Bruce Lee
- Birth name: Lee Jun-fan (李振藩 Gwohngdongwa pengyam: Ley5 Jan3 Fahn4 Pinyin: Li3 Zhen4 fan2)
- Screen name: Li Xiaolong (李小龍 Gwohngdongwa pengyam: Ley5 Siw2 Long4)
In 1959, Lee went to Seattle to complete his high school education. He received his diploma from Edison Technical School and went on to enroll in the University of Washington as a philosophy major. It was at the UW that he would meet his wife Linda.
After leaving University, Lee went on to star as Kato in the television series The Green Hornet. On his return to Hong Kong, he starred in the movies that would cement his fame.
After studying and becoming dissatisfied with existing schools of martial arts, Lee created two of his own: Jun Fan, a Kung Fu style; and Jeet Kune Do, which incorporated elements from martial arts outside of Kung Fu intending to create a more streamlined and practical martial art, as well as a comprehensive system of fitness training. He frequently gave demonstrations of his two-finger pushups and his famous "one inch punch". He was a very well-rounded man, being well educated both academically and in the field of martial arts. His studies of Kung Fu sparked his enthusiasm and understanding of martial arts. Later he studied Karate, Judo, Jiu jitsu, Wing Chun and other styles of Wushu. His 'made up' styles are still taught to this day.
It is rumored that Lee used an electric current as an aid to strength-training, because of the leanness the muscles gained in working against themselves. More evidence on this point is welcome.
On July 20, 1973, Lee was due to have lunch with former James Bond star George Lazenby, with whom he intended to make a film. However, Lee never turned up for the lunch, and when Lazenby and Lee's agent went to his hotel room, they found him dead. He was interred in Seattle's Lake View Cemetery. Although there have been several rumours concerning the cause of his death, the official cause of death was recorded as being the result of an allergic reaction to an analgesic he took.
Although he made only a handful of films and television appearances in his adulthood, Bruce Lee has become an iconic figure in movies as a personification of a small man who became the epitome of physical perfection and invincibility in personal combat. His fame also sparked the first major surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West.
The film is a highly fictionalized biography of his life/legend.
In 1958, Lee was the Cha Cha Champion of Hong Kong.