Bruce Lee
Bruce Jun Fan Lee (Lee Siu Lung) was born on November 27, 1940 in San Francisco, CA while his parents were on tour with the Chinese Opera. Ultimately raised in Hong Kong, Bruce Lee was a child actor appearing in more than 20 films. At the age of 13, Bruce took up the study of wing chun gung fu under renowned wing chun master, Yip Man. Bruce left Hong Kong at the age of 18, came to the United States and made his way to Seattle, Washington where he worked in the restaurant of a family friend. He soon enrolled in the University of Washington where he pursued a degree in philosophy. Bruce began to teach gung fu in Seattle and soon opened his first school, the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute. Two more schools followed in Oakland and Los Angeles. Concurrently Bruce married his wife, Linda and had his two children, Brandon and Shannon. In the mid sixties, Bruce was discovered while doing an exhibition at the Long Beach Internationals and a role as Kato in the tv series The Green Hornet soon followed. During this time, Bruce was also developing his own martial art, which he ultimately named Jeet Kune Do (translated: the way of the intercepting fist). Bruce's art was steeped in a philosophical foundation and did not follow long held martial traditions. Instead it had at its core the ideas of simplicity, directness and personal freedom. After The Green Hornet series was canceled, Bruce encountered resistance while working in Hollywood and so headed to Hong Kong to pursue a film career. In Hong Kong he made 3 films, which consecutively broke all box office records and showcased martial arts in an entirely new way. Hollywood took notice and soon Bruce was making the first Hollywood / Hong Kong coproduction with a film called Enter the Dragon. Unfortunately, Bruce Lee died in 1973 before this film was released. This film catapulted him to international fame. Today Bruce Lee’s legacy of self expression, equality, and pioneering innovation continues to inspire people all around the world.
Photos
Movies (73)
Broken Rhythm: Bruce Lee's Game of Death
2026 · Himself (archive footage)
The Song I'm Singing Tomorrow
2024 · Self
The Final Game of Death
2023 · Hai Tien / Self (archive footage)
Jackie Chan: Building an Icon
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
2020 · Self(archive footage)
Be Water
2020 · Self (archival)
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
2019 · Self (archive footage)
Game of Death Redux
2019 · Hai Tien, Director, Writer, Producer, Fight Choreographer
Yo soy Bruce Lee
2012 · Self (archival)
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
2009 · Self (archival)
The Brilliant Life of Bruce Lee
2009 · Self (archival)
A prueba de hombres
2007 · Thanks
The Green Hornet
2005 · Kato
Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon
2004 · Self (archival)
Bruce Lee: Martial Arts Superstar
2004 · Self (archive footage)
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
2002 · Self - Interviewee (archive footage)
The Real Bruce Lee 2
2002 · (archive footage)
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
2001
Reflections on 'the Little Dragon'
2001
Bruce Lee in G.O.D.
2000 · Self (archive footage)
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
2000 · Self (archival)
The Lees: Action Speaks Louder
1999 · Self (archival)
Bruce Lee: Century Hero
1999 · Self (archive footage)
Bruce Lee: The Legend Lives On
1999 · Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2
1999
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee
1998 · Self (archival)
Bruce Lee: In His Own Words
1998 · self
The Path of the Dragon
1998 · Self (archive footage)
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
1994 · Self (archival)
Cinema of Vengeance
1994 · Self (archive footage)
The Curse of the Dragon
1993 · Self (archive footage)
Crazy Safari
1991 · Self (archive footage)
Death In Hollywood
1990 · Self (archive footage)
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
1990 · Self
Amazing Masters of Martial Arts
1985 · Self (archive footage)
Bruce Lee, the Legend
1984 · Self (archival)
Game of Death II
1981 · Lee Chen-chiang (archive footage)
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death
1980 · Bruce Lee (archive footage)
Circle of Iron
1978 · Story
Game of Death
1978 · Billy Lo, Producer, Writer
The Young Bruce Lee
1976
Fury of the Dragon
1976 · Kato
Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger
1976 · Self (archive footage)
The Warrior Within
1976 · Self
La Légende du petit dragon
1975 · Self (archive footage)
Slaughter in San Francisco
1974 · Original Concept
The Green Hornet
1974 · Kato
Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend
1973 · Self (archival)
Enter the Dragon
1973 · Lee, Producer
Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon
1973 · Self
The Last Days of Bruce Lee
1973 · Himself (archive footage)
Fist of Unicorn
1973 · Martial Arts Choreographer
The Way of the Dragon
1972 · Tang Lung, Director, Screenplay, Producer, Martial Arts Choreographer
Fist of Fury
1972 · Chen Zhen
Bruce Lee: The Lost Interview
1971 · Self
The Big Boss
1971 · Cheng Chiu On
Marlowe
1969 · Winslow Wong, Fight Choreographer
The Wrecking Crew
1968 · Technical Advisor
The Orphan
1960 · Ah Sam
Darling Girl
1957
Thunderstorm
1957 · Chow Chung
Too Late for Divorce
1956 · Kai Cheung
The Wise Guys Who Fool Around
1956 · Lee Siu Lung
Orphan's Song
1955
An Orphan's Tragedy
1955 · Wong Fuk-kwan (child)
We Owe It to Our Children
1955 · Le fils fainéant
In the Face of Demolition
1953
A Myriad Homes
1953
A Mother's Tears
1953
The Guiding Light
1953 · San at 13
The Kid
1950 · Kid Cheung
The Birth of Mankind
1946
Golden Gate Girl
1941 · Baby (Uncredited)
TV shows (10)
A Life in Ten Pictures
2021 · Self (archive footage)
History's Greatest Mysteries
2020 · Self (archive footage)
Too Young to Die
2012 · Self (archive footage)
I Am
2012 · Self
Mentiras verdaderas
2011 · Self (archive footage)
Longstreet
1971 · Li Tsung
Ironside
1967 · Leon Soo
The Green Hornet
1966 · Kato
Batman
1966 · Kato
The Pierre Berton Show
1962 · Self