Tony Morelli
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| Tony Morelli | |
|---|---|
| Born | Antonio Giovanni Morelli May 16, 1956 Lytton, British Columbia, Canada |
| Died | April 19, 2015 (aged 58) Langley, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Division | Light Heavyweight Cruiserweight |
| Style | Kickboxing |
| Years active | 1979–1983 |
Antonio Giovanni Morelli (May 16, 1956 – April 19, 2015) was a Canadian professional kickboxer, stuntman, and actor.[1]
Biography
[edit]Morelli was born in Lytton, British Columbia on May 16, 1956, and raised in Chilliwack and Abbotsford.[2]
Originally trained as a boxer, he won a gold medal in the Light Heavyweight category at the 1979 Western Canada Summer Games in Saskatoon.[2]
Kickboxing
[edit]Morelli became the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) Super Light Heavyweight Champion, after defeating Travis Everett on April 19, 1980, in Vancouver, British Columbia.[3]
On March 4, 1982, he defeated debuting Maurice Smith by decision. Fourteen months later, he lost the title to Smith in the seventh round by KO.
Morelli was a member of the WKA World Team, along with Benny Urquidez, Don Wilson, and Graciela Casillas.[4]
Morelli was the subject of a 1980 documentary, The Kickboxers, directed by Gary Bush.[5]
Film career
[edit]Morelli's stunt career began in 1983, and took part in various film and television projects, including Walls, Airwolf, Legends of the Fall, The 6th Day, Smallville, X-Men: The Last Stand, 2012, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Cabin in the Woods, Arrow and Godzilla.[6] He was a primary stunt coordinator on the television series Wiseguy and The X-Files.
He played a henchman in the Sammo Hung-starring Hong Kong action comedy Paper Marriage (1988), which was filmed in Calgary.
Death
[edit]A longtime resident of Langley, British Columbia, Morelli died suddenly on April 19, 2015, aged 58.[7]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Langley stuntman and former world kickboxing champ remembered". Langley Advance Times. 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- 1 2 "Tony Morelli, 23-year old native of Chilliwack and Abbotsford and a gold medalist from the 1979 Western Canada Summer Games, up close and personal". thereach.pastperfectonline.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ↑ "WKA World Kickboxing Super Light Heavyweight Title". TitleHistories.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ↑ "WKA History". WKA International. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ↑ https://cinemacanada.athabascau.ca/index.php/cinema/article/viewFile/877/948
- ↑ "Tony Morelli". ProductionBeast. 16 September 2017.
- ↑ "UBCP/ACTRA Member Tony Morelli died unexpectedly on Sunday April 19, 2015". UBCP/ACTRA. Archived from the original on 15 January 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
External links
[edit]- Tony Morelli at IMDb
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