The Karate Kid turns 40 this year. The iconic movie debuted in 1984 and since then has spawned three sequels (the fourth instalment with Hilary Swank as the lead), an animated show, a remake with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan and the hit Emmy-nominated Netflix show Cobra Kai. It also gave audiences memorable lines "wax on, wax off" and “sand the floor.
. . paint the fence.
. . sweep the leg.
” Many fans may not know that the Karate Kid is semi-biographical. Screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen had an experience much like the titular character Daniel LaRusso ( Ralph Macchio ) that led him to learning karate. Although, the idea for the film first started out when producer Jerry Weintraub "optioned an article about a nine-year-old kid who earned a black belt.
" In a 2018 Sports Illustrated interview, production coordinator Susan Ekins and Robert were talking about the film and it's origins. They shared Jerry had seen a news story about a kid who got bullied and asked his mother to go to karate school. The kid had a mentor like Mr.
Miyagi. Jerry then asked Robert if he had a story centered around this article and Robert told him about his life and his own teacher. Robert told SI “my life informed it.
” Robert ended up taking martial arts after getting beaten up by bullies at the 1964 New York World’s Fair when he was 17. He learned in order to protect himself after that experience. The screenwriter's first instructor was a Marine captain who was very militant and took a violent, r.
