[2] Michael Dudikoff Jr. graduated from West High School in Torrance, California, and went on to study child psychology at Harbor College.

[3] To pay for his education, Dudikoff worked at a rehabilitation center for abused youth called Cedar House and waited tables at Beachbum Burt's in Redondo Beach, California.

After a couple of successful runways, Dudikoff retained an agent at the Mary Webb Davis Agency in Los Angeles.

Dudikoff soon began acting, and he starred in several commercials for companies, including Coppertone, Coca-Cola for Japan, Army Reserve and Stridex.

[4] He went for some readings, and in 1978 he landed a supporting role in one episode of the hit TV show Dallas, and shortly after the part as Joanie's first boyfriend in the American sitcom Happy Days.

Shortly after, Cannon went on a worldwide search to find who would play Private Joe Armstrong, the American ninja.

The producer and owner of Cannon, Menahem Golan, and director Sam Firstenberg thought Dudikoff was the obvious choice for the part.

[14] It was Dudikoff's first collaboration with actor Steve James, who was hired to play the partner of the American ninja, a role he maintained for the first three installments.

[15] This success would establish the start of the American Ninja film franchise, with Dudikoff becoming a regular action star for The Cannon Group.

The film grossed $4 million domestically in the U.S.[16] That same year, Dudikoff starred as retired secret service agent in Avenging Force, with Steve James, directed by Sam Firstenberg.

[18] In 1988, Dudikoff played the lead in Vietnam war film Platoon Leader, directed by Aaron Norris.

[34][35][36] In 1998, Dudikoff starred in Black Thunder, Freedom Strike, Musketeers Forever , and Counter Measures a sequel to Crash Dive.

[42] In 1999, Dudikoff acted in Sidney J. Furie's In Her Defense,[43] Fred Olen Ray's Fugitive Mind,[44] and The Silencer.

Fight choreographer Mike Stone, an accomplished martial arts expert, assured the producers that Dudikoff would pick up the moves.