Michael Dudikoff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Dudikoff
Dudikoff in 2013
Born	Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Jr. (1954-10-08) October 8, 1954 (age 70) Redondo Beach, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Los Angeles Harbor College
Occupation	Actor, martial artist
Years active	1978–2004, 2013–present
Spouse(s)	Belle Dudikoff (m. 2004)
Children	3

Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Jr. (born October 8, 1954) is an American actor and martial artist. He is most famous for playing the hero in action movies, especially the American Ninja film series which made him a star in the 1980s.

Before becoming an actor, Dudikoff worked as a model. He appeared in many supporting roles in movies and TV shows before his big break. After a successful career as an action hero, he took a break from acting to work in real estate. He returned to making movies in the 2010s.

Early Life and Family

Michael Dudikoff's father, Michael Sr., was from a Russian family and served in the Army. His mother, Rita, was a French-Canadian piano player. The family moved to California, where Michael Jr. was born. He was the fourth of five children.

As a child, Dudikoff was diagnosed with dyslexia, which is a learning difference that can make reading difficult. He graduated from West High School in Torrance, California. He later went to Harbor College to study child psychology.

Career Journey

From Modeling to Acting

To pay for his college education, Dudikoff had several jobs. He worked at a center for troubled kids and as a waiter. One day while working as a waiter, a fashion editor from Esquire magazine noticed him and asked him to be in a fashion show.

This started his career as a model. He worked for famous brands like Calvin Klein and appeared in magazines like GQ. He traveled the world for modeling jobs. Soon, he started getting roles in TV commercials for companies like Coca-Cola and Coppertone.

Dudikoff as Douggie Krebs on the TV show Star of the Family in 1982.

His first acting roles on television were in the popular shows Dallas and Happy Days. He also appeared in several movies in the early 1980s, including Tron and the comedy Bachelor Party.

Becoming an Action Star

In 1985, a film company called The Cannon Group was looking for an actor to star in a new action movie, American Ninja. They had first offered the role to another famous actor, Chuck Norris, but he turned it down.

The company searched for a new star and auditioned over 400 people. The producer, Menahem Golan, chose Dudikoff for the role of Private Joe Armstrong. This was a surprise because Dudikoff was mostly known for comedy roles at the time.

The movie was made with a small budget of $1 million but earned over $10 million in the U.S. alone. It was a huge hit around the world and started the popular American Ninja movie series. This film turned Michael Dudikoff into a major action star.

Famous Action Movies

After the success of the first American Ninja film, Dudikoff starred in many more action movies.

• American Ninja Sequels: He returned as Joe Armstrong in American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) and American Ninja 4: The Annihilation (1990).
• Other Action Hits: He also starred in movies like Avenging Force (1986), the Vietnam War film Platoon Leader (1988), and River of Death (1989).
• Taking a Stand: Dudikoff turned down the chance to be in American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt. The movie was being filmed in South Africa, and he was strongly against Apartheid, the country's unfair system of racial segregation at the time.

Throughout the 1990s, he continued to be a leading man in action films like The Human Shield (1992), Soldier Boyz (1995), and the Bounty Hunters movies. He also starred in the TV series Cobra from 1993 to 1994.

Later Career

In the early 2000s, Dudikoff took a break from acting and began a new career in real estate.

He returned to the screen in the 2010s. He appeared in the documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, which told the story of the company that made him a star. He also acted in movies like Navy Seals vs. Zombies (2015) and Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece (2018).

Personal Life

Dudikoff married his wife, Belle, in 2004. They have three children together.

Martial Arts Training

Even though he became famous as the "American Ninja," Dudikoff had no martial arts training before his first big movie. The film's fight choreographer, Mike Stone, saw that he was very athletic and knew he could learn the moves quickly.

Since then, Dudikoff has trained in several martial arts, including karate, aikido, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has earned black belts in Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and judo. He trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with the famous Rorion Gracie and is still involved with the jiu-jitsu community.

Selected Film and TV Roles

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Michael Dudikoff has appeared in.

Movies

Television

See also

In Spanish: Michael Dudikoff para niños