Bruce Lee (born November 27, 1940, San Francisco, California, U.S.—died July 20, 1973, Hong Kong) was an American-born film actor who was renowned for his martial arts prowess and who helped popularize martial arts movies in the 1970s.
November 27, 1940
Chinatown, San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died July 20, 1973 (aged 32)
Kowloon, British Hong Kong
Resting place Lake View Cemetery, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Nationality
Hong Kong
American (from 1959)[1][a]
Other names
Lee Siu-lungLee Yuen-chamLee Yuen-kam
Occupations
Martial artistactorphilosopherfilm directorscreenwriterproducer
Years active 1941–1973
Works Filmography
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)[2]
Spouse Linda Emery (m. 1964)
Children
BrandonShannon
Parents
Lee Hoi-chuen
Grace Ho
Relatives
Peter Lee (brother)
Robert Lee (brother)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 李小龍
Simplified Chinese 李小龙
Jyutping lei5 siu2 lung4
Transcriptions
Lee Jun-fan
Chinese 李振藩
Jyutping lei5 zan3 faan4
Lee’s parents were increasingly disturbed by his street fighting and run-ins with the police, and they sent him to live in the United States shortly after he turned 18. He lived with family friends in Seattle, where he finished high school and studied philosophy and drama at the University of Washington. While in Seattle he opened his first martial arts school, and in 1964 he relocated to Oakland, California, to find a second school. It was about that time that he developed his own technique—jeet kune do, a blend of ancient kung fu, fencing, boxing, and philosophy—which he began teaching instead of traditional martial arts. He drew the attention of a television producer after giving a kung fu demonstration at a Los Angeles-area karate tournament, and he was cast as the sidekick Kato in the television series The Green Hornet (1966–67).
Lee had difficulty finding acting jobs after the cancellation of The Green Hornet, and he began supplementing his income by giving private jeet kune do lessons to Hollywood stars, including Steve McQueen. In the 1969 film Marlowe, Lee received notice for a scene in which he destroyed an entire office through kickboxing and karate moves. Troubled by his inability to find other suitable roles, however, he moved back to Hong Kong in 1971. There Lee starred in two films that broke box-office records throughout Asia, and he later found success in the United States with Tang sham da Xiong (1971; Fists of Fury [U.S.], or The Big Boss [Hong Kong English title]) and Jing Wu men (1972; The Chinese Connection [U.S.], or Fist of Fury [Hong Kong English title]).
Lee used his sudden box-office clout to form his own production company, and he coproduced, directed, wrote, and starred in his next film, Meng long Guo jiang (1972; Return of the Dragon [U.S.], or The Way of the Dragon [Hong Kong English title]). Lee’s following film, Enter the Dragon (1973), was the first joint venture between Hong Kong- and U.S.-based production companies, and it became a worldwide hit, thrusting Lee into international movie stardom. Tragically, he died six days before the film’s Hong Kong release. The mysterious circumstances of his death were a source of speculation for fans and historians, but the cause of death was officially listed as swelling of the brain caused by an allergic reaction to a headache medication. At the time, Lee had been working on a film called Game of Death, which was pieced together with stand-ins and cardboard cutouts of Lee’s face and was released in 1978.
After Lee’s death, his films gained a large cult following. Lee himself became one of the biggest pop culture icons of the 20th century, and he is often credited with changing the way Asians were presented in American films. A slightly fictionalized biopic, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, appeared in 1993. His son, Brandon, followed Lee into acting, and he died after being shot with a misloaded prop gun while filming The Crow (1994).
Early life
Bruce Lee’s birth name was Lee Jun-fan. His father, Lee Hoi-Chuen, was a Cantonese opera singer based in Hong Kong. His mother Grace Ho was born in Shanghai, and she was of Eurasian ancestry In December 1939, his parents traveled to California for an international opera tour in Chinatown, San Francisco. He was born there on November 27, 1940, allowing him to claim U.S. citizenship due to the United States’ jus soli citizenship laws.[16] When he was four months old (April 1941), the Lee family returned to Hong Kong. Soon after, the Lee family experienced unexpected hardships over the next four years as Japan, amid World War II, launched a surprise attack on Hong Kong in December 1941 and ruled the city for the next four years. [15]
Lee’s maternal grandfather was Cantonese, his maternal grandmother was English and his maternal great-uncle, Robert Hotung, was a Hong Kong businessman of Dutch Jewish and Cantonese descent.
Career and education
1940–1958: Early roles, schooling and martial arts initiation
Lee’s father Lee Hoi-Chuen was a Cantonese opera star. As a result, Junior Lee was introduced to the world of cinema at a very young age and appeared in several films as a child. Lee had his first role as a baby who was carried onto the stage in the film Golden Gate Girl.[19] He took his Chinese stage name as 李小龍, lit. “Lee the Little Dragon”, for the fact that he was born in both the hour and the year of the Dragon by the Chinese zodiac.[20]
As a nine-year-old, he co-starred with his father in The Kid in 1950, which was based on a comic book character, “Kid Cheung”, and was his first leading role. [21] By the time he was 18, he had appeared in 20 films.[20] After attending Tak Sun School (德信學校; several blocks from his home at 218 Nathan Road, Kowloon), Lee entered the primary school division of the Catholic La Salle College at age 12.
In 1956, due to poor academic performance (and possibly poor conduct), he was transferred to St. Francis Xavier’s College, where he was mentored by Brother Edward Muss, F.M.S., a Bavarian-born teacher and coach of the school boxing team] After Lee was involved in several street fights, his parents decided that he needed to be trained in martial arts.[citation needed]
In 1953, Lee’s friend William Cheung introduced him to Ip Man, but his European background on his mother’s side meant he was initially rejected from learning Wing Chun kung fu under him because of the long-standing rule in the Chinese martial arts world not to teach foreigners Cheung spoke on his behalf and Lee was accepted into the school and began training in Wing Chun with Ip Man. Ip tried to keep his students from fighting in the street gangs of Hong Kong by encouraging them to fight in organized competitions.[31]
After a year of his training with Ip Man, most of the other students refused to train with Lee. They had learned of his mixed ancestry, and the Chinese were generally against teaching their martial arts techniques to non-Asians. Lee’s sparring partner, Hawkins Cheung, states, “Probably fewer than six people in the whole Wing Chun clan were personally taught, or even partly taught, by Ip Man”.] However, Lee showed a keen interest in Wing Chun and continued to train privately with Ip Man, William Cheung, and Wong Shun-leung.
In 1958, Lee won the Hong Kong schools boxing tournament, knocking out the previous champion, Gary Elms, in the final.[18] That year, Lee was also a cha-cha dancer, winning Hong Kong’s Crown Colony Cha-Cha Championship.
1959–1964: Continuous studies and martial arts breakthrough
In his late teens, Lee’s street fights became more frequent and included beating the son of a feared triad family.[38] In 1958, after students from a rival Choy Li Fut martial arts school challenged Lee’s Wing Chun school, he engaged in a fight on a rooftop. In response to an unfair punch by another boy, he beat him so badly that he knocked out one of his teeth, leading to the boy’s parents making a complaint to the police.[39]
Lee’s mother had to go to a police station and sign a document saying that she would take full responsibility for his actions if they released him into her custody. Though she did not mention the incident to her husband, she suggested that her son return to the United States to claim his U.S. citizenship at the age of 18.[40] Lee’s father agreed as Lee’s college prospects were not very promising if he remained in Hong Kong.[39]
The police detective came and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Lee, your son is really fighting bad in school. If he gets into just one more fight I might have to put him in jail”.
In April 1959, Lee’s parents decided to send him to the United States to stay with his older sister, Agnes Lee (李秋鳳), who was already living with family friends in San Francisco. After several months, he moved to Seattle in 1959 to continue his high school education, where he also worked for Ruby Chow as a live-in waiter at her restaurant. Chow’s husband was a co-worker and friend of Lee’s father. Lee’s elder brother Peter Lee (李忠琛) joined him in Seattle for a short stay, before moving on to Minnesota to attend college.[42]
In 1959, Lee started to teach martial arts. He called what he taught Jun Fan Gung Fu (literally Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu). It was his approach to Wing Chun.[42] Lee taught friends he met in Seattle, starting with Judo practitioner Jesse Glover, who continued to teach some of Lee’s early techniques. Taky Kimura became Lee’s first Assistant Instructor and continued to teach his art and philosophy after Lee’s death.[43] Lee opened his first martial arts school, named the Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, in Seattle.
Lee completed his high school education and received his diploma from Edison Technical School on Capitol Hill in Seattle.[44]
In March 1961, Lee enrolled at the University of Washington and studied dramatic arts, philosophy, psychology, and various other subjects.[45][46] Despite what Lee himself and many others have stated, Lee’s official major was drama rather than philosophy, according to a 1999 article in the university’s alumni publication.[47]
Lee dropped out of university in early 1964 and moved to Oakland to live with James Yimm Lee. James Lee was twenty years senior to Lee and a well-known Chinese martial artist in the area. Together, they founded the second Jun Fan martial arts studio in Oakland. James Lee was responsible for introducing Lee to Ed Parker, an American martial artist. At the invitation of Parker, Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships and performed repetitions of two-finger push-ups, using the thumb and the index finger of one hand, with feet at approximately shoulder-width apart.[48]
In the same Long Beach event, he also performed the “one-inch punch”.[48] Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee’s right arm was partly extended and his right fist was approximately one inch (2.5 cm) away from the partner’s chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to volunteer Bob Baker while largely maintaining his posture. This sent Baker backward and falling into a chair placed behind Baker to prevent injury, though Baker’s momentum caused him to fall to the floor. Baker recalled, “I told Bruce not to do this type of demonstration again. When he punched me that last time, I had to stay home from work because the pain in my chest was unbearable”.[49] It was at the 1964 championships that Lee first met Taekwondo master Jhoongoo Rhee. The two developed a friendship— a relationship from which they benefited as martial artists. Rhee taught Lee the side kick in detail, and Lee taught Rhee the “non-telegraphic” punch.[50]
In Oakland’s Chinatown in 1964, Lee had a controversial private match with Wong Jack-man, a direct student of Ma Kin Fung, known for his mastery of Xingyiquan, Northern Shaolin, and tai chi. According to Lee, the Chinese community issued an ultimatum to him to stop teaching non-Chinese people. When he refused to comply, he was challenged to a combat match with Wong. The arrangement was that if Lee lost, he would have to shut down his school, while if he won, he would be free to teach white people, or anyone else.[51] Wong denied this, stating that he requested to fight Lee after Lee boasted during one of his demonstrations at a Chinatown theater that he could beat anyone in San Francisco, and that Wong himself did not discriminate against whites or other non-Chinese people.[52] Lee commented, “That paper had all the names of the sifu from Chinatown, but they don’t scare me”.[53] Individuals known to have witnessed the match include Cadwell, James Lee (Bruce Lee’s associate, no relation), and William Chen, a teacher of tai chi.[citation needed]
Wong and William Chen stated that the fight lasted an unusually long 20–25 minutes.[52][54] Wong claims that although he had originally expected a serious but polite bout, Lee aggressively attacked him with the intent to kill. When Wong presented the traditional handshake, Lee appeared to accept the greeting, but instead, Lee allegedly thrust his hand as a spear aimed at Wong’s eyes. Forced to defend his life, Wong asserted that he refrained from striking Lee with killing force when the opportunity presented itself because it could have earned him a prison sentence, but used illegal cufflings under his sleeves. According to Michael Dorgan’s 1980 book Bruce Lee’s Toughest Fight, the fight ended due to Lee’s “unusually winded” condition, as opposed to a decisive blow by either fighter.[52]
However, according to Bruce Lee, Linda Lee Cadwell, and James Yimm Lee, the fight lasted a mere three minutes with a decisive victory for Lee. In Cadwell’s account, “The fight ensued, it was a no-holds-barred fight, it took three minutes. Bruce got this guy down to the ground and said ‘Do you give up?’ and the man said he gave up”.[51] A couple of weeks after the bout, Lee gave an interview claiming that he had defeated an unnamed challenger, which Wong says was an obvious reference to him.[52][54]
In response, Wong published his account of the fight in the Pacific Weekly, a Chinese-language newspaper in San Francisco, with an invitation to a public rematch if Lee was not satisfied with the account. Lee did not respond to the invitation despite his reputation for violently responding to every provocation.[52] There were no further public announcements by either, though Lee continued to teach white people. Lee had abandoned thoughts of a film career in favor of pursuing martial arts. However, a martial arts exhibition in Long Beach in 1964 eventually led to the invitation by television producer William Dozier for an audition for a role in the pilot for “Number One Son” about Lee Chan, the son of Charlie Chan. The show never materialized, but Dozier saw potential in Lee
1966–1970: American roles and creating Jeet Kune Do
From 1966 to 1967, Lee played the role of Kato alongside the title character played by Van Williams in the TV series produced and narrated by William Dozier[56] titled The Green Hornet, based on the radio show by the same name.[57][55] The show ran for one season (26 episodes) from September 1966 to March 1967. Lee and Williams also appeared as their characters in three crossover episodes of Batman, another William Dozier-produced television series.[58][59][60]
The Green Hornet introduced the adult Bruce Lee to an American audience and became the first popular American show presenting Asian-style martial arts. The show’s director wanted Lee to fight in the typical American style using fists and punches. As a professional martial artist, Lee refused, insisting that he should fight in the style of his expertise. At first, Lee moved so fast that his movements could not be caught on film, so he had to slow them down.[61]
During the show’s production, Lee became friends with Gene LeBell, who worked as a stuntman in the show. The two trained together and exchanged martial arts knowledge from their respective specialties.[62] After the show was canceled in 1967, Lee wrote to Dozier thanking him for starting “my career in show business”.[61]
In 1967, Lee played a role in one episode of Ironside.[63]
The Jeet Kune Do emblem is a registered trademark held by the Bruce Lee Estate. The Chinese characters around the Taijitu symbol read: “Using no way as way” and “Having no limitation as limitation”. The arrows represent the endless interaction between yang and yin.[64]
Jeet Kune Do originated in 1967. After filming one season of The Green Hornet, Lee found himself out of work and opened The Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute. The controversial match with Wong Jack-man influenced Lee’s philosophy about martial arts. Lee concluded that the fight had lasted too long and that he had failed to live up to his potential using his Wing Chun techniques. He took the view that traditional martial arts techniques were too rigid and formalized to be practical in scenarios of chaotic street fighting. Lee decided to develop a system with an emphasis on “practicality, flexibility, speed, and efficiency”. He started to use different methods of training such as weight training for strength, running for endurance, stretching for flexibility, and many others which he constantly adapted, including fencing and basic boxing techniques.[citation needed]
Lee emphasized what he called “the style of no style”. This consisted of getting rid of the formalized approach which Lee claimed was indicative of traditional styles. Lee felt that even the system he now called Jun Fan Gung Fu was too restrictive, and it eventually evolved into a philosophy and martial art he would come to call Jeet Kune Do or the Way of the Intercepting Fist. It is a term he would later regret, because Jeet Kune Do implied specific parameters that styles connote, whereas the idea of his martial art was to exist outside of parameters and limitations.[65]
At the time, two of Lee’s martial arts students were Hollywood script writer Stirling Silliphant and actor James Coburn. In 1969, the three worked on a script for a film titled The Silent Flute, and they went together on a location hunt to India. The project was not realized at the time, but the 1978 film Circle of Iron, starring David Carradine, was based on the same plot. In 2010, producer Paul Maslansky was reported to have planned and received funding for a film based on the original script for The Silent Flute.[66]
In 1969, Lee made a brief appearance in the Silliphant-penned film Marlowe, where he played a hoodlum hired to intimidate private detective Philip Marlowe, played by James Garner, who uses his martial arts abilities to commit acts of vandalization to intimidate Marlowe.[67][68] The same year, he was credited as the karate advisor in The Wrecking Crew, the fourth installment of the Matt Helm comedy spy-fi film starring Dean Martin.[69] Also that year, Lee acted in one episode of Here Come the Brides and Blondie.[70][71]
In 1970, Lee was responsible for producing the fight choreography of A Walk in the Spring Rain, starring Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn, again written by Silliphant.
Fitness
At 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) and weighing 64 kg (141 lb),[126] Lee was renowned for his physical fitness and vigor, achieved by using a dedicated fitness regimen to become as strong as possible. After his match with Wong Jack-man in 1965, Lee changed his approach toward martial arts training. Lee felt that many martial artists of his time did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Lee included all elements of total fitness—muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. He used traditional bodybuilding techniques to build some muscle mass, though not overdone, as that could decrease speed or flexibility. At the same time, concerning balance, Lee maintained that mental and spiritual preparation are fundamental to the success of physical training in martial arts skills. In Tao of Jeet Kune Do he wrote:
Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation. … JKD, ultimately is not a matter of petty techniques but of highly developed spirituality and physique.[127]
According to Linda Lee Cadwell, soon after he moved to the United States, Lee started to take nutrition seriously and developed an interest in health foods, high-protein drinks, and vitamin and mineral supplements. He later concluded that achieving a high-performance body was akin to maintaining the engine of a high-performance automobile. Allegorically, as one could not keep a car running on low-octane fuels, one could not sustain one’s body with a steady diet of junk food, and with “the wrong fuel”, one’s body would perform sluggishly or sloppily.[128]
Lee avoided baked goods and refined flour, describing them as providing empty calories that did nothing for his body.[129] He was known for being a fan of Asian cuisine for its variety and often ate meals with a combination of vegetables, rice, and fish. Lee had a dislike for dairy products and as a result, used powdered milk in his diet.[130]
Dan Innosanto recalls Lee practiced meditation as the first action on his schedule.
Artistry
Philosophy
While best known as a martial artist, Lee studied drama and Asian and Western philosophy, starting while a student at the University of Washington. He was well-read and had an extensive library dominated by martial arts subjects and philosophical texts.[131] His books on martial arts and fighting philosophy are known for their philosophical assertions, both inside and outside of martial arts circles. His eclectic philosophy often mirrored his fighting beliefs, though he was quick to say that his martial arts were solely a metaphor for such teachings.[132]
He believed that any knowledge ultimately led to self-knowledge. He said that his chosen method of self-expression was martial arts.[132] His influences include Taoism, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Buddhism.[133] Lee’s philosophy was very much in opposition to the conservative worldview advocated by Confucianism.[134] John Little states that Lee was an atheist. When asked in 1972 about his religious affiliation, he replied, “None whatsoever”.[135] When asked if he believed in God, he said, “To be perfectly frank, I really do not.”[132]
Poetry
Aside from martial arts and philosophy, which focus on the physical aspect and self-consciousness for truths and principles,[136] Lee also wrote poetry that reflected his emotions and a stage in his life collectively.[137] Many forms of art remain concordant with the artist creating them. Lee’s principle of self-expression was applied to his poetry as well. His daughter Shannon Lee said, “He did write poetry; he was really the consummate artist.”[138]
His poetic works were originally handwritten on paper, then later on edited and published, with John Little being the major author (editor), for Bruce Lee’s works. Linda Lee Cadwell (Bruce Lee’s wife) shared her husband’s notes, poems, and experiences with followers. She mentioned, “Lee’s poems are, by American standards, rather dark—reflecting the deeper, less exposed recesses of the human psyche”.[139]
Most of Bruce Lee’s poems are categorized as anti-poetry or fall into a paradox. The mood in his poems shows the side of the man that can be compared with other poets such as Robert Frost, one of many well-known poets expressing himself with dark poetic works. The paradox taken from the Yin and Yang symbol in martial arts was also integrated into his poetry. His martial arts and philosophy contribute a great part to his poetry. The free verse form of Lee’s poetry reflects his quote “Be formless … shapeless, like water.
Personal life
Names
Lee’s Cantonese birth name was Lee Jun-fan (李振藩).[141] The name homophonically means “return again”, and was given to Lee by his mother, who felt he would return to the United States once he came of age.[142] Because of his mother’s superstitious nature, she had originally named him Sai-fon (細鳳), which is a feminine name meaning “small phoenix”.[41] The English name “Bruce” is thought to have been given by the hospital’s attending physician, Dr. Mary Glover.[143]
Lee had three other Chinese names: Lee Yuen-cham (李源鑫), a family/clan name; Lee Yuen-kam (李元鑒), which he used as a student name while he was attending La Salle College, and his Chinese screen name Lee Siu-lung (李小龍; Siu-lung means “little dragon”).[citation needed] Lee’s given name Jun-fan was originally written in Chinese as 震藩; however, the Jun (震) Chinese character was identical to part of his grandfather’s name, Lee Jun-biu (李震彪).[citation needed] Hence, the Chinese character for Jun in Lee’s name was changed to the homonym 振 instead, to avoid naming taboo in Chinese tradition.[citation needed]
Family
Lee’s father, Lee Hoi-chuen, was one of the leading Cantonese opera and film actors at the time and was embarking on a year-long opera tour with his family on the eve of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. Lee Hoi-chuen had been touring the United States for many years and performing in numerous Chinese communities there.[citation needed]
Although many of his peers decided to stay in the US, Lee Hoi-chuen returned to Hong Kong after Bruce’s birth. Within months, Hong Kong was invaded and the Lees lived for three years and eight months under Japanese occupation. After the war ended, Lee Hoi-chuen resumed his acting career and became a more popular actor during Hong Kong’s rebuilding years.[citation needed]
Lee’s mother, Grace Ho, was from one of the wealthiest and most powerful clans in Hong Kong, the Ho-tungs. She was the half-niece of Sir Robert Ho-tung,[144][145] the Eurasian patriarch of the clan. As such, the young Bruce Lee grew up in an affluent and privileged environment. Despite the advantage of his family’s status, the neighborhood in which Lee grew up became overcrowded, dangerous, and full of gang rivalries due to an influx of refugees fleeing communist China for Hong Kong, at that time a British Crown Colony.[41]
Grace Ho is reported as either the adopted or biological daughter of Ho Kom-tong (Ho Gumtong, 何甘棠) and the half-niece of Sir Robert Ho-tung, both notable Hong Kong businessmen and philanthropists.[144] Bruce was the fourth of five children: Phoebe Lee (李秋源), Agnes Lee (李秋鳳), Peter Lee, and Robert Lee.[citation needed]
Bruce Lee with his son Brandon in 1966
Grace’s parentage remains unclear. Linda Lee, in her 1989 biography The Bruce Lee Story, suggests that Grace had a German father and was a Catholic.[87] Bruce Thomas, in his 1994 biography Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit, suggests that Grace had a Chinese mother and a German father.[146] Lee’s relative Eric Peter Ho, in his 2010 book Tracing My Children’s Lineage, suggests that Grace was born in Shanghai to a Eurasian woman named Cheung King-sin.[147] Eric Peter Ho said that Grace Lee was the daughter of a mixed-race Shanghainese woman and her father was Ho Kom Tong. Grace Lee herself reported that her mother was English and her father was Chinese.[147][148] Fredda Dudley Balling said Grace Lee was three-quarters Chinese and one-quarter British.[149]
In the 2018 biography Bruce Lee: A Life, Matthew Polly identifies Lee’s maternal grandfather as Ho Kom-tong, who had often been reported as his adoptive grandfather. Ho Kom-tong’s father, Charles Maurice Bosman,[150] was a Dutch Jewish businessman from Rotterdam.[151] He moved to Hong Kong with the Dutch East India Company and served as the Dutch consul to Hong Kong at one time. He had a Chinese concubine named Sze Tai with whom he had six children, including Ho Kom Tong. Bosman subsequently abandoned his family and immigrated to California.[152] Ho Kom Tong became a wealthy businessman with a wife, 13 concubines, and a British mistress who gave birth to Grace Ho.[153][154][155]
His younger brother Robert Lee Jun-fai is a musician and singer; he performed in the Hong Kong group The Thunderbirds.[156][157][158] A few singles were sung mostly or all in English. Also released was Lee singing a duet with Irene Ryder.[159] Lee Jun-fai lived with Lee in Los Angeles in the United States and stayed. After Lee’s death, Lee Jun-fai released an album and a single by the same name dedicated to Lee called “The Ballad of Bruce Lee”.[160]
While studying at the University of Washington he met his future wife Linda Emery, a fellow student studying to become a teacher. As relations between people of different races were still banned in many US states, they married in secret in August 1964.[161] Lee had two children with Linda: Brandon (1965–1993) and Shannon Lee (born 1969). Upon’s Lee passing in 1973, she continued to promote Bruce Lee’s martial art Jeet Kune Do. She wrote the 1975 book Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew, on which the 1993 feature film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story was based.[162] In 1989, she wrote the book The Bruce Lee Story. She retired in 2001 from the family estate.[citation needed]
Lee died when his son Brandon was eight years old. While alive, Lee taught Brandon martial arts and would invite him to visit sets. This gave Brandon the desire to act and he went on to study the craft. As a young adult, Brandon Lee found some success acting in action-oriented pictures such as Legacy of Rage (1986), Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991), and Rapid Fire (1992). In 1993, at the age of 28, Brandon Lee died after being accidentally shot by a prop gun on the set of The Crow.[citation needed]
Lee died when his daughter Shannon was four. In her youth she studied Jeet Kune Do under Richard Bustillo, one of her father’s students; however, her serious studies did not begin until the late 1990s. To train for parts in action movies, she studied Jeet Kune Do with Ted Wong.