Showdown in Little Tokyo

Mark L. Lester is an American writer, producer, and director, primarily of action films. After his debut in 1970 with the film Just Can't Reach, he went on to make his mark with such memorable drive-in fare as Truck Stop Women and Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw. In 1979, he jumped on the disco bandwagon... with Roller Boogie starring Linda Blair, to modest success. He then made the exploitation thriller Class of 1984, which was a source of controversy at the time of release, but has since gained cult status. He entered the mainstream in 1984 with Stephen King's Firestarter and had his biggest hit in 1985 with Commando, an Arnold Schwarzenegger action film that grossed over $57 million worldwide. He also directed and produced his sole comedy, Armed & Dangerous starring Meg Ryan and John Candy in 1986. In 1989 he directed Class of 1999, a loose sequel to Class of 1984. Mark Lester married Dana Dubovsky, who he now works with and had two children, Jason and Justin. He also has a daughter, Janessa , who is a musician and singer-songwriter, from a prior relationship. He also founded American World Pictures, an independent production and distribution company.
more

Mark Lester is an English former child star and actor known for playing the title role in the 1968 musical film version of Oliver! and starring in a number of other British and European films of the 1960s and 70s and in a number of television series. Lester was born in the city of Oxford in... Oxfordshire in Southern England, to actress Rita Keene Lester and actor and producer Michael Lester . His father was Jewish and his mother Anglican. Lester was educated at three independent schools: at Corona Theatre School in Ravenscourt Park in West London, followed by Tower House School, a boys' preparatory school near Richmond Park , and at Halliford School in Shepperton in Surrey. Lester initially had supporting roles in several British television series, including The Human Jungle and Danger Man. In 1964, at the age of six, Lester was cast in Robert Dhery's film Allez France! with Diana Dors . He played a small part as the second schoolboy in Fahrenheit 451.
more