Bruce Lee (Lee Jun-fan, 27 November 1940 to 20 July 1973) was a martial artist, actor and filmmaker who became one of the biggest stars in the history of martial arts cinema. He was born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, and he founded the martial art Jeet Kune Do. His film Enter the Dragon was released after his death and made him a global icon. He died in Hong Kong at the age of 32. This biography follows his life and career.
Bruce Lee at a Glance
| Full name | Lee Jun-fan (Bruce Lee) |
| Born | 27 November 1940, San Francisco, California, United States |
| Died | 20 July 1973, Kowloon, Hong Kong (aged 32) |
| Profession | Martial artist, actor, director and screenwriter |
| Martial arts | Studied Wing Chun under Ip Man; founded Jeet Kune Do |
| Best-known films | The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), The Way of the Dragon (1972), Enter the Dragon (1973) |
| Spouse | Linda Emery (married 1964) |
| Children | Brandon and Shannon |
Early Life and Martial Arts
Lee was born in San Francisco and grew up in Hong Kong. He began studying Wing Chun under the teacher Ip Man in 1953. In 1959 he moved to Seattle, and in March 1961 he enrolled at the University of Washington. He married Linda Emery in 1964. In 1967 he began to develop his own style, which he called Jeet Kune Do.
Television and Hong Kong Films
Lee played the sidekick Kato in the television series The Green Hornet, which ran for 26 episodes from 1966 to 1967. He then made films in Hong Kong, where The Big Boss (1971) was his first leading role. It was followed by Fist of Fury (1972) and The Way of the Dragon (1972), which he wrote and directed himself.
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon (1973) was made on a budget of $850,000. It is estimated to have earned more than $400 million worldwide, and in 2004 it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. Lee did not live to see its release.
Death
Lee died in Kowloon, Hong Kong, on 20 July 1973, at the age of 32. The official cause was cerebral oedema, a swelling of the brain, and what caused the swelling remains disputed. The unfinished film Game of Death was completed using footage that he had shot, and it was released in 1978.
Family
His wife Linda and their two children, Brandon and Shannon, survived him. Brandon, also an actor, died in March 1993 on the set of the film The Crow. In April 1993 Bruce Lee received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Time later named him one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.
Legacy
Lee is credited with changing how Asian martial arts and Asian leads were seen in cinema. He remains one of the most recognised figures in popular culture, and his Jeet Kune Do approach, which values adaptability, is still taught.
