Leo "Sonny" TUATUA
TANOAI REED

Leo was born Jan. 3, 1939 in Kahuku Sugar Cane Plantation Hospital and was raised by his maternal grandparents Felita Moe Satele and Tautua Tevaga Tanoai.

 

As a rather rambunctious and rowdy young teenager his parents and grandparents were just thankful that he was able to graduate from Kahuku High School in 1957. He subsequently became the first Kahuku Grad to play on Sundays in 1961.

 

After Kahuku Leo received a full-ride football scholarship to Al Lolotai’s alma mater Colorado State University as a two-way starter on the defensive and offensive lines. After a stellar high school career Leo was on his way to play college football for BYU, until his Uncle Al Lolotai found out and told him that he was no longer going to BYU but rather CSU just a couple changes in the lettering and the flight plan from Laie.

 

After Uncle Al’s strong recommendation Leo was obviously headed to Fort Collins, CO. As soon as his 11 hour flight from Hawaii landed in Fort Collins Leo was ready to go back home, mainly because an ‘island boy’ in his ‘slippas’ from Laie doesn’t do very well in the snow and ice of Colorado.

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However, every week during Leo’s freshman year he received a letter from his two mentors and uncles Al Lolotai and Fameka Anae telling him and encouraging him ‘Samoan Style’ that he ‘betta stay in college or else’ and don’t come back home without that college degree. This would be peer counseling island style!! If not for the support of his family and mentors Leo would have swam back to Laie as soon as he could find the pacific ocean and somebody pointed the way. 

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In 1961 he was drafted by the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) and was a member of the AFL’s Houston Oilers inaugural roster of the 1961 AFL Championship Team. Leo also started at left offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos and right offensive tackle for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. In those days the CFL paid more than the AFL and compensation for the pre-union professional football player was very cheap. After the 1963 season Leo came home and never went back.

 

From 1964 to 1970 Leo became a cop with Honolulu Police Department where he parlayed his many physical and mental talents as a member of HPD’s infamous “Metro Squad”. As the Hawaii State Heavyweight Judo Champion and martial arts expert from 1965 to 1975 Leo was also the primary trainer and self-defense instructor for the police department. In 1970 he left HPD to attend BYU Hawaii where he graduated “Cum Laude”. He then briefly taught at Kahuku High School under his mentor Charlie Barenaba. In 1973 his career and steady climb with the teamsters began a Supervisory Business Agent and Administrative Assistant to David Trask, Executive Director of H.G.E.A.

 

In 1980 Leo came to Hollywood as a single father with 5 year old son Dewey and joined the Hollywood Teamsters’ Local 399. Since 1988 Leo has been the Principal Officer and Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters’ Local 399, Hollywood, and since 1994 as Director of the Motion Picture Theatrical Trade Division representing the entire nation.