| 1940 - November 27 - San Francisco- In the The Year of the Dragon between 6:00
a.m. and 8:00 a.m. (the hour of the dragon), Lee Jun Fan, Bruce Lee is born at the Jackson
Street Hospital in San Francisco Chinatown while his father and mother traveled to the
U.S. Lee Hoi Chuen, Bruce's father, was performing with the Cantonese Opera Company in
America. At three months old, Bruce debuts in "Golden Gate Girl" in San
Francisco, CA. He plays role of a female baby, carried by his father. 1941 (Age
1): Hong Kong - Bruce and his parents return to Kowloon, their family home. They move to
into an apartment at 218 Nathan Road, Kowloon district. The apartment is located on the
second story of a building which contained a store on the ground level.
1946 (Age
6): Hong Kong - Bruce makes his first major childhood movie in The Beginning of a Boy.
Later this year, he performs in The Birth of Mankind, and My Son, Ah Cheun. (During the
later years of his childhood, Bruce appears in 20 more films in Asia. In these films,
Bruce's vivid facial expressions begin to develop, and they foreshadow his future
expressions in his famous Kung-Fu movies. Bruce becomes nearsighted and starts wearing
glasses. (He will later start wearing contacts, suggested to him by a friend who is an
optometrist.)
1952 (Age
12): Hong Kong - Bruce begins attending La Salle College.
1953 (Age
13): Hong Kong - After being beaten up by a street gang, Bruce begins to take Kung-Fu
lessons, despite local Hong Kong laws, outlawing street fights. This is the first, and the
last time
Bruce looses a fight. He begins to train under Sifu Yip Man, a master of the wing chun
system of
Kung-Fu.
1954 (Age
14): Hong Kong - Bruce takes up cha-cha dancing.
1958 (Age
18): Hong Kong - Bruce wins the Crown Colony Cha-Cha Championship. Bruce has a leading
role in the film The Orphan. This is the last movie Bruce makes as a child actor. This is
the only movie where Bruce does not fight.
1958 (Age
18): ??? - Bruce enters the 1958 Boxing Championships and defeats the reigning three year
champion, Gary Elms.
1959 (Age
19): Hong Kong - Because of numerous street fighting, causing police involvement, Bruce's
father and mother decide that Bruce should take a three week voyage to the United States.
The trip is a possible means to get him back on the right track. He return to his
birth-place -- San Francisco Chinatown. Time was also running out for him to claim his
American Citizenship.
1959 (Age
19): San Francisco - Seattle - With $15 from his father, and $100 from his mother, Bruce
arrives in the United States, living with an old friend of his father. He works odd jobs
around the various Chinese communities. Later, he moves to Seattle to work for Ruby Chow,
another friend of his father. He lives in a room above her restaurant while working as a
waiter downstairs. He eventually enrolls in Edison Technical School and earns his high
school diploma. Bruce begins to teach his Martial Art skills in backyards and city parks.
1961 March
(Age 21): Seattle- Bruce enrolls at the University of Washington, studying Philosophy. He
teaches Kung-Fu to students at school.
1963 Summer
(Age 23): Hong Kong - Bruce proposes to Amy Sanbo but is turned down. Bruce returns to
Hong Kong with friend Doug Palmer for the first time since his arrival in the U.S. to
visit family. He then returns to Seattle at the end of summer to continue his education.
1963 October
25 (Age 23): Seattle - Bruce takes out Linda Emery (his future wife) for their first date.
They have dinner at the Space Needle. Bruce gives notice to Ruby Chow and leaves her
restaurant. He starts the first Jun Fan Kung-Fu Institute.
1963 Fall
(Age 23): Seattle - Bruce moves his Jun Fan Kung-Fu Institute into a building (4750
University Way) near the university campus. He teaches any person of any race. (most Asian
Martial Arts schools would only teach people of their own race) At Garfield High School,
Bruce demonstrates the "One-Inch Punch". This is the punch he would later make
famous at the 64' Long Beach Internationals and which was developed by him and James
DeMile in Seattle. Bruce would hold his arm straight out, and with a shrug of his
shoulder, knock a man straight across the ground.
1964 (Age
24): ??? Bruce meets Jhoon Rhee at the International Karate Championships. The two would
remain good. (Jhoon Rhee will invite Bruce to Washington, D.C. to appear at tournaments.)
1964 June
(Age 24): ??? - Bruce discusses with James Yimm Lee plans to open a second Jun Fan Kung-Fu
Institute in Oakland, CA.
1964 Summer
(Age 24) Oakland: Plans are finalized, and Bruce leaves Seattle to start a second Jun Fan
Kung-Fu school in Oakland. His good friend, Taky Kimura, takes over as head instructor.
1964 August
17 (Age 24): Seattle - Bruce returns to Seattle to marry Linda. They soon move to Oakland.
1964 August
2 (Age 24): Long Beach, CA - Ed Parker, known as the Father of American Karate (Kenpo),
invites Bruce to give a demonstration. Bruce shows off his "one-inch punch," and
his two-finger push-ups, where he literally does "two" finger push-ups. At his
first International Karate Championships, Jay Sebring, the hair stylist for Batman,
William dozier, a producer, who is looking to cast a part in a TV series he was
developing. Sebring then gives a film of Bruce's demo to Dozier who is impressed at
Bruce's super-human abilities. Bruce later flies down to Los Angeles for a screen test.
1964 August
4 (Age 24): Oakland - Bruce leaves for Seattle. He will propose to Linda.
1965 (Age
24): Oakland - Several months after he begins teaching, he is challenged by, Wong Jack
Man, a leading Kung-Fu practitioner in the Chinatown Community. They agree: If Bruce
looses, he will, either close his school, or stop teaching Caucasians; and if Jack looses,
he will stop teaching. Jack Man Wong does not belie Bruce would actually fight, and tries
to delay the match. Bruce becomes angered and insists that they not wait. Wong then tries
to put limitations on techniques. Bruce refuses "rules"and the two go no holds
barred. Bruce begins to pound his opponent in only a couple of seconds. As Bruce is
winning, Wong attempts to flee, but is caught by Bruce. Bruce begins to beat him on the
ground. Students of the other teacher attempted to step in and help their teacher, James
Lee, Bruce's good friend prevent this. Later he is bothered on why the fight took so long
and begins to re-evaluate his style. He is determined that he is not in his top physical
condition. Thus, the early concepts of Jeet Kune Do (JKD), "The art of the
intercepting fist" is created. JKD is an art including techniques of all types of
fighting. (i.e. American Boxing, Thai Kick Boxing, Japanese Karate, etc.) His style is no
style. Bruce is signed to a one-year option for The Green Hornet. He is paid an $1800
retainer.
1965
February 1 (Age 25): Oakland, CA - Brandon Bruce Lee is born.
1965
February 8 (Age 25): Hong Kong - Bruce's father passes away in Hong Kong. Bruce returns to
Hong Kong for his fathers funeral. As tradition dictates, in order to obtain forgiveness
for not being present when his father died, Bruce crawls on his knees across the floor of
the funeral home towards the casket wailing loudly and crying.
1965 May
(Age 25): ??? Bruce uses the retainer money from the Green Hornet and flies himself,
Linda, and Brandon back to Hong Kong in order to settle his father's estate affairs. While
in Hong Kong, Bruce takes Brandon to see Yip Man to persuade Yip to perform on tape. Bruce
wants to take the footage back to Seattle and show his students what the man looks like in
action. Yip modestly declines.
1965
September (Age 25): Seattle - Bruce, Linda, Brandon return to Seattle.
1966 (Age
26): Los Angeles - Bruce and family move to Los Angeles to an apartment on Wilshire and
Gayley in Westwood. This is where he begins working on a new TV series called The Green
Hornet as Kato. The Green Hornet series starts filming and Bruce is Paid $400 per episode.
Bruce buys a 1966 blue Chevy Nova. Bruce is later known to have gotten the part of Kato
because he was the only person who could accurately pronounce the star's name, Britt Reid.
He later opens third branch of the Jun Fan Kung-Fu Institute in Los Angeles' Chinatown.
1966 September 9 (Age 26): Los Angeles - The Green Hornet series premiers.
1967-1971 (Age
27-31): Hollywood - During this time, Bruce lands bit parts in various films and T.V.
series. He also gives private lessons for up to $250 an hour to personalities Steve
McQueen, James Coburn, James Garner, Lee Marvin, Roman Polanski, and Kareem Abdul
Jabbar. Bruce meets Chuck Norris in New York at the All American Karate Championships in
Washington D.C. Chuck fights Joe Lewis and wins.
1967 (Age
27): Washington, D.C. - Bruce meets Joe Lewis at The Mayflower Hotel while both were
guests at the 67' National Karate Championships. Joe is competing in the tournament and
Bruce is making special appearances as Kato.
1967
February (Age 27): Los Angeles - Bruce opens a 3rd school at 628 College Street, Los
Angeles, CA. Dan Inosanto serves as assistant instructor.
1967 July 14
(Age 27): Los Angeles - The last episode of The Green Hornet Series shows. The movie is
later said to have failed because Bruce, a minor role became more popular than the main
character.
1969 April
19 (Age 29): Santa Monica, CA Shannon Lee is born.
1969 (Age
29): ??? - A scriptwriter is hired and paid $12K by Stirling Silliphant and James Coburn
to write a script for the Silent Flute. The script produced is unacceptable, and no other
scriptwriter could seen to do the job. They then decide to write it themselves.
1970 (Age
30): Los Angeles - Bruce injures his sacral nerve and experiences severe muscle spasms in
his back while training. Doctors told him that he would never kick again. During the
months of recovery he starts to document his training methods and his philosophy of Jeet
Kune Do. Later after his death, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do is published by his wife in memory
of Bruce Lee.
1970 (Age
30): Hong Kong - Bruce and Brandon fly to Hong Kong and are welcomed by fans of The Green
Hornet Show. Bruce sends Unicorn to talk to Run Run Shaw on his behalf and inform Shaw
that he would be willing to do a movie for him for $10K. Shaw makes counter-offer of a
seven year contract and $2K per film which Bruce declines.
1971 - February (Age 31): India - Bruce,
James Coburn, Stirling Silliphant fly to India to scout locations for The Silent Flute.
They spend one month searching but are forced to call off the search as Coburn backs out
of the project. This trip gives Bruce the idea for Game of Death, where a fighter,
mastering in several techniques, will go from one level to the next in a temple: the first
level (the level of weaponry), the second level (the level of the nine degree black belt),
and the third level ( "The level of the unknown.")
1971 (Age
31): Hong Kong. - Bruce takes a short trip back to Hong Kong to arrange for his mother to
live in the U.S. Unknowingly to him, he had become a superstar for The Green Hornet was
one of the most popular TV shows in Hong Kong. Later, he is approached by Raymond Chow,
owner of a new production company, and offered the lead role in a new film called The Big
Boss. Bruce accepts. Bruce is supplied with small furnished apartment at 2 Man Wan Road -
Kowloon, HK. Wu Ngan, moves in with Bruce and Linda. Later Wu Ngan marries and his new
wife moves in as well. Brandon attends La Salle College. The same school Bruce attended
only 15 years before. Bruce is interviewed by Canadian talk show host, Pierre Berton, for
a TV program being filmed in Hong Kong. This is the only on film said to be in existence.
1971 July (Age 31): Thailand - Filming begins for The Big Boss (released in the
U.S. as Fists of Fury). The Big Boss opens in Hong Kong to great reviews and mobs of fans.
Proceeds to gross more than $3.5 million in little than three weeks.
1971
December 7 (Age 31): Hong Kong - Bruce receives telegram, notifying him that he had not
been chosen for the part in the upcoming series, The Warrior. This series was later
released as Kung-Fu, staring David Carradine, who doesn't know anything about martial
arts. (The show aired as ABC-TVs Movie of the Week on February 21, 1972).
1972 (Age
32): Hong Kong - Fist of Fury (released in the U.S. as The Chinese Connection) is
released. It grosses more than The Big Boss and further establishes Bruce as a Hong Kong
superstar. Bruce gets a larger budget, a larger salary, and more power of directing in
this film. Bruce begins work on Game of Death and films several fight scenes including
Danny Inosanto and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bruce appears on Hong Kong's TVB channel for a
hurricane disaster relief benefit. In a demo Bruce performs, he breaks 4 out of 5 boards,
one of which is hanging in the air with a line of string. Brandon even performs and breaks
a board with a sidekick! Bruce helps Unicorn, a fellow actor, by assisting him for one day
and supervises fight action sequences in Unicorn's film, The Unicorn Palm - Footage of
Bruce on the set is used in the movie and Bruce's name appears in the credits to his
surprise causing Bruce to become angry and make a public announcement denying his
endorsement of the film. Unicorn was advised to get Bruce's name in the credits, so his
movie would have a better chance at being a success.
1972 (Age
32): Rome, Italy - Location shots are made for Bruce's third film The Way of the Dragon
(released in the U.S. as The Return of the Dragon). This time Bruce gets almost complete
control of the movie, which he writes, directs, and stars in. Chuck Norris is Bruce's
adversary in the final fight scene. Again, this film surpasses all records set by his
previous two films.
1972
December 28 (Age 32): Oakland Bruce's brother, James, dies of "Black Lung."
1973
February (Age 33): Hong Kong - Bruce gets his chance at American stardom as filming of
Enter the Dragon begins while Game of Death is put on hold. It is the first-ever
production between the U.S. and Hong Kong film industries. On February 20, Bruce is guest
of honor at St. Francis Xavier's school for Sports Day ceremonies.
1973 (Age
33): Los Angeles - Grace Lee, Bruce's sister, sees Bruce in Los Angeles, CA. Bruce tells
her that he does not expect to live much longer and that she is not to worry about
finances as he will make sure she is provided for. She rebukes him for talking that way.
1973 April
(Age 33): Hong Kong - Filming of Enter the Dragon is completed. Bruce is at Golden Harvest
Studios in Hong Kong dubbing his voice for "Enter The Dragon". The air
conditioners had been turned off, so the microphones won't pick them up. The temperature
soared. Bruce takes a break looping lines to go to the bathroom and splash water on his
face. In he bathroom, he passes out on the bathroom floor. He revives twenty minutes later
just as assistant sent to find out what was keeping him walks in and discovers him on the
ground. He tries to conceal his collapse by acting as though he has dropped his glasses on
the floor and is searching for them and is helped up by the assistant. As they are walking
back to the dubbing room, Bruce collapses again and is rushed to a nearby hospital.
1973 July 10
(Age 33): Hong Kong - Bruce Lee is walking through the Golden Harvest Studios and
overhears Lo Wei in a nearby room bad mouthing him. He confronts Lo Wei who retreats and
summons the local police. When the police arrive Lo Wei falsely accuses Bruce of
threatened him with a knife concealed in his belt buckle. He further insists that Bruce
sign a statement that he will not harm him. Bruce signs the statement to get Lo Wei off
his back although Lo Wei lied to the police and Bruce never had a knife nor threatened to
kill him. That same day, Bruce appears on the Hong Kong TV show, Enjoy Yourself Tonight
with host Ho Sho Shin. Bruce alludes to his problems with director Lo Wei, but does not
mention him by name. Bruce is asked to display his physical prowess and demonstrates his
abilities. Bruce demonstrates a technique and Shin is hurled across the stage. The show of
power causes the press to indite Bruce in the paper and accuse him of bullying the talk
show host though this was not the case.
1973 July 16
(Age 33): Hong Kong - Heavy rains fall caused by a typhoon off the coast of Hong Kong.
Bruce makes a $200 phone call to speak to Unicorn in his hotel room, who is filming a
movie in Manila. Bruce tells Unicorn that he is worried about the many headaches he is
experiencing.
1973 July 18
(Age 33): Hong Kong - A bad Feng Shui deflector, placed on the roof of Bruce's Cumberland
Road home in Hong Kong is blown off the roof by heavy rain and winds. The deflector had
been placed on the house to protect Bruce and family from bad Feng Shui; previous owners
had all been plagued by financial disaster and it was believed that this was because of
the incorrect positioning of the house. The deflector was to ward off evil spirits.
1973 July 20
(Age 33): Hong Kong - Early in the morning Bruce types a letter to his attorney, Adrian
Marshall, detailing business ventures he wants to discuss on his upcoming trip to Los
Angeles. Bruce had tickets already set to return to the US for a publicity tour and was
scheduled to appear on the Johnny Carson show. Raymond Chow goes by Bruce's house and the
two discuss plans for their upcoming movie Game of Death. Linda kisses Bruce good-bye and
says she is going out to run some errands and will see him later that night. Raymond and
Bruce visit Betty Ting Pei at her apartment to discuss her role in Game of Death. That
evening plans had been made for them all to meet George Lazenby over dinner and enlist him
for a part. Bruce explains that he has a headache, takes a prescription pain killer
offered by Betty, and lies down on her bed to rest prior to dinner. Raymond Chow departs
and says that he will meet them later. Raymond Chow and George Lazenby meet at a
restaurant and await Bruce and Betty's arrival, but the two never show up. At 9:00 p.m.
Chow receives a call from Betty; she said that she has tried to wake Bruce up but he won't
come to. Betty summons her personal physician who fails to revive Bruce and who has Bruce
taken to the hospital. Bruce
does not revive and is pronounced dead. The doctor's are surprised that he had lasted as
long as he did that night but unfortunately Betty did not get him help as soon as she
could have. Bruce Lee dies in Hong Kong of an apparent cerebral edema (swelling of the
brain). After much confusion and debate, doctors declared the death of Bruce Lee as
"death by misadventure." Enter the Dragon was delayed from its initial premieres
by four day because of the actors death.
1973 July 25
(Age 33): Hong Kong - A funeral ceremony is held for friends and fans in Hong Kong
consisting of over 25,000 people. Bruce is dressed in the Chinese outfit he wore in Enter
the Dragon.
1973 July 30
(Age 33): Seattle - After a smaller second ceremony in Seattle, Washington at
Butterworth Funeral Home on East Pine Street, Bruce Lee is buried at Lake View Cemetery.
His
pallbearers included Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Danny Inosanto, Taky Kimura, Peter Chin,
and his brother, Robert Lee.
1973 August
24: Hollywood - Enter The Dragon premiers at Graumann's Chinese Theater. The
movie is a success, and Bruce Lee achieves world-wide fame. |