It has been said that Brad Pitts character of stuntman Cliff Booth in the 2019 Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which included a memorable sequence with Lee, was an homage to LeBell. Jimmy Roberts, Gene youve always told me Im the best but your THE GREATEST Love ya, Manny Perry, I owe everything to Gene. Ed Lewis. Something went wrong. Freddy Bouceigues, No one deserves this more then you uncle Gene. He also appeared in movies like Planet of the Apes (1968), The Towering Inferno (1974) and the Steven Seagal crime drama Out for Justice (1991). Very, very few people believed in me at the very beginning of my MMA career, you could literally count them on one hand. LeBell also helped Rousey secure her nickname Rowdy from his former black belt student Rowdy Roddy Piper. However, the writing was on the wall for Savage: LeBell threw and then mounted the boxer in the second round, although he couldnt secure a finish, then hip-tossed him in the fourth round before using a gi choke to render his foe unconsciousmuch to the displeasure of the crowd, which was unused to seeing people choked in this way. LeBell, who had been in declining health for the past eight months, died in his sleep at home in Sherman Oaks, with his loving wife of years, Midge, by his side on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. "He was larger than life, and he was so kind. If you said you liked his shirt, he would take it off and give it to you," Midge LeBell said. "I am devastated. I went up to Ed Strangler Lewis and said, I want to be a wrestler, Mr. LeBell was quoted as saying by the Slam Wrestling website in 2005. You are a true living legend. Love ya, Buddy Joe Hooker, My dear friend Gene. Mr. LeBell is survived by his wife, Eleanor (Martindale) LeBell, who is known as Midge and whom he married twice and divorced once; his son, David; his daughter, Monica Pandis; his stepson, Danny Martindale; his stepdaughter, Stacey Martindale; and four grandchildren. Actor: Rush Hour. Mr. LeBell also worked over the years with many wrestlers, including Rowdy Roddy Piper and Ronda Rousey, and trained with Chuck Norris, the martial artist and actor. Which teams crushed the draft, and which came up short? You can follow him on Twitter (@MoustacheClubUS) and read more of his work at www.oliverbateman.com. Instead they came to appreciate their different skill sets, and Mr. LeBell became one of Mr. Lees favorite stuntmen. This is very much deserved. Shes gonna assassinate you.. Best Hugh Aodh OBrien, All Rights Reserved.Web design by My Life at Speed Digital Services, Stan Barrett, Paul Newman, and Breaking Land Speed Records, Annual Stunts Unlimited Directory Membership Payment, The Stunts Unlimited Directory Membership 20% Off Promotion, actor and stuntman in Hollywood productions, https://stuntsunlimited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Jon-Boucher-One-of-my-personal-favorite-Gene-Lebell-television-appearances-as-Tarzan-McGirk-taking-on-the-mysterious-Masked-Marvel-on-an-episode-of-The-Munsters..mp4, Pitcher Turned Stuntman, Jophery Brown (SU), How Fast & Furious Pull Off INSANE Car Stunts. LeBells top student, Gokor Chivichyan, started training with him at the age of 16 and now runs the Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood. If you said you liked his shirt, he would take it off and give it to you, Midge LeBell said. It was the long-running Lassie series that first tested LeBells mettle. Tributes came from around the world following the announcement of his passing, including on Twitter from Chuck Norris, Triple H, Titus Welliver and others. Outside of his film and television work, in 1963 he took part in a preview of todays mixed martial arts fights when he faced a middleweight boxer, Milo Savage, and defeated him in the fourth round with a choke hold that rendered Savage unconscious. You were a better reference than SAG! Karl Gotch. During one of the bouts, he said, he heard his mothers voice above the din of the crowd shouting: Gene! Anil Rai, Congratulations Mr. The War of the Worlds pitted heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, against Japanese professional wrestling star Antonio Inoki on June 26, 1976, in Tokyo, with LeBell working as the referee. It was a fascinating collection of people mourning too, from the world of pro wrestling, mixed martial arts, acting, and beyond. Gene Hans Gutknecht has been a photojournalist at the Los Angeles Daily News since 1992. (Hans Gutknecht/LA Daily News). According to this telling, when the then 58-year-old LeBell heard about the claim, he gave Seagal the opportunity to test it. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? It couldnt go to a better man. May we all continue to learn from you and strive to reach the heights youve reached. However, he had one last sports achievement on the horizon: an actual mixed martial arts boutsaid by some to be the first of its kind, though there were boxer-versus-wrestler antecedents in prior decadesin 1963 against middleweight boxing gatekeeper Milo Savage, whose lengthy career was winding down. Born in Los Angeles in 1932, LeBell was shipped off to a military school at age 6 by his full-time working mom after his father died in a surfing accident. His mother, Aileen (Goldstein) LeBell, promoted boxing and wrestling matches at the Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles; his father, Maurice, was an osteopath and diet doctor who died after being paralyzed in a swimming accident in 1941. You too? Heffay Cadiente, Big congrats Uncle Gene! He started learning judo at 12 (although his mother told The Los Angeles Times in 1955 that he had been inspired a little later, in high school, when he was beaten up by a smaller teenager who knew judo), and by 1954 his proficiency had grown to an elite level: He won both the heavyweight class and the overall title in that years national American Amateur Union championships. He had earlier been an American Amateur Union judo champion. Mr. LeBell never became a big name in the ring or even a great wrestler, either under his own name or in a mask as the Hangman. But he gained notice in his role as an enforcer, in which he compelled other wrestlers to stick to the script, even when they didnt want to. LeBell gave Browne one of the coveted patches that he always had on hand to make a fan smile. Ross Clay, Gene is the most unselfish and most giving person I know. "Judo" Gene LeBell, one of the true legends of the martial arts world, has passed away at the age of 89. Its with immense sadness to hear about the passing of a great man and dear friend, Gene LeBell. It goes to a great man of strength, integrity and honor. It was a tough night, but Judo Gene had defended the honor of his sport against the boxer, Jonathan Snowden wrote in Shooters: The Toughest Men in Professional Wrestling (2012). Brand-Exclusive PLEs Returning? A long overdue, but well deserved award. (Gene LeBell Biography), LeBell transitioned from amateur to AAU national judo champ in 1954 and catapulted to national attention but as a pro wrestler, playing Hank the Hangman; he made a living by losing every match. After an illustrious judo career, Gene tried his hand at professional wrestling, and actually won the heavyweight title in Amarillo, Texas. Hamstrung by rules barring takedowns, strikes on the ground, and submission holds, the fight devolved into a tedious 15-round affair in which Ali taunted and showboated while Inoki crab-walked along the mat, kicking Alis legs. LeBell famously wore a pink gi and would invite anybody to take a turn on the mat with him if they had anything to say about it. Watched by more than a billion people worldwide, the fight ended in a draw, with LeBells score (71-71) determining the outcome after one judge scored it for Ali and the other for Inoki. While not a star, Mr. LeBell was nonetheless honored in 1995 by a fraternal organization of wrestlers, the Cauliflower Alley Club, with its Iron Mike Mazurki Award, for achieving success in a field beyond wrestling, as the awards wrestler-turned-actor namesake did. Your positivity and generosity knows no limit. Even more appreciated by those of us choked out by you !!! The belt was immediately seized from the shocked Gene, which in later years would cause him to comment, Well, at least I was the champ for 12 seconds and I retired as champion. (Gene LeBell Biography), Gene went on to fight numerous opponents over the years including practitioners from other fighting arts that scoffed at Genes prowess, however they learned the hard way that Genes superb grappling skills were the real deal. Gene choked him like he did me & everyone else. It has been an honor to work with you ,and see how much you have done, over the years. The promoters were looking for karate and judo bumsvery distinct striking and grappling specialties, though LeBell knew the basics of karateto fight a boxer, whom LeBell assumed would be Jim Beck, a highly regarded amateur who had called out the practitioners of those sports. LeBell also gained notoriety for the way he dealt with the notoriously eccentric and aggressive Steven Seagal on the set of the 1991 film Out for Justice. As described in Jonathan Snowdens Shooters, the match was a gripping affair, with the gripping part complicated by the fact that instead of wearing a loose judo gi, as he had promised, Savage instead showed up in a tighter-fitting karate gi intended to make it difficult for LeBell to grab and hold him (below-the-waist takedowns of the sort that LeBell believed to be most effective against boxers were barred). Fighters practically raised the young LeBell at the Main Street Gym where he started going at 7 years old, Midge LeBell said. What, Exactly, Is the Detroit Lions Plan. Born Ivan Gene LeBell on Oct. 9, 1932, in Los Angeles, LeBell grew up at the famed Olympic Auditorium, where his mother, Aileen Eaton, was a boxing and Schwarzenegger and DeVito reunite for White House dinner, Jack Nicholson makes rare public appearance and more celebrity news you missed this weekend, Viewers veto judges' votes on dj vu-inducing top 12 'American Idol' episode, Ashley Judd reflects on mom Naomi's 'irreplaceable loss' a year after the country star's death. Click to reveal The second time, they said their vows on a motorcycle as Gene performed a wheelie with Midge holding on, followed close behind by the minister on a four-wheeler. Was I embarrassed!, His mothers connections to Hollywood brought Mr. LeBell early stunt work with John Wayne and a friendship with George Reeves, the star of the television show Adventures of Superman.. He often played referees and sometimes a thug, a henchman, a bartender or, as in Raging Bull (1990), a ring announcer. God Bless you Gene and your lovely wife and thanks you for all the things you taught me. Over his career, LeBell was bludgeoned, shot, run over, karate-chopped (he became friends with Bruce Lee) and drowned for $2,000 per week earning more than most lawyers during those days. Ronda Rousey. I love you Gene and I am very proud of your accomplishments in our business. Present-day UFC fans probably best remember him from his time spent wielding a stopwatch in the corner of his protege, Ronda Rousey, while wrestling fans might know his name from when Daniel Bryan used to call his finisher the LeBell Lock. But despite that, the MMA pioneer isnt a household name, which is a shame, because if youre a fan of combat sports, he absolutely should be. who lives in Sherman Oaks and says he still takes in about Blessed if you know him, crazy fun guy. Watch out! Seventeen years before the UFC debuted, though, LeBell refereed arguably the most notable mixed martial arts clash of the era, serving as the third man in the ring for the Muhammad AliAntonio Inoki superfight in Tokyo. WebIvan Gene LeBell was an American martial artist, actor, stunt performer, and former professional wrestler born on October 9, 1932. LeBell was never a main-event star in wrestling and by even the most generous assessment wasnt exactly a crowd-pleaser in the ring. Over a legendary career as a judoka, pro wrestler, and Hollywood stuntman, LeBell was a pioneer in mixed martial arts and choreographed violenceand one of the toughest guys in the business. He won the Amateur Athletic Union National Judo Championships in 1954 Congratulations brother Gene!!! Gene LeBell remained a towering figure in the history and expansion of mixed martial arts and sports entertainment. Roberts, Nobody in the world more respected!! Gene LeBell, regarded as Americas first martial arts sensation before parlaying his athleticism into a career as a professional wrestler, actor and stuntman, has died at the age of 89, his family confirmed. GENE LEBELL OBITUARY Gene LeBell was a legendary stuntman and martial artist known for pioneering mixed martial arts who trained Bruce Lee. It was in her promotion that a Texas-born grappler named George Wagner first donned an elaborate robe, dyed his hair blond, walked to the ring with a valet, and became the 1950s television sensation Gorgeous George, the toast of the coast.. Instructed through brutal tutorials by professional wrestlers and old-school masters, he developed adult skills by 13. His brother, Mike, a wrestling promoter, died in 2009. Realizing that judo was no way to make a living, he shifted to professional wrestling later in 1955. Interviewed in May while luxuriating in his hot tub at home,LeBell teaches that fear and failure are essential components of his art: Without the possibility of failure, he says, theres no believability to the stunt on-screen., Event Technology Firm Helps U2 Take Spectacle on the Road, Pros Explain Intricacies of Emmy Sound Categories, Malta Makes Push for More Global Production Biz With New Soundstages. In the stunt world, I get a pretty doggone good retirement from SAG and AFTRAand I can still work.. The Taurus World Stunt Awards are held yearly to honor stunt performers in movies. Read full article. Jim Winburn, Long time coming Papa Gene. He wore the pink gi from then on. It wasnt exactly an elite-level boxer facing down a grappler, but it did offer a variation on the Ultimate Fighting Championship model that LeBells long-time acquaintances, the Gracie family, would partner with Bob Meyrowitz to launch in 1993right down to the initial audience confusion and cautious feeling-out process between the athletes. Gene started to learn to fight at 7, when his mother sent him to the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Birthday: October 9, 1932 How Old - Age: 90 Recently Passed Away Celebrities and Famous People. Mr. LeBell died on Aug. 9 at his home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018), A fight scene on the sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet earned LeBell his SAG card. Wear this Award well my friend. Later that year, Mr. LeBell was arrested and charged with murder, along with a pornographer, Jack Ginsburgs, in the killing of a private detective. Working with Gene on many television and films, I learned how to take judo and marital art punches and kicks and fly through the air, crazing through various objects to the ground . While men like Wagner and later Freddie Blassie and Dick the Destroyer Beyer would headline Eatons wrestling cards, the young LeBellbereft of a father figurestarted at the very bottom, learning the ropes in the hardest away imaginable, twisted into pretzels by grapplers like the aging Evan Strangler Lewis, from whom LeBell asked to learn the Stranglers signature headlock when LeBell was the tender age of 7. He was a wonderful man and was so good to so many. (Gene LeBell Biography). Do you want to do freestyle? I dont know how you go on without him. LeBell was also at the center of one of the most highly anticipated fights of the 1970s. Love you brother congratulations! Gene was a good friend of Adventures of Ivan Gene LeBell, a legendary figure across multiple industries, died at the age of 89 with the news breaking on Tuesday evening. Colleagues, friends and fans (in most cases they qualify as all three) have contributed their congratulations to the living legend that is Judo Gene LeBell. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News), Judo Gene LeBell with with journalist Ariel Helwani (Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographrer), An advertisement featuring Gene LeBells fight against boxer Milo Savage. the Rock, in 1999. Mr. LeBell said Mr. Inoki would have won the bout had he not been penalized one point for a karate kick to Alis groin. J.N. The simplest version of the tale has Seagal boasting that he couldnt be choked out, and LeBell, then in his 50s and significantly smaller than the 6-foot-4 actor, going behind the star, then taking him to the ground and choking him out. A brief google of you name brings up pages and pages of awesome stories about what youve really accomplished in so many fields. Over the course of this six-decade career, LeBell had a hand in training many prominent players in the entertainment, wrestling, and MMA worlds. Humbled to be 1 of many. Mahalo Christopher Chabriel, Congratulations MEAN GENE!!! Congratulations my brother!!! Lou Thesz. Here are our grades for all 32 squads. You have given so much to our community and film business! We cant have blood! Gaffer tape stanched the bleeding, and LeBell managed six more takes. LeBell, preferring to let others do the talking for him, told MMA journalist Ariel Helwani in 2012 that if thirty people are watching, let them talk about it.. She will hurt you: Ronda Rousey, 24, owns it in MMA ring. Gene LeBell talks about Bruce Lee. of LeBell's, used to bring martial arts stars Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee to train in karate and judo with LeBell. This is my bedroom, my kitchen, my garage and my front room, LeBell continued. We are going to miss him a lot, Chivichyan said of his teacher. He was a good person, so I am sure he is doing well where he is at now. He worked on series such as The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Big Valley, I Spy, The Munsters, Batman, Mission: Impossible and The Green Hornet, to name just a few. Web"The Toughest Tropes Alive": Alternate Company Equivalent: He could be the American version of Jon Bluming, or perhaps Jon Bluming could be the Dutch version of Gene LeBell. One of the first martial artists to train in wrestling, judo, boxing, karate, and other combat arts, he blended the techniques into an efficient fighting style. Stoked I get to make it this year. I am so used to him being there. He will always be my Stunt Senei. Few will live a life as extraordinary as Gene LeBell has. Those were great times !! A true legend with a legacy of amazing stunt history. Chuck & Charlotte Waters, Special man and amazing human being, so deserving of this recognition. Allen Lopa, Congrats to a legend!! Known by Known by Superman fans as Mr. How much can Joel Embiid give the Sixers against the Celtics? The more you get hit in the nose, the richer you are. By the time he transitioned to judo in the early 1950s, LeBell had already spent untold hours in submission holds and on the receiving end of punches from boxers like the great Sugar Ray Robinson at L.A.s famous Main Street Gym. Shes gonna annihilate you. She has a tattoo of her winning fight times on her right wrist down her forearm. Scott Wilder, Thank you Sensei for paving the way for martial artists in this biz! Osu J.J. Perry, Gene, Ill never forget the time on set, when you let me try and choke you out. I feel honored to say Ive never been choked out by the legend Gene LaBellI consider you a true friend. Confidential (1997) Batman & Robin (1997), Rush Hour (1998), The Man on the Moon (1999) Men in Black II (2002), Spiderman 2 (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004), Over his career, LeBell was bludgeoned, shot, run over, karate-chopped (he became friends with Bruce Lee) and drowned for $2,000 per week earning more than most lawyers during those days. Gene LeBell, center, made his mark on the combat sports scene and in movies for decades. Mike Smith, Congratulations on this most deserving award for a really great guy. Mickey Gilbert, Ill never forget working with Gene in Minneapolis for David Ellis. OSU! pic.twitter.com/IqcuVDIu7O, Chuck Norris (@chucknorris) August 10, 2022. Combat Sports Pioneer Judo Gene Lebell has passed at 89 Years Old. His countless stunt appearances over more than 1,000 TV episodes and films range from Samuel Z. Arkoff B-movie cheapies to studio tentpoles such as The Killer Elite, Planet of the Apes, RoboCop, Raging Bull and Rocky (during which he warned Sylvester Stallone that the picture would surely flop). I have been with him for so many years. Your IP: Genes feature film appearances include Blue Hawaii (1965), Planet of the Apes (1968), Raging Bull (1980), Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985), Bad Guys (1986), Hard to Kill (1990), Die Hard 2 (1990), Patriot Games (1992), Ed Wood (1994), L.A. He has fought, trained and performed with a dizzying array of some of the most prolific athletes and actors in the world. Godfather of MMA and Wrestling Gene Lebell passes away at 89 TRIBUTES have poured in for the Godfather of mixed martial arts and wrestling Gene Lebell, who died aged 89. All the best! Still working on the Pro Wrestling Finishing Holds book techniques to this day! Congratulations Gene. LeBell was also a judo and grappling prodigy. Big hug and a kiss! Published 9 months ago on August 10, 2022 By FOX3 Now Staff Combat Sports Pioneer Judo Gene Lebell has passed at 89 Years Old. James Allcott is joined by Nubaid Haroon, host of No Ratings Pod, to discuss the past, present, and future of the Ballon dOr. Mr. LeBell was acquitted of the murder charge but convicted of being an accessory, for driving Mr. Ginsburgs to and from the murder scene. He went on to win the both the Heavyweight and overall champion title 1955 as well. All 259 picks are in. WebDoes Gene LeBell Dead or Alive? Savanah Dawn Lilley, The one and only Uncle Gene! A industry standard, and great human being! But he was old school he wouldnt say wrestling wasnt on the up and up.. After, my arms were trembling with strain, you told me to stop and smiled at me, and said kid, dont quit your day job. The two became close friends, but the actors untimely death stymied LeBells chance for future speaking parts. Mary Karcz, Hi Gene, Id just like to Congratulate you on your receiving the Taurus Lifetime Achievement Award. Joseph Davis, Gene is truly a genuine Good person and a great friend. He then embarked on his professional wrestling career, implementing his years of judo and catch wrestling and helping popularize the holds and submission attempts that remain in the sports entertainment industry to this day. Judo Gene LeBell the Godfather of Grappling was both a renowned ex-world champion in both wrestling/judo, and one of Hollywoods busiest stuntmen. Love ya Gene. Ill never forget that moment, congratulations brother. I am devastated. To this day you are still teaching and sharing your wealth of knowledge with the next generation! He was also a Nevada and California Athletic Commission judge, including judging UFC 74 (Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga) and his website judogene.com is visited by martial arts and film fans all over the globe. His conviction was overturned by the California Court of Appeals. Gene LeBell was a legendary stuntman and martial artist known for pioneering mixed martial arts who trained Bruce Lee. The diminutive kid was bullied, finally responding by choking the offending cadet a move he applied to Steven Seagal 52 years later while filming Hard to Kill.. It always put a smile on my face when you would call the SAMP office. You are a true living legend! Lets get working, or Ill burn your houses down.. He subsequently dominated auditions for the role of Mr. Kryptonite in the Superman TV series, which ran from 1952 to 1958; actor George Reeves, who played the Man of Steel, hired him on the spot after seeing his high-flying judo rolls and flips. Congrats Rick Avery, Congratulations Uncle Gene! /*! In a story in the L.A. Daily News in 2011 on Rouseys breakout potential in the sport, nearly a year and a half before she made her UFC debut, LeBell offered his assessment of his pupil. The damage inflicted definitely favored Inoki, who battered Alis legs sufficiently that the Greatest struggled with his mobility in a fight against Ken Norton later that year, but LeBellwho had Inoki slightly ahead on his own scorecard, per the account in journalist Josh Grosss book Ali vs. Inoki: The Forgotten Fight That Inspired Mixed Martial Arts and Launched Sports Entertainmentchose to deduct points for an illegal groin strike, thus affording Ali a split-decision draw that showcased how dull MMA could get without the appropriate rules in place. Freddie Blassie. Best to You Gene !! Congratulations & we all love you. And will it equate to a Super Bowl contender? Written by James C. Udel, a member of IATSEs Local 80 Grips since 1993 and author of The Film Crew of Hollywood, these stories will profile retired or semiretired artisans whose work has left an enduring impact on the history of the movies. whose residence contained hours of phone recordings, was acquitted on a murder charge but convicted and sentenced to probation as an accessory, WWE Draft Night 1 Recap, Plus Trinity Fatu Debuts in Impact Wrestling, The Cheap Heat Friday Something: Career Advice for Roman Reigns, the NBA Version of CM Punk, and the Global Superstar Debate, Diggin in the Crates: Litas Next Chapter Takes Her Through WWEs Legendary Past. I love ya man. Instructed through brutal tutorials by professional wrestlers and old-school masters, he developed adult skills by 13. Lance Gilbert, Gene , you are surely deserving of this achievement even though your humility wont allow you to agree with us. Mr. LeBell, left, with George Reeves, who played the title role on the television series Adventures of Superman, and Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane. In a story worthy of the detective novels of Raymond Chandler, LeBell, who drove California pornography magnate Jack Ginsburgs to the murder scene, was acquitted on a murder charge but convicted and sentenced to probation as an accessory for his role in transporting Ginsburgs to the murdera conviction later overturned by the California Court of Appeals in a heavily fact-dependent decision based on careful interpretation of state rules of evidence rather than any new proof of LeBells innocence. Highly decorated in judo and jiu-jitsu, LeBell also began teaching grappling to notable names: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Benny the Jet Urquidez, Roddy Piper, Bill Superfoot Wallace, Gokor Chivichyan, Steve McQueen, George Reeves, Robert Duvall, John Saxon and many more.

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