System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!Bruce Lee, Martial Arts Expert/Actor
November 27, 1940 - July 20, 1973
On November 27, 1940 in San Francisco, Lee Jun Fan was born in the Year of the Dragon at the Jackson St. Hospital in the Chinatown District of San Francisco. He was later named Bruce Lee. His father, Lee Hoi Chuen, a Cantonese Opera Company performer was in America touring at the time. At three months old, appears in his first film "Golden Gate Girl" in San Francisco, CA. He plays role of a female baby, carried by his father.
In 1941, Bruce and his parents return to Kowloon, their family home. The next year, Bruce makes his first major childhood movie in The Beginning of a Boy. In 1952, Bruce begins attending La Salle College. The following year, after being beaten up by a street gang, Bruce begins to take Gung-Fu lessons, despite local Hong Kong laws, outlawing street fights. This is the first, and the last time Bruce loses a fight. He begins to train under Sifu Yip Man, a master of the wing chun system of Gung-Fu.
In 1959, Bruce is involved in more brawls in the streets resulting in police involvement. Bruce's parents decide that since Bruce has American citizenship, he should return to San Francisco. After arriving in San Francisco, Bruce stays with an old friend of his father's working jobs around various Chinese Communities. After a while, Bruce moves to Seattle working for Ruby Chow, another friend of his father's. Bruce is living in a room above her restaurant while being a waiter downstairs. Later on, Bruce enrolls at Edison Technical School to earn his high school diploma. He also begins teaching kungfu in backyards and city parks.
On August 2, 1964 in Long Beach,California, Ed Parker, the founder of American Kenpo invites Bruce for a demonstration at his first International Karate Championships. It just so happened that in the audience was Jay Sebring, the hair stylist for Batman producer William Dozier who is looking to cast a part in a TV series he was developing. Sebring feels that Bruce has potential in becoming a part of this TV series so a film of Bruce's demonstration was given to Dozier. Dozier is amazed at what Bruce can do so he asks Bruce to fly down to Los Angeles for a screen test. Bruce is signed to a one-year option for The Green Hornet. He is paid an $1800 retainer.
On February 1, 1965, in Oakland, Brandon Bruce Lee is born. Seven days later, February 8, 1965, in Hong Kong, Lee Hoi Chuen, Bruce's father passes away. Bruce returns to Hong Kong for his fathers funeral. Bruce and his family move to Los Angeles in 1966, while Bruce begins working on "The Green Hornet" playing the role as Kato. From 1967 to 1971 in Hollywood, Bruce plays bit parts in various films and TV series like Marlowe and Longstreet. He also gave private lessons to well known actors and celebrities at that time like Steve McQueen, James Garner, James Coburn, Roman Polanski, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Lee Marvin for $250 an hour! Bruce meets Chuck Norris in New York at the All American Karate Championships in Washington D.C. Chuck fights Joe Lewis and wins. On July 14, 1967, the last episode of The Green Hornet Series shows. The series is later said to have failed because Bruce’s, minor role became more popular than that of the main character.
On April 19, 1969, Bruce's daughter Shannon Lee is born in Santa Monica, California. In Los Angeles of 1970, Bruce injures his sacral nerve and experiences severe muscle spasms in his back while training. Doctors told him that he would never kick again. During the months of recovery he starts to document his training methods and his philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. Later after his death, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do is published by his wife in memory of Bruce Lee.
In 1972, filming begins in Rome, Italy of his third film titled "The Way of the Dragon" and called in the U.S. "Return of the Dragon". Bruce directed, wrote, and starred in this film. Chuck Norris is Bruce's adversary in the final fight scene of the movie. Chuck Norris is a master of Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art. This film once again breaks all box office records. In Hong Kong of the same year, Bruce begins to work on "Game of Death". Again, this film surpasses all records set by his previous two films.On December 28, 1972, Bruce's brother, James, dies of "Black Lung."
Bruce gets his chance at American stardom as filming of Enter the Dragon begins while Game of Death is put on hold. It is the first-ever production between the U.S. and Hong Kong film industries. On February 20, Bruce is guest of honour at St. Francis Xavier's school for Sports Day ceremonies.
Filming of Enter the Dragon is completed. Bruce is at Golden Harvest Studios in Hong Kong dubbing his voice for "Enter The Dragon". Early in the morning of July 20, 1973 Bruce types a letter to his attorney, Adrian Marshall, detailing business ventures he wants to discuss on his upcoming trip to Los Angeles. Bruce had tickets already set to return to the US for a publicity tour and was scheduled to appear on the Johnny Carson show. Raymond Chow goes by Bruce's house and the two discuss plans for their upcoming movie Game of Death. Linda kisses Bruce good-bye and says she is going out to run some errands and will see him later that night. Raymond and Bruce visit Betty Ting Pei at her apartment to discuss her role in Game of Death. That evening plans had been made for them all to meet George Lazenby over dinner and enlist him for a part. Bruce explains that he has a headache, takes a prescription pain killer offered by Betty, and lies down on her bed to rest prior to dinner. Raymond Chow departs and says that he will meet them later. Raymond Chow and George Lazenby meet at a restaurant and await Bruce and Betty's arrival, but the two never show up. At 9:00 p.m. Chow receives a call from Betty; she said that she has tried to wake Bruce up but he won't come to. Betty summons her personal physician who fails to revive Bruce and who has Bruce taken to the hospital. Bruce does not revive and is pronounced dead. The doctor's are surprised that he had lasted as long as he did that night but unfortunately Betty did not get him help as soon as she could have. On July 20, 1973, Bruce Lee dies of an apparent acute cerebral edema (swelling of the brain) because of an allergic reaction to some headache pills, at age 32. After much confusion and debate, doctors declared the death of Bruce Lee as "death by misadventure."
Enter the Dragon was delayed from its initial premieres by four day because of the actors death. A funeral ceremony is held for friends and fans in Hong Kong consisting of over 25,000 people. Bruce is dressed in the Chinese outfit he wore in Enter the Dragon. After a smaller second ceremony in Seattle, Washington at Butterworth Funeral Home on East Pine Street, Bruce Lee is buried at Lake View Cemetery. His pallbearers included Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Danny Inosanto, Taky Kimura, Peter Chin, and his brother, Robert Lee. Enter The Dragon premiers at Graumann's Chinese Theater. The movie is a success, and Bruce Lee achieves world-wide fame.
