Mark Lesly
Encyclopedia
Mark Lesly acted in only one movie, The Wanderers
, but is recognized to this day for his role as "Ducky Boy Number 2" because of his menacing demeanor, most notably as he stands on the sidelines at the beginning of the climactic football sequence. He later served on the Bernie Goetz jury and wrote a book about it called Subway Gunman.
, where he discovered two important passions of his life, Taekwondo
and acting
. While studying acting at New York University
, an open-casting call looking for short, fair-haired, physically fit young men in their late teens or early 20s aired on WNEW
radio. He was immediately cast as a Ducky Boy and was the focus of the most memorable of the gang's scenes.
Not willing to leave college, he missed out on possible opportunities that might have been offered him by the movie's cinematographer, Michael Chapman
, who was impressed with his brief but precise scenes. Instead, he formed a street theater company, performed Shakespeare (Kings County Shakespeare Company, Actors Classical Troupe), wrote, produced and acted in his own plays (Clockworks Theatre) and paid his bills by becoming a Taekwondo
teacher.
A student of the legendary Grand Master Dong Keun Park (Head Coach of the USA Olympic Taekwondo Team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992), he founded and coached NYU's Taekwondo
team, which he managed for over two decades. Mark was the USA Taekwondo Forms Champion for 4th Degree Black Belts and higher in 1996. At different times he has served as the Northeast Regional Director for the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association, as Vice President of the National Association of State Taekwondo Organizations and as Vice President of the NJ State Taekwondo Association. He has been a Member of the Board of the East Coast Taekwondo Conference (formerly known as the Ivy/Northeast Collegiate Taekwondo League) since its founding in 1991. He is currently a 7th Degree Black Belt, certified by the World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon
) in South Korea. He has trained over one hundred students to the rank of Black Belt and beyond, including Albert Lee and Tim Marmo, who currently coach the NYU Team and run Mark's old Taekwondo school in New York City, the NY Jidokwan Center.
After serving on the Bernie Goetz jury, his acting skills made him a natural for talks shows, most notably Larry King
and Phil Donahue
's. He also wrote a book based on his experience as a juror and explains how the jury came to its decision. Goetz cites Lesly's book on Goetz' eccentric website, as the source of accurate information about the incident.
Lesly currently lives in West Orange
, New Jersey
, and formerly taught middle school reading at Queen City Academy Charter School in Plainfield, New Jersey
.
And he always wanted his students to use punchy insight with their open-ended questions. He happened to be a 7/8th grade teacher and he was sometimes funny, especially when he did his ninja moves.
The Wanderers (1979 film)
The Wanderers is a 1979 greaser film based on the novel by Richard Price .-Overview:...
, but is recognized to this day for his role as "Ducky Boy Number 2" because of his menacing demeanor, most notably as he stands on the sidelines at the beginning of the climactic football sequence. He later served on the Bernie Goetz jury and wrote a book about it called Subway Gunman.
Biography
Mark Lesly grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he discovered two important passions of his life, Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
and acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
. While studying acting at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, an open-casting call looking for short, fair-haired, physically fit young men in their late teens or early 20s aired on WNEW
WBBR
WBBR is a radio station broadcasting at 1130 AM in New York City. It airs Bloomberg Radio, a service of Bloomberg L.P. WBBR's format is general and financial news, offering local, national and international news reports along with financial market updates and interviews with corporate executives,...
radio. He was immediately cast as a Ducky Boy and was the focus of the most memorable of the gang's scenes.
Not willing to leave college, he missed out on possible opportunities that might have been offered him by the movie's cinematographer, Michael Chapman
Michael Chapman (cinematographer)
Michael Chapman, A.S.C. is an American cinematographer whose prominence owes most to his innovative work of the 1970s and 1980s....
, who was impressed with his brief but precise scenes. Instead, he formed a street theater company, performed Shakespeare (Kings County Shakespeare Company, Actors Classical Troupe), wrote, produced and acted in his own plays (Clockworks Theatre) and paid his bills by becoming a Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
teacher.
A student of the legendary Grand Master Dong Keun Park (Head Coach of the USA Olympic Taekwondo Team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992), he founded and coached NYU's Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
team, which he managed for over two decades. Mark was the USA Taekwondo Forms Champion for 4th Degree Black Belts and higher in 1996. At different times he has served as the Northeast Regional Director for the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association, as Vice President of the National Association of State Taekwondo Organizations and as Vice President of the NJ State Taekwondo Association. He has been a Member of the Board of the East Coast Taekwondo Conference (formerly known as the Ivy/Northeast Collegiate Taekwondo League) since its founding in 1991. He is currently a 7th Degree Black Belt, certified by the World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon
Kukkiwon
Kukkiwon , also known as World Taekwondo Headquarters, and home of the World Taekwondo Academy, is the official taekwondo governing organisation established by the South Korean government...
) in South Korea. He has trained over one hundred students to the rank of Black Belt and beyond, including Albert Lee and Tim Marmo, who currently coach the NYU Team and run Mark's old Taekwondo school in New York City, the NY Jidokwan Center.
After serving on the Bernie Goetz jury, his acting skills made him a natural for talks shows, most notably Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
and Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
's. He also wrote a book based on his experience as a juror and explains how the jury came to its decision. Goetz cites Lesly's book on Goetz' eccentric website, as the source of accurate information about the incident.
Lesly currently lives in West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and formerly taught middle school reading at Queen City Academy Charter School in Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
.
And he always wanted his students to use punchy insight with their open-ended questions. He happened to be a 7/8th grade teacher and he was sometimes funny, especially when he did his ninja moves.