24 Facts About Billy Blanks

William Wayne Blanks was born on September 1,1955 and is an American actor, martial artist, boxing champion and fitness personality.

Billy Blanks was a nationally ranked competitor in semi-contact and point karate during the 1980s, winning a bronze medal at the 1981 World Games, before creating the Tae Bo exercise program.

Billy Blanks began his study of the martial arts at the age of eleven, attending Karate and Taekwondo classes.

Billy Blanks was born with an anomaly in his hip joints that impaired his movement.

Billy Blanks holds black belt ranks in taekwondo and karate, and a black sash in Hung Ga kung fu.

Billy Blanks finished in 3rd place at the World Union of Karate-do Organizations World Championship in the Male Kumite category in 1980.

Billy Blanks represented the United States at the 1981 World Games in Santa Clara, California, and won a bronze medal in the Men's Kumite Open.

Billy Blanks was Karate Illustrated magazine's National Champion and Rookie of the Year for 1983.

Billy Blanks was an early member of USA Karate, the precursor to USA National Karate-do Federation, after it broke away from the Amateur Athletic Union.

Billy Blanks was a member of Chuck Merriman's Atlantic World Karate Team with Anderson.

Billy Blanks was hired as a bodyguard for lead actress Catherine Bach during the filming of 1988's Driving Force, which was filmed in Manila during a time of political unrest.

Billy Blanks impressed the producers and was written into the script in a supporting role.

Billy Blanks appeared in the opening scene of Tony Scott's The Last Boy Scout, where he plays a doomed pro-football player.

Billy Blanks played Ashley Judd's kickboxing instructor in Kiss the Girls.

Billy Blanks used components of his martial arts and boxing training.

Billy Blanks opened a fitness center in Los Angeles to teach his new workout.

Billy Blanks later attracted celebrity clients such as Paula Abdul, and the popularity of the workout quickly grew, becoming a pop culture phenomenon after Blanks began releasing mass-marketed videos.

Billy Blanks sold over 1.5 million VHS tapes in his first year, and is reported to have grossed between $80 million and $130 million in sales.

Billy Blanks is a Christian and released a special line of Tae Bo workouts called the "Believer's" series that includes motivational prayers and other Christian components.

Billy Blanks has appeared on the Christian television network TBN.

In 1974, Blanks married Gayle H Godfrey, whom he met in karate class.

Billy Blanks has starred in a touring production of the musical Fame, and has worked as a dancer in music videos with Madonna, Quincy Jones and Paula Abdul.

In November 2008, Billy Blanks became the father of a new daughter, named Angelika.

The mother is Tomoko Sato, whom Billy Blanks met in 2007 when she worked as his Japanese interpreter.