Jon Toby Benn (30 July 1935 – 9 December 2018) was a businessman, entrepreneur, and actor, who most notably played the mob boss in ''

Way of the Dragon ''The Way of the Dragon'' (, originally released in the United States as ''Return of the Dragon'') is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film co-produced and directed by Bruce Lee, who also stars in the lead role. This is Lee's only complet ...

''. He was also an adventurer of sorts. He wrote a book in reference to

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...

, ''Remembering Bruce Lee'', and subsequently opened a restaurant in Hong Kong, called "the Bruce Lee Cafe".

Background

A businessman rather than an actor,''

The Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper in the U.S. and the larges ...

'', 10 Feb 2019
LEE Continued from Fl
/ref> Jon T. Benn was the oldest out of five children born to Louis and Florence Benn. He was a tall man, standing at 6.4 who had a liking for fine food, fine drink, fine clothes and pretty women. From his part in Bruce Lee's ''

'', he had become something of a cult hero. The Hong Kong entrepreneur would get recognition, not only in his country of residence but abroad as well. In many films, Benn has appeared as the cigar smoking Caucasian villain.''

The Courier-Journal The ''Courier Journal'', also known as the ''Louisville Courier Journal'' (and informally ''The C-J'' or ''The Courier''), and called ''The Courier-Journal'' between November 8, 1868, and October 29, 2017, is a daily newspaper published in ...

'', January 3, 1998
Page 28 'BIG BOSS' By JUDITH EGERTON
/ref> Benn began a six-shop franchise, the "World's Wurst Sandwich and Sausage".China.org.cn, (''Shanghai Daily'') March 19, 2009

/ref> His association with Hong Kong began after having sold 24 gift shops in the United States and wanting to see where he had been buying his goods from, Benn went to Hong Kong in 1971. Benn played the Mafia boss in Bruce Lee's film, ''

'' which was released in 1973. His getting the part in the movie came about as a result of a cocktail party conversation with Hong Kong film producer

Raymond Chow Raymond Chow Man-wai ( zh, t=鄒文懷; 8 October 1927 – 2 November 2018) was a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter. He was responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage. As ...

. At the time Benn didn't even know who Bruce Lee was. For his one week of work in the film, he was paid HK$2,000 (US$258). He became friends with Lee and Lee's family would come to his beach house on Lantau Island to go swimming.

Personal life

Benn was married at least two times in his life. His first wife was Nancy. They were married in a small church in

Carmel Carmel may refer to: * Carmel (biblical settlement), an ancient Israelite town in Judea * Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in Israel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea * Carmelites, a Roman Catholic mendicant religious order Carmel may also ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, July 1959. They kept quiet about the wedding so they could have a larger one some time later with friends and family invited. One of the guests who attended was actress

Jayne Mansfield Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer; April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress, ''Playboy'' Playmate, and sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s. She was known for her numerous publicity stunts and open personal life. He ...

. Benn's marriage with Nancy lasted until 1966. His second wife was Shannon an Asian woman who was thirty years his junior. According to Benn, she was the greatest love of his life. They were married in 1995. Due to the fact that Benn didn't want children, they separated but remained good friends.

Travel and adventures

Having studied Spanish in Mexico as a teenager, Benn later ran an English language program there. This was before the nationalization of the media.

Film career

1960s to 1980s

During the 1960s, Benn had either bit parts or double roles in ''

The Magnificent Seven ''The Magnificent Seven'' is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges. The screenplay, credited to William Roberts, is a remake – in an Old West-style – of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film '' Seven Samurai'' (itself init ...

'' in 1960, John Huston’s '' Night of the Iguana'' in 1964. These came about by chance and him happening to be in the right place at the right time.''Yes! Weekly'', September 16, 2015
Star struck: Heroes of the silver screen
/ref> Benn appeared as "The Boss" in ''

'', Bruce Lee's 1972 film which Lee both wrote and directed. It was his role in the film that he got the attention that he is most remembered for. In 1980, the Joseph Kong directed Brucesploitation film, '' The Clones of Bruce Lee'' was released. Benn played the part of the mad scientist, Professor Lucas who is enlisted by the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

to create clones of Bruce Lee.

1990s to 2000s

Benn appeared as a banker in John Derek’s 1990 film which starred

Bo Derek Bo Derek (born Mary Cathleen Collins; November 20, 1956) is an American actress and model. She began her career as a child model before deciding to pursue acting on the advice of a talent agent she met through actress Ann-Margret, who was acqua ...

, ''

Ghosts Can't Do It ''Ghosts Can't Do It'' is a 1989 romantic fantasy comedy film, the last film written and directed by John Derek, and starring Bo Derek and Anthony Quinn, with Julie Newmar and Leo Damian in supporting roles. The film was panned by critics and ...

''.Blu-ray.com
Actor, Jon T. Benn
/ref>Videospace
Ghosts Can't Do It (1989), (Show all credits), Cast
/ref> In November 1997, Benn was guest of honor at the Brandon Lee Association sponsored convention in England which commemorated the 25th anniversary of ''Way of the Dragon''. Pictures of Benn with Lee and Norris which were taken during the filming of ''Way of the Dragon'' appeared in a magazine which covered the silver anniversary event. It appeared that Benn had a popular than ever status as a cult celebrity. Benn was once offered $50 by a Japanese fan for his half smoked cigar. Around that time in the late 90s he was running his Bruce Lee café and sharing his experiences with Lee to patrons. In 2006, the

Ronny Yu Ronny Yu Yan-Tai () is a Hong Kong film director, producer, and movie writer. He has worked on both Hong Kong and United States, American films. He is mostly known for his work in the American horror film, horror genre, such as ''Bride of Chucky ...

directed '' Fearless'' which starred

Jet Li Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong; born 26 April 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese-born Singaporean Martial arts, martial artist and actor. With a Jet Li filmography, film career spanning more than forty years, Li is re ...

was released. Benn played the part of the American businessman. Benn played a villain in Jakob Montrasio's ''The Way of the Spur'' which was released in 2012. Montrasio was thrilled when it was confirmed that Benn would be in the film. Also that year, ''

The Man with the Iron Fists ''The Man with the Iron Fists'' is a 2012 American martial arts film directed by RZA and written by RZA and Eli Roth. The film stars RZA, Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, Dave Bautista, and Jamie Chung. Set in 19th cent ...

'' was released. The

RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), better known by his stage name RZA ( ) or the RZA, is an American rapper, record producer, composer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the '' de facto'' leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having pro ...

directed film which starred

Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor and film director. Russell Crowe filmography, His work on screen has earned him List of awards and nominations received by Russell Crowe, various accolades, including an Academy Award, two Gold ...

Cung Le Cung Le (; born May 25, 1972) is an American actor, former professional mixed martial artist, Sanshou fighter and kickboxer. Le is perhaps best known in mixed martial arts for competing in Strikeforce, holding a record of 7–1 with the organi ...

Lucy Liu Lucy Alexis Liu (; born December 2, 1968) is an American actress, producer, and artist. Widely regarded as a trailblazer for Asian Americans in arts and entertainment, Asian American representation in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, she is t ...

also featured

Pam Grier Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and martial artist. Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star, she achieved fame for her starring roles in a string of 1970s action, blaxploitati ...

. Benn played a plantation owner. Benn's last film role was as the Big Boss in the Scott McQuaid directed sci-fi B film ''

Space Ninjas ''Space Ninjas'' is a 2019 sci-fi comedy film written and directed by Scott McQuaid. It is about Ninjas from outer space who invade a high school. The film features Dirk Benedict, Jon T. Benn, Godfrey Ho, Yi Jane, Brian Narelle, Damien Zachary a ...

'' that was released in 2019. The film starred

Dirk Benedict Dirk Benedict (born Dirk Niewoehner; March 1, 1945) is an American actor and author. He is best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Starbuck in the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' film and television series and Templeton "Face" Peck ...

.'' The Echo'', 14th November 2018
News, Southend-born filmmaker to screen debut Malaysian film at town's horror festival ''By'' Ellis Whitehouse
/ref> His last film was a documentary short, ''The Big Boss Remembered''. Actor and filmmaker

Michael Worth Michael Troy Worth (born January 13, 1965) is an American actor, martial artist, screenwriter, and director. Early life Born in Philadelphia in 1965, Worth is from Germans, German and Delaware Indian Native Americans in the United States, Native ...

spent several days with Benn and his family in Kentucky for documentary on

Bruceploitation Bruceploitation (a portmanteau of "Bruce Lee" and "exploitation") is an exploitation film subgenre that emerged after the death of martial arts film star Bruce Lee in 1973, during which time filmmakers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea cast ...

. This short film came about as a result of Worth putting it together with an interview that Benn insisted on and Benn's brother Rick organizing the shoot. Benn who had been diagnosed with blood cancer and wasn't sure how long he had left to live and said that Worth should come out to see him as soon as possible. Benn and Worth had actually met 20 years prior to this. He died several weeks later.The Bruceploitation Blog, January 10, 2019
Jon Benn – “The Big Boss Remembered”, Short Film
/ref>

Filmography

Literature

* ''Remembering Bruce Lee: And Jon Benn's Other Adventures'' by Jon T. Benn - Blacksmith Books - * ''Impact'' August 1998 (Interviews with Benny Urquidez pt.2, Jon Benn etc.) * ''Bruce Lee Review'' No. 6 (Special Appearance by Jon Benn)

References

External links

*
Jon Benn Q&AInterview in Smartshanghai 05.2013
* Kenton Public Library
Images of Jon Toby Benn
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benn, John T. Hong Kong male film actors 1935 births 2018 deaths American restaurateurs People from British Hong Kong American radio hosts Hong Kong businesspeople