Contents
Bruce Lee
Making martial-arts cinema an international phenomenon through Enter the Dragon.
Fist of Fury · The Way of the Dragon
- Born
- 27 November 1940
- Birthplace
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Died
- 20 July 1973
More people
Bruce Lee
A martial artist, actor and teacher who worked between Hong Kong and the United States. His Jeet Kune Do philosophy favoured adaptable practice over rigid allegiance to one style.
Early life
Hong Kong childhood
Born in San Francisco while his father was touring; grew up in Hong Kong and acted as a child.
Martial-arts training
Studied Wing Chun with Ip Man before developing his own approach.
Career
- 1959–1960s
Teaching in America
Moved to the United States and opened martial-arts schools.
- 1966–1967
American television
Played Kato in The Green Hornet.
- 1971–1972
Hong Kong leading roles
The Big Boss and Fist of Fury established his adult film stardom.
- 1973
International breakthrough
Enter the Dragon was released after his death.
Selected work
Fist of Fury
Played Chen Zhen in a story of resistance and revenge.
The Way of the Dragon
Wrote, directed and starred in the film.
Enter the Dragon
A Hong Kong–Hollywood production that reached audiences worldwide.
Beyond work
Jeet Kune Do
Developed a martial-arts philosophy centred on adaptability and directness.
Family
His children Brandon and Shannon also worked in film.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: National General Pictures. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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