[31], On August 9, 2022, LeBell died in his sleep.[32][33]. Neil Melanson Best to You Gene !! Aloha, Brian Keaulana, Congratulations Gene! "I learned the [LeBell Lock] from a guy named Neil Melanson," Danielson told the WWE website in 2010. Gene LeBell had three children including stuntman son David LeBell and FBI . Mahalo Christopher Chabriel, Congratulations MEAN GENE!!! Wrestling, MMA, movie worlds pay tribute to Judo Gene LeBell You have definitely earned it for all your contributions to the industry. "[21], When Seagal was asked about the incident, he denied the incident took place, calling LeBell a "sick, pathological scumbag liar" and offered the name of a witness who could discredit the other account. His talent in his field was known worldwide and those that got to know him knew he had a heart that matched that talent, the groups statement added. A brief google of you name brings up pages and pages of awesome stories about what youve really accomplished in so many fields. Brad Curran June 8, 2018 Interviews. LeBell is back in the limelight on the 50th anniversary of what's considered the first notable mixed martial arts fight in the United States, even though the term wasn't used: His Dec. 2, 1963 . UFC news: 'Judo' Gene LeBell dead at 89; MMA community mourns Despite this, a man tried to stab LeBell on the way out and the latter had to be protected by the judokas and professional wrestlers who accompanied him. 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. [2] He was born in Los Angeles. You deserve every bit of it! For a time, he took on a role as "policeman" for the organization, helping to maintain order. Michael Hilow, Congratulations to the prettiest man in Hollywood, and the reason the phrase Bad Ass was created.. No one is more deserving than my buddy, and everyones Uncle.. Uncle Gene! His death was announced by Kellie Cunningham, his trustee and business manager, who did not. So to be a martial artist of his degree in the art of Judo is incredible; to be a pro wrestler of that level, incredible; but then to go into stunts and the motorcycle riding and the acting and everything else. In one scene, Brad Pitt plays a stuntman (Cliff Booth) and beats up Bruce Lee on the set of The Green Hornet in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. [10] Also, according to LeBell and other sources, Savage's gloves contained brass knuckles[9][10] and he had greased up his gi with vaseline to make gripping it more difficult. He has fought, trained and performed with a dizzying array of some of the most prolific athletes and actors in the world. Gene LeBell began his martial arts training at the age of 13 and went on to become the Godfather of Grappling and is considered by many to be the father of MMA. Weve worked together for over (50) years and its been (50) years of pure delight. So happy for you. American judoka and martial arts instructor (19322022), "The Hangman (wrestler)" redirects here. [citation needed] In addition he also worked on the set of the Green Hornet TV show, in which he developed a friendship with Bruce Lee. So may you rest in power, Gene.. He is currently the head grappling coach at Jaco Hybrid Training Center.He is the former head grappling coach at both . Those are just some of the names that Gene LeBell has trained with, not to mention the countless other celebrities and luminaries hes worked alongside during his decades-long careers as a pioneering mixed martial artist, a professional wrestler, and a stuntman. Gene LeBell had three children including stuntman son David LeBell and FBI agent daughter Monica LeBell Pandis. LeBell, who spent much of his later years overseeing the National Wrestling Alliance in Los Angeles, was even charged with murder when private investigator Robert Duke Hall was killed in 1976. [14], LeBell has opened two martial art schools in cooperation with others and has touted his 1963 match with Milo Savage as the first televised MMA fight in America.[15][16]. In any case, LeBell was back to work in the movies almost immediately, adding to the movie residuals and Screen Actors Guildbacked retirement that sustained him in his later years. 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.. In a recent conversation with Bob Calhoun, the coauthor of LeBells autobiography The Godfather of Grappling, the judoka, then 87 years old, said he was surprised that Lee didnt try to counter me, so I think he was more surprised than anything else. In the years that followed, Lee worked with LeBell to incorporate grappling into his films, defeating Sammo Hung with an arm bar in Enter the Dragon and Chuck Norriswho would become another long-time collaborator of LeBellsvia chokehold in Way of the Dragon. He was known by many as the Godfather of Grappling, and influenced fighters around the world. Logan Holladay, Congratulations to Uncle Gene for a lifetime of stunts and terrorizing the stunt people; either riding dirt bikes or putting them to sleep. Eager to claim the $1,000 purseId fight my grandmother for $1,000, but shed have beaten me, LeBell saidthe judoka found himself facing not Beck but Savage, who not only was an accomplished professional boxer but a man with a solid knowledge of wrestling fundamentals. A pair of red shorts were mixed into the laundry that contained his Gi and turned the uniform a shade of pink. One day in. It has been an honor to work with you ,and see how much you have done, over the years. Interview with Gene LeBell - Kung-fu Kingdom Could Gene LeBell, the 'real life Cliff Booth', beat up Bruce Lee? Well done sir! Gene LeBell was born on October 9, 1932. Anil Rai, Congratulations Mr. You may have seen his name in the credits of countless movies and television shows dating back to the late 1960's. You may have caught the "Godfather of Grappling" in one of his matches in the world of professional wrestling, you may know him as the "toughest man on the . Allen Lopa, Congrats to a legend!! And in February, 2005 Gene LeBell was promoted to 9th degree black belt in judo by USJJF. To his surprise, he learned his opponent would not be Beck but a higher regarded boxer, Milo Savage, who also had a background in amateur wrestling. Our aim is to create a shop for BJJ Students who don't look at Jiu-Jitsu as a sport - but a lifestyle. Gene LeBell Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More. Please enter a valid email and try again. An additional stipulation prevented LeBell from attempting tackles or takedowns under the waist. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. He sparred with James Cagney while shooting Blood on the Sun in 1945, allowing the famous actor to dominate the 20-minute skirmish which garnered rave reviews. A professional stuntman and actor, LeBell appeared in over 1,000 films and TV shows, and authored 12 books. Jimmy Roberts, Gene youve always told me Im the best but your THE GREATEST Love ya, Manny Perry, I owe everything to Gene. Gene LeBell had thousands of students over the years. Could James Harden Potentially Return to Houston After the Season? One thing I learned was never never mess with Gene LeBell. There has also been rumors that the unconscious Seagal may have soiled himself. Gene LeBell heard about the proclamation and decided to take Seagal up on the challenge. Michael Nesbitt, Congratulations, judo Gene LeBell Tony Epperson, Congratulations! So well deserved!! He went on to win the both the Heavyweight and overall champion title 1955 as well. Derek spoke with Matthew Biel of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital about rising teenage unhappiness and what we can do to fix it, All You Touch and All You See: Dark Side of the Moon at 50. Plus, does starting Tyrese Maxey versus DeAnthony Melton make a difference on the defensive end? The judoka and his team showed their sportsmanship by helping to revive Savage using kappo, as neither the referee nor the ring doctor knew how to resuscitate him. Savanah Dawn Lilley, The one and only Uncle Gene! A industry standard, and great human being! A large frame surrounded a pink gi his signature judo uniform hung above a doorway leading to the training area. Stunt coordinator Bennie Dobbins begged LeBell to humble Lee, who allegedly beat up on his stuntmen throughout the shows production. He was born in Los Angeles, California. He is a two time AAU National Judo Champion and he was a professional wrestling world heavyweight champion . Rick Seaman, Well Geno, they said it couldnt be done but youve done it again. In 2004, Gene Lebell was promoted to 10th degree black belt in those arts. Well deserved !!! The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 Deep Dive, The Biggest Questions About the Seasons Stretch Run, KDs Suns Debut, Load Management, and Five-Year Anniversary of the Rockets-Clippers Tunnel Debacle. The only thing I have against MMA is they dont have a retirement plan. People called him the Toughest Man Alive. Mike Bohn. Proud to be your friend! Neil Melanson - Wikipedia Mr. LeBell died on Aug. 9 at his home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. Craig Frosty Silva, Gene LeBell What can anybody tell you about Gene LeBell? In Loving Memory of Judo Gene LeBell, 1932-2022 Gene LeBell, a renowned stuntman who trained Bruce Lee and inspired the likes of Quentin Tarantino, died in his sleep Tuesday morning at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He has trained with or taught grappling skills to many well-known wrestlers and martial artists, such as Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Bob Wall, Chuck Norris, Ed Parker, Gokor Chivichyan, Karo Parisyan, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Mando Guerrero, Manny Gamburyan. With only one uniform in his luggage, he wore the pink gi in Japan, and beat the competition. Gene LeBell, a renowned stuntman who trained Bruce Lee and inspired the likes of Quentin Tarantino, died in his sleep Tuesday morning at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Gene LeBell's most famous match was his match with boxer/wrestler Milo Savage. Freddy Bouceigues, No one deserves this more then you uncle Gene. He is loved by so many and admired by countless others. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018), Gene started training in judo at a young age, and at the age of 20 in 1954, he won National AAU Heavyweight Judo Championship and the USA Overall Judo Championship title. Hans Gutknecht has been a photojournalist at the Los Angeles Daily News since 1992. He taught fighters like Rowdy Roddy Piper, Chuck Norris, and Ronda Rousey how to grapple and regularly trained Bruce Lee. He was known as one the best stuntmen in his early days and his influence in the worlds of mixed martial arts and wrestling still. To start academies, and then have a lineage of students that he brought up, not just martial arts but also film., Barnett said of his accomplishments, Its really just incredible to see someone be able to tip the scales of the world with just his own hands like that. What Really Happened When Bruce Lee Met Gene LeBell LeBell has made himself the nicknames "Judo" Gene LeBell, "The Godfather of Grappling" and also "The Toughest Man Alive" for his . [29], LeBell was arrested, charged with, and tried for the July 1976 murder of private investigator Robert Duke Hall. As wellback in the day..i drove out to ride motos with Gene & some friends at his area in Frazier Park. On the day of the match, Savage appeared wearing a karategi instead, much tighter and harder to grab. The Alabama passer is one of the smallest QB prospects to be pegged as a first-round pick. Im proud to be a friend of yours for over 50 years. Im honored to know you! Gene LeBell, who died on August 9 at age 89, led a life so expansive that any mere retelling of it would come across like a tall tale, the stuff of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyanif all of it werent true. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Gene LeBell - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday The athletic youngster tested himself with such self-imposed challenges as scaling 60-foot-high lighting stanchions to replace spent bulbs. In December 1939, his parents went to Chinatown, San Francisco in California for an international opera tour. He judged UFC 74 (Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga) plus he had a highly popular website visited by martial arts and film fans all over the globe. Gene LeBell | Profile with News, Stats, Age & Height - Sports Pundit Freddie Blassie, who starred for Aileen Eaton and Mike LeBell for decades, wrote in his autobiography Legends of Wrestling: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks that LeBells believability in the ring wasnt what mattered to Mike and Aileenit was his credibility: When the family needed an enforcer to step into the ring with a wrestler who didnt want to go along with the program, all they had to do was open Genes bedroom door and tell him to get into his wrestling gear.. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. A pioneer of martial arts, he lived a long and fascinating life. I have grown up idolizing many of the SU members over the yearsGenes massive career and list of credits is insane. According to a 2014 interview in Black Belt, LeBell had no idea the fight would be as significant as later developments in the sport of MMA have made it. The late 'Judo' Gene LeBell's 90th birthday is celebrated by 200 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, In Loving Memory of Judo Gene LeBell, 1932-2022. You always tried to get me to go dirt biking with you but I never gave in. Love ya, Bax Craig Baxley, Sr. Gene LeBell: Bruce Lee in the UFC, Ronda Rousey, if anybody can beat her, Judo in MMA, Jimmy Kimmel, Congratulations Gene..its about time!!! If I could get my arms around you I would hug you. Stoked I get to make it this year. LeBell even awarded Piper a legitimate Black Belt in Judo . Theres way too much to say to even begin to scratch the surface of the career and life Gene lived, wrote the Stuntmans Association of Motion Pictures in a statement to Variety. Seagal, a towering man who had a background in the Japanese martial art of aikido, has long battled with stunt choreographers and fight trainers on setin Shooters, Jonathan Snowden quotes Pride announcer Stephen Quadross story of engaging in an uncomfortable series of wristlock exchanges with Seagal on the set of the 2001 film Exit Woundsbut by most accounts (and there are many), his encounter with LeBell went poorly. If you want to do a whizzer throw in wrestling, its the same as an uchimata [inner thigh throw] in judo. You are a true living legend. LeBell served as the inspiration for Brad Pitt's character in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.. Mike Massa, Congratulations Gene!! The Hollywood Reporter: Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and Godfather of Grappling, Dies at 89, Deadline: Gene LeBell Dies: Stuntman, Actor And Wrestling Legend Who Fought Bruce Lee & Chuck Norris Onscreen Was 89, MMA Fighting: Toughest man I know: Pros react to pioneer Judo Gene LeBells death, The Huffington Post: Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman, Martial Artist And Bruce Lees Teacher Dies At 89. [7][10] Savage even attempted to sweep the judoka in one instance. Whether through his chokes or his jokes, Gene LeBell has been an inspiration for more people than he will ever realize. Steven Seagal was a highly trained aikido expert and because of this, he would proclaim to the world that he was immune to choking. A video shown at the memorial featured many of his accomplishments from the stunt and martial arts world, evoking smiles, laughter and tears that had many in the crowd wiping their eyes. When he arrived, Gene LeBell learned that he would not be fighting Beck, but instead a much more well-known boxer in Milo Savage. Ronnie and Mary Rondell, Congratulations Uncle Gene! You truly are a one-off, a living legend. Bruce Lee's father Lee Hoi-chuen was a famous Cantonese opera singer based in Hong Kong. "Judo" Gene LeBell Tribute - YouTube [27] He also did interviews for magazines, newspapers, and radio. I was always jealous that you could ride a wheelie so much better than me.