{{short description|American writer}} {{BLP sources|date=March 2011}} {{Infobox person | image = <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people. Non-free and "fair use" images, e.g. promo photos, CD/DVD covers, posters, screen captures, etc., will be deleted - see WP:NONFREE --> | image_size = 150px | name = Keith Vitali | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1951}} | birth_place = United States | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | years_active = | spouse = Kathy Vitali | website = keithvitalienterprises.com | awards = | occupation = Martial artist, actor, writer, producer, insurance agent }}
'''Keith Vitali''' (born December 24, 1951) is an American karate master, former number one ranked full-contact fight champion, martial artist, actor, producer, author, and activist, best known for films such as ''Revenge of the Ninja'', ''Wheels on Meals'', ''No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers'', and ''American Kickboxer''.
His introduction into martial arts came in 1975 at the University of South Carolina, where he was awarded his first black belt after two years.<ref>{{cite web|title= Keith Vitali interview |work= Budomate.com |url=http://www.budomate.com/keith-vitali-interview/ }}</ref> Over the course of the next ten years, Vitali competed in a large number of martial arts tournaments, winning most of them, as well as being ranked the "#1 Karate Fighter in the USA". His number of wins landed him an honored place in ''Black Belt Magazine's'' Black Belt Hall of Fame in 1981. The magazine also named Vitali as one of the ten best fighters of all time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Living Legends:Keith Vitali |work=worldblackbelt.com |url=http://www.worldblackbelt.com/Living_Legends/Vitali_Keith.asp |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218003113/http://www.worldblackbelt.com/Living_Legends/Vitali_Keith.asp |archivedate=2015-02-18 }}</ref>
Vitali has appeared in a number of martial arts films, including ''Superfights'', ''Revenge of the Ninja'', ''Wheels on Meals'', ''The Cut Off'', ''No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers'', and ''American Kickboxer''.<ref>{{cite web|title= Keith Vitali |url= https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0899918/#Actor |work=IMDb |accessdate=2012-12-28}}</ref> Vitali has since focused on producing child safety videos and writing children's literature.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://orlabs.oclc.org/identities/lccn-n82-219887 |title=Vitali, Keith |accessdate=7 April 2010 |author= |authorlink= |date= |year= |format= |publisher=WorldCat Identities |pages= |language= |quote= |archive-date=16 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016213953/http://orlabs.oclc.org/identities/lccn-n82-219887 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His book on bullying entitled, "Bullyproof Your Child" was released in fall 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Library of Congress Catalog Record: Bullyproof your child |url=http://lccn.loc.gov/2007024998 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130213174236/http://lccn.loc.gov/2007024998 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-13 |accessdate=2012-12-28 }}</ref>
Vitali has also written a screenplay on Daniel Boone's life. Trajen Pictures was scheduled to shoot the film in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title= Meet The Star:Keith Vitali |work= Budomate.com |url= http://www.budomate.com/keith-vitali/ |accessdate=2012-12-28}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://keithvitalienterprises.com/}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130607121935/http://keithvitali.com/ Archive of old website] *{{IMDb name|id=0899918}} {{Portal |Children's literature}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vitali, Keith}} Category:1952 births Category:American male actors Category:American children's writers Category:American martial artists Category:Living people Category:University of South Carolina alumni