William Zabka

Actors often love playing villains, and William Zabka played one of the most notorious bad guys in cinema history as Johnny Lawrence, the vicious bully in the original "The Karate Kid" (1984). William Michael Zabka born in New York. Zabka's father was already in the industry, working as an assistant director on "The Tonight Show"(NBC 1954-) early in Johnny Carson's tenure on the series. When an 18-year-old Zabka scored his role in "The Karate Kid," he was not well versed in martial arts, but he continued his training even after the film wrapped. Zabka went on to co-star, usually as the antagonist, in the football comedy "Just One of the Guys (1985), the sequel "National Lampoon's European Vacation" (1985), and the Rodney Dangerfield vehicle "Back to School" (1986), as well as reprising his breakthrough role in "The Karate Kid, Part II" (1986). In later years, he worked primarily in low-budget action films. He later wrote and produced the short film "Most" (2003), which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. Instead of running from the role that made him well known, Zabka embraced it. Having moved into a sideline career directing music videos, he directed the video for the 2007 song "Sweep the Leg" by No More Kings, in which he gamely parodied himself as Johnny Lawrence. Another of his videos, for the Rascal Flatts hit "Why Wait," was nominated for CMT's Video of the Year and Group Video of the Year. After appearing in the '80s movie parody "Hot Tub Time Machine" (2010), Zabka began a recurring role on the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS 2005-2014), playing himself, the childhood idol of Neil Patrick Harris' character Barney Stinson.