN978-1944589110.
- ^Janet Maslin(1985-03-22)."The Last Dragon (1985) FILM: SCHULTZ DIRECTS 'LAST DRAGON'".The New York Times.
- ^https://web.archive.org/web/20150426201132/http://www.iamtaimak.com/
- ^Schultz, Michael (1985-03-22),The Last Dragon(Action, Comedy, Drama), Taimak, Vanity, Christopher Murney, Delphi III Productions, Motown Productions, TriStar Pictures,retrieved2024-03-20
- ^"31 Years After His Movie Debut," The Last Dragon "Heads To Detroit - CBS Detroit".www.cbsnews.com.2016-05-13.Retrieved2024-03-20.
- ^https://web.archive.org/web/20121122092642/http://www.eljallartsannex.com/Road%20House.htm
- ^Entertainment, Martial Arts (2014-09-09)."Taimak".Martial Arts & Action Entertainment.Retrieved2024-03-20.
- ^Entertainment, Martial Arts (2014-09-09)."Taimak".Martial Arts & Action Entertainment.Retrieved2024-03-20.
- ^abMcCarthy, "Big" John (2011).Let's Get It On!: The Making of MMA and Its Ultimate Referee.Medallion Press. p. 190.ISBN978-1-60542-200-8.
- ^"Adam's World: Taimak – The Last Dragon Still Has The Glow".Retrieved2020-03-15.
- ^"2015 Urban Action Showcase International Action Film Festival & Honoree Awards".YouTube.Retrieved2015-12-14.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1964 births
- Living people
- American people of Italian descent
- American male film actors
- Male actors from Los Angeles
- Male actors from New York City
- African-American male actors
- American male television actors
- American Wing Chun practitioners
- American Jeet Kune Do practitioners
- American wushu practitioners
- American male karateka
- American jujutsuka
- American male taekwondo practitioners
- American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- American stunt performers
- Gōjū-ryū practitioners
- American hapkido practitioners