(October 9, 1938-July 10, 2008)
Born in Tokyo, Japan
Birth name was Hiroaki Aoki
Founded the Benihana restaurant chain (1964)
Father of model Devon Aoki

He was part of Japan's Olympic wrestling team but was unable to compete because he was over the weight limit (1960).
He said he adopted Jheri curls so white people could tell him apart from other Asians.
He founded a porn magazine, Genesis, with the gimmick of two centerfolds for the price of one.
He woke up from a powerboat accident to discover his wife on one side of his hospital bed and his mistress on the other side (1979).
He resigned as chairman of Behihana and paid a $500,000 fine after being charged with insider trading (1998).
He sued four of his children over control of Benihana, calling them 'disloyal and incompetent.' (2006)

He earned the $10,000 to open the first Benihana by driving an ice cream truck in Harlem.
He was the first person to cross the Pacific in a hot-air balloon (1981).
In three powerboat racing accidents, he broke a total of 21 bones and had to have his gallbladder and spleen removed.
He won a national backgammon championship.
He founded the Rocky Aoki Foundation to support artists in Japan and the US.

Credit: C. Fishel

http://aia.li/23504

E-mail Link to Friend | Report updates or corrections for this profile

For 2010, as of last week, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
For 2009, Out of 20 Votes: 65.00% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 70 Votes: 41.43% Annoying

• Amateur Wrestlers
• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 7)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 13]
• I Abused Cocaine
• I Attended City College of New York
• I Died in 2008 (Ranked: 69)
• I Fathered Children Out of Wedlock
• I Had a Jheri Curl
• I Have Diabetes
• I Have Hepatitis
• I Married in 1981
• I Married in 2002
• I was Estranged From My Child
• My Nickname is Part of My Name [A-L]
• My Spouse is at Least Ten Years Younger than Me
• Profiles 23501-23750 (Ranked: 23504)
• Restaurant Chains