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{{short description|American actor}}
{{Infobox martial artist
{{Infobox martial artist
|name = Jeff Speakman
|name = Jeff Speakman
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|birth_name = Jeffrey F. Speakman
|birth_name = Jeffrey F. Speakman
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|11|08}}
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|11|08}}
|birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]]
|birth_place = [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]
|death_date =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death_place =
|other_names =
|other_names =
|known_for = Action movies, quickness
|known_for = Action movies, quickness
|occupation = [[Actor]]<br>[[Martial Arts|Martial artist]]
|occupation = [[Actor]]<br />[[Martial arts|Martial artist]]
|nationality = {{flagicon|United States of America}} [[People of the United States|American]]
|nationality = {{flagicon|United States of America}} [[People of the United States|American]]
|years_active= 1988-present
|years_active= 1988-present (Acting)
| style = [[American Kenpo Karate]]
| style = [[American Kenpo]], [[Karate]] ([[Gōjū-ryū]])
| rank = {{Color box|black|border=darkgray}} ''9th degree black belt in [[American Kenpo]] [[Karate]]''<br/>{{Color box|black|border=darkgray}}
| rank = {{Color box|black|border=darkgray}} ''10th degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate''<br />{{Color box|black|border=darkgray}} ''9th degree black belt in Tenshi Goju Kai''
| website = {{official|http://www.jeffspeakman.com}}
| website = {{official website|http://www.jeffspeakman.com}}
}}
}}


'''Jeff Speakman''' (born November 8, 1958) is an [[Americans|American]] [[actor]] and a [[martial artist]] in the art of [[American Kenpo]] and Japanese [[Gōjū-ryū]],<ref name="tribune">{{cite news|title= A 'Perfect' homecoming What's `the next Bruce Lee' doing kicking around Hersey High? |work= [[Chicago Tribune]]|date=1991-03-03|url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-03-03/features/9101190921_1_kenpo-perfect-weapon-jeff-speakman|accessdate=2010-11-28|first=Magda|last=Krance}}</ref> earning black belts in each.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}
'''Jeff Speakman''' (born November 8, 1958) is an [[Americans|American]] [[actor]] and a [[Martial arts|martial artist]] in the art of [[American Kenpo]] and Japanese [[Gōjū-ryū]],<ref name="tribune">{{cite news |title= A 'Perfect' homecoming What's 'the next Bruce Lee' doing kicking around Hersey High? |work= [[Chicago Tribune]] |date=1991-03-03 |url= http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-03-03-9101190921-story.html |accessdate=2010-11-28 |first=Magda |last=Krance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023160534/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-03-03-9101190921-story.html |archive-date=23 October 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> earning [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belts]] in each.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} Between 2008 and 2018, he was President of the [[International Kempo Federation]].<ref>[http://olympickempo.com/former-presidents/ Former presidents]</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Speakman was born and raised in the suburbs of [[Chicago, Illinois]], where he was a springboard diver at [[John Hersey High School]] and achieved [[All-America]]n status.<ref name="knowledge">{{cite news|last=Bradham|first=Kelly|title=Knowledge of martial arts made Speakman a star|work=[[The Nevada Daily Mail]]|date=1996-05-05|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-OMfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d9kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1459,1862732|accessdate=2010-04-17}}</ref> He graduated from [[Missouri Southern State College]].<ref name="tribune"/>
Speakman was born and raised in the suburbs of [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], where he was a [[springboard]] [[Diving (sport)|diver]] at [[John Hersey High School]] and achieved [[All-America]]n status.<ref name="knowledge">{{cite news|last=Bradham|first=Kelly|title=Knowledge of martial arts made Speakman a star|work=[[The Nevada Daily Mail]]|date=1996-05-05|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-OMfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1459,1862732|accessdate=2010-04-17}}</ref> He graduated from [[Missouri Southern State University|Missouri Southern State College]].<ref name="tribune"/>


He has said that the television show ''[[Kung Fu (TV series)|Kung Fu]]'' got him interested in [[martial arts]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Hollywood chops until you drop|work=[[The Bryan Times]]|agency=[[United Press International]]|date=1991-03-28|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AywLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9VEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6176,5555543}}</ref> and he began by studying the Okinawan martial art of Gōjū ryū until achieving black belt rank. His instructor then recommended that if he was really intent in pursuing martial arts as a lifestyle, then he should go looking for [[Ed Parker]], a friend of his master. Speakman sold his car to pay for the moving expenses and met Parker at one of the latter's tournaments. Speakman spent years training in [[American Kenpo]] under his principal instructor, Larry Tatum, as well as under the system's founder Parker.<ref>{{cite news|title= LONG ISLAND JOURNAL|newspaper= [[The New York Times]]|date=1991-03-10|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/10/nyregion/long-island-journal-134391.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=2010-12-04|first=Diane|last=Ketcham}}</ref>
He has said that the television show ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]'' got him interested in [[martial arts]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Hollywood chops until you drop|work=[[The Bryan Times]]|agency=[[United Press International]]|date=1991-03-28|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AywLAAAAIBAJ&pg=6176,5555543}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and he began by studying the Okinawan martial art of [[Gōjū-ryū]] until achieving [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] rank. His instructor then recommended that if he was really intent in pursuing martial arts as a lifestyle, then he should go looking for [[Ed Parker]], a friend of his master. Speakman sold his car to pay for the moving expenses and met Parker at one of the latter's tournaments. Speakman spent years training in [[American Kenpo]] under his principal instructor, Larry Tatum, as well as under the system's founder Parker.<ref>{{cite news|title= LONG ISLAND JOURNAL|newspaper= [[The New York Times]]|date=1991-03-10|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/10/nyregion/long-island-journal-134391.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=2010-12-04|first=Diane|last=Ketcham}}</ref>


Speakman received his first-degree [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] in American Kenpo in 1984. He was promoted to ninth degree in kenpo karate by Mills Crenshaw and Bob White and ninth in Gōjū ryū by Lou Angel on July 2, 2013.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} He had started Gōjū ryū in 1978.<ref name="tribune"/>
Speakman received his first-degree black belt in American Kenpo in 1984. He was promoted to ninth degree in kenpo karate by Mills Crenshaw and Bob White and ninth in Gōjū-ryū by Lou Angel on July 2, 2013.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} He was promoted to tenth degree on July 9, 2022. He had started Gōjū-ryū in 1978.<ref name="tribune"/>


==Career==
==Career==
Speakman started acting in 1988 and became an actor in 1991 with the release of ''[[The Perfect Weapon (1991 film)|The Perfect Weapon]]'', He followed this up with the feature film ''[[Street Knight]]''. In the United Kingdom, this movie was released straight to video in 1993. Other action films followed, including ''[[The Expert (1995 film)|The Expert]]'' and ''[[Deadly Outbreak]]''.<ref name="knowledge"/>
Speakman started acting in 1988 and had his first main role in 1991 with the release of ''[[The Perfect Weapon (1991 film)|The Perfect Weapon]]'', He followed this up with the feature film ''[[Street Knight]]''. In the United Kingdom, this movie was released straight to video in 1993. Other action films followed, including ''[[The Expert (1995 film)|The Expert]]'' and ''[[Deadly Outbreak]]''.<ref name="knowledge"/>


Speakman holds training camps every year at the Jeff Speakman International Kenpo Camp for American kenpo. In 1993, Speakman was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame for Instructor of the Year. He was also recognized for excellence in martial arts and was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 2009 where he received the Silver Life Achievement Award.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
Speakman holds training camps every year at the Jeff Speakman International Kenpo Camp for American kenpo. In 1993, Speakman was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame for Instructor of the Year. He was also recognized for excellence in martial arts and was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 2009 where he received the Silver Life Achievement Award.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
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| ''[[Slaughterhouse Rock]]'' || Cafe Patron || Film
| ''[[Slaughterhouse Rock]]'' || Cafe Patron || Film
|-
|-
⚫
| 1989 || ''Blades Of The Sun'' || Unknown || IMDB lists it as one of Speakman's movies
⚫
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Lionheart (1990 film)|Lionheart]]'' || Mansion Security Man || Film
| 1990 || ''[[Lionheart (1990 film)|Lionheart]]'' || Mansion Security Man || Film
|-
|-
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| 1994 || ''[[The Expert (1995 film)|The Expert]]'' || John Lomax || Film
| 1994 || ''[[The Expert (1995 film)|The Expert]]'' || John Lomax || Film
|-
|-
| 1995 || ''[[Deadly Outbreak]]'' || Sgt. Dutton Hatfield || Film
| 1995 || ''[[Deadly Outbreak]]'' || Sergeant Dutton Hatfield || Film
|-
|-
| 1996 || ''Timelock'' || McMasters || Film
| 1996 || ''Timelock'' || McMasters || Film
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| ''[[Hot Boyz (film)|Hot Boyz]]'' || Master Keaton || Video
| ''[[Hot Boyz (film)|Hot Boyz]]'' || Master Keaton || Video
|-
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Running Red]]'' || Greg/Gregori || Film (also Executive Producer)
| 2000 || ''[[Running Red]]'' || Greg / Gregori || Film (also Executive Producer)
⚫
|-
⚫
| 2001 || ''Blades Of The Sun'' || Unknown || Film
|-
|-
| 2002 || ''Night Terror'' || Professor Eric Lang || Film
| 2002 || ''Night Terror'' || Professor Eric Lang || Film
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==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{commonscategory}}
*{{official|http://www.jeffspeakman.com}}
*{{official website|http://www.jeffspeakman.com}}
*{{IMDb name|0817275}}
*{{IMDb name|0817275}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Olaf Bock]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of [[International Kempo Federation|IKF]]|years=2008–2018}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Amatto Zaharia]]}}
{{s-end}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Missouri Southern State University alumni]]
[[Category:Missouri Southern State University alumni]]
[[Category:Male actors from Chicago]]
[[Category:Male actors from Chicago]]
[[Category:American male mixed martial artists]]
[[Category:American male karateka]]
[[Category:American male karateka]]
[[Category:American Kenpo practitioners]]
[[Category:American Kenpo practitioners]]
[[Category:Gōjū-ryū practitioners]]
[[Category:Gōjū-ryū practitioners]]
[[Category:John Hersey High School alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]

Latest revision as of 05:54, 23 November 2024

Jeff Speakman
Speakman in Moscow, 2008
BornJeffrey F. Speakman
(1958-11-08) November 8, 1958 (age 66)
Chicago, Illinois
NationalityUnited States American
StyleAmerican Kenpo, Karate (Gōjū-ryū)
Rank  10th degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate
  9th degree black belt in Tenshi Goju Kai
Years active1988-present (Acting)
Other information
OccupationActor
Martial artist
WebsiteOfficial website

Jeff Speakman (born November 8, 1958) is an American actor and a martial artist in the art of American Kenpo and Japanese Gōjū-ryū,[1] earning black belts in each.[citation needed] Between 2008 and 2018, he was President of the International Kempo Federation.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Speakman was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, where he was a springboard diver at John Hersey High School and achieved All-American status.[3] He graduated from Missouri Southern State College.[1]

He has said that the television show Kung Fu got him interested in martial arts,[4] and he began by studying the Okinawan martial art of Gōjū-ryū until achieving black belt rank. His instructor then recommended that if he was really intent in pursuing martial arts as a lifestyle, then he should go looking for Ed Parker, a friend of his master. Speakman sold his car to pay for the moving expenses and met Parker at one of the latter's tournaments. Speakman spent years training in American Kenpo under his principal instructor, Larry Tatum, as well as under the system's founder Parker.[5]

Speakman received his first-degree black belt in American Kenpo in 1984. He was promoted to ninth degree in kenpo karate by Mills Crenshaw and Bob White and ninth in Gōjū-ryū by Lou Angel on July 2, 2013.[citation needed] He was promoted to tenth degree on July 9, 2022. He had started Gōjū-ryū in 1978.[1]

Career

[edit]

Speakman started acting in 1988 and had his first main role in 1991 with the release of The Perfect Weapon, He followed this up with the feature film Street Knight. In the United Kingdom, this movie was released straight to video in 1993. Other action films followed, including The Expert and Deadly Outbreak.[3]

Speakman holds training camps every year at the Jeff Speakman International Kenpo Camp for American kenpo. In 1993, Speakman was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame for Instructor of the Year. He was also recognized for excellence in martial arts and was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 2009 where he received the Silver Life Achievement Award.[citation needed]

Speakman is also founder and director of American Kenpo Karate Systems (AKKS), an international kenpo karate organization with more than 50 schools.[citation needed]

In 2013, Speakman was ill with throat cancer, however he has since fully recovered from it. He has continued his martial arts labor, transforming his previous association, AKKS into Kenpo 5.0. Citing some of Ed Parker's last statements about American Kenpo, Speakman decided to make an attempt to integrate ground fighting techniques into Kenpo's self-defense curriculum. Speakman is adamant that in doing this he is preserving the will of Parker, who always intended Kenpo to continue evolving, and that his additions to the system will increase the student's ability to repel any type of attack.[citation needed]

Filmography

[edit]

Film and television credits

[edit]
Year Film Role Notes
1988 Side Roads Joseph Velasco Film and First Lead Role
Slaughterhouse Rock Cafe Patron Film
1990 Lionheart Mansion Security Man Film
1991 The Perfect Weapon Jeff Sanders Film
1993 Street Knight Jake Barrett Film
1994 The Expert John Lomax Film
1995 Deadly Outbreak Sergeant Dutton Hatfield Film
1996 Timelock McMasters Film
1997 Escape From Atlantis Matt Spencer TV Movie
Plato's Run Dominick Film
1998 Memorial Day Edward Downey Film
Scorpio One Jared Stone Film
1999 Land of the Free Frank Jennings Film
Hot Boyz Master Keaton Video
2000 Running Red Greg / Gregori Film (also Executive Producer)
2001 Blades Of The Sun Unknown Film
2002 Night Terror Professor Eric Lang Film
2004 The Gunman Scott Sherwin Film
2006 Striking Range (aka: Bloodlines) Kilmer Film

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Krance, Magda (1991-03-03). "A 'Perfect' homecoming What's 'the next Bruce Lee' doing kicking around Hersey High?". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  2. ^ Former presidents
  3. ^ a b Bradham, Kelly (1996-05-05). "Knowledge of martial arts made Speakman a star". The Nevada Daily Mail. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
  4. ^ "Hollywood chops until you drop". The Bryan Times. United Press International. 1991-03-28.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ Ketcham, Diane (1991-03-10). "LONG ISLAND JOURNAL". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeff Speakman.
Sporting positions
Preceded by President of IKF
2008–2018 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Jeff_Speakman&oldid=1259073262"