Bruce Lee FAQ/Facts

FAQ/Facts

These are just a few FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) and Facts about Bruce Lee that I have accumulated over time.

FAQ

What is Jeet Kune Do?

Simply put, it's English translation is "way of the intercepting fist." Bruce studies all types of fighting from American Boxing to Thai Kickboxing. His simple philosophy was rather than block a punch and hit back with two distinct motions, why not intercept and hit in one, fluid stroke. Fluidity was the ideal. "Try and obtain a nicely-tied package of water," Bruce would taunt. "Just like water, we must keep moving on," Inosanto reitterates. "For once water stops, it becomes stagnant." Water, Bruce would always give as an example, is the toughtest thing on Earth. It is virtually indestructable; it is soft, yet it can tear rocks apart. Move like water. Bruce dissected rigid classical disciplines and rebuilt them with fluid, po-mo improvements. "It's good but it needs restructuring," he would say. Classical techniques did not take into account the reality of street fighting. Jeet Kune Do did. It was pragmatic, reality-based, empirical- not a bunch of stances, postures and mumbo jumbo handed down from antiquity. Bruce utilized all ways but was bound by none. "Efficiency is anything that scores."
What happened with the Martial Arts movie industry after the death of Bruce Lee?

After Bruce's death, the Martial Arts movie industry boomed, hundreds of look-alike Bruce's began to try out to make Martial Arts movies. They even used similar names, like Bruce Le, and Bruce Li. But none of them could catch the eyes of world as Bruce has. The closest success in Asian Martial Arts is Jet Li, and Jackie Chan, who unlike the other wannabe Bruce's had styles of their own. But even these Martial Artists could not succeed in America. They, too, had to make movies in foreign countries. The closest Martial Arts movie to succeed in the U.S. is Rumble In the Bronx, staring Jackie Chan, who was also stuntman in Fists of Fury and Enter the Dragon.
Why was Bruce Lee so famous, and why is he still thought of as the Master of Chinese Martial Arts?

Another interresting thing about Bruce Lee is his true ability to perform martial arts. He criticized Karate for its brocken motions, and Wing Chun for its flashy techniques. Both, he said, were not ideal to use in actual combat. This is the reason for the creation of Jeet Kune Do (JKD). JKD was designed to be used in real life situations. It's style is no style. The goal of JKD is not to master certain techniques, but to let your body express the techniques in its own way. Everyone has his own style, and JKD is a form of bringing it out.
What aspect(s) of Bruce Lee's character made him so famous?

The question remains in many people's mind: What made Bruce Lee so famous? There are several Martial Arts movies; why is Bruce the one remembered for Chinese Gung-Fu. Bruce would work himself very, very hard, until he perfected what he was working on. He was a perfectionist. Another aspect of his success is his ability to really kick some ass. Bruce remains undefeated throughout his life, except for a lost fight when he was 13 years old (this prompted Bruce to begin taking Martial Arts lessons). People jealous of Bruce, or people just thinking they could beat him, would frequently approach Bruce, tap their foot on the ground (this symbolizes a challenge), and they would begin to fight. Once during the filming of Enter the Dragon, an extra aproached Bruce, tapped his foot on the ground, and they began to fight. The extra had some real skill, but instead of trying to beat Bruce, he was really trying to hurt him. When Bruce realized this, he began to unleash his lightning quick speed and powerful moves; he smashed the guy right agains the wall. Bruce later said that he had never kicked a guy so hard before. He really beat the guy up. But unusually, after the fight was over, Bruce told the extra to get back to his spot and act. He never fired him.

Facts (and interresting stuff)

Jeet Kune Do

"You see, " Bruce once said, "many people come to instructors and say, 'Like man, like what is the truth? Hand it over to me.' So therefore the guy would say, 'I'll give you my Japanese way of doing it.' And another guy would say 'I'll give you the Chinese way of doing it.' But if you only have two hands and two legs, nationalities don't mean anything. When you go with a particular style, you're expressing that style. You are not expressing yourself."

"Jeet Kune Do was really intended as a means of self discovery or enlightenment. In the linear notes of his album, Tauhid, saxaphonist Pharoah Sanders describes the process of self-discovery: 'I don't see the horn anymore. I'm trying to see myself. If you have the discipline, you can do whatever you want to. You yourself are the key to yourself.'"

Robert Clouse recalls that:: "The first time he met you, you'd expect him to shake hands but instead he'd step back and flick out his foot so fast you could feel the air move right at the tip of your nose. Then he'd take your hand and place it on his stomach. It was kind of his calling card."

Bruce's Family Life

Bruce's Parents

Bruce's father: full-blooded Chinese
Bruce's Mother: German/Chinese descent. (Her father is German; her mother is Chinese)

Bruce's Sibblings

1st child: boy which died at birth
2nd child: Phoebe, who was adopted
3rd child: Peter
4rd child: Bruce
5th child: Wu Ngan; unofficially adopted
6th child: Agnes
7th child: Robert

Bruce's Names/Nicknames

Sai Fon (Small Phoenix): He was given this name by his mother when he was born. She had his ear pierced to disguise him as a girl.
Jun Fan (Return Again): His mother renamed because she felt he would someday return to his birthplace (San Francisco, California, U.S.A.).
"Little Dragon": This nickname was given to Bruce by his sister Agnes
Mo Si Tung (Never Sits Still): Bruce's family nickname.
Lee Sie Lung (Lee Little Dragon): This is the name that Bruce became known in Asia. He used this name in the movie My Son, Ah Cheun.

Bruce Lee Kicks Ass in Real Life

These are a few of the fights that Bruce participated in the ring and out.

1958:: vs. Gary Elms in a tournament. (Won)
1958 or 1959:: Against Chung on a rooftop in Hong Kong. (Won in 2nd Round)
1960 - Seattle:: Bruce backfisted a guy and busted his nose after Bruce saw him harrassing a Chinese Girl. Bruce was taking a walk. This fight was witnessed by James DeMile.
1960 or 1961:: vs. Uechi. (Won in 10 seconds)
Summer 1963 - Hong Kong:: Bruce snapped a low kick to a punk's shin after the punk and his friend harrassed him during an evening stroll.

An interview with the Green Hornet

These are some of the questions and responses from an interview with Van Williams (Britt Reid in the Green Hornet)

What ever happened to the Green Hornet? Why was it taken off the air?
The show was costing an absolute fortune. It was costing almost as much for the half hour of the The Green Hornet as a one hour segment of Batman. The special effects, the color, the amount of production that went into it. The cost was draining William Dozier. Everything he was making off Batman was going into The Green Hornet, and it wasn't working. When Dozier demanded and hour slot, and was declined, he took the show off the air. Now another thing that happened that you might want to know is there's a little mystery in it. There was an audit done on the show afterwards and they found that there were double and triple charges being charged to The Green Hornet that were not supposed to be.

What was Bruce like on the set?
He was used to working with people who knew how to give way when those slaps and backhands took effect. The guys working on the Hornet didn't know how to protect themselves. A lot of 'em got kicked in the you know whats. We had to convince Bruce that you could do your wackety-wack over the shoulder and be three feet apart. We also had to slow him down- it was a joke! He would go into a room, and all you'd hear, because of the lighting, was all this yelling and people flying around! We'd replay the scenes later and people would laugh and that really got him upset. He did NOT want to be laughed at.

It really was a case were he was so focues on the one thing that he didn't have many hobbies?
He didn't care anything about acting. He didn't care about trying to get rid of his real heavy Chinese accent.

Didn't he joke that he got the part because he could say "Britt Reid"?
Yeah he could say "Britt Reid." Otherwise he had this heavy, heavy Chinese accent that was very, very hard to understand.

Now he was never much of a partier though . . .
He wasn't here. But I'd heard rumours, which I couldn't believe because he was very into keeping himself in shape and eating the right foods. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke pot, or this that 'n' the other. But I heard rumours that he had got involved with pot smoking, for the pressures and stuff. I didn't know whether that was a fact or not. I just heard that he'd been involved with dope and that it could have been an overdose, but I pooh- poohed that. You know, rumours were flying all over when he died. But when he was here he did not smoke cigaretes. He couldn't stand to be around people who did. He never took a drink that I ever saw. He took himself, phsyically, very, very seriously because that was his whole deal.

Can you remember any funny stories about Bruce, or recall any of his raunchy jokes?
Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again....": The show was costing an absolute fortune. It was costing almost as much for the half hour of the The Green Hornet as a one hour segment of Batman. The special effects, the color, the amount of production that went into it. The cost was draining William Dozier. Everything he was making off Batman was going into The Green Hornet, and it wasn't working. When Dozier demanded and hour slot, and was declined, he took the show off the air. Now another thing that happened that you might want to know is there's a little mystery in it. There was an audit done on the show afterwards and they found that there were double and triple charges being charged to The Green Hornet that were not supposed to be.
What was Bruce like on the set?
He was used to working with people who knew how to give way when those slaps and backhands took effect. The guys working on the Hornet didn't know how to protect themselves. A lot of 'em got kicked in the you know whats. We had to convince Bruce that you could do your wackety-wack over the shoulder and be three feet apart. We also had to slow him down- it was a joke! He would go into a room, and all you'd hear, because of the lighting, was all this yelling and people flying around! We'd replay the scenes later and people would laugh and that really got him upset. He did NOT want to be laughed at.

It really was a case were he was so focues on the one thing that he didn't have many hobbies?
He didn't care anything about acting. He didn't care about trying to get rid of his real heavy Chinese accent.

Didn't he joke that he got the part because he could say "Britt Reid"?
Yeah he could say "Britt Reid." Otherwise he had this heavy, heavy Chinese accent that was very, very hard to understand.

Now he was never much of a partier though . . .
He wasn't here. But I'd heard rumours, which I couldn't believe because he was very into keeping himself in shape and eating the right foods. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke pot, or this that 'n' the other. But I heard rumours that he had got involved with pot smoking, for the pressures and stuff. I didn't know whether that was a fact or not. I just heard that he'd been involved with dope and that it could have been an overdose, but I pooh- poohed that. You know, rumours were flying all over when he died. But when he was here he did not smoke cigaretes. He couldn't stand to be around people who did. He never took a drink that I ever saw. He took himself, phsyically, very, very seriously because that was his whole deal.

Can you remember any funny stories about Bruce, or recall any of his raunchy jokes?
Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again....": He was used to working with people who knew how to give way when those slaps and backhands took effect. The guys working on the Hornet didn't know how to protect themselves. A lot of 'em got kicked in the you know whats. We had to convince Bruce that you could do your wackety-wack over the shoulder and be three feet apart. We also had to slow him down- it was a joke! He would go into a room, and all you'd hear, because of the lighting, was all this yelling and people flying around! We'd replay the scenes later and people would laugh and that really got him upset. He did NOT want to be laughed at.
It really was a case were he was so focues on the one thing that he didn't have many hobbies?
He didn't care anything about acting. He didn't care about trying to get rid of his real heavy Chinese accent.

Didn't he joke that he got the part because he could say "Britt Reid"?
Yeah he could say "Britt Reid." Otherwise he had this heavy, heavy Chinese accent that was very, very hard to understand.

Now he was never much of a partier though . . .
He wasn't here. But I'd heard rumours, which I couldn't believe because he was very into keeping himself in shape and eating the right foods. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke pot, or this that 'n' the other. But I heard rumours that he had got involved with pot smoking, for the pressures and stuff. I didn't know whether that was a fact or not. I just heard that he'd been involved with dope and that it could have been an overdose, but I pooh- poohed that. You know, rumours were flying all over when he died. But when he was here he did not smoke cigaretes. He couldn't stand to be around people who did. He never took a drink that I ever saw. He took himself, phsyically, very, very seriously because that was his whole deal.

Can you remember any funny stories about Bruce, or recall any of his raunchy jokes?
Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again....": He didn't care anything about acting. He didn't care about trying to get rid of his real heavy Chinese accent.
Didn't he joke that he got the part because he could say "Britt Reid"?
Yeah he could say "Britt Reid." Otherwise he had this heavy, heavy Chinese accent that was very, very hard to understand.

Now he was never much of a partier though . . .
He wasn't here. But I'd heard rumours, which I couldn't believe because he was very into keeping himself in shape and eating the right foods. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke pot, or this that 'n' the other. But I heard rumours that he had got involved with pot smoking, for the pressures and stuff. I didn't know whether that was a fact or not. I just heard that he'd been involved with dope and that it could have been an overdose, but I pooh- poohed that. You know, rumours were flying all over when he died. But when he was here he did not smoke cigaretes. He couldn't stand to be around people who did. He never took a drink that I ever saw. He took himself, phsyically, very, very seriously because that was his whole deal.

Can you remember any funny stories about Bruce, or recall any of his raunchy jokes?
Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again....": Yeah he could say "Britt Reid." Otherwise he had this heavy, heavy Chinese accent that was very, very hard to understand.
Now he was never much of a partier though . . .
He wasn't here. But I'd heard rumours, which I couldn't believe because he was very into keeping himself in shape and eating the right foods. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke pot, or this that 'n' the other. But I heard rumours that he had got involved with pot smoking, for the pressures and stuff. I didn't know whether that was a fact or not. I just heard that he'd been involved with dope and that it could have been an overdose, but I pooh- poohed that. You know, rumours were flying all over when he died. But when he was here he did not smoke cigaretes. He couldn't stand to be around people who did. He never took a drink that I ever saw. He took himself, phsyically, very, very seriously because that was his whole deal.

Can you remember any funny stories about Bruce, or recall any of his raunchy jokes?
Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again....": He wasn't here. But I'd heard rumours, which I couldn't believe because he was very into keeping himself in shape and eating the right foods. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke pot, or this that 'n' the other. But I heard rumours that he had got involved with pot smoking, for the pressures and stuff. I didn't know whether that was a fact or not. I just heard that he'd been involved with dope and that it could have been an overdose, but I pooh- poohed that. You know, rumours were flying all over when he died. But when he was here he did not smoke cigaretes. He couldn't stand to be around people who did. He never took a drink that I ever saw. He took himself, phsyically, very, very seriously because that was his whole deal.
Can you remember any funny stories about Bruce, or recall any of his raunchy jokes?
Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again....": Bruce drove everybody nuts around the set doing his Jeet Kune Do. Everybody'd be standing around, and suddenly you'd feel something tick your ear like a bug hit it or something. You'd turn around and realize that Bruce had just jumped in the air, kicked out and hit the lobe of your ear. You knew it was in fun, and he did have a sense of humor, but he was ALWAYS doin' this stuff. He'd tap you on the shoulder-, you'd turn around and all of a sudden he'd kick out at your groin. And of course you'd fold up, fall down, back up into furniture- and he just thought that this was hilarious! Just puttin' everybody to a disadvantage. Then one day he did that and at the same time the guy looked over to his right. Bruce hit him and dislocated his jaw. That ended that party! People were impressed with it at first. But after a while it got to be, "Oh God, he's at it again...."

Bruce's Film Credits

Golden Gate Girl: (1940) Filmed in San Francisco, CA. Bruce was three months old.
The Beginning of a Boy: (1946) Bruce was 6 years old.
The Birth of Mankind: (1946) Bruce was 6 years old. Unicorn was in the movie.
My Son, Ah Cheun: (1946) Bruce was 6 yers old. Chow Shui was also in the movie.
It's Father's Fault
The Orphan: (1958) Bruce's last childhood role in the movie.

Other TV Apearances

KCTS-Channel 9 (Seattle): Bruce appeared on several TV program giving Kung Fu demonstrations.
The Green Hornet: Bruce co-starred in 26 episodes as "Kato". It filmed a two-part crossover episode for Batman.
The Milton Berle Show - (1966 - 1967): The Green Hornet (Van Williams) and Kato (Bruce Lee) guest starred on the show.
Ironside - "Tagged For Murder": Brief appearance in which Bruce plays a Karate instructor.
Blondie - "Pick on a bully your own size": Brief appearance
Here Come The Brides - "Marriage Chinese Style":
Longstreet: 4 episodes

Bruce's Motion Picture Credits

Marlowe (1969)
The Big Boss (1971) (released in the U.S. as Fists of Fury)
Fist of Fury (1971) (released in the U.S. as The Chinese Connection)
Way of The Dragon (1972) (released in the U.S. as Return of the Dragon)
Enter the Dragon (1973)
Game of Death (began in 1972, completed after Bruce died)

Bruce Lee Documentaries and Misc Film Footage

Bruce Lee: The Legend
The Real Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee: Kung-Fu Mania

Books by Bruce Lee

Chinese Gung-Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self-Defense
Tao of Jeet Kune Do (published after Bruce's death, the book was compiled from his varios personal notes)
Wing Chun Kung-Fu

Students and Training Partners of Bruce Lee

Seattle

James DeMile
Sue Ann Kay
Linda Emery

Oakland

Daniel Inosanto
James Yimm Lee
Howard Williams

Los Angeles

Daniel Inosanto - Asst Instructor
Ted Wong
Jerry Poteet
Daniel Lee - schools first student in 1967
Herb Jackson
Chuck Hill
Gary Fineman
Lee Hong
Melvin Kwan
Leo Duffin
Larry Hartsell
Bill Bremer
Mike Cochrane
Robert Lujan
Peter Rosas
Al Wolin

Celebrity Students

Lew Alcindor "Kareem Abdul Jabar"
Steve McQueen
James Coburn
Roman Polanski
Stirling Silliphant
Tom Tannenbaum
Joe Hyams

Private Students

Mike Stone
Chuck Norris
Joe Lewis

Other persons he worked with

Wally Jay
Jhoon Rhee
Bob Wall

Bruce's School/Training Locations

Seattle, Washington: Backyards, Garage, Chinatown Basement location, Ruby Chow's parking lot, University of Washington , Wayne Chan's Pharmacy
Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute - 4750 University Way, Seattle, WA (Taky)
Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute - 628 College Street, Los Angeles, CA (Insonato)

vandamme@uclink4.berkeley.edu

FAQ

What is Jeet Kune Do?

What happened with the Martial Arts movie industry after the death of Bruce Lee?

Why was Bruce Lee so famous, and why is he still thought of as the Master of Chinese Martial Arts?

What aspect(s) of Bruce Lee's character made him so famous?