Cynthia Rothrock

Cynthia Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress best known for her martial arts films. She holds black belt rankings in seven styles of martial arts and was a high-level competitor in martial arts before becoming an actress. In 2014, she was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.^[1] In 2016, Martial Arts History Museum bestowed Rothrock the official title of The Queen of Martial Arts.^[2]

Rothrock made her acting debut in the Hong Kong action film Yes, Madam (1985), alongside Michelle Yeoh. She went on to star in several Hong Kong action films, such as Millionaires Express, The Magic Crystal, Righting Wrongs (all 1986), No Retreat, No Surrender 2 (1987), and The Inspector Wears Skirts (1988).

In the 1990s, Rothrock co-starred with Richard Norton in five martial arts films: China O'Brien, China O'Brien II, Lady Dragon, Rage and Honor and Rage and Honor II. She also starred in Martial Law, and its sequel, Martial Law 2: Undercover (both 1991), as well as Tiger Claws (1991), Irresistible Force, Undefeatable (both 1993), and Fast Getaway II (1994).

Early life

Rothrock grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and started taking martial arts lessons at the age of 13.^[3][4]

Career

Martial arts

Rothrock was World Champion in forms and weapons five times between 1981 and 1985.^[5][6] These categories are not combat-oriented, being displays of fluidity of movement rather than fighting, and are not segregated into male and female categories but fully open to both sexes.^[7][8]

Rothrock took first place in forms 32 times and first place in weapons 12 times in her first 38 tournaments, including competing in "Men's Forms" three out of four times, as there was no Women's Division. She was "Grand Master" of five tournaments and came in first place in 4 out of 5 fighting events.^[9]

Rothrock holds seven black belts and sashes in multiple Far Eastern martial disciplines, including Tang Soo Do, Taekwondo (Korean), Eagle Claw (Chinese), Wushu, Northern Shaolin, Ng Ying Kungfu (Chinese: 五形功夫) and Pai Lum White Dragon Kung Fu.^[10][11] She received her 6th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan in 2006. She was tested by Grand Master Robert Kovaleski, 9th Dan and chair of the I.T.M.A., and was later promoted by him to 7th degree black belt in 2011 and 8th degree black belt in 2015.^[12] She is a martial arts instructor and her favorite weapons are the hook swords.^[13]

In 1983, Rothrock was inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame as "Female Competitor of the Year."^[10] She was the first woman to appear on the cover of a martial arts magazine, and in 1986, co-authored a book with George Chung titled, Advanced Dynamic Kicks.^[14][15] In 2014, she was honored with the Legacy Award at the Urban Action Showcase & Expo at HBO.^[16] In 2016, she was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dr. Robert Goldman.^[17] In 2022, Rothrock received the Martial Arts SuperShow "Lifetime Achievement Award" in Las Vegas. Past recipients have included Chuck Norris, Fumio Demura, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, among others.^[18]

Rothrock made history by becoming the inaugural woman to grace the cover of Karate Illustrated (August 1981)^[19] and holds the distinction of being the first woman featured on the cover three times in the magazine's history.^[20]

In March 2024, Black Belt Magazine named Rothrock in its list of "The Most Influential Women Martial Artists on the Planet."^[21]

Acting

In 1983, while Rothrock was on Ernie Reyes' West Coast Demonstration Team, she was discovered by Golden Harvest in Los Angeles, California. It was two years later that she made her first martial arts movie for them, Yes, Madam (also known as Police Assassins or In the Line of Duty Part 2), which also starred Michelle Yeoh. It proved to be a box office success. Rothrock ended up staying in Hong Kong until 1988 doing seven films there.^[10][22] Possibly her first American film was 24 Hours to Midnight, a Leo Fong-directed film, which also starred Stack Pierce and Bernie Pock (son of actress Nancy Kwan).^[23]

Rothrock became one of the few Western performers to achieve genuine stardom in the local Hong Kong film industry before achieving success in their own country. She was credited as 羅芙洛 ("Fu Lok Law" or "Foo Lok Law") in many Hong Kong movies.^[24] Producer Pierre David initiated Rothrock's move to the American turf. David offered her a co-starring role with Chad McQueen in Martial Law, Rothrock's first American production. For the next 10 years, she led a successful career in action movies. Her films include China O'Brien and China O'Brien II, Guardian Angel, Honor & Glory, No Retreat, No Surrender 2 and Prince of the Sun, amongst a roster of thirty films.^[25][26]

Rothrock appeared as Bertha Jo in the 1997 television film The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!^[27]

Rothrock did voice work on the animated series Eek the Cat, which premiered in September 1992.^[15]

Rothrock made an appearance in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, playing Hera's second Enforcer in the 1996 episode, "Not Fade Away."^[28]

After starring in the 2004 film Xtreme Fighter (a.k.a. Sci-Fighter), where she played "Sally Kirk/The White Dragon," Rothrock retired from acting to teach private martial arts lessons at her martial arts studio in Studio City, California.^[29] She returned to acting for the role as Nanna in the 2012 Christmas family film Santa's Summer House, alongside British martial artist and actor Gary Daniels.^[30]

In 2014, Rothrock starred in the action movie Mercenaries, alongside Kristanna Loken, Brigitte Nielsen, Vivica A. Fox and Zoë Bell.^[31]

In 2023, Rothrock began production on the movie Black Creek, in which she took on multiple roles. She not only produced it, but also co-wrote the script and stars as the lead. This dark and gritty dystopian Western combines elements of action and martial arts, featuring a powerful female protagonist played by Rothrock herself. Joining her are familiar faces from her previous Robert Clouse film China O'Brien, including Richard Norton and Keith Cooke. Black Creek was set for release in 2024, and will have an accompanying graphic novel.^[32]

Filmography

Bibliography

• Schubart, Rikke (2014). "6. Failed Female Hero? 'Queen of Martial Arts' Cynthia Rothrock". Super Bitches and Action Babes: The Female Hero in Popular Cinema, 1970–2006. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786482849. OCLC 607648951

Awards

• Genoa, October 5, 2016: Rothrock was awarded the title of "Knight of Sport" by the National Order Knights of Sport, with the support of ASI.^[47]
• In 2014, Rothrock was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.^[1]

References

1. ^ Dr. Robert Goldman (March 11, 2014). "2014 International Sports Hall of Fame Inductees". www.sportshof.org. Archived July 14, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
2. ^ "Queen of Martial Arts Title bestowed to Cynthia Rothrock by Martial Arts Museum | Martial Arts Museum". mamuseum.cms.ipressroom.com
3. ^ "Cynthia Rothrock biography". Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
4. ^ Schubart (2014), p. 145
5. ^ Cagle, Jess & Parisi, Paula (August 9, 1991). "Cynthia Rothrock: Action star". EW.com. Meredith Corporation. Archived January 22, 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
6. ^ Schubart (2014), p.145
7. ^ Castinado, Marian K. (1996). "Kungfu's Screen Queen - Cynthia Rothrock". Kung Fu Magazine. TC Media. Archived June 10, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
8. ^ Meisler, Andy (July 3, 1994). "The Biggest Star You Never Heard Of". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Archived April 19, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
9. ^ Zimmerman, Richard (November 1978). "Focussing energies with Kung Fu". Black Belt. Vol. 17, no. 11. Los Angeles, California: Active Interest Media, Inc. pp. 45–49. ISSN 0277-3066
10. ^ Rothrock, Cynthia (September 1992). "Hollywood's Hit Woman". Black Belt. Vol. 30, no. 9. Los Angeles, California: Active Interest Media, Inc. p. 90. ISSN 0277-3066
11. ^ Ollhoff, Jim (2008). "Cynthia Rothrock". Martial Arts Movies. World of Martial Arts). ABDO. pp. 16–17. ISBN 9781599289809.
12. ^ "Kovaleski Promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in Seoul, South Korea". World Wide Dojo. 2011. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
13. ^ "A3U Podcast.com – Cynthia Rothrock Episode". A3U Podcast.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
14. ^ Chung, George & Rothrock, Cynthia (March 1, 1986). Advanced Dynamic Kicks. Santa Clarita, California: Ohara. ISBN 9780897501293.
15. ^ Rance, Penelope T. J. (2005). Martial Arts. Virgin Books. p. 118. ISBN 9780753510780.
16. ^ "UFLHOH 2014 - 2014 Honorees". Urban Action Showcase & Expo. Archived August 11, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
17. ^ "Bio Cynthia Roth 2014 – ISHOF | International Sports Hall of Fame | United States". Retrieved 2024-01-15.
18. ^ "2022 - Legacy". www.masupershow.com. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
19. ^ Entertainment, Martial Arts (2011-10-11). "Cynthia Rothrock: The Reigning Queen of Action Films". Martial Arts & Action Entertainment. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
20. ^ "Cynthia Rothrock 1987". The Times Leader. 1987-10-25. p. 51. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
21. ^ "The Most Influential Women Martial Artists on the Planet". Black Belt Magazine. March 1, 2024. Archived March 5, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
22. ^ Broeske, Pat H. (1989). "Sly's Match?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
23. ^ "24 Hours to Midnight (1985)". FilmAffinity. Archived September 20, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
24. ^ Palmer, Bill (1995). The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 411. ISBN 9780810830271.
25. ^ Willis, Andrew (September 4, 2004). Film Stars: Hollywood and Beyond. Manchester University Press. pp. 174–179. ISBN 9780719056451.
26. ^ Smith, Sid (1993). "The First Action Heroes 3 Female Martial Artists Ready To Blaze Trail To Big Screen". Chicago Tribune. Archived September 14, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
27. ^ Everett, Todd (April 24, 1997). "Review: 'Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!'". Variety. Archived September 16, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
28. ^ "Cynthia Rothrock: The Queen of Martial Arts | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
29. ^ Hill, Katrina (2012). Action Movie Freak. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 246–247. ISBN 9781440232268.
30. ^ "Action stars unite for Christmas family film "Santa's Summer House" (exclusive)". BZFilm.com. August 10, 2012. Archived February 11, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
31. ^ Strauss, Bob (August 29, 2014). "Burbank International Film Festival to shine the spotlight on 'media capital'". Los Angeles Daily News
32. ^ Team, Black Belt (2024-02-23). "Cynthia Rothrock Unveils 'Black Creek' Graphic Novel: A Cinematic Saga Expands into Comics". Black Belt Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
33. ^ "Grand Opening Today". Manila Standard. Standard Publishing, Inc. January 28, 1988. Retrieved January 6, 2019. JACKY CHAN SALUTES THEM... CHUCK NORRIS FEARS THEM... ALL THE OTHER MASTERS,...BEWARE OF THEM!
34. ^ "2nd Action-Packed Day!". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. August 21, 1987. p. 9. Retrieved August 23, 2020. The Fiercest Encounter of Martial Arts Experts in a Gigantic Movie!
35. ^ "Grand Opening Today". The Manila Standard. March 17, 1987. p. 15. Archived June 28, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
36. ^ "Opens Today". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. November 5, 1987. p. 10. Retrieved June 20, 2020. CINDY ROTHROCK: The biggest threat to JACKY CHAN
37. ^ "Grand Opening Today". Manila Standard. Standard Publishing, Inc. August 11, 1988. p. 14. Retrieved January 14, 2019. Flash! Flash! Flash! Cindy Rothrock reveals for the first time her secret training on how she became a tough lady cop on screen!
38. ^ "'American Fighter'". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. June 10, 1989. p. 27. Retrieved August 15, 2024. Jeffrey Falcon[...] co-stars.
39. ^ Allen, Terence (April 21, 1995). "Women of Martial Arts Movies: Rothrock is the Current Queen of the Genre, but Sheperd, Long, and Others are Making a Mark in Film". Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc. – via Google Books.
40. ^ Mata, Elvira (January 7, 1992). "The kids are dancing between movie screenings in theaters now". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 20. Retrieved August 15, 2024. Martial Law II Undercover, starring Cindy Rothrock, is also a super roadshow presentation, but tickets are priced at P14 and P18...
41. ^ "Grand Opening Today". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. July 15, 1992. p. 20. Retrieved May 14, 2021. THE SOVIET UNION IS CRUMBLING... and a nuclear trigger is on the black market only CINDY ROTHROCK can stop JASON SLADE from selling the trigger to IRAQ.
42. ^ "Opens Friday!". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. July 30, 1995. p. 23. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
43. ^ "Grand Opening Today". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. January 12, 1994. p. 18. Retrieved May 10, 2021. a DAVID WORTH Film
44. ^ Wheeler, Jeremy: Undefeatable (1993). AllMovie. Referenced 2021-08-30
45. ^ Ihalainen, Paavo (2013-08-22). "Undefeatable (1993)" (in Finnish). Elitisti.fi. Retrieved 17 February 2023. Överi lopputaistelu on kerännyt kiinnostusta YouTubessa ja muissa videopalveluissa.
    (Trans) The overt final fight has gathered interest on Youtube and other online web video services.
46. ^ "Cindy plays bodyguard in 'Guardian'". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. November 18, 1994. p. 22. Archived June 8, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
47. ^ Salvatore Taverniti (22 October 2016). "Prestigioso riconoscimento mondiale al primo 'Hall of fame of martial arts Italy,' svoltosi nei giorni scorsi a Genova". Presserredintorni.it. Retrieved July 1, 2023.

External links

• Cynthia Rothrock at IMDb
• Official website