44 YEARS MEMORIAM: BRUCE LEE

Born Lee Jun-Fan on the 27^th of November 1940, martial arts Master, actor, director and philosopher  Bruce Lee was the founder of the martial art style; Jeet Kune Do and is considered the greatest martial artist of all time. Even after 44 years since his tragic death on the 21^st of July, 1973 (at age 32), he remains a cultural icon as his fighting style in movies sparked great interest in Chinese martial arts and inspired future martial art actors, notably Jackie Chan who had an early film role in Enter The Dragon.  

   
 He was portrayed by Jason Scott Lee (not a blood relation) in the 1993 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story- loosely based on his widow’s ( Linda Lee Cadwell) book- Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew.

The 2016 movie Birth of the Dragon, re-enacted the 1964 fight between Lee and Shaolin Master, Wong Jack Man;  an event narrated in Linda Lee Cadwell’s book. At the time, Lee faced hostile opposition from the Chinese community for teaching non-Chinese martial arts and challenged  Wong to a private match- a fight Linda witnessed firsthand.

                             

Linda, who was also one of Lee’s students when they first met, continued to promote Jeet Kun Do after his death. Their daughter,  Shannon Lee- actress and a student of Jeet Kune Do, Taekwondo and kickboxing – took over after her mother’s retirement and is presently in charge of the Lee family estate. Bruce and Linda's son, Brandon, died at age 28 in 1993; a victim of a misfiring prop gun during the filming of The Crow.

Bruce Lee’s  movie credits include:

The Big Boss

Fist of Fury

Way of The Dragon  




                   

Enter The Dragon

Trivia

Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat characters; Fei Long and Liu Kang are based on Bruce Lee. His son Brandon was lined up to play Liu in the Mortal Kombat movie but was replaced by Robin Shou after his death. 

Bruce Lee Quotes:

-      Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them.

-      I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.

-      If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.

-      If you don't want to slip up tomorrow, speak the truth today.

-      Learning is never cumulative, it is a movement of knowing which has no beginning and no end.

-      Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality.

-      Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.

-      Make at least one definite move daily toward your goal.

-      Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system.

-      Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.

-                                                                                                                      Source: Watchmojo