I met Joe Lewis in the 1970s, at the time he was one of the best point fighters in the world. Joe, Jeff Smith and Bill Wallace, Isiasis Duenas, and Vernon Mason were winners in their weight divisions at first Professional Karate Association World Championships in 1974. He knew my father as a Ju Jitsuan and had respect for my dad for being one of the pioneers of Ju Jitsu and introducing Martial Arts at the ‘64 World's Fair. His 10th Dan was given to him by my dad, the only man he would accept it from.
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| Soke Michael DePasquale Jr and Joe Lewis at the First Karate College |
Joe and I really connected around 1987 when we did a camp up in New York State, with Jeff Smith, Bill Wallace and my Dad, the first actual major camp which Karate College was modeled after. We had a great time up there, and I got to become close friends with him.
The year after, things snowballed, Karate College started, and Karate International began. Joe appeared on the cover of Karate International four or five times. In 1985 Joe appeared on cover of Kombat Karate and did numerous interviews concerning the World Team and the new Joe Lewis Karate System, at the time, before Joe Lewis Fighting System. Joe wrote a column for me in my magazine for a decade, which was fun spending time in many places working on the many subject’s for his column.
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| Joe Lewis on the Cover of Michael DePasquale Jr's Combat Karate June, 1987. |
Joe was one of the first successful Martial Artist in the movie business, with such movies as "Jaguar Lives!" (1979) starring with the likes of Peter Cushing, John Huston and Barbara Bach. He became a celebrity because of his looks, reputation and ability.
Bruce Lee sought after Joe, as an actor. Joe was his own man. Joe had the opportunity to jump at major studio roles and chose to pursue the freedom of independent roles. Joe started making movies, "Force: Five" (1981) with many fine actors such as Sonny Barnes and Richard Norton.
Joe also did movies in china, “Zhan Long” (1988) and “Mr. X” (1995) I ended up connecting with his contacts at Golden Sun and I did my movie with them, “China Heat, Paid in Blood” (1990). I started Action Film Academy the same year I went to China and Joe came in the first few years as well as the later years. He thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Karate College was primarily where we all met up each year throughout the 90s.
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| Mike D and Joe Lewis on the set of Ring Deadly Street Lethal |
We ended up doing "Ring Deadly, Street Lethal" (1993), the only video series Joe did with anybody. We bonded over this. My father introduced us on camera. I think the ring Deadly Street lethal waso one of the best things we ever did together, before the UFC, before any of that happened, Joe, and myself were literally showing the combative street-to-ground techniques.
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| Joe Lewis 10th Dan promotion by Michael DePasquale Sr with Walter Anderson Present |
In the mid 90s Joe requested I approach my father to be the one to present him with his 10th Degree Black Belt. At the many others had offered him rank, but he really looked up to my father and they had an amazing bond. Through that bond he said 'absolutely.'
Joe had his best friend Walter Anderson, the head of Parade Magazine came to my school in Paramus for the presentation ceremony. They were Vietnam buddies, he was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps and he remembered his days in the armed forces fondly. Through my father, through me and through Karate College through Jerry Beasley, he got to know Bill D’Urso another marine and made other friends.
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| Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace, J.T. Will, Michael De Pasquale Jr at Karate collage |
We did many seminars together, including the first IFOJJ Martial Art University hosted at Karate College Radford University, with Jerry Beasley and Bill Wallace. Joe and Bill D'Urso were always a part of and Bill still is part of, MAU, where we will be honoring Joe and a lot of other pioneers this year. So do not miss it!
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| Bill Wallace, Joe Lewis , Michael De Pasquale Jr in Memphis Tn doing a seminar early 90's |
My relationship became tight when traveling to Banff, Canada, to the All-Star Karate Kamp, with Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, Graciela Casillas, Peter "Sugarfoot" Cunningham and many others. We also traveled to Edmonton, where Joe, my Dad and I were the 3 instructors hosted by one of my students and 400 people showed up. We did so many seminars, including a three-day Street Fighting Seminar in Massachusetts hosted by Rob Buckland. The MA symposium was another that we did several years in a row at the Storm king school in Cornwall on Hudson N.Y. I hosted that with Robert Maquen.
Joe has a great organization to this day, with great people. He started “The Joe Lewis Fighting System,” in which some great people became members and black belts after many years, including Jeff Troshane, Mike Allen, John Maynard and many others. His system continues to grow, have work with Bill Wallace to keep legacy alive.
I was honored to cast him in my movie and co-star in "The Cutoff" (1998) filmed at Screen Gem Studios, which happens to be located around the corner from his house. He starred in it with me Joe Hess, Keith Vitali, and Joe Bonacci, my Father Michael DePasquale Sr., Wally Jay and Frank Capra Jr had special appearances in it. This was one of the Highlight’s of my career with him. He did a spectacular job - at one point he played a bum in it, he was a great character actor. We had a lot of fun on the set with Joe Lewis and everyone loved him, we had a blast.
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| Joe's Suprise 50th Birthday Party with Jay T. Will, Bone Crusher Smith, Jerry Beasley, John Maynard, Gerald Waller of Screen Gem Studios, and Head of The Joe Lewis Fan Club, Warren Kenedy and Family |
He was very selective about his friends, and if he didn't like you - you knew it. He didn’t like those who used other people. Joe was always true to the people who were real, like Grandmaster Taika Seiyu Oyata, Ed Parker, Chuck Norris, my dad Michael De Pasquale Sr, Wally Jay and others that proved to be the real deal. He had respect for men who honored their family and this country. He was a pioneer in more ways than one. He was an historian, philosopher and phenomenal athlete who pioneered kickboxing around the world. My love will never fade for Joe, he was my big brother.
He loved my father, and honored my father before and after he passed on. The one thing I will never forget is the speech, made two months after his passing at Martial Art University, about my dad and what he meant to him. He said "if there was ever a saint, in the Martial Art community it was Michael DePasquale Sr.” He was always at my Martial Art University events, I honored him there many times.
What you saw was what you got with Joe. I will remember Joe as a man of integrity dignity honor and a fantastic presence with people.
That is why I will always honor Joe at any one of my events just like I honor my father. All the people that we are honoring are to keep their legacy alive - to acknowledge they laid the groundwork for us. They are our Dale Carnegies, Rockefellers, and Henry Fords; we remember them for what they left us. We will always honor them; there is no reason why we should not keep their legacy alive. Join us at this great event and honor your linage and legacy.
Great Job on this Soke ....also thanks for the mention ...see you on the 27th !!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Joe was the real thing RIP...
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