Biography for
Johnny Lawrence (Character)
from The Karate Kid (1984)

John Johnny Lawrence

Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid

First appearance: The Karate Kid

Last appearance: The Karate Kid Part III

Created by: John G. Avildsen

Portrayed by: William Zabka

Nickname(s): Johnny, Cream Puff

Date of birth: 21 June 1967

Place of birth: Encino, California, United States

Address: Encino, California, United States

Nationality: American

John Lawrence (also known as "Johnny Lawrence") is a fictional exceptional martial arts student of the Cobra Kai Dojo and nemesis to Daniel LaRusso in the first Karate Kid film. The character was played by American Actor William Zabka.

Biography

An upper-middle to upper class (inferred by his Honda Dirt bike, red convertible, and membership in the Encino Oaks Country Club) high school senior at West Valley High School, John Johnny Lawrence was most likely born on June 21, 1967 (inferred from his back to back trophies from the 1982 and 1983 All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournaments). Johnny learned karate from sensei John Kreese, a Vietnam Veteran with anger management issues who owns a chain of Cobra Kai dojos and teaches a ruthless style of karate with stated mottos of "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy", "Mercy is for the weak "and "The enemy deserves no mercy". Additionally, Kreese instructs his students not to show mercy both in the street and competition. Lawrence appears to be the top student at the Cobra Kai dojo as evidenced by his championship performances at the 1982 & 1983 All Valley Karate Championships and his 2nd Place performance in the 1984 tournament held December, 19, 1984.

At the beginning of The Karate Kid, Johnny is introduced as a rising senior at West Valley High School focused on making the most of his final year of high school. Johnny is particularly troubled teenager with anger management issues who has not accepted a recent breakup, only weeks before the first day of his senior year of high school, with his ex-girlfriend Ali Mills (Elizabeth Shue). Johnnys anger towards the breakup becomes evident by his destruction of his ex-girlfriend's radio and assaults of Ali's love interest Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) at a local beach, a hillside road near Reseda, CA and a vacant lot outside Daniel Larusso's Reseda, CA apartment complex. Johnny appears to cope with his anger and disappointment about the dissolution of his relationship with Ali through drug use, as evidenced by the "number" or "joint" he rolls in the bathroom of his high school gymnasium during a Halloween dance.

Lawrence's largest flaw appears to be his blind acceptance of Kreese's teachings. Although hesitant to perform the controversial karate move of "sweeping the leg" on Larusso, Lawrence performs this move during the 1984 tournament at the instruction of his sensei. Also Lawrence heeds his sensei's instructions to leave Larusso alone, despite his desire to assault and harass Larusso.

Lawrence's downfall comes in the championship round of the 1984 All Valley Karate Championships where he appears to be no match for the Miyagi-Do karate style. Larusso defeats Johnny by delivering a "Crane Kick" squarely on Johnny's chin. After losing to Daniel, Johnny shows respect to Daniel and says, "You're alright, Larusso". Despite his valiant effort and performance, Kreese is disappointed in his top student and proceeds to break Lawrence's 2nd Place trophy and assault him. It is later revealed that Johnny, along with all of the other Cobra Kai students, departed from John Kreese after he proved himself a sadistic sore loser. In the Karate Kid, Part III we learn that the departure of Lawrence and his friends have put Kreese's Cobra Kai dojos on the verge of financial insolvency.