I’m very very ignorant of the whole Kung Fu movie thing and know little about the Bruce Lee family.
But I know he seems to get synonymous with ‘Kung Fu’ (Chinese Martial arts?)
Ok I know he was in movies, but still, why or how did he get so big to become so connected? Weren’t there any other big stars to also get fame from those movies? How did Bruce Lee get all the Kung Fu fame? And why does everyone still know him by name (or a lot of people) so many years after the last movie was filmed with him in it?
He first gained notariety playing Kato on the short-lived Green Hornet TV show. Then he starred in the first kung fu movies targeted for western distributions. In these movies he also changed the style of kung fu movie from its eastern form. Then he died. Death is always a great career move for celebrities.
I would assume that 50% of that is based on his introducing martial arts movies to the west, which contained more varied types of martial arts in them. The other 50% is pure bullshit. At least 50% of everything you hear about Bruce Lee is fiction, or at best exagerration.
He was in a few movies before that, including a James Garner depiction of Phillip Marlowe, where Lee played Winslow Wong, a goon of the bad guy. Lee could act, the camera liked him and his sense of humor came across well. Much like Jackie Chan.
In any case, Bruce Lee was not only photogenic, but really damn good. He was extremely skilled, better yet, one of those martial artists who make it look sexy as well as painful (for the poor bastard facing him).
Even without his acting career, he’d have qualified as one of the best martial artists of his day, and unlike most, was capable of a variety of styles. Throughout his career was willing and able to mercilessly crush anyone who came his way. However, he was evidently still humble enough to learn - Chuck Norris (no joke) actually did teach him a few things about kicking.
He was also perhaps the first martial artist to merge education in western philosophy, science, and combat techniques with eatern martial arts, and in that sense most definitely could be seen as the founder of mixed martial arts.
Also, I think Bruce was in the right place at the right time. He made his big screen appearance about the time that Kung Fu (the martial art, not the show) mania started. Before martial arts flicks hit the US, he was only getting minor roles like Kato. But the arrival of kung fu cinema in the US was the perfect storm of opportunity for him. Combined with being awesome at fighting, acting, and being all-around cool, this propelled him to the front.
There was a kung fu movie known as “Five Fingers of Death” (aka King Boxer) that was released in early 1973. It had a good amount of advertising and did well so there was a market for it. Bruce Lee came several months later and since he spoke English, had been in America for several years, did some acting on “Green Hornet” and other shows, was talented in his craft, probably gave karate lessons to some studio bigwigs on what was to them an exotic sport. As others have said, don’t overlook an early death after a few films that leaves people wondering “what would he do if he lived”. look at James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe and Jim Morrison.
Funny you should mention that. According to one version, Lee was considered for the role that David Carradine got. According to another version (Lee’s widow’s) Lee actually came up with the concept for the show, which was then “stolen”. This was pre-Big Boss so Lee was not yet a big name, although he had already played Kato.
Interestingly, Jonathan Goldsmith, the man who plays “the Most Interesting Man In the World,” is 73. AND there have been a lot of people who may actually have put “got punched in the face by Bruce Lee” on their resumes (I know, I’m mixing 2 MIMItW quotes).
Minor objection. First modern martial artist. Don’t forget Bartitsu, founded by a western student of Jigoro Kano.
Mostly famous for being the fictional ‘Baritsu’ studied by Sherlock Holmes, it was a mixture of Judo, wrestling, savate, and cane fighting. Very favored by suffragettes.
Brucie came along just before the serious Karate Competitions took off. His competition experience was very limited and then he made the shift into movies. He never even fought any of his contemporaries like Chuck Norris & Ron Marchini in a real competition.
How would Bruce Lee fair in a modern MMA competition? Assuming he could have done it in his prime?
I have a lot more respect for Chuck Norris. At least he did hold the Professional Middleweight Karate champion title, for six consecutive years. Before going into movies and tv. Norris was a legit champion.
