Muscular African American sports star, actor, media identity and
inventor of the phenomenally popular "Tae Bo" fitness system, derived
from his extensive martial arts training. Blanks was born in Erie,
Pennsylvania in 1955 amongst humble backgrounds and grew up as one of
15 children, battling dyslexia and tendon problems. However that didn't
stop him from starting his martial arts training at age 14 and
eventually achieving black belts in tae kwon do & several other arts,
and winning numerous US martial arts tournaments.
Blanks first popped up on movie screens in the mid 1980s in tough guy
parts utilizing his athletic background and grim faced looks. Films
roles included Tango und Cash (1989), Driving Force (1989) and Leon (1990). Things looked up in 1991,
when Blanks scored the minor role of drug addicted running back "Billy
Cole" in the explosive Last Boy Scout - Das Ziel ist Überleben (1991)....and further work followed often
sharing lead billing in low budget - high action fare such as Die Adlerkralle (1992),
TC 2000 (1993) and Gnadenlos (1995).
In the late 1990s, Billy's innovative and exciting "Tae Bo" workout
routine swept around the world like wildfire, and propelled him into
the position of one of the world's most recognizable and biggest
selling fitness trainers. The remarkable Blanks continues to refine and
promote his unique "Tae Bo" fitness system, and he operates the Billy
Blanks World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, California.
