Book excerpt: Hank Garrett was raised in a multi-cultural neighborhood. In the 1950s where poverty was a way of life, Survival was the goal and violence was the means. By age 12, Hank was carrying a handgun. He would either end up dead or in prison. But a meeting with Sammy Davis Jr. changed Hank's life and Hank stepped into the worlds of comedy, acting, martial arts, and wrestling. Lying about his age, at 17, Hank balanced a career as a pro wrestler with doing comedy acts, all while still attending high school. By age 19 he had landed a role in a successful television series. With success also came challenges, however. Hank experienced love, loss, injury, and discrimination. Opportunities were lost or stolen from him. But Hank persevered. The fight inside the man, could have proved disastrous, but became his greatest asset. Up from the Streets is a true story of survival, redemption, and hope. His book, "From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight," will make you happy, sad and will make you laugh all the way through as he tells us all the stories of his life, the famous people he worked with and all he had to go through to make it from the streets of Harlem to his hard-earned stardom. He was going to survive the street life of Harlem where he learned to become a professional wrestler along with reaching the top as a martial arts expert inducted into the Hall of Fame in both sports. Hank was also an accomplished comedian and moved on to acting where he landed the part of officer Nicholson in the highly acclaimed Car 54 Where Are You. His story will surprise and entertain you as you read of all his accomplishments, his successes, the surprises in his life and the sometimes sad stories, told in his book. One thing guaranteed is that Hank's book will entertain and surprise you reading about all he accomplished in his life written with his unique style of comedy and truth. His book will leave you smiling at Hanks take on life....so far.