Bruce Lee

Hong Kong–American martial artist and actor (1940–1973)

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Lived 1940–1973, aged 33United States

United States ActorsActor

Wikipedia
130 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1940–1973
Aged 33
Known for
Game of Death
1978

Summary

Updated 2026-08-31

He turned martial arts into a global film language, then died at 32 before the full wave hit. His five feature roles rewrote how fight scenes moved, what Asian leads could be, and why the West suddenly cared about kung fu.

Biography

About

Born in San Francisco in 1940, raised in Hong Kong by a film-industry father, Lee trained Wing Chun under Ip Man, won a boxing tournament, and fought on rooftops before moving to Seattle in 1959. He opened martial arts schools while studying at the University of Washington, teaching students like Chuck Norris and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after relocating to Los Angeles. American TV gave him Kato in The Green Hornet, but Hong Kong gave him leading roles: The Big Boss and Fist of Fury in 1971–72, then The Way of the Dragon, which he wrote and directed. Enter the Dragon, the American co-production, ar…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee

said1973

A good martial artist does not become tense, but ready. Not thinking, yet not dreaming. Ready for whatever may come.

— Bruce Lee: Enter the Dragon (1973); In a conversation with an older member of the temple.

Bruce Lee

said1973

Don't think, feel....it is like a finger pointing a way to the moon. Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory!

— Bruce Lee: Enter the Dragon (1973); In a training session with one of the temple students.

Bruce Lee

said1972

When I look around, I always learn something: to be always yourself, and to express yourself, to have faith in yourself.

— Radio interview with Ted Thomas (1972)

Bruce Lee

said1971

Nowadays you don't go around on the street kicking people, punching people — because if you do (makes gun shape with hand), well that's it — I don't care how good you are.

— Bruce Lee interview on the Pierre Berton Show (1971)

Bruce Lee

said1971