Defendo
Encyclopedia
Defendo is a martial art and self defense system created in 1945 for law enforcement
by Bill Underwood, a British-born Canadian. Underwood was originally the creator of Combato (in 1910) a "non-boxing
or wrestling
" unarmed combat system which he taught in Montreal
, Quebec
and Toronto
, Ontario
.
and Taro Miyake
. As a boy, Underwood idolized these experts, rapidly establishing himself as a prodigy. The name "Defendo" was created on August 15, 1945 in New York City
by Pat Underwood, Bill's daughter.
Underwood at the time was a guest in the United States
training U.S. Army Rangers and for the American FBI in unarmed combat. Bill Underwood was frequently requested by American and Canadian Law Enforcement Agencies to teach them his Combato system as the War was officially over but he initially refused on the basis that Combato was too aggressive. Underwood was asked to modify his system to remove its lethal applications and focus on the Law Enforcement applications of self-defense, compliance and control tactics. He realized that he could not call this system Combato, so his daughter Pat Underwood proposed that he call the system "Defendo".
(1965) teaching his system. In 1969 Canada, under copyright Bill Underwood published "Defendo, Occidental
System of Self-Protection". From 1969 to his death on February 8, 1986 in Newmarket
, Ontario
Canada Underwood was well known for his system and honoured and profiled frequently by the North American
media. In 1980 a short documentary
on Underwood's life and work with Combato and Defendo titled Don't Mess With Bill
was nominated for an Oscar
at the 53rd Academy Awards
in 1981. Between 1980 and 1981 Underwood appeared four times on the Johnny Carson Show. He also appeared at that time on all of Hollywood's major talk shows including Real People, That's Incredible, Merv Griffin
on all occasions promoting and teaching his system of Defendo.
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
by Bill Underwood, a British-born Canadian. Underwood was originally the creator of Combato (in 1910) a "non-boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
or wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
" unarmed combat system which he taught in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
History
Combato had its beginning in the Liverpool theatres with jiu jitsu demonstrations of traveling Japanese wrestlers, Yukio TaniYukio Tani
was a Japanese jujutsu instructor and professional challenge wrestler.The precise details of Tani's early jujutsu training in Japan are unclear, but he is known to have studied at two Fusen-ryu dojo as well as at the "Handa School of Jiujitsu" in Osaka...
and Taro Miyake
Taro Miyake
Taro Miyake was a Japanese professional wrestler. In 1905 he departed Japan for London, where he famously defeated the reigning champion in the jiujitsu style, Yukio Tani. Miyake and Tani then joined forces, opening a jiujitsu school and co-authoring a book titled "The Game of Jiu-Jitsu"...
. As a boy, Underwood idolized these experts, rapidly establishing himself as a prodigy. The name "Defendo" was created on August 15, 1945 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by Pat Underwood, Bill's daughter.
Underwood at the time was a guest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
training U.S. Army Rangers and for the American FBI in unarmed combat. Bill Underwood was frequently requested by American and Canadian Law Enforcement Agencies to teach them his Combato system as the War was officially over but he initially refused on the basis that Combato was too aggressive. Underwood was asked to modify his system to remove its lethal applications and focus on the Law Enforcement applications of self-defense, compliance and control tactics. He realized that he could not call this system Combato, so his daughter Pat Underwood proposed that he call the system "Defendo".
A new name
From 1945 to 1950 Underwood began to teach his developing self-defense system in Canada and the USA under this name. In 1950 Bill Underwood published under copyright "Defendo, Police System of Self-Defense". This book became one of the first open-hand Police Tactics manuals for many Police Departments in Canada and the United States. From 1950 to 1969 Underwood travelled in Canada, the United States and in the UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(1965) teaching his system. In 1969 Canada, under copyright Bill Underwood published "Defendo, Occidental
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
System of Self-Protection". From 1969 to his death on February 8, 1986 in Newmarket
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
Canada Underwood was well known for his system and honoured and profiled frequently by the North American
Northern America
Northern America is the northernmost region of the Americas, and is part of the North American continent. It lies directly north of the region of Middle America; the land border between the two regions coincides with the border between the United States and Mexico...
media. In 1980 a short documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
on Underwood's life and work with Combato and Defendo titled Don't Mess With Bill
Don't Mess with Bill (film)
Don't Mess with Bill is a 1980 short documentary film produced by Pen Densham. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
was nominated for an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
at the 53rd Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
in 1981. Between 1980 and 1981 Underwood appeared four times on the Johnny Carson Show. He also appeared at that time on all of Hollywood's major talk shows including Real People, That's Incredible, Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
on all occasions promoting and teaching his system of Defendo.