Description
American Tang Soo Do grandmaster (9th dan) and pioneering sport-karate figure.
Began training in Korean Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan in 1963 while stationed in
South Korea as a US Army chaplain, earning his black belt in about thirteen
months. Rose to chief instructor of Chuck Norris's Sherman Oaks school
(1968), captained Norris's undefeated black belt competition team
(1968-1973), won the 1971 national Tang Soo Do title, and created the
penalty-point system still used in karate tournaments. Served as executive vice
president of Norris's National Tang Soo Do Congress (1973-1979) and then of
the United Fighting Arts Federation (1979-1986), before leaving over
philosophical differences and reforming the NTC, which he led until his death.
Choreographed the fight scenes and played the referee in the Karate Kid films,
training Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and William Zabka for their roles.
Ranks (2)
-
Dan-Kyu System (1965)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Black belt earned after roughly thirteen months of training beginning 1963,
stated independently by Wikipedia and the Hollywood Reporter obituary ('just
13 months'); the exact year 1965 comes only from Wikipedia's
achievements list, which labels the art taekwondo while the article body calls
it Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.
"1965: Received 1st degree black belt in taekwondo."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson.
Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"He said it took him just 13 months to earn his black belt."
— Barnes, Mike. (2023-11-06). Pat E. Johnson,
'Karate Kid' Choreographer, Trainer and Referee, Dies at 84linkinfo
-
Dan-Kyu System (1986)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
fact_check
The 9th-degree rank is confirmed by three independent sources (Wikipedia EN, the
Hollywood Reporter obituary, and his Tang Soo Do World Who's Who profile
listing 9th Dan with a registry pin number); the grantor (Chuck Norris) and year
(1986) rest on Wikipedia alone, but nothing found disputes them.
"In 1986, Johnson was promoted to ninth-degree black belt."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson.
Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"Pat E. Johnson, the ninth-degree black belt and Chuck Norris contemporary
who choreographed the fight scenes, trained the actors and portrayed a
tournament referee in the first three Karate Kid films, has died."
— Barnes, Mike. (2023-11-06). Pat E. Johnson,
'Karate Kid' Choreographer, Trainer and Referee, Dies at 84linkinfo
"Grandmaster Pat Johnson 1939 - 2023 9th Dan Pin"
— Grandmaster Pat Johnson - Who's Who in Tang Soo
Dolinkinfo
Students (3)
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William Zabka
linkAmerican Tang Soo Do
2
(1984)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
The relationship itself is certain, resting on Zabka's first-person accounts
in two independent interviews (Men's Health 2019; Hollywood Reporter 2023
quoting him and Sports Illustrated) - 'He built me up from nothing... I
trained with him after the film was over.' The American Tang Soo Do
attribution is an inference from Johnson's own art and his role as Chuck
Norris-system chief instructor; neither source names the style Johnson taught
Zabka, so the assertion as a whole is Probable rather than Confirmed.
"He's a legend in martial arts. He built me up from nothing. I
didn't know anything about it when I first started. I was a wrestler in high
school and very limber and athletic. The discipline that he gave physically,
mentally and technically was incredible; so much so, that I trained with him
after the film was over."
— Hornik, Susan. (2019-04-11). How Karate Training
Helped Cobra Kai's William Zabka Get Back in Fighting Shape at 53
linkinfo
"In the Sports Illustrated piece, Zabka said he "got the attitude for
my character from Pat. I used his Ki-yahs. I used the way he stood with his
hands in his belt.""
— Barnes, Mike. (2023-11-06). Pat E. Johnson,
'Karate Kid' Choreographer, Trainer and Referee, Dies at 84linkinfo
-
Ralph Macchio
(1984-1984)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
First-person account naming both teacher and style (Guardian 'How we
made', 2023 - trained in Okinawan Goju-ryu karate by Pat E. Johnson),
corroborated by Johnson's own account of training him intensively for the
film (via THR quoting Sports Illustrated, 2018) and by trade coverage of the
production. Film-preparation training rather than dojo study, but the
relationship and style are explicit and uncontested across independent sources.
"Apart from four jiu-jitsu lessons when I was 10, I had no martial arts
experience. Before filming, I was trained in Okinawan Gōjū-ryū karate by Pat E
Johnson, who coordinated the fight scenes and played the head referee in the
tournament at the end of the film."
— Gilbert, Ben. (2023-09-18). 'Everyone was doing
the crane kick': Ralph Macchio on making The Karate Kidlinkinfo
"For The Karate Kid (1984), Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 2018 that he
trained actors Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio "separately, really
hard.""
— Barnes, Mike. (2023-11-06). Pat E. Johnson,
'Karate Kid' Choreographer, Trainer and Referee, Dies at 84linkinfo
-
Pat Morita
(1984-1984)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Two independent secondary accounts agree that Johnson trained the lead cast in
goju-ryu ('Okinawan classic') karate for the film (Hollywood Reporter
quoting Johnson's own Sports Illustrated account; MovieWeb feature naming
the style), but no firsthand statement from Morita himself was located, so
Probable rather than Confirmed.
"For The Karate Kid (1984), Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 2018 that he
trained actors Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio "separately, really
hard.""
— Barnes, Mike. (2023-11-06). Pat E. Johnson,
'Karate Kid' Choreographer, Trainer and Referee, Dies at 84linkinfo
"In those lessons, Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio were taught goju-ryu style,
Okinawan classic karate."
— Press, Lindsay. (2024-02-18). Did Pat Morita Learn
Martial Arts to Play Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid?linkinfo
Honors (2)
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descriptionNorth American Sport Karate Association Hall of
Fame
2
Other (1993)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
fact_check
Three independent secondary sources agree on 1993 (Wikipedia EN achievements
list, the Tang Soo Do World profile, and the Tang Soo Do Masters profile); the
association's own records were not consulted, keeping this below Confirmed.
"1993: Inducted into the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA)
Hall of Fame."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson.
Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"In 1993 he was inducted into the North American Sport Karate Association
(NASKA) Hall of Fame."
— Grandmaster Pat Johnson - Who's Who in Tang Soo
Dolinkinfo
"In 1993 he was inducted into the North American Sport Karate Association
(NASKA) Hall of Fame."
— Grandmaster Pat Johnson - Tang Soo Do Masters
linkinfo
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descriptionBlack Belt Magazine Instructor of the Year
2
Other (1995)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
fact_check
Dated 1995 by three sources (Tang Soo Do World profile; Tang Soo Do Masters
profile; Wikipedia article summary), while Wikipedia's own achievements list
alone gives 1996 - plausibly the induction-ceremony year rather than the award
year; recorded at 1995 on the balance of sources.
"In 1995 was honored by Black Belt Magazine as Instructor of the
Year."
— Grandmaster Pat Johnson - Who's Who in Tang Soo
Dolinkinfo
"He was the 1995 Black Belt magazine Instructor of the Year."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson.
Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"In 1995 was honored by Black Belt Magazine as Instructor of the
Year."
— Grandmaster Pat Johnson - Tang Soo Do Masters
linkinfo
Linked data
https://martial.is/entity/01M0TFB9H0HC3R48RJTFV77PCN