in memoriam

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In Memoriam: Mel Novak (1934-2025)

TMZ is reporting that actor and screen legend Mel Novak passed away early Wednesday this week. He leaves behind a legacy of well-over eighty film credits dating back to the late 1960s, with titles like Blackploitation classics Truck Turner and Black Belt Jones, as well as in Bruce Lee’s Game Of Death. The actor also appeared in Chuck Norris thrillers A Force Of One and An Eye For An Eye, as well as more recent titles like Gregory Hatanaka’s fan-driven Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, Benny Tjandra and Doug Tochioka’s Syndicate Smasher, and Dustin Ferguson’s Space Sharks. Novak is also an awarded martial arts Hall of Famer at several ceremonies, including 2017’s USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame alongside veteran actor Aki Aleong, as well as an ordained minister lauded for his humanitarian efforts. “He had such a zest for life and lived quite an exciting life,” said daughter Nikol […]

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Gordon Liu, Lee Hoi-Sang and Lau Kar Leung on the set of The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin - image via HKMDB

In Memoriam: Lee Hoi-Sang (1941-2024)

It’s a sad day for kung fu cinema as news of Lee Hoi-sang’s death hit the internet this morning. Those that don’t know his name almost definitely know his face as he appeared in over 115 action films over the years, including an absolute wealth of classics. He featured in The 3th Chamber of Shaolin, The Magnificent Butcher, Warriors Two, Dynamo, Heroes of the East, Knockabout, Shaolin Prince, Project A, and Miracles, as well as many, many more. As a Wing Chun master (he was one of Yip Man’s disciples), he found his way into the film industry througfh being a Martial Arts Consultant. This graduated to performing in front of the camera and, eventually, getting meatier roles, mostly as a villain or Shaolin monk – and sometimes both! As well as his movie stardom, he worked a lot in television, and can be seen in TV series’ such as […]

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In Memoriam: James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

Fans may remember actor James Earl Jones from any number of the near-200 credits he shares in film and television as one of the most celebrated and EGOT-Winning thespians of the last century. In my upbringing, I knew him as either King Jaffe Joffer (Coming To America), TKD Team USA coach Frank Couzo (Best Of The Best), Mustafa (The Lion King), Thulsa Doom (Conan The Barbarian), and the longstanding voice of Darth Vader (Star Wars) in each of his respective film titles for these characters. His most recent screen credits were his return to the role of Vader in the Star Wars saga Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi” and in Amazon’s Eddie Murphy-led sequel, Coming 2 America. I saw both of those, and I carry those performances with me to this day, especially in light of the sad news coming out of the trades of his passing while at home in Dutchess […]

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[UPDATED] In Memoriam: Corey Yuen Kwai (1951-2022)

A previous version of this article was updated to include newly discovered details revealed regarding Corey Yuen Kwai’s passing. Special thanks to @Olyphantastic83 for pointing me in the right direction. One of the most influential names in action cinema, Corey Yuen Kwai, reportedly passed away two years ago at the age of 71. An exact death date has not been announced, although Yuen’s death was confirmed in a statement by Tin Kai-man, spokesperson for the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, made to news outlet HK01. “About two years ago, Yuen Kui passed away due to COVID-19, but it has not been made public due to his family’s wishes,” Tin said. “As far as I know, he had immigrated to Canada in his early years.” The update comes following a tribute post by actor and screen legend Jackie Chan who broke the news on Weibo late Sunday, while commemorating the 65th […]

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In Memoriam: Ray Stevenson (1964-2023)

News broke on Monday that actor Ray Stevenson passed away at the age of 58. The actor’s death was confirmed according to The Wrap’s Scott Mendelsohn but the cause remains undisclosed as of this post. A veteran TV and film actor since the 90s, Stevenson is most prolifically known for the cult fandom grown for his titular portrayal in Lexi Alexander’s Punisher: War Zone (2008), with credits also extending to the MCU’s Thor franchise. He also starred in 2009’s The Book Of Eli and in Jonathan Hensleigh’s 2011 crime pic, Kill The Irishman and Jon Chu’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation in the role of Cobra villain, Firefly. Stevenson would also appear in the Telugu smash action epic, RRR, as well as opposite Scott Adkins in the hit graphic novel adaptation, Accident Man (2018) from Jesse V. Johnson, as well as last year’s sequel directed by The Kirby Brothers. The actor already […]

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In Memoriam: Fumio Demura (1938-2023)

Shihan Fumio Demura, actor, martial arts expert and film consultant, passed away on Monday at the age of 84. Word spread throughout multiple posts in social media with the news shared by martial arts entertainment laureates like Scott Adkins, Cynthia Rothrock, and Douglas Wong. “I just received word that our close family friend the great Karate Pioneer Fumio Demura has passed away,” wrote Wong in a Facebook post. “Master Demura was one of the greatest and kindest Karate Master that we have known for over 50 years. He will be missed but will live on in our hearts and minds. Rest in Peace and Paradise until we meet again…” An expert in karate and kobudo, the Yokohama-born Demura began training at the age of nine and started training in multiple disciplines before plying his trade in the U.S. after moving in 1965, and becoming a staple in the Western world […]

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[UPDATED] In Memoriam: Pearry Reginald Teo (1978-2023)

Article update as of March 12, 2023: Italia Gandolfo, who represented Pearry Teo, confirmed the filmmaker’s death on Thursday March 9, in and Sunday report published by The Hollywood Reporter‘s Mike Barnes. The cause of death remains unknown. Originally published March 10, 2023: Filmmaker and actor Pearry Reginald Teo has died at the age of 44. The details of his death are unknown as of late Friday as word began circulating through the posts of mutual friends sending their condolences via his personal Facebook page. Teo was always an interesting filmmaker to follow in the 20+ years I’ve followed his work. I firstly learned of him through the official trailer release of his 2009 sci-fi action thriller The Gene Generation starring Bai Ling. My connection with Teo on social media lasted almost a decade with us both chatting once in a blue moon. I’ve had the privilege of learning details […]

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In Memoriam: Albert Pyun (1953-2022)

If there’s one regret that I have, it’s never getting to meet legendary filmmaker Albert Pyun. The 69-year-old Hawaii-born filmmaker died on Saturday according to his wife Cynthia Curnan, after years of battling dementia and multiple sclerosis. Pyun rose to excellence since his 1982 feature debut, The Sword And Ths Sorcerer, and continued churning out low-budget films with brevity and success that made him a star in the independent film arena. That legacy ultimately continued with films like one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s earlier breakout hits, Cyborg, the Matt Salinger-led 1990 rendition of Captain America, two DTV sequels to 1989’s Kickboxer starring Sasha Mitchell, and all four installments of the action-packed cyberpunk franchise, Nemesis, among others. He had directed over three dozen features, and even had plans to remake Cyborg at one point, as well as pay a revisit to the Kickboxer franchise that would have hopefully seen Mitchell back […]

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In Memoriam: Jason David Frank (1973-2022)

If you’re like me and you’ve grown up with the Americanized suit action series incarnation that is the “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers,” then chances are you share an equal fondness for its cast, including and especially actor Jason David Frank. I remember always trying to replicate the number of jump spinning-hook kicks, as he’s seen doing in the show, as well as its opening credits. It’s because of this that I credit him as producer Haim Saban’s answer to Donnie Yen, as fun as he was to watch between his multiple occurrences and phases of the show as in some form or fashion. Frank shares screen credits on other projects as well, so it will come often as no surprise that these will be topical discussions in the immediate future on numerous fan forums and blogs in the wake of the sudden news of the actor and mixed martial artist’s […]

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This Has Not Been Easy…

Since I started writing (or at least trying to write) this article in an effort to get my nerve back with posting and reporting again, my family and I were close to a week since the death of my sister, Dr. Isis Lee-Marie Golden. She was an inspiration to many people in her life who were fortunate to know her – of course, none more fortunate than myself, my mother and father, for whom she was the absolute pride and joy. My sister, who died at her residency on the morning of April 7 in Lansing, Michigan, has to be the darkest chapter we’ve ever faced, and we’ve had some pretty damn dark ones. While her death wasn’t the only personal tragedy I’ve had to live with, because until last week, we were four. And now, we are three. My emotions were in a constant state of flux, and because […]

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In Memoriam: Eric Kovaleski (1979-2020)

News broke over the weekend that actor, community leader and martial artist Eric Kovaleski sadly passed away in the early hours of Saturday, February 29. Cause of death remains unknown as of this report. From age three, Kovaleski was introduced to martial arts by his father, Tang Soo Do Grandmaster Robert Kovaleski, and Korean martial arts pioneer, Senior Grandmaster Frank Trojanowicz. In 1994 he founded his first school with his current multi-based chain, Master Kovaleski’s Karate U.S.A. In addition to serving as President of the Global Korean Martial Arts Federation, among other endeavors, he also shepherded the Legends Of The Martial Arts Hall Of Fame Awards serving as founder and President alongside Vice President, actress and martial arts star, Grandmaster Cynthia Rothrock. Kovaleski’s growing network would also see the addition of actor, Grandmaster Kim Won Jin (The Suspect, China Strike Force, The Scorpion King), with both planning Kim’s own versatile […]

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In Memoriam: Hans Wikkeling II (1983-2019)

UPDATED October 28, 2019 at 7:04pm EST News is currently circulating about the death of stunt performer and martial artist Hans Wikkeling II as of Tuesday. An update from a family member on Friday confirmed the cause of death was drowning. “Hans passed doing what he loved to do, swimming in the ocean and on October 17th his body was found on the beach in Davenport, CA.” said Ahjahlia Hall in Facebook post. “It was deemed that his death was due to drowning.” Folks were alerted of Wikkeling II’s mysterious disappearance on September 24 upon which friends filed a missing persons report prior to an October 11 update revealing a description of his 2005 Hyundai Accent GL in hopes of learning of his whereabouts. His body was discovered on Saturday, October 19. Wikkeling II, originally from San Jose, California, grew up in the fandom with star properties such as Teenage […]

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IN MEMORIAM: Ken Siu

You’re forgiven for taking to your film collection to put on Bloodsport this week a few more times over if you’ve heard the latest on the passing of Ken Siu. Reports came in over the weekend as Siu was inexplicably seen in a photo, hospitalized for months and on a breathing apparatus (via Twitter). Siu has several film acting credits from the early eighties and has since worked as either second unit director or assistant director. Such credits further include Jackie Chan hits, Brett Ratner’s Rush Hour and Rob Minkoff’s The Forbidden Kingdom. Siu also served in the same capacity on Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Double Impact and Newt Arnold’s Bloodsport; Siu is best known for the supporting role of Victor with Van Damme starring centrally, based on the exploits of Frank Dux and set in the dangerous underworld of the Kumite. Van Damme has since broken the news via social […]

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IN MEMORIAM: Koichi Funayama (1975-2018)

Another loss in the stunt world was felt on Monday when stuntman Koichi Funayama passed away at the age of 42. Funayama, whose credits partly include Netflix series Marco Polo, 20th Century Fox’s The Wolverine (2013), Fukuda Yuichi’s Gintama (2017), and Miike Takashi’s Blade Of The Immortal (2017), reportedly fell unconcious last week upon suffering from multiple organ failure stemming from fulminant myocarditis, a disease that attacks the heart. Colleagues and close friends kept tabs with updates on social media, including fellow stuntman and friend Kenji Sato who broke the news to social media friends last week. Almost immediately, Phillip Chang, another friend to Funayama living in Vancouver where Funayama spent time with colleagues and friends, launched a GoFundMe page to fundraise toward medical and incidental expenses. Funayama sadly passed away on November 19. He is survived by his wife, Megumi, and their three children. The GoFundMe page will remain […]

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In Memoriam: DARREN SHAHLAVI (1972-2015)

English actor and martial artist Darren Shahlavi is a man whose career remains one of the most prolific in today’s film industry for martial arts fans alike. Having spawned a career from his heyday as a Hong Kong stuntman to movies ranging several genres, Shahlavi‘s most notable films include roles in Tai Chi II with Jacky Wu Jing, Bloodmoon with Gary Daniels, I Spy with Eddie Murphy, The Final Cut with Robin Williams, Ip Man 2 with Donnie Yen, Tactical Force and The Package with actor Steve Austin, and most recently in shows like Arrow, Metal Hurlant Chronicles and Mortal Kombat Legacy opposite Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan. Needless to say, Shahlavi has been an amazing man to witness on screen in the past two decades, which in turn brings tragic news with regard to all these references in the past tense. The word came via social media from brother Bobby […]

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In Memoriam: Actor, Stuntman CARLOS LOPEZ IV

Carlos Lopez IV (6/26/89-10/2/14) The stunt community is pretty tight knit, one where almost everybody knows everybody in some capacity. So when things happen, specifically speaking in terms of an accident or a tragedy, virtually everyone feels it, and the loss is especially greater when the younger ones pass on. For the past few days now, that community was feeling that very pain as I looked in my newsfeed and spotted numerous posts sharing news pertaining to SAG-AFTRA accredited actor, martial artist and freerunner, Carlos Lopez IV, who died on Thursday, October 2. The Hollywood Reporter reported on Friday that the 25-year old actor and avid stuntman and Charlotte, North Carolina native, who was traveling with his girlfriend in Lisbon, Portugal was performing a non-work related parkour jump from his fourth floor window onto a balcony. Lopez shares numerous credits that include the Danny McBride martial arts comedy, The Foot […]

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I Just Really Needed To Get This Off My Chest This Morning

I Just Really Needed To Get This Off My Chest This Morning

Robin McLaurin Williams, 7/21/51 – 8/11/14 (Photo: Patch Adams, 1998 film) Saying anything about the death of legendary comedian, actor and Chicago native, Robin Williams was a little difficult for me last night. I suppose enough time has past now, the sun is up on my end, eating breakfast, at work and starting my day. I’m still affected, but moving forward is our best and only option at this point. But I’m in the mood to reflect… A few people have died this past week though…legendary action film director and producer Menahem Golan, actor J.J. Murphy who died four days into filming the new season of Game Of Thrones, mother and father who fell off a cliff in Spain while trying to take a vacation selfie as their children watched in horror…and even the hundreds and hundreds of deaths that have taken place between Gaza and Israel, and so on. In […]

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