Juan Tyrone Garcia

Juan Tyrone Garcia (25 May 1950 – 14 May 1979) was an actor, martial artist, singer, teacher and founder of the Mexican Judo concept. He is considered one of the most influential Mexican martial artists of the 20th century and a cultural icon.^[1]

Garcia was born in Malibu, California and was of Mexican heritage.^[2]

Early life

Juan was born in Malibu, CA. He was in the first graduating class at Malibu Park Middle School. He attended Santa Monica High School where he was captain of the billiards team. In his senior year, while competing in a Billiard tournament, a freak accident occurred involving Juan's billiard cue and an innocent bystander. Garcia fled the scene, never returning to Malibu again.^[2]

Mexico

On arriving in Mexico, Juan was taken in by his two uncles - Chewey and Louey Guerro. The Guerro Brothers were world-renowned for their fighting skills and famous throughout the Mexican masked wrestling circuit. The brothers are solely responsible for Juan's mastery in the ancient Mexican Judo fighting arts.^[3]

Filmography

His Mexican influenced, Hollywood-produced films a.k.a. “Mexploitation” films elevated the traditional Latino martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim, and sparked a major surge of interest in Mexican martial arts in America in the 1970s. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in Mexico, Spain and America.^[4] He is noted for his roles in five feature-length films, Arthur Ashby’s Breath of Death (1975) and Six Deadly Fingers of Fury (1976); Pimp Madness (1977) Mad Mex (1978) and Kung Fu Star Fighters (1979).^[5]

It is rumored that in between Six Deadly Fingers of Fury and Pimp Madness, Garcia was approached by then up and coming director George Lucas to play the lead in his sci-fi film Star Wars. Garcia couldn’t commit to the project because he already signed on to play a pimp in his next Mexploitation hit Pimp Madness. On February 4, 1977 Pimp Madness was released to the movie going public. Much like its contemporary at the time, Saturday Night Fever, Pimp Madness became more than a film. It was an event that defined a generation. Not only did the movie create a new style of filmmaking, it set the trend for music, fashion, and even lifestyle.^[6]

Disappearance

At 7:21 a.m., on April 4, 1979 Garcia was reported missing by his wife Lydia. After a long and exhausting search for Garcia’s whereabouts, police authorities announced that he was indeed missing, and presumed dead. ^[7]

Death

On May 14, 1979 an official funeral was held for Garcia in Mexico City. Since then May 14 is recognized as Juan Tyrone Garcia Day in Mexico. ^[8]

Hollywood Conspiracy

Some conspiracy theorists believe that the mob kidnapped and killed Juan after much debt owed to them. It is rumored that the mob was also financing his last movie which he never finished Kung Fu Star Fighters. Others believe Juan paid the mob to protect him and keep him in hiding after years under the world’s spotlight. However, there has been a recent undercurrent within the Entertainment industry that a small yet powerful group of Hollywood elite is in fact responsible for Juan Tyrone Garcia’s disappearance and possible death. Like Elvis, there have been many Juan sightings since 1979. A passionate bi-polarization regarding his fate has formed, among his fan base, over his mysterious disappearance. His body has never been found.^[9]

Right before the authorities presumed Garcia to be dead, Walter Zanuck, producer of Garcia’s movies, took them out of the public domain. A conspiracy theory began to surface that Walter Zanuck as well as the Hollywood community may have been responsible for Garcia’s disappearance. It is Hollywood lore that a “black book” exists chronicling the last few months of Garcia’s life and career. A crew member on Kung Fu Star Fighters described the contents of the book stating that it went into detail on who exactly was financing the film, who was responsible for Garcia’s erratic behavior as well as going into great detail on a small elite group of Hollywood higher ups and their plot to destroy Garcia’s career and motives for removing him from the public’s collective consciousness. It’s no coincidence that the black book ceased to exist right at the time the search for Garcia went cold. It is the hope of many Garcia fans, family and friends to one day uncover the true circumstances of his last days and sudden, mysterious disappearance.^[10] Shortly after the release of Breath of Death, reports came out that the incredible martial arts action sequences were not performed by Juan himself, but by a stunt double. To make matters worse, rumors surfaced that the stunt double in question was Garcia’s uncle, Chewey Guerro. People did not know how to take that information.

Films

• Breath of Death (1975)
• Six Deadly Fingers of Fury (1976)
• Pimp Madness (1977)
• Mad Mex (1978)
• Kung Fu Star Fighters (1979)

References

External links

• JuanGarciaFanClub.com
• JuanGarciaDay.com
• Hollywood-Conspiracies.com