Burn Notice

[Please visit our sponsor:]

[aikidoc]

Men's Fitness has an article on Jeffrey Donovan, star of Burn Notice. It confirms his aikido background, "citing the basic tenets of aikido as a major influence in his own thinking." I had noticed aikido techniques on several shows. He apparently has studied karate (black belt), jiu jitsu and aikido, although no rank is noted.

[Adam Huss]

This was discussed in another post somewhere....not sure where though.

From what I've read, he was involved with the New York Aikikai at some point in time and received at least a shodan in aikido (not sure where). He was the star of an independent film from like the 90's where he played a troubled man who used aikido to get help him through a difficult part of his life. I don't think its a movie you can easily find. Yeah, I've noticed some aikido moves as well, but some pretty snappy jiujitsu and SAMBO moves also.

[Abasan]

Whatever, I just like the series. Can't believe Gabrielle Anwar looks so old though. How many decades ago was Father of The Bride anyway?

[mickeygelum]

That was Kimberly Williams, not Gabrielle Anwar in "Father Of The Bride".

But, let's not forget the infamous Tango in "Scent Of A Woman"...Hoo-wah ! :)

[felipe_3]

I remember that one day my sensei show me a picture, in this picture was donovan and he tell me look his belt, what color is his belt, I said white and he tell me he is donovan master 5to Dan , the belt is only a formality and since these moment I learned that the belt neither the clothes represent ur level in the aikido.

[dragonsun5]

Absolutely love him and that show. What were the specific episodes that he used it in? Anyone remember?

[felipe_3]

you mean were donovan use the white belt?

[Michael Hackett]

Felipe,
It may be Donovan Waite Sensei that was in the picture.

[felipe_3]

oh excuse me we don`t are talking about the same person, yes I told u about donovan waite

[Adam Huss]

I believe Jefferey Donovan claims being a shodan in aikikai...not sure.

Alex,

It's hard to say what exact episodes he uses aikido-based techniques...although I've seen it in many. Just keep a watchful eye when hand to hand combat is in a scene and you may catch something.

[Mark Peckett]

Kotegaeshi turns up and often segues into brazilian jujutsu. BJJ seems to be a requirement in any tv programme or film with a fighting sequence in it - there was even one in the new Robert Downey Jr "Sherlock Holmes!" And I thought Doctor Watson relied on his trusty service revolver.

[CarrieP]

Ooh, glad someone started up this thread.

Season 2, episode "Comrades" has an extended scene where Jeffrey Donovan fights a Russian using Sambo techniques, in order to convince the guy that he's a Russian, too.

As for other fights, there's an extended fight scene in the end episodes of season 2, when he has to fight Victor (Michael Shanks).

The neat thing to me is how in Burn Notice, and in Sherlock Holmes, the fighting styles are tuned to the character. So Watson fights differently than Holmes, and Michael Weston uses Sambo since his background was he worked black ops in Russia and Afghanistan.

Also, something really fun to do, if you have the DVDs or some such, is to go through the fights frame-by-frame in slow motion. That's always quite fun to see exactly what's going on and what techniques are used.

Here's a couple good links. For Burn Notice episode guides and summaries
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/burnnotice/theshow/episodeguide/episodes/s2_breakingandentering/index.html

A bit about the martial arts used in Sherlock Holmes (seems to be based in Wing Chun Kung Fu)
http://www.lawingchun.com/holmes.html

[Mark Peckett]

There's a nice piece in wikipedia with some splendid pictures of Victorian gentlemen with splendid Victorian moustaches about the original Conan Doyle/Sherlock Holmes martial art - Bartitsu or Baritsu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartitsu