Is Jeff Speakman star of 'The Perfect Weapon ' etc still teaching Kenpo, does he have a school ? Does he do seminars? Is he still making movies?
His last film was in '99. Nothing more recent. I think he's based in CA, but he runs a major American Kenpo organization and apparently travels both throughout the US and abroad. Dude, learn to use Google, it's your friend
Speakman Update Your man Coolio here is right. Speakman's acting career pretty much ran dry in 1999, but he's still trying. His organisation the AKKS collapsed a couple of years back, but he still runs an annual camp in Vegas in June with people like Benny Urquidez and Gene Lebell teaching. I haven't spoken to him since around 2001 when he was last in the UK doing seminars. Seemed a nice guy, if a bit movie star-ish. Respectful of Ed Parker's memory. His Kenpo has a major Okinawan flavour from his Goju background. Moves a little differently than 'pure' Parker guys. One of the most recent issues of Inside Kung Fu states he was recently inducted into one of the US Halls Of Fame as Grandmaster & Founder of Speakman Kenpo Karate, which I suppsoe is his own interpretation. He was adding groundfighting moves as I recall.
Mr. Speakman is still teach, as I am a student at one of his studios. He does do seminars, and conferences. The next function that he will be at is Kenpo Kamp in Las Vegas, Nevada, the last weekend in June. His website is www.jeffspeakman.com As for the comment that Mr. Speakman has his "own style", he does at that, however, he is very much teaching the traditional Parker way. Mr. Speakman was in Mr. Parker's last group of students prior to his death and Mr. Speakman has remained true to the teachings. As a student of both Okinawan Shorin Ryu Kempo and the Parker system of Kenpo, I have to say that the movements are quite different, one more linear where the other is more circular in motion. I am not sure what is taught at other Speakman studios, but our studio is very much Parker Kenpo. To our benefit, all of our instructors have black belts in other arts, thus teaching us the good and bad of each so that we may defend against those arts appropriately.
