Jeff Imada was born on June 17, 1955 in Inglewood, California. He is a marital artist, stuntman, actor and director. He has performed stunts in over 100 films and television programs and he authored two books on the Balisong knife, one of which was called The Balisong Manual, and it was one of the first books about the Balisong knife to be published in the United States. It was published in 1984.Jeff Imada began studying martial arts in 1970 at the age of fifteen. He was a close friend of Brandon Lee, and the two studied Jeet Kune Do under Dan Inosanto. In the early 1990’s Jeff was the primary fight choreographer in Brandon Lee’s movie, The Crow (1994). Jeff is also a very accomplished martial artist in Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) and has studied Shaolin Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kendo, Boxing, and fencing. Besides the martial arts, Jeff is a dancer, gymnasts, skier and horseback rider. His stuntwork includes fighting, falling, and driving.
Jeff Imada attended El Camino College and UCLA, majoring in pre-med with a minor in music. It was during college that he began working as a movie “extra”. This led to his membership in the Screen Actors Guild, Stunts Unlimited and the Directors Guild of America.
Jeff Imada has been the technical advisor on numerous films, including Dutch (1991), Tango & Cash (1989), Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986), Dreamscape (1984) and Streets of Fire (1984), and such television series as Magnum, P.I. (1980), Remington Steele (1982), Dynasty (1981), Matt Houston (1982), Airwolf (1984), Stingray (1986), Hart to Hart (1979) and Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982). He was a great friend of Norward Vios and sparred with him all the time.
Jeff Imada was the chief fight coordinator in the Matt Damon movies The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). He also participated as the motion capture artist for the Xbox and PlayStation game The Bourne Conspiracy.
Jeff Imada can be seen in the Al Leong Biography put out by the Martial Arts History Museum, starring Al Leong with Gerald Okamura, Rob Moses, Douglas Wong, Carrie Ogawa Wong, Carl Totton, Brian Imada, and Steve Lambert.
Jeff Imada Filmography:
John Carpenter: Christine (2017) (Video short) (stunt coordinator) / (stunt driver: Driver of Christine)
Love (2017) (TV Series) (fight/stunt coordinator – 1 episode)
– Liberty Down (2017) … (fight/stunt coordinator)
Sleepless (2017/III) (fight design coordinator) / (stunt coordinator)
The Good Place (2016) (TV Series) (stunt coordinator – 1 episode)
– Don’t Let the Good Life Pass You By … (stunt coordinator)
Preacher (2016) (TV Series) (fight coordinator – 1 episode)
– Pilot (2016) … (fight coordinator)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (stunts)
Cindy’s New Boyfriend (2015) (Short) (stunt coordinator)
Furious 7 (2015) (fight/stunt coordinator)
Godzilla (2014) (stunt player)
After Earth (2013)(fight stunt coordinator)
The Power of Few (2013) (stunt driver)
2012 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012) (fight coordinator) / (stunt coordinator)
Total Recall (2012/I) (fight coordinator)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011) (fight coordinator: Louisiana) / (stunt coordinator: Louisiana)
Hanna (2011) (action designer) / (fight choreographer) / (stunt coordinator)
The Green Hornet (2011) (fight stunt coordinator)
The Ward (2010 (stunt coordinator)
Repo Men (2010) (fight choreographer)
The Book of Eli (2010) (stunt coordinator)
Mask of the Ninja (2008) (stunts)
Role Models (2008) (stunt coordinator)
Balls of Fury (2007) (stunts)
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) (fight stunt coordinator)
Planet Terror (2007) (stunts)
The Gene Generation (2007) (stunt action director)
Park (2006) (stunt coordinator)
When a Stranger Calls (2006) (stunt coordinator)
In Her Shoes (2005) (stunt coordinator)
Serenity (2005) (stunts)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) (utility stunts)
The Hard Easy (2005) (stunts)
Collateral (2004) (stunts) (uncredited)
The Bourne Supremacy (2004) (fight stunt coordinator)
The Ladykillers (2004) (stunts)
Spartan (2004) (stunt coordinator)
Stuck on You (2003) (stunts)
Daredevil (2003) (stunt coordinator) (wire choreographer)
8 Mile (2002) (stunt coordinator)
Serving Sara (2002) (stunt coordinator)
The Time Machine (2002) (stunt coordinator)
Rock Star (2001) (stunts)
Ghosts of Mars (2001) (stunt coordinator)
Ticker (2001) (stunts)
Little Nicky (2000) (stunt coordinator)
Forever Lulu (2000) (stunt coordinator)
Disney’s The Kid (2000) (utility stunts)
Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) (stunts)
Wonder Boys (2000) (stunt coordinator)
Hanging Up (2000) (stunts)
The Green Mile (1999) (stunt coordinator)
Fight Club (1999) (stunt coordinator) (uncredited) (stunts)
Crazy in Alabama (1999) (stunt coordinator)
Enemy of the State (1998) (stunt player)
Rush Hour (1998) (stunts)
Blade (1998) (stunt coordinator: additional photography) (stunts)
The Negotiator (1998) (stunts)
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) (stunts) (uncredited)
Armageddon (1998/I) (stunts)
Vampires (1998) (stunt coordinator)
U.S. Marshals (1998) (stunts)
The Replacement Killers (1998) (stunts)
Most Wanted (1997) (stunts)
Nothing to Lose (1997) (stunts)
L.A. Confidential (1997) (stunt coordinator)
Volcano (1997) (stunts)
Spy Game (1997) (stunt coordinator)
Dante’s Peak (1997) (stunt coordinator: second unit)
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) (stunts)
Marshal Law (1996) (stunts)
The Glimmer Man (1996) (stunts)
Escape from L.A. (1996) (stunt coordinator)
Spy Hard (1996) (stunts)
From Dusk till Dawn (1996) (stunts) (as Jeffrey Imada)
Heat (1995) (stunts)
Money Train (1995) (stunts)
Jade (1995) (stunts)
To the Limit (1995) (stunts: Los Angeles)
The Last Word (1995) (stunts)
Waterworld (1995) (stunts)
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995) (stunt coordinator)
Mortal Kombat (1995) (fire stunt double: Scorpion)
Village of the Damned (1995) (stunt coordinator) (stunts)
In the Mouth of Madness (1995) (stunt coordinator) (stunts)
One Tough Bastard (1995) (stunts)
Double Dragon (1994) (stunt coordinator)
Vanashing Son (1994) (stunts)
The Crow (1994) (stunt coordinator)
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) (stunts)
Vanishing Son (1994) (TV) (stunts)
On Deadly Ground (1994) (stunts)
The Criminal Mind (1993) (stunts)
Showdown (1993/I) (stunt coordinator)
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993) (stunts) (as Jeffrey Imada)
Undercover Blues (1993) (stunts) (as Jeffrey Imada)
Body Bags (1993) (TV) (stunt coordinator)
Rising Sun (1993) (stunt coordinator)
Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) (stunts)
Excessive Force (1993) (stunts)
Robot Wars (1993) (stunts)
Falling Down (1993) (stunts)
Rapid Fire (1992) (stunt coordinator)
Raven (1992) TV series (stunt coordinator)
Patriot Games (1992) (stunts)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) (stunt coordinator)
Kuffs (1992) (stunts)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) (stunts)
Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991) (stunts)
V.I. Warshawski (1991) (stunts)
Point Break (1991) (stunts)
Fever (1991) (TV) (stunt coordinator)
The Perfect Weapon (1991) (stunts)
Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) (stunts)
Kindergarten Cop (1990) (stunts)
Captain America (1990) (stunts)
The Rookie (1990) (stunts)
The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (1990) (TV) (stunt coordinator)
Marked for Death (1990) (stunts)
Come See the Paradise (1990) (stunts)
Ghost Dad (1990) (stunts)
The Last of the Finest (1990) (stunts)
Angel Town (1990) (stunt coordinator)
Tremors (1990) (stunts)
Why Me? (1990) (stunts)
Vietnam, Texas (1990) (stunts)
Tango & Cash (1989) (stunts)
Road House (1989) (stunts) (as Jeffrey Imada)
Hyper Space (1989) (stunt coordinator)
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) (stunts) (as Jeffrey Imada)
Who’s Harry Crumb? (1989) (stunts)
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects (1989) (stunts)
Gleaming the Cube (1989) (stunts)
One Man Force (1989) (stunts)
They Live (1988) (stunt coordinator)
The Dead Pool (1988) (stunts)
The Presidio (1988) (stunts)
Prince of Darkness (1987) (stunt coordinator)
Beauty and the Beast (1987) TV series (stunts)
Steele Justice (1987) (stunts)
Lethal Weapon (1987) (stunts)
The Golden Child (1986) (stunts)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) (stunts)
Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986) (stunts)
Gung Ho (1986) (stunts)
Hollywood Vice Squad (1986) (stunts)
House (1986) (stunts)
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) (stunts)
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) (stunts) (as Jeffrey Imada)
Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985) (stunts)
Dreamscape (1984)
Uncommon Valor (1983) (stunts)
Breathless (1983) (stunts)
Fire and Ice (1983) (stunts)
Blue Thunder (1983) (stunts)
The A-Team (1983) TV series (stunts)
Matt Houston (1982) TV series (stunts)
Blade Runner (1982) (stunts)
Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams (1981) (Wine steward)
