Pat E. Johnson, ‘Karate Kid’ Trainer, Dead at 84

Pat E. Johnson

Pat E. Johnson, who worked as a martial arts choreographer, trainer and stuntman on many well-known screen franchises, including The Karate Kid, has passed away of natural causes. He was 84 years old.

His niece, Colleen Mary Johnson Summerville, shared the sad news on Facebook, writing, "It is with a sad heart I'm sharing my dear Uncle Pat has passed this Sunday morning. He was good to me since I was a little girl, and he loved my Father Lloyd (his brother) dearly. Because of him, I have the most amazing woman in my life, my Aunt Sue, and I'm forever grateful."

"Pat Johnson will always be legendary to many, including our family. Rest in peace Uncle Pat, you have fought the good fight... ❤️," she concluded.

Johnson was born in Niagara Falls, New York in 1939, and he started his journey with karate after encountering the martial art in Korea in 1963 while he served as a U.S. army chaplain, as reported by Variety. He allegedly achieved his black belt in 13 months and continued to become a ninth-degree black belt.

The late martial artist used his skills in many ways, including choreographing fights and training actors for the screen. For the beloved 1984 movie The Karate Kid, Johnson trained both Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio, along with other cast members, and he also acted in the film as a referee for one of the fights. He reportedly taught Macchio the iconic crane kick that plays a key role in the movie's climax.

William Zabka, who played Johnny Lawrence in the original movie and the Cobra Kai TV series, spoke highly of Johnson in a 2019 interview with Men's Health, saying, "He's a legend in martial arts. He built me up from nothing. I didn’t know anything about it when I first started."

"The discipline that he gave physically, mentally and technically was incredible; so much so, that I trained with him after the film was over. It’s amazing how his teaching has stayed with me all these years," Zabka went on.

Johnson also worked on the following Karate Kid films in 1986 and 1989, as well as 1994's The Next Karate Kid. The late choreographer had a long career that also included other notable projects, including Batman & Robin, Mortal Kombat, To Live and Die in L.A. and more, and he worked with Chuck Norris at his karate schools in Los Angeles.

He is survived by his wife Sue and their kids Brett, Garth, Larry and Erik, along with Johnson's two siblings, Richard and Cindy.

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