Tom Bleeker

Elvis Rocks On With

Tom Bleeker

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We all know of Elvis’ love of karate, so it wasn’t a surprise, when it was
brought to my attention that Elvis was listed among a list of the 24
most proficient American Kenpoists of today.

This list and an interesting chapter on Elvis is in a book called
the Journey by Tom Bleeker.

I recently had the chance to read Tom’s book and discuss it with him.

What prompted you to write, “ The Journey”?
The best answer to that would be to give you a little of my personal life in the 60s. My own journey began in August 1962 at the age of sixteen. Two months earlier when school let out for summer vacation, an older kid had threatened to beat me up if he saw me at any of the poplar hangouts that included the bowling, alley, record stores, hamburger joints, movie theaters, and beaches of southern California. I was scared, and after ducking this guy for two months I finally realized that if I didn’t do something about learning how to fight I would spend the rest of my life hiding out from one nasty character after the next. Within days I began karate lessons at the school Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate Studio. On October 4, 1965 I was promoted to the rank of first-degree black belt.

How did that all come about ?
To help pay my way through school. I taught Kenpo at Ed Parker’s WLA School in the afternoons and evenings while I was a UCLA premedical student.

In late 1969 one of Ed Parkers’ students, director Blake Edwards, was bringing his son Geoffrey in for private lessons and we began a friendship. I soon began teaching Geoff, Blake, and his soon-to-be-wife, Julie Andrews private lessons at her Beverly Hills home.

It began late that year when Blake offered to teach me the film business. My career at that time was that of a stand-in/stunt double for William Holden in the 1970 MGM film "Wild Rovers". I also wrote under contract for Blake Edwards and William Shatner for many years and worked as an actor for years, and pursued a writing career in the Hollywood film and television industry.

You state in your book that you went to Ed Parker's school and taught there for a period. What years did this include and did you ever meet Ed Parker himself?
Ed Parker was my instructor and close friend for many years. I have been involved in kenpo for four decades and still teach and work out. I also produced the "Tribute to Ed Parker" held at the Bonaventure Hotel in February 1988. It was here that I became reunited with Linda Lee (Bruce Lee's widow), later co-wrote with her "The Bruce Lee Story" that became the Universal movie "DRAGON" and later married her. In 1996 I wrote the most controversial book on Bruce Lee, "Unsettled Matters."

Did you ever get to meet Elvis?
No, unfortunately I never did.

Tom did however, introduce me to Dave Hebler during this interview, who was also listed as one of the 24, and not only worked with Elvis on his karate, but also became his body guard.

Originally published on Suite 101.com

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