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| Edmund Kealoha Parker, Jr
Edmund Kealoha Parker, Jr. professionally known as Ed Parker,
Jr. was born on November 15, 1959, in Glendale, California.
Son of the late Ed
Parker Sr., Sr. Grandmaster and founder of American Kenpo
Karate. Some consider Ed’s father to be one of the greatest
martial artist ever lived and who was named by Black Belt Magazine
as the “Father of American Karate” and was noted
for launching the careers of many Martial Arts motion picture
stars, such as Bruce
Lee and Chuck Norris
as well as the personal karate instructor, bodyguard and friend
of the late King of Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis
Presley. Elvis was so involved with Kenpo Karate and his
instructor Ed Parker Sr. that he put his martial arts logo on
the side of his guitar. This crest is found on the Elvis Presley
Guitar pin found in all Hard Rock Cafe's. Ed Jr. was raised in Southern California and focused most of his early years studying art and theater, and at that time he received the Bank of America Art Award. At the age of 19 he moved to Arizona to do social work as a missionary on the Indian Reservations. Ed worked for two years with the Navajo, Hope, Zuni, Southern Ute, Havasupai, White Mountain and Jicarilla Apache Tribes. Ed then moved to the Island of Oahu, Hawaii where he obtained a Degree from BYU-Hawaii in Illustration with a minor in Theatrical Arts. During his schooling he studied and made student films' one of which won him an award for the Best Student Film for ‘82 in the State of Hawaii Film Festival. He was awarded internship on the television show Magnum P. I. He also received 12 University art and theatrical scholarship awards. After finishing school, Ed returned to California where he did after graduate work at the Art Center College of design. Completing his training he then went into partnership with his father. From 1983 till 1991 Ed produced 9 International Karate Championships, an annual karate tournament that hosts over 6,000 competitors. The “International's” is the largest and longest running Martial Arts tournament in the world and has run for over 35 years. He also co-published and designed over 20 Martial Arts books.
In March of 1993 Ed produced the 1st Annual Martial Arts Expo. This event drew a crowd of over 8,000 people. The Expo featured the first ever Martial Arts talent star search. Some celebrity support for this event came from actors Wesley Snipes, Steven Ho, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Jeff Speakman, World Kick boxing Champion Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. Also Producers Aaron Norris (Side Kicks) and Rick Nathanson (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story). During this same year Ed earned his First degree Black Belt. Ed has also appeared in “Seven”, “Magnum P.I.”, “Jake and the Fat Man”, “Inside Edition”, “Hello L. A.”, “The Curse of the Dragon” with Chuck Norris, James Colburn and Kareem Abdul Jabbar and his latest role was in Universal Pictures feature film “Dragon: The Life of Bruce Lee” where he portrayed the role of his father. The University Times acknowledged Ed with a cameo award for his performance in “Dragon”. Most recently, He hosted “The Night of the Golden Master’s” a Martial Arts special scheduled for Showtime with many Martial Arts Masters from all over the world including film star Ernie Reyes Jr. He has also just finished the choreography for the movie “Deadly Take Over” Staring martial arts film Star Jeff Speakman and veteran actor Ron Silver. This movie is to be released soon as well as “Cage II” staring” Lou Ferregno”. Where Ed served as the Associate Art Director for the film. During the past 20 years Ed has taught, lectured, produced, published, written, illustrated, designed, choreographed and acted in various Martial Arts related areas and has a Black Belt in American Kenpo karate. Currently working as Freelance Illustrator and graphic artist. As an artist Ed worked on a numerous design campaigns two of which were for National public radio and Leonard Nimoy for a 2 part series of dramatic audio tapes called “Jewish Stories from the Old World to the New” and “Jewish Short Stories from Eastern Europe and Beyond”. He is currently dedicating his tallents to drawing a tribute to the legacy of Ed Parker Sr. by doing a seriers of portraits of prominent martial arts individuals in the MA as well as the Kenpo industry. Ther are over 60 people contacted and 30 portraits already finished. Ed is also on the national lecture circuit teaching martial arts lectures and seminars. In 1999 Ed has traveled around the world teaching over 70 seminars to Europe, Canada, Mexico and over 35 states. He is considered one of the leading martial arts philosophers in American Martial arts. He is scheduled for seminars in Australia, South America and a 7 country tour in Europe in the new millennium. Ed has just published a book on his father and has sold over 10,000 copies to date. Ed is currently featured in 2 consecutive magazine articles in Black Belt Magazine the largest and most widely distributed martial arts magazine in the world. Those issues are in the November ‘99 and December ‘99 issues. He has also been featured in Inside Kung-Fu, Karate/Kung-Fu Illustrated, Budo, Fighters, Kampfkunst (German Magazine), and Full Contact Magazines. Ed is the proud father of four children, three daughters and one son, Ed Parker III. He is married and lives with his wife Silvia in Pasadena, California.
Website: edparkerjr.com
|
In
December of 1990 Ed’s father passed away. Since then Ed
has continued on within the Martial Arts industry and produced
6 educational Martial Arts videos. In June of 1992 he published
“The Encyclopedia of Kenpo” a complete encyclopedia
on American Kenpo Karate based on the teachings of his father
Ed Parker, Sr.