Biographie
Rich Manley was born on June 16, 1986, in Concord, Massachusetts, and grew up in Stow, MA. As a child, Rich was quiet and artistic, with a passion for writing. Yet, he also had a dramatic and adventurous streak, often dressing up and inventing characters and scenarios that kept his household lively. At thirteen, he began training in Kenpo Karate, earning his Black Belt and teaching credentials within four years at his local dojo. Inspired by martial arts action films, Rich developed a strong desire to entertain and showcase his skills publicly. He traveled to New York City to study Wing Chun Kung Fu, Shaolin Kung Fu, and various weapons techniques under Shaolin Monks. Driven to push his physical and spiritual limits, a philosophy shaped by Buddhist, Eastern, and Western thought, Rich earned black belts in both Kung Fu styles. At nineteen, he competed in Los Angeles and was recognized by the reality show K-Star as one of the top sixty young martial arts performers in North America.
At ten years old, Rich also learned magic from his grandfather, a surgeon and skilled sleight-of-hand artist. Throughout his teens, he performed magic at events, bars, TV shows, and family gatherings. His fascination with magic and the mysterious was as strong as his commitment to martial arts, and he continually developed new effects and refined his sleight-of-hand skills.
Rich attended Radford University in Virginia, studying Acting, Media, and Sports with a focus on martial arts. There, he learned filmmaking and improved his acting skills but became dissatisfied and frustrated with his progress. Eager to create and act in films, he left college and moved to Los Angeles, joining a film crew for a reality pilot called "Stars Stunts Action." This opportunity allowed him to train with renowned stunt professionals, fight choreographers, and coaches. At the same time, Rich showcased his magic talents to industry elites, earning the honor of performing at Hollywood’s prestigious Magic Castle. He continues to develop new illusions and magic performances.
An avid rock climber, scuba diver, skydiver, traveler, and adventurer, Rich has extensively studied anthropology, archaeology, and cultural studies. He enjoys writing, martial arts, music creation, and practicing and performing magic.
