News

"The LeBellian"
The Official Online Newsletter of "Judo" Gene LeBell
Thursday, October 27, 2005

This month's items of interest:

• January 2009 Schedule
• 10/1/08 Gene gets Immortalized... and puts it on a keychain
• 09/24/06 Gene makes front page of LA Daily News
• 08/01/06 Gene LeBell & Gokor Academy moves to New location
• 07/06/06 Martial Arts Supershow
• 02/26/06 Promotion to 9th Degree
• 06/20/05 New Contact Information
• Martial Arts History Museum
• 04/12/03 Gene LeBell Roast
• 03/05/03 Gene on the set of 'The Guardian'
• 01/20/03 The Toughest Man Alive
• 11/30/01 Article Reprint - Morongo Casino Opening
• 11/04/02 Rowdy Roddy's Book Release
• 06/06/02 Gene's Mom named to Boxing Hall
• 08/08/01 Gene's Latest Work
• 2nd Edition of Encyclopedia Released
• 01/01/00 Black Belt Cover - January 2000
• 12/06/99 Gene's New Book
• 11/14/99 Dragonfest 4 Report
• The Man in Pink
• Final Word

Gene will be judging MMA events

1-04-09 in Long Beach.

1-25-09 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

1-29-09 in El Monte.

Keep an eye out for him. If you can provide us pictures we might be able to use them on this website and give you credit.

Gene LeBell's cauliflower ears are now available in the store. While they're still not quite as handsome as Gene's real ears, you can show off your grappling pride with either a pin, necklace, or key chain. These are definite attention grabbers and a great way to start a story.

Keychain

Pin

Necklace

Grappling guru Gene Lebell, trainer of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, isn't slowing after years of combat -- Brent Hopkins, Staff writer

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Toughest Man Alive: Gene LeBell

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Sherman Oaks. The phone rings and a mysterious voice rasps through the receiver. The Toughest Man Alive beckons.

"I'm calling on behalf of Gene LeBell," the voice growls. "Be at his house at 11 a.m."

The line goes dead.

This evokes a shadowy, covert meeting at the stronghold of an underworld mastermind, mad scientist or some sort of superhero. LeBell's Sherman Oaks townhouse does not. But although plain on the exterior, within the brown stucco building lurks a 74-year-old man who cracks necks for a living, jumps off waterfalls, crashes motorcycles and beats people up.

This man reputedly once fought a death match with his good friend Chuck Norris. He showed Bruce Lee how to choke a man unconscious. He pulled a gun on Jackie Chan and didn't suffer a thing.

Up the stairs, past the movie posters, down the hall, is his headquarters. Here sits Gene LeBell, judo champion, stuntman, animal lover, sensei, welder, artist, actor and grandfather. After years of training the flashiest guys in Hollywood, he recently relocated his dojo to the San Fernando Valley, making it a mecca for iron-jawed stuntmen and regular dudes off the street alike.

Not far from his home, in an old bakery on Burbank Boulevard, LeBell and his prot g Gokor "The Armenian Assassin" hold court on how to twist arms and pop knees. At the Hayastan Mixed Martial Arts Academy, they teach the meek to grow strong and the tough to get tougher.

Inside, it's kind of like those James Bond movies where the super-spy wanders through the training center and all the wannabe agents are beating on each other. All around the room, kids no taller than a man's waist are tackling each other as intimidating men with tattoos stretch their legs. Bodies fly through the air and slam into the mat.

LeBell wanders around in his signature pink uniform, a flamboyant touch that almost dares opponents to make rude remarks. His hands are as big as canned hams, his arms still thick and powerful. He has ears lumpy from years of brawling and flaming red hair that has thinned a bit. The Godfather of Grappling has not slowed down.

"Now I'm a little blind, so I've got to go on sound these days," he said, gesturing to show the proper way to crank a man's head around. "I like to hear vertebrae crack."

`Toughest man alive'

LeBell grew up as a proud jock, son of Aileen Eaton, the promoter at the Olympic Auditorium. He was, he recalls, a bit of a pain in the butt, so she sent him off to the Los Angeles Athletic Club. At the age of 7, he began training under Ed "Strangler" Lewis, learning martial arts at a time few had ever heard of them.

As he got older, he learned how to knock a man to the ground, grab hold and manipulate his body until the opponent gave up. He took up judo and studied how to fend off an attack with a knife or a club. LeBell fought as many men as he could and made sure word got out that he was no slouch in the ring.

"I traveled around with all the tough guys and worked out with them," he said. "A lot of them called me the toughest man alive. They were stupid knuckleheads. I wasn't the toughest. I was the best-looking."

In 1954, he won the national judo championship, besting Pan American champion Johnny Osako with the aid of an unintentional neck-lock.

Training the stars -- LeBell calls it luck today, but he followed up the next year with another heavyweight championship. Soon his talents would lead him into movie stunt work and a dojo of his own.

That's how he met Norris and Lee, who were relative unknowns when they stepped onto the mat with him. He worked with George Reeves on the old "Superman" show, playing Mr. Kryptonite and teaching the star how to fight before his untimely death. He traded moves with Elvis.

Along the way, he developed beyond just a master tactician into a figure cloaked in legend. When his white gi came back from the laundry dyed pink by an errant red sock, he adopted the color. He became known as a master of the chokehold, able to put a man to sleep with a lightning-fast arm around the neck.

He became so good at the choke, in fact, that he supposedly once had a run-in with a pudgy, ponytailed martial arts actor on the set of a film. LeBell refuses to discuss the incident, but as the story goes, their encounter twice left the far-younger actor unconscious on the floor, the latter time with soiled underwear.

"Guys used to come up to him and try to start a fight and he'd just shrink and say `No, don't hurt me, please don't hurt me,"' said Midge-o The Mean Mistress of Mayhem, LeBell's wife and verbal sparring partner. "He told me, `That way, I save on lawyer fees, doctor fees, and he feels like a real tough guy. Better for everyone that way."'

And though he worked with the legends of the martial arts world, LeBell didn't sequester himself in a pricey dojo for the stars. In the 1970s, well after he'd made a name for himself, he taught a judo class at Los Angeles City College.

Master and student -- He planned on doing it for a year, but ended up teaching for 17. And it was there that he met a young Armenian immigrant named Gokor Chivichyan.

"I didn't even speak English so my cousin translated for me," Gokor recalled. "I said, `I can do judo, jujitsu, sambo, a little wrestling.' He says, `Can you fight my guys here?' `Sure.' So he lines up 30 guys and I fought every one and beat them all."

Just 16 years old and generally known just by his first name, Gokor was already good at judo. LeBell made him better, adopting him as his personal student and teaching him moves not sanctioned in tournaments. The young student already had a nickname, "The Armenian Lion," but LeBell decided "The Armenian Assassin" was much more menacing.

And that's how the master employed his young student. If guys ran their mouths and LeBell didn't like it, he'd bring in Gokor to challenge and embarrass them in the ring. If they hurt students or showed disrespect, Gokor would humiliate them.

Just like "Judo Gene," Gokor would slide an arm around a thick neck and squeeze until the man passed out. The "Assassin," who's quite pleasant in conversation, once put a man's head through a wall when the opponent cheated in a fight and tried to blind him. That was at LeBell's birthday party.

Over their years together, Gokor, now 43, became a champion fighter in his own right and today runs the daily operations of the North Hollywood dojo. He oversees 500 students in mixed martial arts and has raised his sons Arthur and Gary to continue in his judo legacy.

Loving the rough life -- LeBell says he'd like to retire but hasn't really gotten around to it yet. The calls keep coming for stunt work, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship guys keep showing up at the dojo. He hawks his Web site, GeneLeBell.com, and still pulls the occasional gig as a stuntman or actor.

As much as he tries to settle down, he can't seem to give up the rough life he loves.

"I can't tell you the last time we went to a restaurant and someone didn't come up and say, `Oh, my goodness, you're the famous Gene LeBell!"' said Midge, who seems to be the only one who stands up to her husband. "And he starts signing, he's shaking hands, then he's going from table to table. Soon, he's got cold food! Because of who he is, he eats cold food!"

He eats cold food, he works long hours, he still uses his much-abused body to make a living. At an age when many contemporaries consider a fishing trip to be good exercise and two shuffleboard games to be a hard day's work, LeBell has lost none of his drive or his flair.

He plans to live at least to the age of 125, he said. And he doesn't take disagreement lightly.

"Last week, I killed three men," he said. "Two were on purpose. The other one, I cooked him dinner."

Moving to bigger and better location. Gene LeBell and Gokor are moving the academy to a bigger and better location in the San Fernando Valley. New address is

11044-C Burbank Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601-2430

Academy telephone number 818 - 985-4656

Chuck Norris and Gene LeBell. Don't miss this event. Gene LeBell to award Martial Arts Legend Chuck Norris the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Martial Arts SuperShow.

Gene LeBell has made a tremendous contribution to the martial arts community, and though he will stoutly deny it, he is admired and appreciated by nearly all of the greatest fighters alive today. In 2000, Chairman Gene LeBell was promoted to the rank of 9th Degree Black Belt in US JU-JITSU and US TAIHO JUTSU by the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF), The National Governing Body for Ju-Jitsu in the United States of America.

On February 26, 2005, the USJJF's Central Technical Committee (CTC) through its National Program of USA TRADITIONAL KODOKAN JUDO (USA-TKJ), officially announced the Recognition of Life-Time of Achievements, Outstanding Leadership & Original Contributions to Traditional Judo by Gene LeBell and his Promotion to the Traditional Kodokan Judo Dan Grade of Kudan, 9th Degree Black Belt.

Congratulations for this Most Well-Deserved Recognition & Promotions.

Respectfully, Lt.Col. Bruce R. Bethers, (US ARMY Ret.), President, USJJF

Dear Friends, Fans, and Family.

Gene LeBells' website is going through some changes.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 1-800-508-0825, Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10 am to 6 pm Pacific Standard Time.

Thank you for your patience during this transition to better serve your needs.

Our address to better serve you:

Valley Martial Arts Supply
5638 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

800-508-0825

In what may be the last gathering of the cast and primary crew of the film "Enter the Dragon," hundreds kept flashing the cameras to capture this historic moment.

Giving of their time to support the Museum and being honored on stage were stars John Saxon, Ahna Capri, producers Paul Heller, Fred Weintraub, and via video, composer Lalo Schifrin.

David Ortiz, host of Latino Nation, MC'd the event expertly, whilst 400 guests and press kept the historical stars of martial arts cinema on stage as long as possible, in order to capture the key players in what some are calling the greatest martial arts film of all time.

In recognition of their history making film, each member of the team received a custom-made media statue.

The Museum Ceremony raised the bar as this "oscar style" event, MC'd by David Ortiz, honored such notables as Eric Lee, Al Dacascos, Blinky Rodriguez, Edmund Parker, Carrie Ogawa-Wong, Ted Lucaylucay, Joe Hyams, Tadashi Yamashita, Ralph Castro, Steve Sanders Muhammad, S. Henry Cho, Allen Steen, and more. (If I forgot someone please forgive me and let me know)

Tough Talent is proud to present the 22nd Annual

Roasting of Gene LeBell!!!

Master of Ceremonies: Bob Wall
Confirmed Roasters:
Chuck Norris
Perry King
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Terry Leonard
Bill McKinney
Bobby Hoy
Branscombe Richmond
Bruce Buffer
Chris CasaMassa
Eddy Donno
Gary Davis
Hank Garrett
James Lew
Loren Janes
Vince Deadrick Sr.

There will also be some hilarious Surprise Roasters who plan to really make Gene squirm!

When: Saturday April 12th, 2003
6:00 PM - Doors Open to Roast ticket holders
10:30'ish PM - "After the Roast" Party begins & continues 'til the wee hours of the mornin'

Where: Anoush Restaurant
1320 Glenoaks Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91201

Why?: Because we love Gene! (The goal is to give Gene the best time he's ever had with his clothes on)

Cost: We have two options!

~~ Option 1: Roast Event and "After the Roast" Party ~~ $75.00 per person ($100.00 at the door per person if any tickets remain) includes all you can eat, all you can drink, "After the Roast" Party and your name printed in the Roast program

~~ Option 2: "After the Roast" Party ~~ $35.00 per person ($40.00 at the door per person) Just Want to Party? The "After the Roast" Party begins at 10:30'ish PM Come on in for Open Bar and Party till the wee hours of the morning! Purchase your Ticket by March 31 and your name will be printed in the Roast program

~~ Please make checks payable to: ~~ 'Tough Talent' with 'Gene LeBell Roast' on memo line. Tough Talent's address is: 1506 10th Street, Suite 215, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Dress: Your Favorite Party Duds!

Note: Must be over 21 to attend, this is an "adults only" event

Seating is limited so book your spot for the party of the year ASAP!

(310) 395-7664
ToughTalent@aol.com

Visa, M/C, Amex & Discover Welcome

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~ Proud Sponsors ~

S & S Stunt Equipment
Valley Martial Arts Supply
Ryukyu.com
Stuntplayers.com
International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy
Missy's Answering Service - Official Roast Answering Service
Thorsoft Corporation - Gene LeBell's Official Web Developer
Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures
CFW Enterprises
Stunts Unlimited
Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures
International Stunt Association
United Stuntwomen's Association
Brand X Action Specialists
Up Time
Leavittation
Day in the Dirt
Retired Boxers Foundation
All Martial Arts Supplies
JulieMichaels.com

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~ Roast Program Tribute Ads ~
Show Gene what you think of him by putting a message in the Roast Program - Give Gene a personal tribute or tease the heck outta him (teasing preferred ... this IS a roast after all)! or place an ad for your product or service. This is your chance to "insult" Gene without getting choked out or harmed in any way! (he'll know your tease is all in good fun). This is also your chance to show him how much you care in a quality, collectible glossy program.
Program Pages sold as follows:
Sponsorship ----> Full Page (8 . 5" X 11"): $1,000.
Sponsorship comes with purchase of Full Page Tribute Ad Only Includes 4 Preferred Seat Tickets to Roast.

1/2 Page: $500. - Includes 2 Tickets to Roast.

1/4 Page: $250.00 - Includes 1 Ticket to Roast.

Business Card Ad (Standard Biz Card Size) - $100.

Any profit after cost will be donated to Gene's favorite charity.

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~ Travel and Lodging Arrangements ~

Group Four
Altour International
11661 San Vicente Boulevard Suite 900
Los Angeles, California 90049
Phone: 310-571-0336
Fax: 310-207-5724

Laura Branigan Lykins
Rae Ellen Valade
Karen Pappas Bosten

Independent Travel Consultants: Group Four is the official travel agent for this upcoming event. Group Four has set up a block of rooms at a hotel directly across the street from the event. If you're interested in booking a room for the evening please call the hotel directly and be sure to mention that you are part of the Gene LeBell group to receive the discounts listed below.

The rates are as follows:
$69.99 - 1 Queen bed - Maximum 2 people
$74.99 - 2 Queen beds - Maximum 4 people
$79.99 - 1 king and sofa bed - Maximum 4 people

Homestead Glendale Burbank
1377 Glenoaks Boulevard
Glendale, California 91201
818-956-6665
Group Four would be glad to handle your airline reservations as well but be advised that they do charge a service fee of $35.00 per ticket. If you're looking for service and competitive prices from all airlines with only one phone call then Group Four is well worth their fee.

Bob Calhoun and George Foon are helping Judo Gene put together his epic autobiography entitled "The Godfather of Grappling" which will be coming out later this year. We are only a little over a third of the way through with the book and it has already contains gripping accounts of the spectacular Milo Savage fight, Gene's harrowing battles in the 1954 & '55 Judo Nationals, and learning submission holds from wrestling legend Lou Thesz. The book also includes an extensive chapter on his mother Aileen Eaton who promoted boxing in Southern California out of the Olympic Auditorium during the 1940s through the 80s as well as the day that Gene laced up the boxing gloves and sparred "Sugar" Ray Robinson at the famous Main St. Gym in Los Angeles.

Before we are done with the book, its pages will include stories about Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, George "Superman" Reeves, Andre the Giant, The Rock, Chuck Norris, James Garner, Hulk Hogan and Clint Eastwood just to name a few. This book is told with Gene LeBell's unique candor and humor and is a must buy for anybody interested in the history of martial arts, professional wrestling, boxing, or movie stunts.

From The Record Gazette - Nov. 30, 2001
By Rees Lloyd

San Gorgonio Pass - The Casino Morongo Entertainment Center opened with a spectacular, world class "Ultimate Pankration" competition on Veterans Day which drew a galaxy of martial arts and Hollywood Stars, and approximately 4,000 fans, to the huge new center which is intended to become an entertainment mecca in the Inland Empire.

... Among those on his feet and applauding the performance of Ruas, and all the other outstanding martial artists who competed, was Chuck Norris, one of the greatest martial arts champions ever, and now a movie and television star.

"I think it is great that people of this area of California are able to have a world class event like this close to home. The people here have always been very hospitable to us, and I've always liked this area," said Norris in a ringside interview with the Record-Gazette. Asked who was the beautiful woman with him, Norris beamed and happily reported, "My wife. We just had twins a month ago."

Norris, down-to-earth, smiling and gracious to all despite his international celebrity status, must have shaken a thousand hands as fans passed by to meet him during the intermissions between bouts. Each received a big smile, handshake, and, it appeared, Norris' joyful report of the birth of his twins.

While so many fans left their seats to meet Norris, he left his seat to round the ring to specially greet and embrace another martial arts legend, Gene LeBell, guru of grapplers, and long a member of the Black Belt Martial Arts Hall of Fame. "Gene LeBell is a legend, one-of-a-kind, a great man," said Norris about LeBell, who, too, was surrounded by well-wishers most of the night.

"That's very kind of Chuck to say," said LeBell, when informed of Norris' remarks by a Record-Gazette reporter. Almost as famous for his wit as his legendary martial arts talent, LeBell beloved in the martial arts world, offered up one of his classic lines: "You know, when I'm gone, chuck [Norris] will be the greatest ever. But - I'm feeling fine," said Gene LeBell with a mischievous grin.

Norris and LeBell were but two of the martial arts champions drawn to Ultimate Pankration in the Pass. Other champions ... Randy Couture, Bas Rutten, Maurice Smith, Pedro Rizzo, Tito Ortiz, Dan Henderson.

... Other martial arts movie stars included Michael Dudikoff, Daniel Bernhardt, Hector Pena.

... Other celebs included Ed O'neill, Kevin James, Reggie Arvizian, Joe Rogan, Matt Lindland and Jonathan Lipnicki.

Richard Norton, Australian-born martial artist who has starred in more than sixty movies and has played the "bad guy" in fight scenes with Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, was the celebrity color-commentator at the event, at which even the ring announcer, Bruce Buffer, has celebrity status with his distinctive elocutions.

... The event included tournament competition in which fighters had to triumph twice in order to carry home the victor's trophy. Unusually, both tournament winners won with application of the "triple chokehold," a difficult hold to apply which is rarely seen in competition.

In the super heavyweight division, Harout Terzyan of Las Vegas, a 226-pound grappler who trains under Gene LeBell and Gokor Chivichyan, both of whom were in his corner, won a bruising battle against Aaron Brink of Huntington Beach, a 237-pound Pankration-style fighter (now 14-5) who "tapped out" when Terzyan managed to apply a submission armbar.

Terzyan faced a 290-pound "streetfighter" Mark Smith for the super heavyweight tournament trophy. Smith had earlier defeated Zane Frazier, 270-pound kickboxer and jiu-jitsu stylist who tapped out in the first round after a series of head punches from Smith.

Teryzyan, bearing the bruises of his fight with Brink, seemed to be overwhelmed by the 290-pound Smith, who took Terzyan down and appeared dominant. However, in a sudden move, Terzyan applied the rarely seen "triple chokehold," causing the huge Smith to "tap out." Terzyan was hoisted in the air in a victory celebration in the ring by ecstatic Gene LeBell.

Although the "triple choke" is rarely seen in competition, it also brought victory to heavyweight tournament winner Amir Rhanarvardi (a 205-pound practitioner of Bas Rutten Pankration).

... "All in all, this was one great night of world class competition," summed up Gene LeBell. "Great fights, a great crowd, and a great new arena. I'm glad that we were able to be a part of it, and I salute the Morongo Tribe for making it possible. I'm looking forward to more great events in the future."

Gene LeBell Black Belt Roddy Piper announces book release, get your copy today!

Roddy Piper's Book, "In the Pit with Piper" will be Released Monday, November 4th, 2002!

?As the Truth Be Told?From the Heart? By: Lewis Rach, Chief Executive Assistant to ?Rowdy? Roddy Piper

I?ve been told everyone pays the Piper. After having read Roddy?s new book, In the Pit With Piper, he takes you to a place that very few people have ever been.

You all know him as the outrageous, rebel character ?Rowdy Roddy Piper.? Unbeatable, unstoppable. And while it is true that ?Rowdy Roddy Piper? is invincible, it is also true that the actual man he is, Roderick Toombs, is as vulnerable as any human being.

On January 31, 2002, while working on his book, Mr. Toombs was involved in a car accident. He was seriously injured, in critical condition for 13 days, at this time facing death. He has spent eight months recuperating and using his instinctive will to fight has finished his book and continues to heal. With the release of his book ?In the Pit With Piper,? the upcoming city to city tour and media press he is about to embark on, one must have heart to acknowledge that Roddy is once again giving his all for the fans. Though he is ?Rowdy Roddy Piper?, depending on his recovery on any given day, you may see instead the ?real man? Roderick Toombs, as he fights his way back to 100% on a path he is not afraid to show you - those who have supported him through the years - his fans.

On a final note, for all you people who love to hate him, it could be your last opportunity to throw your popcorn at him or get an autograph from ?Rowdy Roddy Piper? as he?s beginning a new journey as Roderick Toombs. When I asked Roddy personally how he felt about being able to make the tour, he simply said, ?I?m goin? to chew bubble gum and kick ass kid! IT WILL BE ?ROAD RAGE? WITH ?ROWDY RODDY PIPER!!!?

Sincerely,

Lewis Rach
LewisRachRRP@aol.com

Anyone interested in scheduling media appearances i.e. Radio/TV or with general questions pertaining to Roddy's book should e-mail MediaRelations@piperbook.com.

InThePitWithPiper.com, you can now Pre-Order a *PERSONALLY* AUTOGRAPHED copy of "In the Pit With Piper: Roddy Gets Rowdy." All books will be sent out *SPECIALLY GIFT-WRAPPED* upon the release of Roddy's book November 4, 2002, and all autograph's will be made out to whomever you choose PERSONALLY BY RODDY PIPER HIMSELF!!! InThePitWithPiper.com is the ONLY place where you can order a personally autographed and gift-wrapped copy of "In the Pit With Piper," and your book is guaranteed to be one of the last autographs Roddy Piper will ever sign, as his career as a professional wrestler comes to a close. ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!!

The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2002 on January 10th. Living inductees include heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson from Sweden, welterweight king Pipino Cuevas from Mexico, 3-division world champion Jeff Fenech from Australia and British journalist Reg Gutteridge. All living inductees are anticipated to be in Canastota for the 13th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, scheduled for June 6-9th.

The Class of 2002 is unique as it includes the first female inductee into the Hall of Fame. Aileen Eaton, promoter at the legendary Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles (1942-1980) has been elected posthumously. Eaton was one of boxing's most consistent promoters, staging weekly boxing shows at the Olympic, and promoting more than 2500 fight cards, 100 title bouts and 10,000 matches during her career.

The Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: Victor Galindez in the Mod-ern category; Benny Bass, The Dixie Kid, Sixto Escobar, Harry Harris, Charley Mitchell and Owen Moran in the Old-Timer category; manager Irving Cohen and promoter Sam Silverman in the Non-Participant category; journalists Jimmy Cannon and Damon Runyon in the Observer category, and John C. Heenan and Young Dutch Sam in the Pioneer category. Family representatives of deceased inductees are expected to attend.

Each inductee will receive a permanent plaque featuring their photo and biography on the Hall of Fame Wall. Also, each living inductee will receive a custom-made gold Hall of Fame ring at the Official Enshrinement Ceremony set for Sunday, June 9th on the grounds of the Hall of Fame Museum.

POSTED AUGUST 8, 2001

Coming to a theater near you is "Rat Race" in which Gene was a stuntman that you may just see if they don't leave his part on the cutting room floor. This film has wall to wall talent such as (among others) Whoopie Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jr.and John Cleese. Gene says this film was great fun to work on as he got to work with "one of the good guys" Cuba Gooding Jr.once again. The 2nd Unit Director was Mickey Gilbert (Nutty Professor I & II", "Liar, Liar" and "Apollo 13") and one of his talented sons Tim was the stunt coordinator. For the couple weeks some scenes were shot in Calgary, Canadian stuntman Walter Scott was the co-coordinator. Gene was the wrestling coordinator while in Calgary, Alberta.

Gene just worked on "Philly", a new weekly episodic drama starring Kim Delaney of NYPD Blue. He played Charlie Broder, a disororiented lawyer who gets "attacked" by an upset little dog who lifted his leg on Gene (who thought he was just doing karate). This show will air in the fall.

Prior to that Gene was doing stunts for "Men in Black 2". He (along with 20 other stuntmen) was in a train that was being eaten by a giant alien worm. Gene will do anything for the cinematic arts!

JUNE: Gene appeared in a short hilarious scene with actors A. Martinez and "Luke" Anthony Geary. Gene plays a dim witted harbor master who gets tossed into the bay by A. Martinez.

MAY: Gene was a stuntman on Robert Redford's latest film "The Castle". 2nd Unit Director and stunt coordinator Mic Rogers you will see in the stuntman's race in November as he is every year without fail. You have seen Mic's work most recently in "The Fast and The Furious", "The Patriot" and "Lethal Weapon 4" which he co-coordinated with Conrad Palmisano of "Rush Hour 2"

APRIL: Tommy Lee Jones' film "Hunted" in which Gene was on as a stuntman along with 30 other stunt people. The stunt coordinator on this film was the legendary Buddy Joe Hooker a veteran of the stunt world who most recently coordinated "Pay it Forward", "Coyote Ugly" and "Man on the Moon". Gene says working for this man has been a pleasure of his for decades.

MARCH: "The Drew Carey Show" playing a wheelchair bound man who spilled coffee on himself. The director Jerry Cohen is a talented man Gene has worked for before on the hit long running tv show "Married With Children"

FEBRUARY: "The 4th Tenor" starring Rodney Dangerfield who Gene doubled. Spiro Rozatos was the stunt coordinator on this film.

It's a classic in its field and a legend in its own time. Gene has been to two world's fairs and an all night gas station and he says he's never seen anything like it!

The first 500 books purchased from us will be signed by Gene LeBell himself and numbered, making this an instant collector.

This book has more finishing holds than any other book that has ever been printed anywhere in the world.

If you can't comprehend grappling, turn on the Disney channel, but if you want the best finishing hold book ever in print, this is the book for you.

One picture is worth a thousand words, so there's millions of words in this book considering it has over 1500 pictures. It has over a thousand techniques and is 576 pages.

You can purchase your copy today by clicking on Shopping from the home page of the site.

In case you didn't get it, run right out and pick up the January 2000 issue of Black Belt Magazine. You can't miss it - the cover features Gene "The Toughest Man Alive" LeBell in his trademark pink Gi.

We find it gratifying, and quite an honor, to be heading into the Year 2000 with the man who has contributed more to martial arts and grappling than anyone else alive. The cover of the January 2000 Black Belt Magazine is Gene lovingly applying one of his patented holds (using a club) to old friend Mando Guerrero's neck. The article on Gene shares some techniques seen in his newest release "The Grappling Club Master" as well as some history on how Gene proved himself time and again in Judo, wrestling, and the martial arts. An excellent read!

You may also want to subscribe to Black Belt Magazine, the world's oldest martial arts magazine in print or online. To do so, go to www.backbeltmag.com/members

Gene designed his first club when he was just 8 years old and began practicing with it in the dojo regularly. Gene's students have encouraged him to put these techniques in writing in order to pass this knowledge on to other martial artists; until now, he has never divulged the secrets shown in this book to anyone outside his dojo. We are excited to announcethe book was released Dec. 6, 1999. It is entitled "Gene LeBell, The Grappling Club Master", and it is the world's first book written entirely on grappling with a club. The Club (baton), and side handle club (tonfa), are used as an extension of your arms while grappling.

This unique method of easy control and restraint of a suspect without striking a blow is a must for law enforcement, bodyguards, bounty hunters, military personnel and martial artists who want to learn the full scope of possibilities of this weapon. In light of the recent increase of police brutality and assault lawsuits, Gene couldn't have picked a better time to present this work.

Chapters include non-striking techniques, blocking strikes & kicks, controlled come-alongs, takedowns, holds for control, finishing holds, wrist locks, hip locks, arm locks, elbow locks, shoulder locks, leg & back locks, neck locks, knee locks, hold-downs, and much, much more! See the Products section to order your copy of "The Grappling Club Master", as well as your custom Gene LeBell grappling club.

Sunday, November 14, 1999, at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, thousands gathered to meet and take pictures with their martial arts heroes. Doors opened at 11:00 am with a line the length of a Star Wars premiere trailing around the block. Gene arrived with good friends and students proudly in tow; Gokor Chivichyan, Kenny & Carmen Harte, Steve Kim, Noelle LeBell, Steve Uhrig, Lari Beebe, David Villanueva, and of course Gene's lovely wife Midge LeBell.

The list of attendees read like a who's who in the martial arts community: Gerald Okamura, Benny "the Jet" & Sara Urquidez, Don "the Dragon" Wilson, "Stormin'" Norman Leff, James Lew, Phillip Tan, Michael Worth, Tak Kubota, Don Stroud, Karen Shephard, Cynthia Rothrock, Erin Grey, Kevin Eastman, Eric Lee, "Sugarfoot", Chris Cassamassa, Ruby and too many more to remember.

Several exhibitions of various art forms were performed in the sunken center stage throughout the day, with the highlight (in our opinion) being Gene and his students. Initially Gene spoke while Gokor Chivichyan displayed dozens of his deadly and lightning quick techniques on "pretzel impersonator" Ken Harte. The speed and effectiveness of Gokor's maneuvers had the audience watching in breathless disbelief while Gene looked on with gleaming satisfaction.

After Gokor's performance, Gene stepped onto the mat while asking for "insomniac" volunteers from the audience. He called Ken Harte and his wife Carmen to the mat whereupon Ken wrapped his arm around her neck and put her to sleep seconds later. Gene stepped in to revive her and she awoke none the worse for the wear. Brave girl. Some would say Ken was far braver?

The finale is always Gene's patented and hilarious "volunteer choke out". Gene gets behind the volunteer talking matter-of-factly while he wraps his huge forearm and biceps around their neck and says "I will count backwards from 20, and by the time I get to 1 you will be asleep. 20, 19, 18, 17, 16..." and by the time he gets to 15 they are falling from his arms like a ton of bricks, snoozing soundly, twitching, doing the floppy chicken, sometimes even snoring.

Judging by the capacity crowd, Gerald Okamura's Dragonfest 4 was an unequivocal success, and more than likely next year will present an even larger venue. Gene said, "I was humbly grateful and honored to be a part of such a talented and gifted group of martial artists. I am looking forward to attending next year".

by Midge LeBell

Some say he is tough, some say good looking, I say he is the most honest man you will ever meet and the most giving person I know. I don't think my husband knows the word "no"! If there is anything he can do to help those he cares about he will, even to the point that it hurts him. I have watched this man feed his friends, buy them cars, pay some of their bills and never hear from some of them again - but you'll never hear him say anything bad about these people. It gladdens my heart to see that so many people love his teaching. Martial arts has always been his life, it's what keeps him smiling. Gene's new book is my favorite so far. "The Grappling Club Master" is the best - I just love it! It was worth the time and mess I had here at home 'til he got it finished. Boy, after all that, I hope everyone gets a copy!
Always,
Midge LeBell

from "The Chairman of The Board" Gene LeBell

For the new year, make a new friend every day, and the guy that dies with the most friends? is still dead. Seriously, believe in cross training, there are no bad martial arts styles, it's the people involved that are good or bad. Don't knock a style until you've tried it with different teachers. If you'd like to learn any of the techniques in my books, and you live in California, come on down to our dojo in Hollywood for your first lesson free! Beginning and advanced students are welcome. Come to 11044-C Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 or call 818-708-6778 for directions. Tell 'em Gene sent ya.

Best of luck to all my friends in all styles.
Keep Smiling,
Judo Gene LeBell