Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Sports
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Bruce Lee was born Lee Jun Fan on November 27, 1940, in San Francisco, California, to Lee Hoi Chuen, a Hong Kong opera singer, and Grace Ho. When the family moved back to Hong Kong in the early 1940s, Bruce initiated his acting career at three months old in "Golden Gate Girl" (1941). At six years, he was already a child star, acting in some 20 films. Lee's interest in the art began in his teens as he had to face the challenge of street gangs, in which he participated numerous times in street fights. To defend himself, he started learning kung fu under Master Yip Man, who used the style of Wing Chun. During this period, Lee was also brilliant in dance, gaining the Hong Kong cha cha championship in 1958. All these experiences in acting and martial arts during childhood would form the bedrock of his future career.
Martial Arts Innovations and Hollywood Breakthrough
At the age of 18 years, Bruce Lee went to the United States to live with family friends in Seattle. He attended high school and went on to the University of Washington to major in philosophy and drama. While in Seattle, Lee opened his first martial arts school and started to teach his own martial arts philosophy, Jeet Kune Do, an art which stressed directness and simplicity. In 1964, Lee appeared at a Los Angeles karate tournament, where he was discovered by television producer William Dozier. He was soon cast as Kato in "The Green Hornet" (1966-67). Despite his success on the small screen, Hollywood proved difficult to break into for Lee, so he supplemented his income teaching martial arts to stars such as Steve McQueen and James Coburn. Other noticeable talent confirmations come from his appearance in the 1969 film "Marlowe", where he was allowed to perform an impressive display of martial arts.
International Stardom and Major Films
In 1971, Bruce Lee returned to Hong Kong, where he immediately became a major film star with "The Big Boss" (Fists of Fury) and "Fist of Fury" (The Chinese Connection), both films broke box office records in Asia and proved Lee was a force to be taken seriously in the cinema world. His success enabled him to set up his own production company, Concord Productions, with Raymond Chow. One of his most famous fight scenes was with Chuck Norris in the Colosseum in Rome centerpiece of Lee's directorial debut, "Return of the Dragon" (The Way of the Dragon). The next film, "Enter the Dragon" Pertaining to a co production between Hong Kong and U.S. production companies, this film went on to become an international blockbuster, greatly enhancing Lee's popularity worldwide. Unfortunately, Lee died shortly before the film opened in Hong Kong, a sad end to what was developing as a promising career.
Death and Legacy
Bruce Lee died of cerebral edema on July 20, 1973, at just 32 years of age. It was diagnosed as an allergic reaction to the prescription painkiller he had been taking against an injury to his back. He died under very mysterious circumstances, and many conspiracy theories blew in the wind, including claims of foul play and superstitions of a family curse, partly fanned by Lee himself, who thought that he would die young. Of course, through all these controversies, it is Lee's legacy that continues. His film "Enter the Dragon" is still one of the highest grossing martial arts films in the world today, and the influence can still be seen in today's action films and martial arts choreography. This was recognized in 2004 when it was preserved in the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. His innovative martial arts philosophies and cinematic contributions continue to inspire the work of martial artists and filmmakers around the world, while he remains a cultural icon.
