Frank Dux

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Frank Dux is the founder of the amalgamated martial art Dux Ryu Ninjutsu, claiming to be the first American-born form of Ninjutsu. He is perhaps best known as the protagonist portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme in the biopic Bloodsport. Dux' style is philosophically based upon the acronym FASST, standing for "Focus, Action, Skill, Strategy, and Tactics." Dux is also an author, actor, playwright and fight choreographer. He has been accused of making false and exaggerated claims of elite U.S. military and CIA service to embellish his credentials and market himself.[1]

Frank Dux grew up in Woodland Hills, California. He currently lives near Seattle, Washington. According to Dux, he was introduced to and trained in ninjutsu by neighbors during his adolescent years.


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[edit] "Kumite" (film)

Dux wrote a follow-up script to Bloodsport, entitled "The Kumite". It revisited Bloodsport's plot, but with a bigger budget. Van Damme would again play the lead. After slow progress, another screenwriter reworked the script into The Quest. Dux successfully filed a complaint with the Writers Guild of America and was awarded both a writing credit and $50,000.[2] Dux then sued Van Damme for breach of oral contract, but ultimately lost the suit in court.[3]

[edit] Controversy

Dux has been a controversial figure in the martial arts community as the validity of many of his personal claims have been disputed publicly. First, he claims to be the winner of a secret underground no-holds-barred martial arts competition, The Kumite, as profiled in the movie Bloodsport. This was disputed in a Los Angeles Times article that reported that Dux's displayed Kumite trophy was ordered and picked up just a few miles from Dux's Southern California home.[4] Dux, in rebuttal, states that the LA Times used a receipt with an incorrect spelling of his name to back up their claim.[5]

In his book The Secret Man (1996, ReganBooks), Dux states that Director of Central Intelligence William Casey approached him to become a contract paramilitary agent for the Central Intelligence Agency in missions around the world. In a November 1998 article titled "Stolen Valor: Profiles of a Phony-Hunter," Soldier of Fortune magazine accused him of falsifying his military record.[1] Photos of him in uniform are presented as showing both Army and Marine decorations and medals, inconsistent with his personal statements. Dux, in rebuttal, has stated that the pictures were from a costume party and not indicative of his past record.[6]

In a 1998 trial against Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dux's friends said some of his claims were not true and the "testimony damaged Dux's credibility."[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Full Mental Jacket" (August 1996) and "Stolen Valor: Profiles of a Phony-Hunter" (November 1998) Soldier of Fortune
  2. ^ Part 3: Dux Sues Jean Claude Van Damme
  3. ^ "Frank Dux v. Jean Claude Van Damme", Court TV, 1998. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. 
  4. ^ "NINJA: Hero or Master Fake? Others Kick Holes in Fabled Past of Woodland Hills Martial Arts Teacher", Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1988. Retrieved on 2007-05-17. 
  5. ^ "Meet Frank Dux" (Part 2), by James Hom. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  6. ^ "Separating Fact from Fiction, line 59", War Stories and Other Lies, February 10, 1999-Amended:December, 2002
  7. ^ "Frank Dux v. Jean Claude Van Damme", Court TV, 1998. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. 

[edit] Bibliography

  • Dux, Frank & Dr. Mark D. Selner. "Unlocking Power: Keys to Success", in Black Belt, September 1980 Volume 18 #9, 46-50:58.
  • Dux, Frank. "Self Defense Against Knives", in Black Belt, October 1980 V.18 #10, 30-34.
  • Dux, Frank. The Secret Man: An American Warrior's Uncensored Story (ReganBooks, 1996) ISBN 0060391529 and ISBN 978-0060391522
  • Stewart, John. "Kumite: A Learning Experience", in Black Belt, November 1980 v. 18 #11, 28-34, 91.
  • Various, Letters to the Editor in Black Belt, Yearbook 1980, Vol. 19 #1: 94.
  • Klein, Michelle. "Frank Dux: The Man Behind the Legend", in Inside Kung Fu Presents: The Complete Guide to Ninja Training, May 1987: 48-53.
  • Dux, Frank & Gordon F. Richiusa. "The Guide to Ninjutsu Knife Fighting", in Inside Kung Fu Presents: The Complete Guide to Ninja Training, July 1987: 76-79.
  • Johnson, John. "NINJA: Hero or Master Fake? Others Kick Holes in Fabled Past of Woodland Hills Martial Arts Teacher", Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1988. Valley Edition, Metro, Part 2, Page 4.
  • "Full Mental Jacket" in Soldier of Fortune, August 1996
  • Bailey, Larry. "Stolen Valor: Profiles of a Phony Hunter" in Soldier of Fortune, November 1998: 58-61, 73.


[edit] External links

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