Our first Workshop for 2018, will be with Stunt Guru Kim Kahana at the Holiday Inn Express on Saturday, January 13th, 10am-2pm. TBFS paid members $20.00, non-members $30.00. To register go to:www.tampabayfilmsociety.com under Events.
Kim Kahana, Sr. (born 1929) is an American actor, stunt performer and action choreographer of Hawaiian and Japanese descent. He has done stunts for over 300 movies and television programs and runs a stunt school in Groveland, Florida that has trained over 15,000 students.
Unable to read or write, Kahana dropped out of school in third grade. At age 13 he hitchhiked across the United States by himself, sometimes stealing in order to eat His performing career began as a knife and fire dancer in a stage show called Samoan Warriors.
Kahana served as a paratrooper in the Korean War where he was captured and shot by an enemy firing squad. Feigning death, his captors left him in a mass grave from which he escaped. A hand grenade explosion also rendered him sightless for two years and permanently blind in his left eye. The U.S. Military awarded Kahana one Silver Star and two Bronze Star Medals, as well as two Purple Hearts for his services.
Kahana also performed and coordinated fight scenes and stunts (often uncredited) for numerous TV shows, including 28 episodes of Kung Fu, and made numerous appearances on other programs, including Mission Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man, Vega$, Magnum P.I., Charlie's Angels, Quincy. Fantasy Island and The Brady Bunch. Because of his size (5' 7", or 168 cm) Kahana frequently acted as stunt double for female actors, including Stephanie Powers of The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. and Sally Field on The Flying Nun.
Kahana has served as a member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures and spent eight years on the Screen Actors Guild's Safety Investigative Team and the Stunt Safety Committee. He runs a production company called Stunt Action & Safety Coordinator, Inc. that runs second unit production for major motion pictures. He opened the Kahana Stunt School in 1972 to train performers in stunt work and safety, as well as how to navigate the motion picture and TV industries.
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Mr Kahana is a living legend - so much experience on stunts - don't miss this opportunity!
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Wow! The oldest black belt/stuntman I’ve ever worked with was born 1946, its amazing this guy born 20s......at first I thought was typing error from server. I would definitely be there if I lived USA. Now Im reading up on him!
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Exciting.
At the workshop, what can attendees expect? Your event description reads more like a bio of the man and not like an agenda of the event.
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Kim will talk about what the business was like when he started and what he thinks about the industry now. He will tell some fun stories about the famous stars he worked with, like Charles Bronson. There will also be videos of his work and of course, answer any questions.
TBFS members $20.00. Non-members - $30.00. Please register at: www.tampabayfilmsociety.com/Events as soon as possible, as seating is limited.