Loren Avedon
Encyclopedia
Loren A. Avedon is an American martial arts
film actor. He has also acted in several popular American TV shows, including Baywatch
.
His first acting roles were as a child in TV commercials, mainly for Carnation Milk, The May Company, and other retailers. He also worked as a model, and appeared in a couple of martial arts films, such as Ninja Turf
(1985), which were produced by his martial arts instructor Jun Chong.
Avedon got his main break as a martial arts film star, when producer Roy Horan phoned the dojang where Avedon was training, and asked if they had any suitable martial arts practitioners for the lead role in the film, No Retreat No Surrender 2 (1987). Avedon answered the phone, was given an audition, and won the lead role. He then signed a three film deal with Seasonal Films (the company which produced the No Retreat No Surrender films). In this three film deal Avedon also played the lead role in the films, No Retreat No Surrender 3 and King of the Kickboxers. Since then Avedon has starred in many more martial arts and action films, all of which have been B movies. In an interview Avedon said that he believed he would have had greater success in his film career (similar to the success of Jean-Claude Van Damme
) if it had not been for poor representation and disagreements that he had with one or two other actors.(Lorenzo Lamas, Sherie Rose) He was offered a three film deal with film production company PM entertainment, but turned it down (the deal was given to Don 'The Dragon' Wilson) because he was holding out for a better deal. Avedon said that he now regrets turning down this deal.(True: Cannes 1991)
Avedon has also written and produced some of the films that he has starred in, such as, Silent Force (2000) and Deadly Ransom (1997).
He also appeared in the hit TV show Baywatch
and had a fight scene with David Hasselhoff
.
He is the nephew of photographer Richard Avedon
.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
film actor. He has also acted in several popular American TV shows, including Baywatch
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
.
Biography
He has over 28 years of martial arts experience and is a 5th Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a 8th dan black belt in Hap Ki Do.His first acting roles were as a child in TV commercials, mainly for Carnation Milk, The May Company, and other retailers. He also worked as a model, and appeared in a couple of martial arts films, such as Ninja Turf
Ninja Turf
Ninja Turf aka Los Angeles Streetfighter is an 1986 martial arts film starring Loren Avedon and Phillip Rhee.Thomas F. Wilson appears in this film in a very small role.-Cast:*Jun Chong as Young*Phillip Rhee as Tony*James Lew as Chan...
(1985), which were produced by his martial arts instructor Jun Chong.
Avedon got his main break as a martial arts film star, when producer Roy Horan phoned the dojang where Avedon was training, and asked if they had any suitable martial arts practitioners for the lead role in the film, No Retreat No Surrender 2 (1987). Avedon answered the phone, was given an audition, and won the lead role. He then signed a three film deal with Seasonal Films (the company which produced the No Retreat No Surrender films). In this three film deal Avedon also played the lead role in the films, No Retreat No Surrender 3 and King of the Kickboxers. Since then Avedon has starred in many more martial arts and action films, all of which have been B movies. In an interview Avedon said that he believed he would have had greater success in his film career (similar to the success of Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
) if it had not been for poor representation and disagreements that he had with one or two other actors.(Lorenzo Lamas, Sherie Rose) He was offered a three film deal with film production company PM entertainment, but turned it down (the deal was given to Don 'The Dragon' Wilson) because he was holding out for a better deal. Avedon said that he now regrets turning down this deal.(True: Cannes 1991)
Avedon has also written and produced some of the films that he has starred in, such as, Silent Force (2000) and Deadly Ransom (1997).
He also appeared in the hit TV show Baywatch
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
and had a fight scene with David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
.
He is the nephew of photographer Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon was an American photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century."-Photography career:Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish Russian...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Circuit 3: Street Monk | Det. Sykes | aka The Circuit III: Final Flight |
| 2004 | She Spies She Spies She Spies is an action-adventure television show that ran from September 9, 2002 until May 17, 2004, in two seasons. The show was sold into syndication but the first four episodes premiered on the NBC network, whose syndication arm was one of the producers. Disappointing ratings during the show's... |
Dennis Wiggins | (2 episode) |
| 2003 | Into the Heat | ||
| 2002 | The Circuit The Circuit (2002 film) «The Circuit» - is a 2002 arena-fighting film starring Olivier Gruner -Plot:Years ago, Dirk Longstreet walked away from The Circuit, the merciless underground fight club with no rules, where money changes hands as men are killed. But now gangsters have got his brother, and only one more journey... |
Det. Sykes | |
| 2001 | The The Silent Force | Frank Stevens | |
| 2000 | Manhattan Chase | Jason | |
| Tiger Claws III | Stryker | ||
| 1999 | Martial Law Martial Law (TV series) Martial Law was a TV crime drama that ran on CBS from 1998 to 2000, and was created by Carlton Cuse. The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US.The show was a... |
Jack | (1 episode) |
| 1998 | Deadly Ransom | Max Lightener | |
| 1996 | Carjack | Nick | |
| Safety Zone | Cooper | ||
| 1995 | Virtual Combat | Parness | |
| 1994 | Opration Golden Phoenix | Ivan Jones | |
| Thunder in Paradise Thunder in Paradise Thunder in Paradise was a one-hour action-adventure TV series from the creators of Baywatch, which starred Hulk Hogan, Chris Lemmon, and Carol Alt. This first-run syndicated TV series originally premiered as a straight-to-video feature film in September 1993, then ran for one season in 1994, before... |
Rock | (2 episodes) | |
| 1993 | Baywatch Baywatch Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production... |
Michael Branson | (1 episode) |
| 1992 | Baywatch Baywatch Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production... |
Royal Guard/Terrorist | (1 episode) |
| Fighting Spirit | David Carster | ||
| 1991 | In Living Color | Cowboy | (1 episode) |
| 1990 | The King of the Kickboxers The King of the Kickboxers The King of the Kickboxers is a 1991 film directed by Lucas Lowe and starring Loren Avedon as Jake Donahue and Billy Blanks as Khan.-Plot:... |
Jake Donahue | |
| No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers is an American-Chinese martial arts co-production released in 1990, directed by Lucas Lowe. While financed by Seasonal Entertainment, the film does not continue the story of the original No Retreat, No Surrender or the sequel, both directed by Corey... |
Will Alexander | ||
| 1987 | No Retreat, No Surrender 2 No Retreat, No Surrender 2 No Retreat, No Surrender 2 is an American Hong Kong martial arts film directed in 1987 by Corey Yuen. This film does not continue the story of the original No Retreat, No Surrender... |
Scott Wylde | |
| 1985 | L.A. Streetfighters Ninja Turf Ninja Turf aka Los Angeles Streetfighter is an 1986 martial arts film starring Loren Avedon and Phillip Rhee.Thomas F. Wilson appears in this film in a very small role.-Cast:*Jun Chong as Young*Phillip Rhee as Tony*James Lew as Chan... |
Chan's Gang | |
| Survival | Cole | ||
| 1984 | Furious | Fighter |
See also
- King of the KickboxersThe King of the KickboxersThe King of the Kickboxers is a 1991 film directed by Lucas Lowe and starring Loren Avedon as Jake Donahue and Billy Blanks as Khan.-Plot:...
- No Retreat No Surrender IINo Retreat, No Surrender 2No Retreat, No Surrender 2 is an American Hong Kong martial arts film directed in 1987 by Corey Yuen. This film does not continue the story of the original No Retreat, No Surrender...
- No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood BrothersNo Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood BrothersNo Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers is an American-Chinese martial arts co-production released in 1990, directed by Lucas Lowe. While financed by Seasonal Entertainment, the film does not continue the story of the original No Retreat, No Surrender or the sequel, both directed by Corey...