Anne Winton

Anne Winton (July 3, 1949 – October 1982) was an American ballerina, martial artist and film actress. Hailing from Brewster County, Texas, she starred in two films during the 1970s. Her first film was When Taekwondo Strikes (1973), which she co-starred in. She was the first Caucasian female martial artist to star in an Asian film production. Her second film was Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story (1974), opposite Bruce Li. She was murdered in 1982.

Anne Winton
BornJuly 3, 1949
Brewster County, Texas, United States
DiedOctober 18, 1982(1982-10-18) (aged 33)
Alexandria, Virginia, United States
NationalityAmerican
Other names
  • Anne Tyler Winton
  • Ann Winston, Ann Winter
  • 安蕙丹
Years active1970s

Background

Anne Winton was born to Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Winton. Her father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve and a US border patrol assistant chief inspector. By 1965, 16 year old Anne and her family had been living in Spokane for five years. During that time, two of those years saw her winning five first place medals from the Greater Spokane Music & Allied Arts Festival. She had studied ballet under Themla Young. She was offered three scholarships, one of which was at the Banff School of Fine Arts.[1] After studying ballet at the University of Michigan, she came to Washington.[2] Winton was a student of Jhoon Rhee, and held a black belt in Taekwondo.[3][4] She made history of sorts with her role in When Taekwondo Strikes which made her the first Caucasian female martial artist to appear in a Hong Kong martial arts film.[5]

Acting

She co-starred[6][7] in the Golden Harvest production, When Taekwondo Strikes which starred Jhoon Rhee. This was the first time in a film for the 23 year old Winton.[8] It was suggested by Lowell Sun and the Edmonton Journal that there were some other new approaches employed by Golden Harvest to pitch to an international audience. This included a blonde American girl (Winton).[9][10] In the film, she played the part of Mary who was the niece of the Catholic priest Father Louis.[11] In one of her scenes in the film, she fights the character played by Sammo Hung. She bites him in the leg and takes a chunk out. According to reviewer World Film Geek held her own quite well in the role.[12] Far East Films in its review said she was surprisingly both powerful in fighting ability and acting.[13]

Winton had become friendly with Bruce Lee (who came up with the idea for the film[14]) during the filming of When Taekwondo Strikes and she used some of the money she made from the film to attend his funeral.[15]

She did appear in one other film, Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story (1974) which starred Bruce Li.[16][17]

Martial arts

Winton wrote a letter to Black Belt which was published in its April, 1974 issue. In it she voiced her displeasure at the poor coverage of female martial artists.[18] Having studied Taekwondo under Jhoon Rhee and getting her black belt,[19][20] she did take an interest in another martial art. In later years she was studying Aikido.[21]

Death

Winton met an untimely end in October, 1982 at a friend's apartment in Alexandria, Virginia. Her husband Marcos Kusanovic who was the father of their five year old son stabbed her and their son to death before killing himself. Winton was a student at George Washington University. A woman who was a tenant at the garden apartments known as the Hamlets was also a student at the university where Winton attended. She also knew Winton. She came running out of the building around 5.30 pm and alerted an upstairs neighbor who was watching television. Their bodies were found by police officer Arthur Miller who was investigating a burglary in the area.[22][23] At first it was thought that the deaths were a triple homicide but according to investigator, James Scutt, further investigation revealed that Kusanovic had killed his wife and son before stabbing himself.[24]

Filmography
Film roles as actor
Title Role Director Year Notes #
When Taekwondo Strikes Mary Feng Huang 1973
Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story Shut Dik 1974

[25]

References
  1. Spokane Chronicle, Jun 4, 1965 - Bob Emahiser Says Top o' the Evenin'
  2. The Washingtonian, Volume 18 - Page 100
  3. World Film Geek - When Taekwondo Strikes (1973)
  4. The Washingtonian, Volume 18 - Page 100
  5. Pop Cult Master, February 26, 2018 - What became of Anne Winton
  6. New York Magazine, 7 Nov 1983 - Page 142 TELEVISION, Weekend Nov. 5-6
  7. Antioch News Reporter, Friday, November 6, 1987 - SATURDAY 11/7/87 1:00AM
  8. The New York Times, June 16, 1973 - Swish! Thwack! Kung Fu Films Make It
  9. Lowell Sun, June 22, 1973 - Film makers experiment with Kung Fu to keep cash registers ringing By WILLIAM E. SAHMENTO
  10. Edmonton Journal, Friday, July 13, 1973 - Page 85 The Latest $$ Maker: Kung Fu Films
  11. The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies, By Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer, Richard Meyers - Page 384 3054 When Tae Kwon Do Strikes (1973)
  12. World Film Geek - When Taekwondo Strikes (1973)
  13. Far East Films, June 26, 2015 - When Taekwondo Strikes -= Reviewed by Andrew Saroch
  14. Martial Arts Television, 1st May, 2018 - Bruce Lee’s Taekwondo Friend Jhoon Rhee dies at 86 by Will Henshaw
  15. Pop Cult Master, February 26, 2018 - What became of Anne Winton
  16. Reelgood - Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story, Cast & Crew
  17. Letterboxd - Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story
  18. Black Belt, April 1974 - Page 6 "AN EMPHATIC RIGHT ON!"
  19. The Washingtonian, Volume 18 - Page 100
  20. Taekwondo Life Magazine, June 9, 2016 - Why WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES Matters
  21. Pop Cult Master, February 26, 2018 - Pop Cult Master: What became of Anne Winton
  22. The Washington Post, October 18, 1982 - D.C. Man Kills Wife and Son, Then Himself By Tom Vesey
  23. Pop Cult Master, February 26, 2018 - What became of Anne Winton
  24. Bluefield Daily Telegraph, October 18, 1982 - Page 6 Three Die In Alexandria
  25. Letterboxd - FILMS STARRING Anne Winton
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