Dic. of Bruce Lee

 

22. 03.2020

 

 

 

Bruce Lee Biography, "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2015-05-11.

 

 

 

Acrobatic Flips

 

 

 

Bruce Lee could not perform many of the aerial moves that he is famous for in Enter The Dragon, such as the forward flip in the O'Hara fight scene. Instead, stuntmaster YUEN WAH  (1950- ) He became a member of the Seven Little Fortunes along with fellow students including Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Qiu and Corey Yuen He performed these acrobatic moves, because Bruce Lee had never learned how to do.

 

American Citizenship

 

Bruce Lee emigrated to the United States right before he was eighteen so he could claim American citizenship before the option lapsed, which he was able to do because he was born in San Francisco (1940)

 

Bruce Lee spent the majority of his life in Hong Kong not U.S. He initially educated in Hong Kong. He started and finished his career in Hong Kong. Remember, Bruce Lee was introduced into films at a very young age and appeared in several short black-and-white films as a child in Hong Kong. He had his first role as a baby who was carried onto the stage. By the time he was 18, he had appeared in twenty films in Hong Kong.

This is a very important issue, he married an American woman doesn't make him not a Chinese, and he buried in the U.S that was totally down to his wife's decision. You said: he could have returned to Hong Kong and relinquished his American citizenship but he didn't? Who knows? He might have given up his American citizenship when he finally returned to Hong Kong in 1971. The term "Hong Kong people" means Hong Kong permanent residents with Hong Kong Identity Card.

You said: Bruce Lee choose to be an American when he was given the choice as an adult? If that was the case, he wouldn't returned back to Hong Kong in 1971. Remember, Bruce Lee only became world famous after the film "The Big Boss" released in HK , since that time, he didn't move back to US. Certainly, Bruce Lee was Hong Kong permanent resident at the time of his death. Richard Lee 9 (talk) 08:39, 15 August 2009 (UTC)

he had dual citizenship, british and american. parents were british subjects and he was born in the states. legally he is entitled to both. if he renounced either later in life then it is a different story. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.207.22.11 (talk) 02:33, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

 

I repeat again, here.

 

Hong Kong people were not British subjects if they did not apply for it before 1997. Perhaps, there were only very few amount of Hong Kong people had BNO or British passport before 1997. Bruce Lee was definitely not in this situation. Richard Lee 9 (talk) 11:59, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

 

                                                    In America (USA)

 Bruce (Jun Fan) Lee was born in the hour of the Dragon, between 6 and 8 a.m., in the year of the Dragon on November 27, 1940 at the Jackson Street Hospital in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Bruce was the fourth child born to Lee Hoi Chuen (1901-1965) ( and his wife Grace Ho (1907-1996). He had two older sisters, Phoebe (1938- ) and Agnes (, an older brother, Peter (1939-2008), and a younger brother, Robert (1948- ). Bruce’s parents gave him the name “Jun Fan.” The English name, BRUCE, was given to the baby boy by a nurse in the Jackson Street Hospital although he was never to use this name until he entered secondary school and began his study of the English language https://brucelee.com/bruce-lee

 

 

 

Back Pain

 

He started to have severe back pain in the months before him and his family were to move to LA, and before the shooting of The Green Hornet. The back pain would be an on and off again issue for the rest of his life.

 

 

 

 

 

Boxing

 

 

 

Boxing is a combat sport and blood sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves, throw punches at each other for a predetermined amount of time in a boxing ring.

 

What Exactly Is Boxing?

 

 

 

Boxing is a sport that has been around for thousands of years, becoming an official Olympic event in 688 B.C. There is even evidence of boxing occurring in ancient Egypt. Modern day sport boxing involves two athletes punching each other with padded gloves, trying to knock their opponent down and out. These fights usually last three to twelve rounds, with each round usually lasting three minutes.

 

 

 

The fans' top 5 greatest boxers of all time

 

 

 

    Muhammad Ali. The Greatest was not only one of the best heavyweights of all time, he was also one of the most colorful. ...

 

    Sugar Ray Robinson. Robinson was 85-0 as an amateur with 69 of those victories coming by way of knockout, 40 in the first round. ...

 

    Rocky Marciano. ...

 

    Joe Louis. ...

 

    Mike Tyson.

 

 

 

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Cars

 

Mercedes Benz SL

 

16. Red Mercedes Benz AX6521 ------ Both Bruce and Betty like owning sporty cars as well as driving fast cars. One day, Bruce was startled to see a new ‘S’ series gold Mercedes Benz parked right outside GH studio. He was keen to know from Raymond Chow who was the car owner with such great taste. Betty appeared in front of him abruptly. She told him she had just bought this new car and asked if he was interested to try it. Bruce snatched the car keys and straight away drove off for a spin with Betty and Raymond. Half way through the spin, he stopped the car by the roadside. Bruce said he was thirsty and Raymond volunteered to get some drinks from a convenient store. Immediately after Raymond got down from the car, Bruce drove off with Betty. 3 days later, Bruce bought a new ‘S’ series red Mercedes Benz AX6521. Both his red Benz and Betty’s gold Benz parked side by side outside the GH studio. They became the center of attention from all the passersby. Although Betty bought the ‘S’ series slightly earlier but her car license was registered later than Bruce. Thus, Bruce became the first person to officially owned that new series in HK.

 

 

 

Contact lenses

 

Bruce suffered from near-sightedness, which explains why he favoured Wing Chun's contact-centered movement as it allowed him to rely more on touch than sight. He was also one of the first people to have used contact lenses, but because they were uncomfortable, he discontinued the usage.

 

Dishwasher

 

Lee left Hong Kong for Seattle and found work in the restaurant of a family friend. Lee worked as a dishwasher and even lived above the restaurant while finishing high school.

 

Driving

 

 Many of Bruce’s American friends have said in interviews in the past that Bruce Lee wasn’t a ‘gifted driver’ and would occasionally ask his buddy Steve Golden to drive for him! This may have been due to the next fact…Whether it was a phobia of driving or never getting enough time to practice, the possibilities are numerous but Lee’s poor eyesight has been frequently cited as the reason why he was not a good driver.

 

 

 

 

 

Equagesic

 

Equagesic was discontinued in the United States, possibly because of its toxic profile and more adequate drugs available. Specifically, meprobamate is more toxic than benzodiazepines, which are also useful as a muscle relaxant.

 

 

London: Among mysterious celebrity deaths, it is up there with JFK and Elvis. But the myth of Bruce Lee's demise in Hong Kong in 1973 may finally have been solved. ``The death of Bruce Lee, coming at such a young age and in the peak of physical fitness, has given rise to much speculation,'' said James Filkins, at Cook County medical examiner's office in Chicago. ``Almost as soon as Lee died rumours began to surface.'' The official cause of Lee's death was recorded in the autopsy report as cerebral oedema, or brain swelling. This was supposedly due to his hypersensitivity to a painkiller called equigesic that he had taken that day. But further research suggests the kung fu idol may have died from an epileptic condition first recognised more than 20 years after his death. The theories began on July 20 the day he died when he had been planning to meet his producer, Raymond Chow, and the Australian actor George Lazenby, of James Bond fame, to try to persuade Mr. Lazenby to appear in his new film, Game of Death. He never made it to dinner.

 

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

 

 

https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/vault/best-of/7-things-didnt-know-bruce-lee/2

 

Guns

 

His third student in America, Skip Ellsworth, along with LeRoy Garcia, taught Bruce how to shoot pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns. And how to drive.

 

“I loaned Bruce one of my own guns, a very small ‘antique’ Colt .25 Caliber semi-automatic pistol with black handle-grips,” said Ellsworth. “He carried that piece for at least a couple of years.”

 

Lee’s friend and student Jesse Glover confirms that he was a crack shot. Lee related his belief in handguns during a 1968 interview on on the Pierre Berton Show in 1971.

 

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

 

This scene from Enter the Dragon reflects his attitude towards firearms.

 

.367 Magnum

 

Despite the fact that he was the most lethal fighter, he still carried a .367 Magnum in his holster for safety. Fearing for your life is common, if you have people wanting to fight you, just to prove themselves!

 

 

 

Hong Kong Home

 

?????????

 

Bruce Lee lived in Hong Kong as a child before returning to the United States, where he was born, at the age of 18. He taught martial arts and starred in many films, rising to global stardom.

 

Lee moved to Hong Kong from the United States in 1971 to further his career, and lived in the townhouse with his wife and two children. After his sudden death two years later, his family left the British territory and a local businessman bought the property. 41 Cumberland Road is the address of Bruce Lee's former home in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, where he spent his last year with his family. The place was affectionately known as "the Crane's Nest".

 

It is located in Kowloon City District.[3]

 

The building was eventually turned into a “love hotel” before the owner said in 2010 that he wanted to donate the place to host a Bruce Lee museum, Inkstone reported. However, the project fell through when the owner and government failed to agree on a redevelopment plan.

 

After the millionaire died in 2015, his trust decided repairs would cost too much, so it decided on the construction of a new center for the teaching of Chinese music and Mandarin language classes to children, Inkstone reported.

 

He spent his last years with his family in the Kowloon Tong mansion before his sudden death on July 20, 1973, at the age of 32.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hospitals

 

doctors:

 

https://jeracgallero.wordpress.com/tag/hong-kong-baptist-hospital/

 

 

 

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76716456@N06/9468059174

 

 

 

, Where Bruce Lee was certified died 伊利沙伯醫院

 

 

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Where Bruce Lee was certified died 伊利沙伯醫院

 

Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) was opened in 1963.

 

On 10 May 1973, Lee collapsed in Golden Harvest studios in Hong Kong while doing dubbing work for the movie Enter the Dragon. Suffering from seizures and headaches, he was immediately rushed to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital for treatment.

 

On 20 July 1973, Lee had dinner with James Bond star George Lazenby. According to Lee's wife Linda, Lee met producer Raymond Chow at 2 pm at home to discuss the making of the film Game of Death. They worked until 4 pm and then drove together to the home of Lee's colleague Betty Ting Pei, a Taiwanese actress. The three went over the script at Ting's home, and then Chow left to attend a dinner meeting.

 

Later Lee complained of a headache, and Ting gave him an analgesic (painkiller), Equagesic, which contained both aspirin and the muscle relaxant meprobamate. Around 7:30 pm, he went to lie down for a nap. When Lee did not turn up for dinner, Chow came to the apartment but could not wake Lee up. A doctor was summoned, who spent ten minutes attempting to revive him before sending him by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Lee was dead by the time he reached the hospital.

 

There was no visible external injury; however, according to autopsy reports, his brain had swollen considerably, from 1,400 to 1,575 grams (a 13% increase). Lee was 32 years old. The only substance found during the autopsy was Equagesic. On 15 October 2005, Chow stated in an interview that Lee died from an allergic reaction to the muscle relaxant (meprobamate) in Equagesic, which he described as a common ingredient in painkillers. When the doctors announced Lee's death officially, it was ruled a "death by misadventure".

 

Don Langford, Lee's personal physician in Hong Kong, had treated Lee during his first collapse. Controversy erupted when he stated, "Equagesic was not at all involved in Bruce's first collapse".

 

Donald Teare, a forensic scientist recommended by Scotland Yard who had overseen over 1,000 autopsies, was assigned to the Lee case. His conclusion was "death by misadventure" caused by an acute cerebral edema due to a reaction to compounds present in the combination medication Equagesic.

 

Hong Kong Baptist Hospital

 

On May 10, 1973, Lee collapsed in Golden Harvest studios in Hong Kong while doing dubbing work for the movie Enter the Dragon. Suffering from seizures and headaches, he was immediately rushed to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital where doctors diagnosed cerebral edema. They were able to reduce the swelling through the administration of mannitol. These same symptoms that occurred in his first collapse were later repeated on the day of his death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are films of him sparring and training, those are the best filmed representation of his actual fighting prowess and what sort of techniques he tended to use (Not a whole lot really, he was more about stripping things down than collecting techniques.) and some Judo-like throws are used but he also was into wrestling, there are throws in many Gung Fu styles and Judo has no monopoly on throws.

I do think he was also friends with Haward Nishoika and Wally Jay, so between Gene LeBell, them and maybe where ever that clip was from, he was worthy of a shodan? Maybe he beat a few shodans in Randori at that dojo and they gave it to him? Even if not a shodan his atributes and skills would make him a handfull and can help him to victory if his skils work in the ruleset.

 CK's sexcellent points leave out that in some elements of Lee's screen fights, he wanted less than optimal teachnique sometimes as that's what happens in fights. You see him do it with some punches and kicks as well.

Was a huge fan of his growing up and then I read about (and read) Draeger and other impressive people who also walked that path became more apparent.

Lee deserves a place in the story for sure though

 

http://judo.forumotion.com/t883-bruce-lee-was-he-a-black-belt-in-judo

 

http://www.martialtalk.com/threads/bruce-lee-possible-judo-background.127444

 

 

 

 

Kung Fu

 

We all know about "Kung Fu"—the cult '70s TV series about Kwai Chang Caine, a kung fu master who 'walked the earth' in the old American West. What a lot of people don't know, however, is that Bruce Lee was considered for the lead role. Unfortunately, even though Caine was an Asian character, the studios weren't willing to take a risk on an Asian male lead. So, the role of Caine went to a white man, David Carradine.

 

In her memoirs, Bruce Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, asserts that Lee created the concept for the series, which was then stolen by Warner Bros. There is circumstantial evidence for this in a December 8, 1971, television interview that Bruce Lee gave on The Pierre Berton Show. In the interview, Lee stated that he had developed a concept for a television series called The Warrior, meant to star himself, about a martial artist in the American Old West (the same concept as Kung Fu, which aired the following year), but that he was having trouble pitching it to Warner Brothers and Paramount.

 

 

 

Kung Fu

 

Martial art

 

In 1964, Bruce began teaching martial arts in California. Up until this point, kung fu had been a closely guarded secret taught only to Chinese. Bruce, however, thought this should be shared with others. For these reasons, Bruce took on Caucasian and black students.

 

 

 

    Library

 

    of Bruce Lee

 

 

 

    Bruce Lee’s Reading List

 

    https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-libraries-of-famous-men-bruce-lee/

 

    While Bruce’s library contained thousands of volumes, they were primarily centered in a handful of genres: philosophy (the vast majority), martial arts (and other fighting disciplines), and

 

    self-help. Below is but a sampling of Bruce’s favorite authors and most interesting titles.

 

    Bruce As a youngster, he earned a nickname which translates to “never sits still.” And yet there was one thing that could calm him down and hold his attention for

 

    hours on end: comic books (especially of the kung-fu variety). From there, he graduated into reading Chinese wuxia — what calls “sword-and-sorcery martial arts novels.”

 

    His spare time was consumed with reading and frequenting bookstores — before kung fu took hold of his life, he even dreamed of

 

    owning a used bookstore himself. Even though he had a great relationship with books, he was a pretty terrible student at school. Polly notes he was “a particularly poor student, one of the worst

 

    in his class,” even getting expelled once. Like many notable men throughout history, an aptitude for reading did not mean an excellence or even an interest in compulsory

 

    schooling.

 

    It was during college — as is the case for many of us — that Lee’s mind was opened up to new ideas

 

    and subjects. Even though he didn’t graduate, Lee took classes in philosophy and psychology that particularly piqued his interests (neither of those were his major — which was drama — but he

 

    interestingly later claimed that he studied philosophy in school). He would not only read, but copiously take notes, add neat underlining (sometimes even using a ruler) and marginalia, and

 

    transcribe his favorite passages into notebooks. He was not a mere consumer of texts, but actively engaged and wrestled with new ideas,

 

After college, reading became part of his regular daily routine. He never held a true 9-5 job, so his days were pretty free to be whatever he made them. In the mornings, he’d work out, running and doing a certain number of kicks, jabs, punches, etc. The afternoons were reserved for either reading or making social calls. And in the evening, he’d spend time with his family, lift weights a few times a week, or continue his reading. He cultivated both mind and body, every single day.

 

While he read broadly his whole life, there were periods of time where he dove deeply into a single topic, looking to achieve mastery, gain inspiration, and come up with new ideas. When developing his signature kung fu style — called jeet kune do — he devoured not only martial arts titles, but also hoards of fencing and boxing theory, combining ideas from multiple disciplines. Like all innovations, his kung fu was not born spontaneously from his head, but through an amalgamation of ideas from the course of physical exercise and self-defense history.

 

NUNCHAKU

 

It is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks connected at one end by a short chain or rope. The two sections of the weapon are commonly made out of wood, while the link is a cord or a metal chain. The nunchaku is most widely used in martial arts such as Okinawan kobudo and karate styles and is used as a training weapon, since it allows the development of quicker hand movements and improves posture. Modern-day nunchaku can be made from metal, wood, plastic.

 

The exact origin of nunchaku is unclear. Allegedly adapted by Okinawan farmers from a non-weapon implement for threshing rice, it was not a historically popular weapon because it was ineffective against the most widely used weapons of that time such as samurai swords and few historical techniques for its use still survive.

 

"Fist of Fury introduced several elements that became inseparable from Bruce Lee's iconic image.  It was the first time he demonstgrated the NUNCHAKU, the weapon the press would refer to as "Bruce Lee's singing rods of death." BRUCE LEE a life by Matthew Polly P. 348

 

 

 

For Reading

 

• Donn F. Draeger & Rober W. Smith (1969). Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts. ISBN 978-0-87011-436-6.

 

 

 

 

 

.367 Magnum

 

Despite the fact that he was the most lethal fighter, he still carried a .367 Magnum in his holster for safety. Fearing for your life is common, if you have people wanting to fight you, just to prove themselves!

 

U.S. Army

 

Bruce  Lee trained rigorously in several different martial arts and was rumored to have several real altercations in Hong Kong. In 1963, prior to the 22-year-old Lee finding fame on The Green Hornet series, he was called in by the U.S. Army for a physical. Doctors refused him entry based on poor eyesight, a sinus disorder, and the fact that one of his testicles was undescended. While he missed out on the opportunity to utilize his martial arts training in battle, the public certainly gained from more epic shows and movies added to his riveting repertoire during the war.

 

Poet

 

Lee had a penchant for poetry. Excerpts of his poetic genius made it to his book, which was titled "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do". A master at the word game, indeed!

 

 

 

Rolls Royce

 

Bruce Lee ordered a gold Rolls Royce Corniche in anticipation of the success of Enter the Dragon, but he would die before the release of the film and the arrival of the car.

 

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/bruceleelivestributeforum/bruce-lee-s-33-untold-trivia-by-betty-ting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seattle

 

Bruce Lee opened the first of his kung fu schools in Seattle. It was in one of his classes there that he met his wife, Linda, and they married a year later. After his death in 1973, the Lee family chose Seattle as his final resting place, as it was where Linda believed they had been happiest. There are plans to open a museum in his honor ther

 

 

 

                                              Sweat Glands

 

 

Bruce Lee brought an impeccable physique to the screen that was decades ahead of its time. But because his roles required so much physicality, he would be drenched with sweat while filming. And apparently, the martial arts pioneer loathed the sweat stains that would show up on his clothing as a result. His solution? In 1973, Lee actually underwent a procedure to surgically remove the sweat glands from his armpits to avoid the fashion faux pas from showing up on camera.

 

 

 

Swimming

 

When Bruce was young, he pushed his sister Phoebe (1937 -) into a swimming pool as a joke, and she responded by holding his head under water until he promised never to do it again. From then on, he nevBruce Lee was much afraid and never went into a swimming pool after his childhood. It was because of an unfavorable accident that occurred when he was very young. At the age of 16, Bruce pushed his sister into a swimming pool as a joke, and she sunk his head underwater until he promised not to do this again. From then on, he acquired Aquaphobia and was afraid to go into the swimming pool again.er went into a swimming pool again. He absolutely loathed water and couldn't swim at all.

 

 

 

 

 

Tao of Jeet Kune Do”

 

The “Tao of Jeet Kune Do” was written at a frustrating time in Lee’s life. Lee spent his time writing this book, which expands upon the philosophy behind Jeet Kune Do. Though Lee’s life and career would be the subject of numerous works, this is the only book he would author entirely by himself. Lee wrote most of “The Tao of Gung Fu” before his death, but it was published in collaboration with martial artist John Little after he died. It  is a book expressing Bruce Lee's martial arts philosophy and viewpoints, published posthumously (after Bruce Lee's death in 1973). The project for this book began in 1970 when Bruce Lee suffered a back injury during one of his practice sessions. During this time he could not train in martial arts. He was ordered by his doctors to wear a back brace for 6 months in order to recover from his injury. This was a very tiring and dispiriting time for Lee who was always very physically active.

 

For Reading

 

Lee, Linda (1975). Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Ohara Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-89750-048-2.

 

 

 

U.S. Army

 

Bruce  Lee trained rigorously in several different martial arts and was rumored to have several real altercations in Hong Kong. In 1963, prior to the 22-year-old Lee finding fame on The Green Hornet series, he was called in by the U.S. Army for a physical. Doctors refused him entry based on poor eyesight, a sinus disorder, and the fact that one of his testicles was undescended. While he missed out on the opportunity to utilize his martial arts training in battle, the public certainly gained from more epic shows and movies added to his riveting repertoire during the war.

 

 

 

One more publishing note: Though “kung fu” is a common spelling for the discipline in the U.S., Lee himself spelled it “gung fu” — hence the spelling in the book’s title.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who is Who in the Life of Bruce Lee

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

Pierre Berton (1920-2004) ??????

 

Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton (1920 –2004) was a noted Canadian author of non-fiction, especially Canadiana and Canadian history, and was a television personality and journalist. He won many honours and awards for his books.

 

Bruce Lee: The Lost Interview is the name given to the 9 December 1971 edition of The Pierre Berton Show, which featured actor Bruce Lee in his only English speaking television interview.Its title is derived from its status; it was presumed lost for several years until its rediscovery and airing on 2 November 1994. Over the course of the interview, which was filmed in Hong Kong, Bruce Lee and Pierre Berton discuss Lee's career, various aspects of martial arts philosophy and the inherent problems faced by an Asian in pursuing stardom in Hollywood . A review of the interview by Bill Stockey claims that Bruce Lee's "human side is exposed and he is portrayed as more approachable"

 

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk1lzkH-e4U

 

·         Chan, B. (2013). Live Show to Mark 40th Year of Bruce Lee’s Death. Retrieved from http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20130421-417463.html

 

·         Stockey, Bill. “Video Reviews — Bruce Lee: The Lost Interviews with Pierre Burton.” Library Journal, Vol.121(6), 1996, pp.132. EBSCOHost.

 

Hawkins Cheung (1940-2019)

 

He was a top student of IP MAN  classmate of Bruce Lee’s at St. Francis Xavier in Hong Kong.  He was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Kowloon. Hawkins was drawn to martial arts given his small size, he easily became angry and was full of youthful energy. At the Francis Xavier Intermediate School in Hong Kong he first met and befriended Bruce Lee, who had recently been expelled from the much more prestigious LaSalle School. Mr Cheung was either 13 or 14 when he began to study Wing Chun kung Fu with Ip Man, sometime around 1954. Interestingly, he was at first unaware when his friend Bruce also began to study with the same teacher, probably because the two were attending class at different times. Hawkins continued to study with Ip Man until 1959 when he went to college. After finishing college Cheung returned to Hong Kong in 1962. He continued to study with Ip Man until the time of his death in 1972. In total, it appears that Hawkins Cheung enjoyed about 15 years of study as Ip Man’s student, both before and after college. While many individuals trained with Ip Man, due to retention problems and Ip Man’s many moves, relatively few students could claim such long periods of continuous training. To help promote the art of Wing Chun Hawkins Cheung immigrated to the United States in the late 1970s, a few years after Ip Man’s death. He set up a series of successful schools in Los Angeles and introduced countless students to Ip Man’s art. Around 1980 he was running a school with Dan Inosanto in Culver City, Los Angeles. In 1989, Hawkins Cheung closed the Ventura Blvd. School, and opened his final location a few miles away. This third school ran until 2014.
In his later years, he was recognized as the most senior Ip Man Wing Chun instructor in the U.S., as well as one of the top practitioners in the world. However the world really only knows him for testing and proving his practical Wing Chun skills on the streets in Hong Kong, alongside Bruce Lee and Wong Shun-Leung in the 1950s. Nevertheless, he also held a third degree black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate. Throughout his career, Sifu Cheung instructed many students from various law enforcement agencies, including the F.B.I., as well as members of some elite U.S. military special ops-capable units, such as the Marine Corps’ Force Recon. In addition, he has been featured in many martial arts publications, including Black Belt, Inside Kung Fu and Martial Arts Illustrated. In addition, he has prepared and trained actors within the entertainment industry for action roles in motion pictures, both in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Cheung was also something of an early adopter in the area of film and video recording and established a YouTube Channel in 2013 He will be remembered as “Bruce Lee’s friend,” and something that he was proud of. Also how he influenced and perpetuated the Wing Chun legacy and the part he played in its evolution in the west as it moved onto the world stage.

 

 Source: https://www.worldofmartialarts.tv/bruce-lees-wing-chun-friend-has-died/

 

Just before CNY on February 4 2019, we heard the sad news of the passing of GGM Hawkins Cheung, He was one of Yip Man’s original students and a good friend of Bruce Lee.  GGM Hawkins Cheung was also the teacher and close friend of our Grandmaster Sigung Robert Chu.
He was born in Hong Kong in 1940 and grew up in a rather affluent family. Hong Kong at that time was poor and underdeveloped society. He started learning Wing Chun under Yip Man in 1954 at the age of 13-14 years. There he met his old High School friend Bruce Lee. They remained close friends and kept in touch with Bruce till his unexpected passing in 1973.  After High School, GGM Cheung went to Australia to attend college. He returned to Hong Kong in 1962 to continue his training under Yip Man till his death in 1972.

 

In the late ’70s, he immigrated to California, the USA where he continued to teach his style of Wing Chun until his recent passing. GGM Cheung was a lifetime martial arts devote, besides his passion for Wing Chun he also was also a 3rd dan Go-ju Karate and a Wu Style Tai Chi master. He was one of the original Yip Man students and lived, trained during that illustrious period in Hong Kong when Wing Chun spread to the rest of the world. The Wing Chun community as a whole will surely miss this great martial artist

 

 Source :https://wingchunsingapore.sg/2019/02/ggm-hawkins-cheung-r-i-p/

 

Hawkins Cheung Inside Kung Fu Interview About Bruce Lee (1991)https://www.usadojo.com/hawkins-cheung-inside-kung-fu-interview-about-bruce-l

 

This is an interview of Hawkins Cheung by Robert Chu and published Inside Kung-Fu magazine in November 1991.

 

William Cheung (1940-)

 

Grandmaster William Cheung Talks About Master Bruce Lee

 

December 15, 2017 by Lak Loi

 

https://www.jkdlondon.com/grandmaster-william-cheung-talks-about-master-bruce-lee/

 

 

 

http://www.cheungswingchun.com/g/10410/bruce-lee-william-cheung---the-early-years.html

 

 

 

Writings

 

·  Cheung, William (1983). Wing Chun Bil Jee, the Deadly Art of Thrusting Fingers. Unique Publications. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-86568-045-6.

 

·  Cheung, William (1986). Kung Fu: Butterfly Swords. Ohara Publications Inc. pp. 223. ISBN 0-89750-125-X

 

·  Cheung, William; Mike Lee (1986). How to Develop Chi Power. Black Belt Communications. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-89750-110-1.

 

·  Cheung, William; Mike Lee (1989). Kung Fu Dragon Pole. Black Belt Communications. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-89750-107-1.

 

·  Cheung, William; Mike Lee (1988). Advanced Wing Chun. Black Belt Communications. p. 256. ISBN 978-0-89750-118-7.

 

·  Cheung, William; Ted Wong (1990). Wing Chun Kung Fu/Jeet Kune Do: a Comparison Volume 1. Black Belt Communications. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-89750-124-8.

 

·  Cheung, William (1989). My Life with Wing Chun (second edition). pp. 192.

 

·  Cheung, William (2007). Wing Chun: Advanced Training and Applications. Black Belt Communications LLC. pp. 175. ISBN 0-89750-157-8. ISBN 978-0-89750-157-6

 

 

 

 

 

James Coburn (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American actor. He featured in more than 70 films, largely action roles, and made 100 television appearances during a 45-year career, ultimately winning an Academy Award in 1999 for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.

 

A capable, rough-hewn leading man, his toothy grin and lanky physique made him a perfect tough guy in numerous leading and supporting roles in westerns and action films.

 

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Coburn cultivated an image synonymous with “cool” and, along with such contemporaries as Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen, and Charles Bronson, became one of the prominent “tough-guy” actors of his day.Born August 31, 1928, in Laurel, NE; died from a heart attack, November 18, 2002, in Beverly Hills, CA. Actor. James Coburn appeared in more than 80 films throughout his career. He was most often recognized for his gritty, masculine roles in films like The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, and Major Dundee. His popularity waned in the 1970s, and in the 1980s he was sidelined by rheumatoid arthritis. Overcoming the crippling effects of arthritis, Coburn made a comeback in the 1990s, eventually earning an Academy Award for his performance in Affliction.

 

Coburn grew up in Compton, California, where his family had moved after leaving Laurel, Nebraska. His first acting role came early, when he was four years old, playing Herod in a school play. In his teens, he worked in a movie theater performing various roles from janitor to ticket taker. From those inauspicious beginnings, he went on to study acting at Los Angeles City College and the University of Southern California. In the early 1950s, Coburn served in the military. Stationed in Texas, he worked as a public information officer.

 

In 1955, Coburn finished his military duty and promptly moved to New York where he studied acting with master teacher Stella Adler. His experience there included stage plays and appearances in episodes of the dramatic television series Studio One and General Electric Theatre. After a few years in New York, Coburn returned to Los Angeles where he continued to work in television. He had roles on Wagon Train, The Rifleman, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

 

In 1959, Coburn made his film debut in Ride Lonesome. This taut, well–written, B–Western has earned a reputation as one of the best examples of the genre. Coburn turned in a memorable performance as Whit, a dim–witted outlaw seeking a pardon by helping to turn in a fugitive. That same year he had another supporting role in the minor Western Face of a Fugitive.

 

In 1960, Coburn became a star with his role in the classic Western directed by John Sturges, The Magnificent Seven. Appearing onscreen with superstars Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen, Coburn held his own as Britt, a knife–wielding mercenary. Even though he had only a few lines, Coburn exuded a cool menace as one of the seven men hired to protect a village from outlaws. Coburn went on to play roles in several other films directed by Sturges, including the World War II epic The Great Escape.

 

In 1966, Coburn starred in Our Man Flint, a satirical spoof of James Bond films. As the epitome of the suave super agent, Coburn used his lanky good looks, toothy grin, and baritone voice to play the ultra–cool Derek Flint. The film was wildly successful and was followed by a less successful sequel, In Like Flint. E! Online wrote of the film, "It was Coburn's greatest hit, made him a full–blown pop–culture icon and proved that he could do funny as well as menace."

 

Coburn's career began to wane during the 1970s, although he continued to appear in films throughout the decade. In 1971, he played explosives expert Sean Mallory in Sergio Leone's action film set in Mexico, A Fistful of Dynamite. In 1973, he portrayed the outlaw–turned–sheriff Pat Garrett in Sam Peckinpah's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. As the decade progressed, Coburn was appearing in smaller roles in less important films so he tried his hand at directing and writing. In 1974, he directed episodes of The Rockford Files, the popular crime drama starring James Garner. He co–wrote the story for Circle of Iron with his friend, martial–arts expert Bruce Lee.

 

The onset of rheumatoid arthritis in the early 1980s almost sidelined Coburn. He continued to appear in movies and on television, but the crippling effects of the arthritis limited his roles to those in which he moved very little. He supplemented his income with voice work and appearances in commercials. Coburn, who had indulged a lifelong interest in eastern religions, yoga, and meditation, turned to alternative therapies to relieve his arthritis. Although his right hand was crippled, Coburn eventually conquered his arthritis through a combination of sulphur pills, diet, and exercise.

 

With his arthritis under control, Coburn made his comeback in the 1990s as a character actor. He appeared in Young Guns II, Hudson Hawk, Sister Act 2, and Maverick. He also made appearances on television. Even though he was working regularly, many of the roles were small and did not use Coburn to his fullest potential. The film Affliction, in which Coburn had a supporting role as Nick Nolte's alcoholic father, gave Coburn a chance to shine. He earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1998 for his portrayal of Glen Whitehouse, a verbally and physically abusive man.

 

In the 2000s, Coburn continued to work hard. He made notable appearances on television and in film. He appeared in dramas such as Proximity, The Man from Elysian Fields, and his final film, released after his death, The American Gun. He was the voice of Henry J. Waternoose, III, in the successful computer–animated film Monsters, Inc. Continuing to show his less serious side, he also appeared in the 2002 comedy Snow Dogs.

 

Coburn married Beverly Kelly in 1959; they divorced in 1979. He married Paula Murad in 1993. Coburn died on November 18, 2002, of a heart attack while listening to music at home; he was 74. He is survived by his wife; his son, James; step-daughter, Lisa; and two grandchildren. His long career in acting took him from dramatic Westerns to comedic spoofs, and throughout it all he made it look easy. His manager Hillard Elkins told CNN.com , "He was a guy who looked like he was casual, but he studied and he worked and he understood character."

 

Sources:

 

CNN.com , http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/18/obit.coburn.ap/index.html (November 19, 2002); E! Online, http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,10862,00.html?eol.tkr (November 20, 2002); New York Times, November 20, 2002, p. A21; People, December 12, 2002, p. 70; Times (London), http://www.timesonline.co.uk (November 20, 2002).

 

— Eve M. B. Hermann

 

Read more: https://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2004-A-Di/Coburn-James.html#ixzz5q9MFfhnr

 

 

 

 

 

Find out more*

 

• IMDb.com
• Wikipedia

 

20th Century Highlights

 

• The Magnificent Seven (1960), “Britt”
• Hell is for Heroes (1962), “Cpl. Frank Henshaw”
• The Great Escape (1963), “Fg. Off. Louis Sedgwick, ‘The Manufacturer'”
• Charade (1963), “Tex Panthollow”
• The Americanization of Emily (1964), “Lt. Cmdr. Paul ‘Bus’ Cummings”
• Major Dundee (1965), “Samuel Potts”
• A High Wind in Jamaica (1965), “Zac”
• Our Man Flint (1966), “Derek Flint”
• What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966), “Lt Christian”
• Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966), “Eli Kotch”
• In Like Flint (1967), “Derek Flint”
• The President’s Analyst (1967), “Dr. Sidney Schaefer”
• Duck, You Sucker!, aka A Fistful of Dynamite (US) (1971), “John H. Mallory!
• Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Pat Garrett
• Hard Times, aka The Streetfighter (UK) (1975), “Speed”
• Sky Riders (1976), “Jim McCabe”
• The Last Hard Men (1976), “Zach Provo”
• Midway, aka Battle of Midway (UK) (1976), “Capt. Vinton Maddox”
• Cross of Iron (1977), “Sgt Rolf Steiner”
• The Dain Curse (TV, 1978), “Hamilton Nash”
• Firepower (1979), “Fanon”
• Goldengirl (1979), “Jack Dryden”
• The Baltimore Bullet (1980), “Nick Casey”
• Loving Couples (1980), “Dr. Walter Kirby”
• Affliction (1997), “Glen Whitehouse”

 

Source of information, pictures etc is Wikipedia* unless stated otherwise

 

 HASHIMOTO CHIKARA ,(はしもと りき Hashimoto Riki),  1933 –  2017, also known as Riki Hashimoto (はしもと りき Hashimoto Riki), was a Japanese professional baseball player (1953-1958) and actor as Hiroshi Suzuki in the 1972 Bruce Lee movie Fist of Fury. The sto itself made fools of the Japanese. Hashimoto continued acting into the early 1970's, and became perhaps most well-known for his role as Hiroshi Suzuki in the 1972 film Fist of Fury, starring Bruce Lee.

 

Despite the film having Japanese antagonists, the film was a success when it released in Japan on 20 July 1974, becoming the year's seventh highest-grossing film with ¥600 million (US$5.43 million) in distribution income

Hashimoto played baseball for Mainichi Orions from 1953. He was forced to retire in 1958 following an injury, and then joined Deiei Studios. As an actor, he is known for his roles as Daimajin in the 1960s film.

 

Selected Filmography

 

• Daimajin (1966) as Daimajin
• Return of Daimajin (1966) as Daimajin
• Daimajin Strikes Again (1966) as Daimajin
• Gamera vs. Viras (1968) as Doctor A
• Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare (1968) as Daimon
• Fist of Fury: 1972 as Hiroshi Susuki

 

 

 

 

 

Taky Kimura (b. 1924) is a Japanese American martial artist who is and he was one of only three individuals personally certified as an instructor in Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee, along with Dan Inosanto and James Yimm Lee. Taky Kimura was best man at Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell’s wedding and sadly, one of eight pallbearers carrying Bruce Lee’s casket as Lee’s funeral. The other pallbearers were Dan Inosanto, Steve McQueen, Chuck Norris, James Coburn, George Lazenby, Ray Chin and Bruce’s brother, Robert Lee.He was one of Bruce Lee's top students and closest friends - and a certified instructor in Jun Fan Gung Fu, personally certified by Bruce Lee himself

 

 

 

In his mid-thirties, during the year 1959, Kimura met a young, rising 18-year-old martial arts genius named Bruce Lee. Kimura joined Bruce's early kung-fu club where Lee taught Jun Fan Gung Fu, literally translating to Bruce Lee's Kung Fu and his version of Wing Chun, Kimura became Bruce Lee's student, assistant and at that time, his "best friend." Together, they practiced, sparred, trained, and then founded Bruce Lee's first kung fu club (the Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute) renting a small basement room with a half door entry from 8th Street in Seattle’s Chinatown, where he became Lee's first Assistant Instructor.[5] Because of Kimura's strong friendship with Bruce Lee and due to his dedicated study of Jun Fan Gung Fu, and the philosophy behind martial arts in general, Kimura was able to turn his life around.

 

 

 

Kimura was also the best man to Bruce Lee at Bruce's wedding to Linda Emery. Kimura is one of only three individuals to be personally certified by Bruce Lee to teach his martial arts, which include Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jeet Kune Do. The other two are Dan Inosanto and James Yimm Lee (no relation to Bruce Lee).

 

 

 

After Bruce Lee's death on July 20, 1973, Kimura was also one of eight pallbearers at his funeral, the other seven being: Dan Inosanto, Steve McQueen, Chuck Norris, James Coburn, George Lazenby, Ray Chin and Robert Lee, Bruce's brother.

 

 

 

Kimura currently holds a 7th rank [6]in Jun Fan Gung Fu. After Kimura was certified, he was allowed to teach small classes under the mantra of "keep the numbers low, but the quality high".

 

Kimura appeared as an actor in Bruce Lee's final film, Game of Death (1973). Kimura was initially asked by Lee to play the role of the "Guardian of the Second Floor," a master of the Praying mantis kung fu style. However, the footage shot was never used in the final version(s) of the film, which became notoriously recut and re-edited after Lee's passing in 1973.

 

 

 

Kimura appears as himself in a number of documentaries, including Mellissa Tong's Taky Kimura: The Dragon's Legacy (2000), also produced by Quentin Lee.

 

 

 

Documentaries Kimura appears in also include: How Bruce Lee Changed the World (2009), Bruce Lee in G.O.D.: Shibôteki yûgi (2000), Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey (1999), The Path of the Dragon (1998) (short documentary), The Life of Bruce Lee (1994), The Curse of the Dragon (1993), Bruce Lee, the Legend (1977) and Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend (1973).

 

 

 

TV shows he has appeared on include a 1994 episode of Biography entitled Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon and a 1999 episode of Famous Families entitled "The Lees: Action Speaks Louder".

 

 

 

Currently, known persons that Kimura has certified as instructors in Jun Fan Gung Fu are; Andy Kimura (his son) and students; Scott Lindenmuth, Abe Santos, Mike Hilow and Tsuyoshi Abe.^[6] Kimura and his son still teach Jun Fan Gung-Fu in the Seattle area.^[7]

 

 

 

Original JFGF Instructor Lineage Chart

 

In 2009, nearly 67 years after his original, scheduled graduation date, when he was 85—Kimura finally was allowed to receive his diploma from Clallam Bay High School in Clallam Bay, Washington, and was the high school's salutatorian (the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class).^[2][4] Kimura grew up with his family in the state of Washington. Taky Kimura celebrated his 90th birthday in 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Taky Kimura (born March 12, 1924[1]) is a Japanese American martial artist who is best known as being one of Bruce Lee's top students and closest friends - and a certified instructor in Jun Fan Gung Fu, personally certified by Bruce Lee himself. Kimura was also the best man at Bruce Lee's wedding, and one of eight pallbearers during Bruce Lee's funeral, the others including Dan Inosanto, Steve McQueen, Chuck Norris, James Coburn, George Lazenby, Ray Chin and Robert Lee, Bruce's brother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Seattle Years by Taky Kimura

 

 

 

http://www.stickgrappler.net/search/label/Jeet%20Kune%20Do

 

 

 

I met Bruce Lee in 1959, when he first came to Seattle. I had always been interested in the martial arts, and I had a little experience in judo. One day a friend of mine came by and told me about a man down in Chinatown who was performing a martial arts exhibition. My friend told me, "You've got to see this guy. He is just phenomenal."

 

 

 

So I made arrangements to meet Bruce. At that point in time, heand his students were just training in backyards, in parks, or wherever they could find room. They invited me to watch their work out.

 

 

 

When I got there, they told me to throw a punch at Bruce, or use any other moves. I felt the force of the wind against my face after I missed and he counterpunched, even though he didn't come that close to actually hitting me. It was just a very devastating and fearsome event. I knew immediately that I had to [train] with him, because he war such an incredible force.

 

 

 

Bruce had background in many martial arts systems, but he was more closer, affiliated with wing chun [kung fu]. Bruce thought it was very practical in terms of fighting. Plus, it lacked the wasted motion found in other systems and had more realism. I think he based his concepts of fighting on that system more than others.

 

 

 

When he began teaching wing chun he would modernize it in his own way. Anything that was not realistic, he discarded. He taught usthe things he felt were most practical. He put us through drills that made us feel like we were going to drop. But he made us realize that we had to do it with greater determination.

 

 

 

I was 20 years older than Bruce, and at the beginning, he had alot of those attributes that typify teenagers. He was a very energetic person, and always seemed to be in perpetual motion. I had spent more than five years in internment camps in California and Idaho [during World War II], and my whole mental attitude was one of a beaten person. I had a whole different concept of things than Bruce did. I couldn't be around him too often, because it just didn't fit in with my mental attitude.

 

 

 

But as time went on, I realized that this young man was endowed with a very strong understanding of Taoism and Zen. One minute he could tell you the raunchiest joke you ever heard, and the next minute he could be philosophizing Zen and Taoism. It would just blow your mind.

 

 

 

Even though he was much younger than me, I felt he offered something that I needed. So we became very close friends. Part of that may be because we are both Asians, and maybe there was a strong cultural bond between us.

 

 

 

I know that my martial arts ability was far from the reason for Bruce and I becoming close friends. I remember on one occasion, I was training with these guys who were all at least 10 years younger than me. I was working my hardest to keep up with them and I felt like I was gaining confidence. And I was kind of looking out of the corner of my eye, to see if Bruce realized that I was making some progress. Then I heard him say to one ofthe guys, "He'll never make it."

 

 

 

I have that cultural background that the Asians have—a certain amount of pride within ourselves —and I think that automatically took over and it made me work like heck to keep up with the others. I wanted to prove to him that I could make it.

 

 

 

Bruce was very helpful to me in many ways. He took me from a low point of self-esteem and made me realize that I was a human being and that I am just as good as any other person, but yet no better. I owe him a lot for that.

 

 

 

Bruce left us with another message: that the most important thing was to live the philosophy that we adhere to. Fisticuffs just open the door, the upper echelon, of life. The more meaningful part is the spiritual, philosophical essence of what you are.Until you analyze yourself and realize what that means to you, you can't really relate to other people on that kind of a basis.  Because Bruce has done so much to revolutionize the martial arts and has done so much for the world in general in that regard, his name shouldn't be muddied up or contorted in any way. We owe that to him.

 

 

 

I think if Bruce were alive today, he would still be making a lot of changes. A lot of people have asked me "If Bruce were alive today, how would he keep up with all the changes in the martial arts?" He had a keen mind and a real flexibleness about him. He could look at something and move with it. I know that if he were alive today, he would still be astounding us with a lot of ingenious things.

 

 

 

 

 

Black Belt

 

January 1996

 

Volume 34, Number 1

 

The Dragon Spirit column

 

Page 18

 

 

 

 

 

Inosanto, Dan (1936-)

 

 

 

For Reading

 

·         Kelly, Perry (2000). Dan Inosanto: The Man, The Teacher, The Artist. Paladin Press. ISBN 978-1-58160-079-7.

 

·         Balicki, Ron. Gold, Steven (2007). Jeet Kune Do: The Principles of a Complete Fighter, HNL Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9531766-3-2

 

·         Seaman, Kevin (1999), Jun Fan Gung Fu Seeking The Path Of Jeet Kune Do, S.l.: Health 'N' Life, ISBN 0-9531766-2-2

 

 

 

BLACK BELT: How did you meet Bruce Lee, and when did you begintraining with him?

INOSANTO: I met Bruce at Ed Parker's International Championshipsin July 1, 1964. I started training with him immediatelyafterward. He was in the Southern California area, doingdifferent demonstrations, and he needed a partner for the demos.He said he would use me as the fall guy and would train me in hissystem, so that's what I did. Then he moved to Oakland,California, and I made periodic trips there to update mytraining.

BLACK BELT: You began training again with Lee when he returned toLos Angeles in November 1965, and the two of you opened a martialarts school in Chinatown in February 1967. Did Lee teach most ofthe classes?

INOSANTO: When the school first opened, I did the bulk of theteaching. Sifu Bruce taught 10 percent of the classes, and Iassisted him when he taught. He usually taught on Saturday andSunday. After the first year, he would come down once in a whileand check out the progress at the school.

BLACK BELT: How many students were enrolled when the school firstopened?

INOSANTO: I would estimate 22 or 24 people, including people like[Black Belt Hall of Fame members] Daniel Lee and RichardBustillo.

BLACK BELT: Who established the school's curriculum?

INOSANTO: I had some input, but the majority of the time, [Lee]controlled the curriculum at the Chinatown school.

BLACK BELT: Did the curriculum change often?

INOSANTO: Sometimes every three months, sometimes every sixmonths, sometimes every month. It fluctuated. There was a periodwhere [Lee] was changing it almost every month, particularly thewarm-ups. We had 10 exercises that we had to do, then he made it12. Then we doubled it by giving [students] a hard set and a softset. Then he changed it to skipping rope before practice. We dida lot of physical conditioning for one hour, then the last twohours it was all technical [training].

BLACK BELT: Were there certain topics you learned from Lee, butcouldn't impart to the other students?

INOSANTO: There were 13 things I could teach on the classicallist, and that was it. He used to say that under no circumstancescould I teach double pak sao (slap block). Pak sao bil jee (slapblock/ finger jab) and pak sao lop sao (slap block/grabbing hand)were big, big secrets. He was the head man, so I kept it exactlythe way he wanted me to teach it.

BLACK BELT: Did he tell you why he didn't want you to show thesetechniques to others?

INOSANTO: I never really asked him because he was the sifu. Hejust said "This is what I want," and I followed it.

BLACK BELT: Are you aware of anyone besides yourself, Taky Kimuraand James Lee who were certified directly by Bruce Lee to teachjeet kune do?

INOSANTO: To my knowledge, there were only the three of us,because that is something I asked Bruce.

BLACK BELT: Besides you, did Lee award anyone a third rank injeet kune do?

INOSANTO: No one other than myself, as far as I know, has beengiven a third rank instructor level in jeet kune do by Bruce Lee.He used this ranking system from 1965 to 1968 in all three of hisarts: jun fan gung fu, the tao of chinese gung fu and jeet kunedo. It went from blank circle as first rank, through variouscolor yin and yang symbols, to rank eight, which is the highestlevel. Eighth level is for the founder of the system. He begananother ranking system in March 1968 and then disbanded it in1969. In 1988, Taky Kimura and I decided to reinstate thisranking system. The blank circle represents a beginning student.The empty yin/yang symbol is for rank one, an intermediatestudent. Rank two is an advanced student eligible for apprenticeinstructor level. Rank three is for associate instructor level.Rank four is a full instructor, and rank five is a senior fullinstructor. Taky is rank seven, and he ranked me six. He reservedrank eight for Bruce Lee forever.

BLACK BELT: Is rank eight essentially unachievable?

INOSANTO: Yes, it's unachievable because only the founder is atthe top.

BLACK BELT: Your relationship with Lee went beyond student andteacher. You two were also close friends and did many thingstogether outside of the school, did you not?

INOSANTO: We did a lot of things together. We went to bookstores,we did a lot of research together, a lot of training. And we dida lot of sparring. I think I am correct in saying he didn't sparwith anybody as much as he sparred with me. He did a lot ofexperimentation on me.

BLACK BELT: Is it true that Lee kept records of how many hourshis private students trained with him?

INOSANTO: Yes, he was very meticulous about keeping records onwhom he taught.

BLACK BELT: Did you ever sit in on his private lessons with moviestars or notable martial artists?

INOSANTO: Yes, many times. I sat in on Steve McQueen's lessons. Isat in on one of James Coburn's lessons. I saw him train ChuckNorris. And I saw him train Mike Stone; he was very, verytalented, according to Bruce.

BLACK BELT: Did Lee object to the fact you continued to trainwith others in the Filipino Arts after you began training in JeetKune Do with him?

INOSANTO: He said it was good that I embrace my own cultural artof the Philippines, but [warned me not to] be bound by everythingFilipino just because I was Filipino. He said I should see thingsbeyond my own culture, and accept what is good and bad indifferent cultures and different [fighting] systems. He was theone who told me to take fencing for six months, which I did.

BLACK BELT: Did you ever show Lee some of the kali you hadlearned?

INOSANTO:Yes, I asked him what he thought of it. He told me whathe thought was good for theatrics or for show, and what hethought was good for fighting, and what he thought was good fornothing. He was very frank. If he thought something would neverwork in a hundred years, he would say so.

BLACK BELT: What did he like about kali?

INOSANTO: He liked a lot of the largo mano (long-hand style).

BLACK BELT: Did you introduce him to the nunchaku?

INOSANTO: Yes, and he became very proficient with it.

BLACK BELT: What other training equipment did you show to Lee?

INOSANTO: Because of my track&field background, I introducedhim to running shoes. Before that, he used to wear these desertboots. Using running shoes was quite new at the time. The onlypeople who wore those kind of gym shoes or sneakers during thatperiod were track&field people. Another thing I introduced tohim was the foam kicking shield, because we used it in football.I also introduced him to these forearm pads for use when youblock, but at first he didn't like them because he didn't likethe way they felt. But after about a week and a half, he had[created] all these drills with them.

BLACK BELT: Were you also responsible for Lee using baseball shinguards in his training?

INOSANTO: I introduced them to him, actually I put them on myselfbecause he was always kicking my shin.

BLACK BELT: How did Lee go about investigating various martialarts? There is so much information about each system that itwould seem to be an overwhelming task.

INOSANTO: He always said you should capture the essence of eachart. It's impossible to study every art, but you want to capturethe essence of each. It's like when you thumb through a book;that's what he was doing thumbing through the styles, seeing ifthere was anything he could fit into his personal system. Eithera training method, or progression, or training equipment, ormaybe some mode of technique that he could modify.

BLACK BELT: When did Lee change the name of his system from JunFan Gung Fu to jeet kune do, and what is the difference betweenthe two?

INOSANTO: The Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute was established [by Lee]in Seattle, so [the term] Jun Fan Kung fu [is used to indicate]the base system he had before he called it jeet kune do.Somewhere around the latter part of 1966 we began using the termjeet kune do, the "way of the intercepting fist" or the"way of the stopping fist."

BLACK BELT: When did Lee tell you to close the Los AngelesChinatown school, and why?

INOSANTO: He told me to close it in December of 1969. In Januaryof 1970, we moved the training into my backyard. I asked him if Icould teach a few people, and he said it was OK, but to keep itto just a few people. He wanted to keep it small and keep thequality high. His system was never made for mass distribution.

BLACK BELT: Do you feel Lee was progressing in his training rightup to the time of his death?

INOSANTO: There's no doubt about it. When I visited him in HongKong in 1972, I went there basically to train, even though hebrought me down there to be in [the movie] Game of Death. Beingin Game of Death was nice, but my main thing was to update [mytraining]. It was kind of nice; we had these mini-workouts inbetween cars, in between restaurants, walking up stairs. Some ofthe best things I ever learned from him was when we were eatingChinese food, because he would explain the system so I couldunderstand it mentally.

BLACK BELT: Do you think today's martial artists have a higherlevel of knowledge and skill than those of several decades ago,and if so, why?

INOSANTO: Yes, because people are more open, more giving. Thelevel of understanding is higher. Back in the '50s and '60s, ifyou just knew what a front kick was, it would throw people offbecause they were not exposed to kicking. They didn't know whatto do. If you started kicking, people would say "That'ssissy fighting" or "That's dirty fighting."Today's martial artists have seen a lot of Bruce Lee movies, alot of kung fu movies, so they are more educated. Any kid canthrow a kick now. The level of awareness is much higher everyyear, and it should be that way.

BLACK BELT: Do you think that, if Lee were alive today, he wouldstill be researching martial arts from around the world in aneffort to perfect his fighting system, or do you think he wouldbe satisfied that he had developed a finely honed finishedproduct and didn't need to investigate anymore?

INOSANTO: In my opinion, he would have always continued hisresearch. He said you shouldn't add to a system for the sake ofadding, but you should add for the sake of making it moreefficient. He said it isn't the accumulation of knowledge thatworks, but what you can do.

BLACK BELT: When Bruce Lee died in 1973, did you feel that theburden of preserving his feet kune do had been thrust upon yourshoulders?

INOSANTO: I would say yes, I felt the pressure. I tried to keepthe art very low-key, but a lot of people were opening up jeetkune do schools; everyone was doing it. These people weren't evenclose [to being legitimate JKD instructors]. They had seenpictures and tried to copy different things, and were calling itjeet kune do.

BLACK BELT: Do you teach the original Jun Fan/JKD?

INOSANTO: Yes. Let me explain this. We teach blend classes: inother words, a little bit of muay Thai, a little bit of savate, alittle bit of Jun Fan kickboxing, a little bit of trapping, alittle bit of Filipino weaponry where students can see what theywant to take. It is like an introduction course. There's astraight muay Thai class, a straight savate class, a straightshootwrestling class and a straight kali class. And we havestraight Jun Fan Gung Fu classes. The original material is taughtin these classes.

BLACK BELT: So the Jun Fan/JKD curriculum is taught separatelyfrom the other styles at your school?

INOSANTO: Absolutely separate.

BLACK BELT: What do you usually teach at your martial artsseminars?

INOSANTO: I teach whatever the host requests. If he wants silat,I teach silat. If he wants muay Thai, I teach muay Thai. If hewants Jun Fan kung fu, I teach Jun Fan Gung Fu. I don't teach JunFan Gung Fu mixed with silat, but I might make a comparison. Imight say "This is the way they do it in Jun Fan Gung Fu;and this is the way a muay Thai man might handle the sameattack." So the host dictates what I teach, because I amthere to help his knowledge and to help his students.

BLACK BELT: Do you think jeet kune do is designed for the averageindividual, or must you be a more skilled martial artist to trainin this highly advanced system?

INOSANTO: You definitely have to put in the [training] time, butif you are gifted and talented, it takes less time [to becomeskilled]. But the way jeet kune do is structured, there issomething in it that everybody can do. The majority of thingstaught in jeet kune do are relatively easy. Jeet kune do can bepracticed by a person who doesn't have the best inherent skills,and it can be practiced by an individual who is very talented.The person who is gifted is obviously going to do it much better.In other words, everyone can sing the same song, but some aregoing to sound a little better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Library of Bruce Lee

 

Bruce Lee’s Reading List

 

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-libraries-of-famous-men-bruce-lee/

 

While Bruce’s library contained thousands of volumes, they were primarily centered in a handful of genres: philosophy (the vast majority), martial arts (and other fighting disciplines), and self-help. Below is but a sampling of Bruce’s favorite authors and most interesting titles.

 

Western Philosophy:

 

• Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas
• An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume
• Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes
• The Undiscovered Self by Carl Jung
• On Becoming a Person by Carl Rogers
• The Works of Bertrand Russell
• The Works of Plato
• Art of Worldly Wisdom by Baltasar Gracian
• Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell (and other Campbell titles)
• Ethics by Benedict de Spinoza
• Maxims and Reflections by Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

 

Eastern Philosophy:

 

• The Works of Jiddu Krishnamurti (whom Polly notes was “one of his more important influences”)
• Tao-Te-Ching by Lao-Tzu
• The Way of Chuang-Tzu
• The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
• The Works of Alan Watts
• The Analects of Confucius
• Art of War by Sun-Tzu
• Bushido: The Soul of the Samurai
• Siddhartha by Herman Hesse (and many other Hesse titles)
• Buddhism by Christmas Humphreys (and dozens of other Buddhism-related titles)
• The Chinese Classics compiled by James Legge (all 5 volumes)
• Living Zen by Robert Linssen (and many other Zen-related titles)

 

Martial Arts/Fencing/Boxing:

 

• On Fencing by Aldo Nadi (plus at least 60(!) other books on fencing and fencing theory)
• Aikido: The Art of Self-Defense by Ko„ichi Tohei
• Advanced Karate by Mas Oyama (and many other Oyama titles)
• A Beginner’s Book of Gymnastics by Barry Johnson
• Championship Fighting by Jack Dempsey
• Book of Boxing and Bodybuilding by Rocky Marciano
• How to Box by Joe Louis
• US Army Boxing Manual
• Efficiency of Human Movement by Marion Ruth Broer
• Physiology of Exercise by Laurence Morehouse
• Wing Chun by James Lee
• Acupuncture: The Ancient Chinese Art of Healing by Felix Mann
• Esquire’s The Art of Keeping Fit 
• Combat Training of the Individual Soldier by the US Army
• Modern Bodybuilding by Oscar Heidenstam

 

American Self-Help:

 

• The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale (and many other Peale titles)
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• Dynamic Thinking by Melvin Powers
• The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
• As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
• The Success System That Never Fails by Clement Stone
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger

 

Miscellaneous:

 

• Elements of Style by Strunk and White
• Playboy’s Party Jokes & More Playboy’s Party Jokes
• The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (one of the few novels)
• The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis
• The Story of Civilization by Will Durant (all 11 volumes!)
• The Viking Book of Aphorisms
• The Works of Shakespeare

 

Lee, James Yimm (1920-1972)

 

James Lee was born  in Oakland, California. During high  school, he practiced much weight training, bodybuilding, hand balancing, and acrobatics.  In 1938-9, Lee was on the Oakland YMCA weightlifting team and won the Northern California Championship in the 132 pound division. Although he had an avid talent for drawing and art, James began a career in welding and worked in the Pearl Harbor shipyards in Hawaii as a civilian. While in Hawaii, Lee began studying Judo at the Okazaki Gym with Bill Montero and Sydney Yim and also competed in a few amateur boxing matches.

 

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, James Lee returned to Oakland and continued welding until he entered the Army and was stationed in the Philippines, during which time he became infected with malaria and dysentery. His condition became so serious that he was actually shipped to the death ward, but he continued to fight the disease and overcame it. James Lee was a fighter at heart, his most profound quality. In April, 1946 he was discharged and after returning home, Lee begain weight training again for the illness caused him to go from 158 pounds to 116.（He had a thirty percent disability but never tried to exploit it）

 

He continued to regain his strength and picked up his martial arts training when he studied Sil Lum Gung Fu under T.Y. Wong in San Francisco for four years. James became known for his iron hand/palm training and would routinely perform his specialty at public demonstrations: breaking ten bricks with his bare hands（which were not scarred or calloused, but soft and smooth）. In 1957-8, he authored, published, and distributed（by mail order through his own company, Oriental Book Sales）a book series "Modern Kung-Fu Karate: Iron, Poison Hand Training."

 

James first heard about Bruce Lee when Robert, James' older brother, told him about how Bruce was teaching a cha-cha class (while visiting from Seattle) and that he was good in Chinese Gung-Fu. Wally Jay and Allen Joe also informed James about Bruce's prowess as a fighter. In 1962, they met after one of Bruce's dance lessons and they hit it off immediately, meeting as often as they could to train and talk. In late 1962, James visited Bruce in Seattle for further training and seriously considered relocating permanently to study with Bruce. But due to other family obligations, James had to put that idea on hold.

 

When James' wife, Katherine, died in 1964, Bruce and Linda Lee moved to Oakland to stay with James and his children. James helped Bruce Lee publish his first book, "Chinese Gung-Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self-Defense." They opened a school in Oakland but later moved it to James' garage since the school was not a commercial success. After Bruce moved to Los Angeles in 1966, James continued to teach in his garage.  In 1972, James published his last book, "Wing Chun Kung Fu," with Bruce as the book's Technical Editor.

 

James conducted four classes, during the evenings after work. There was a weekend class in which students came as far as eighty miles away. James was simple and direct with his students: no beating around the bush or attempts to woo them or seek visual/verbal gratitude from them. All he wanted was to train hard and often, try the best one could do without any explanation, and treat each other with due respect, behaving as gentlemen. He constantly told his students to pay attention since James disliked repeating himself when giving instructions. Students were on probation which meant that they could be released if they were a detriment to James or the class. He was a very patient teacher as long as the student put out their best effort. He neither watered down not diluted his teaching methods. Class ran smoothly and efficiently, deliberate and constant in both physical and mental energy. Students would occasionally be allowed to rest, but at the end, they knew they had been through a complete workou

 

References

 

·         Lee, James (1962). Modern Kung-Fu Karate: Iron Poison Hand Training, Book 1 (Break Brick in 100 Days) (4th edition (April 1990) ed.). ABRAMS Publishing. ISBN 978-0-317-02839-3.

 

·         Lee, James (1972). Wing Chun Kung-Fu (First ed.). Ohara Publications. ASIN B0006C4USK.

 

·         Bruce Lee : between Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do, Jesse Glover

 

·         Black Belt Magazine, Meet...the Man who Helped Make Bruce Lee a Success

 

 

 

LeBell, Gene (1932-) Finish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

"Judo" Gene LeBell the "Godfather of Grappling" is both a renowned ex-world champion in both wrestling/judo, and one of Hollywood's busiest stuntmen. He started training grappling in his early childhood when influenced by his mother:, who was also a promoted of boxing and professional wrestling. Gene started catch wrestling with the famous wrestle: Ed "Strangler" Lewis at the early age of 7, but them moved to judo at 10. . After getting his black belt, he went to Japan to train in judo at the Kodokan.     LeBell has worked on over 1,000 films, TV shows and commercials as a stuntman or as an actor (including multiple appearances as himself.) LeBell appeared in three Elvis Presley movies as a minor character who starts a fight with the character played by Presley. In addition he also worked on the set of the Green Hornet TV show, in which he claims to have developed a friendship with Bruce Lee. According to Lebell’s claim, Lee was especially interested in exploring grappling with help from him and exchanged ideas on various fighting techniques.

 

In 2000, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) promoted him to 9th Dan in jujitsu and taihojutsu. On August 7, 2004, the World Martial Arts Masters Association promoted LeBell to 10th Degree and in February 2005, he was promoted to 9th Dan in Traditional Judo by the USJJF

 

 

 

 

 

Gene LeBell on Bruce Lee from Black Belt Mag: November 1998

 

I met Bruce Lee for the first time during the filming of the TV show The Green Hornet, on which he played a butler. He was a nice fellow. The stunt coordinator hired me, and I worked on quite a few episodes. During that time, I was able to get to know Bruce a little bit, and we even worked out together. He was the best martial artist of his time.

 

Bruce and I had a bond with the martial arts, and we would get together frequently. We worked out about 10 to 12 times at his place in Los Angeles’ Chinatown and at my place.
When I went to his place, he showed me what he did, and I showed him what I did. Although he seemed to love the finishing holds of grappling, it just wasn’t commercially attractive at the time. Actually, it was because of my grappling and tumbling background that I was hired to do the television show — because I could take falls for Bruce.

 

Bruce Lee was an entertaining fellow who was very knowledgeable and very good at what he did. People may wonder just how good a martial artist he was. Well, as I said earlier, he was the best of his time. Also, many of his former students are doing very well today. That’s a sign that he was a good martial artist and that he was able to make his students into good martial artists.

 

Bruce developed and performed his own style of kung fu, and a lot of the traditional guys didn’t like it because it broke from Chinese tradition. I know what that is like because I had the same trouble when I tried to improve different martial arts by changing things for the better. I believe that anytime you can have an open mind and learn something new, then add it to your repertoire, it’s a good thing. It will only make you and your students more knowledgeable.

 

For Reading by LeBell

 

·         The Handbook of Judo: An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide to Winning Sport Judo by Gene LeBell and Lauri C. Coughran. 1962, 1963, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1996.

 

·         Your Personal Handbook of Self-defense by Gene LeBell. 1964, 1976.

 

·         Judo and Self-defense for the Young Adult by Gene LeBell. 1971.

 

·         Pro-Wrestling Finishing Holds by "Judo" Gene LeBell. 1985, 1990.

 

·         Grappling Master: Combat for Street Defense and Competition by Gene LeBell. 1992.

 

·         Gene LeBell's Handbook of Self-Defense by Gene LeBell. 1996.

 

·         Gene LeBell - The Grappling Club Master by Gene LeBell, Ben Springer, and Steve Kim. 1999.

 

·         Grappling and Self-Defense for the Young Adult by Gene LeBell and Bob Ryder. 2002.

 

·         How to Break Into Pro Wrestling: "Judo" Gene LeBell's Insider Guide to the Biz by Gene Lebell and Mark Jacobs. 2003.

 

·         Gene LeBell's Grappling World: The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds by Gene LeBell. 1998, 2000(2nd expanded edition), 2005(3rd edition).

 

·         The Godfather of Grappling (authorised biography of LeBell) by "Judo" Gene LeBell, Bob Calhoun, George Foon, and Noelle Kim. 2005.

 

"'Judo' Gene LeBell retires from MMA judging following Liddell vs. Ortiz 3 event". mmajunkie.com. November 25, 2018.

 

Gene LeBell talks Steven Seagal s—-ing himself. Retrieved March 18, 201

 

Nishioka, Hayward

 

Hayward Nishioka (1942 - )

 

, a 9th degree black belt in Judo, is also a Japanese-American community college physical education instructor and the former Judo Gold Medallist at the 1967 Pan American Games. He won five consecutive national championships from 1965 to 1970 and was ranked 5th in the world in 1965 and 1967. On January 13, 1987, Nishioka, at the age of 44, defeated challenger, Rickson Gracie (age 28) with a number of throws at his Judo school. Nishioka admitted training with Bruce in the 60s and personally sparred with Bruce. He was in awe of Bruce’s exceptional martial art prowess.

 

 

 

"I remember one time I was at Bruce's house," said Hayward Nishioka, who was voted into the BLACK BELT Hall of Fame twice for his judo, as both an instructor and a competitor. "I had done a little karate, but I couldn't hold a candle to him (Bruce). He was too fast for me; he would tap my head before I even got set. "Finally I asked Bruce what he would do if I just sat on the ground and waited for him to attack me," continued Nishioka. "He said he'd just walk away."

 

Says Hayward Nishioka, ‘He was the quickest person I’ve ever seen. In that area he was king. And he knew it. He had that same cockiness Americans have. Americans say, “I’m arrogant, and I’ll show you why. I can do it. I’m good.”

 

 

 

Nishioka said in fact, many martial artists had sparred with Bruce and had the similar experience as him but many would not admit, mainly because they were afraid of losing face. Richard Bustillo, a student of Dan Inosanto, said he personally saw a sparring session with Chuck Norris and Bruce that left Norris red faced. Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee said he would not spar Lee because he would knock you out. As Lee was experimenting and creating his own art, thus, he would take up most challenges. He sparred anyone who wanted to spar. He sincerely wanted to learn, grow and dedicate himself to being the best.

 

 

 

Bruce studied and mastered many different arts and techniques and was a very different martial artist in 72-73 than he was in the 60's. What is the consensus about Bruce from "real deal" fighters (Norris, Lewis, Wallace, Stone and Rhee) was that he was the fastest and possibly the strongest man that they had ever seen. Master Rhee has categorically stated: "I would demonstrate a kick to Bruce and a week later he would be able to do it as well as myself!"

 

 

 

Below is an excerpt of Nishioka’s interview from the book, “Bruce Lee: Conversations – The Life & Legacy of A Legend” by Fiaz Rafiq published on 19th July 2011. This book is a compilation of over 50 exclusive interviews with Bruce Lee's original students, friends, co-stars and colleagues such as Rhoon Ree, Ji Han Jae, Hwang In-Shik, Joe Lewis, Hayward Nishioka, Dan Inosanto, Jesse Glover etc. Furthermore, there are also exclusive interviews with some of the best professional boxers, bodybuilders, UFC fighters who pay homage to the legend.

 

 

 

According to Nishioka, when Bruce was living in LA, he would many times bring along a friend to witness this dynamo. Once he brought along Dr. Burt Siedler, a physical education professor at Cal state (LA). “When he first saw Bruce punching the speed bag,” Nishioka smiled, “he (Siedler) mentioned that if Bruce would seriously study boxing, he would be the lightweight champ in a year’s time.

 

Then, when he saw Bruce punch the heavy bag and jar it like a heavyweight with lefts and rights, he quickly changed his mind, saying that if Bruce should compete in the ring, he could become a champ in six months.

 

“Afterward Bruce told me to block his punches,” continued Nishioka. “Those punches were so fast that I couldn’t block any one of them. When Siedler saw that, he shook his head and changed his mind again, this time telling Bruce that he only needed one month to be the champ.”

 

Another time, Nishioka brought along a student of Shigeru Egami, a noted Karate Sensei (teacher) in Japan. Hashimoto, who was a fourth dan (degree) black belt, had never heard of Bruce Lee before. But it didn’t take him long to respect Bruce’s skills.

 

 

 

Nishioka used to go to Bruce house to train once a month, so, he understood why Bruce did not compete in the tournament. Bruce said why should he participate? He believed he had the ability to participate in such kind of “points-fighting” competition but he was not interested. Bruce had many tough training sessions with Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis and Bob Wall who were all first class fighters. In fact, Bruce’s speed was way too fast for them. He was so quick that he could move in and out of their sight before they could all react. Nishioka said this is the compliment made from those martial artists who had personally witnessed and sparred with Bruce, even those who have never praised him before, felt the same way. Bruce was an extraordinary martial artist. They may be reluctant to make these comments but Nishioka is very sure, they are very clear about this fact within their hearts.

 

 

 

Nishioka said Bruce was ahead of his time. He was always training extremely hard for street combat. He liked jogging which was why he was able to maintain his great physical condition. In the past, martial arts practitioners never regard jogging as a kind of physical fitness training. If they practice martial arts, then they would just practice martial arts. As a result, they did not have the successful foundation liked Bruce. If your cup contained the content of weightlifting, power training, strategy etc., and you practice JKD, then your cup would be filled with the necessary ingredients. However, if your cup is only filled with techniques, then, you would not be able to fight effectively and at a high energy level.

 

 

 

In addition, Nishioka said the martial arts skills Bruce learnt and practiced surpassed anyone at that time. This made him and his martial arts stood out among the rest.

 

Every time I sparred with Bruce, I felt that regardless of the techniques or the content, Bruce was always coming out with something new. I have completely no doubt about his ability in participating in the tournament. In fact, in real fighting without rules and regulations, I believed Bruce was 4 times more terrifying than in the competition.

 

 

 

Indeed, Bruce Lee was a master with such a complete combination of philosophy, strategy, physical condition, power, speed, skills and passion who came along very rarely. He was just one in a zillion. Bruce Lee was definitely not a tournament fighter but he was definitely a street fighter who trained much more professionally than anyone else and that was what he did and focused daily.

 

 

 

http://www.jkd.gr/haywardnishioka.html

 

about Bruce Lee

 

Power In The Punch: Hayward Nishioka ran a scientific test in a California university to find out the difference between a Karate punch and a Jeet Kune Do punch. And the finding was that, indeed, the Jeet Kune Do punch is more powerful and destructive than the classical Karate punch.

 

"I remember one time I was at Bruce's house", said Hayward Nishioka, who was voted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame twice for his judo, as both an instructor and a competitor. "I had done a little karate, but I couldn't hold a candle to him (Bruce). He was too fast for me; he would tap my head before I even got set. Finally I asked Bruce what he would do if I just sat on the ground and waited for him to attack me", continued Nishioka. "He said he'd just walk away".

 

Hayward Nishioka says, "He was the quickest person I’ve ever seen. In that area he was king. And he knew it. He had that same cockiness Americans have. Americans say, I’m arrogant, and I’ll show you why. I can do it. I’m good".

 

Nishioka said in fact, many martial artists had sparred with Bruce and had the similar experience as him but many would not admit, mainly because they were afraid of losing face. Richard Bustillo, a student of Dan Inosanto, said he personally saw a sparring session with Chuck Norris and Bruce that left Norris red faced. Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee said he would not spar Lee because he would knock you out. As Lee was experimenting and creating his own art, thus, he would take up most challenges. He sparred anyone who wanted to spar. He sincerely wanted to learn, grow and dedicate himself to being the best.

 

Bruce studied and mastered many different arts and techniques and was a very different martial artist in 72-73 than he was in the 60's. What is the consensus about Bruce from "real deal" fighters (Norris, Lewis, Wallace, Stone and Rhee) was that he was the fastest and possibly the strongest man that they had ever seen. Master Rhee has categorically stated: "I would demonstrate a kick to Bruce and a week later he would be able to do it as well as myself!".

 

Below is an excerpt of Nishioka’s interview from the book, “Bruce Lee: Conversations - The Life & Legacy of a Legend” by Fiaz Rafiq published on 19th July 2011. This book is a compilation of over 50 exclusive interviews with Bruce Lee's original students, friends, co-stars and colleagues such as Rhoon Ree, Ji Han Jae, Hwang In-Shik, Joe Lewis, Hayward Nishioka, Dan Inosanto, Jesse Glover etc. Furthermore, there are also exclusive interviews with some of the best professional boxers, bodybuilders, UFC fighters who pay homage to the legend.

 

According to Nishioka, when Bruce was living in LA, he would many times bring along a friend to witness this dynamo. Once he brought along Dr. Burt Siedler, a physical education professor at Cal state (LA). "When he first saw Bruce punching the speed bag, Nishioka smiled, Siedler mentioned that if Bruce would seriously study boxing, he would be the lightweight champ in a year’s time. Then, when he saw Bruce punch the heavy bag and jar it like a heavyweight with lefts and rights, he quickly changed his mind, saying that if Bruce should compete in the ring, he could become a champ in six months. Afterward Bruce told me to block his punches, continued Nishioka. Those punches were so fast that I couldn’t block any one of them. When Siedler saw that, he shook his head and changed his mind again, this time telling Bruce that he only needed one month to be the champ.".

 

Another time, Nishioka brought along a student of Shigeru Egami, a noted Karate Sensei (teacher) in Japan. Hashimoto, who was a fourth dan (degree) black belt, had never heard of Bruce Lee before. But it didn’t take him long to respect Bruce’s skills.

 

Nishioka used to go to Bruce house to train once a month, so, he understood why Bruce did not compete in the tournament. Bruce said why should he participate? He believed he had the ability to participate in such kind of “points-fighting” competition but he was not interested. Bruce had many tough training sessions with Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis and Bob Wall who were all first class fighters. In fact, Bruce’s speed was way too fast for them. He was so quick that he could move in and out of their sight before they could all react. Nishioka said this is the compliment made from those martial artists who had personally witnessed and sparred with Bruce, even those who have never praised him before, felt the same way. Bruce was an extraordinary martial artist. They may be reluctant to make these comments but Nishioka is very sure, they are very clear about this fact within their hearts.

 

Nishioka said Bruce was ahead of his time. He was always training extremely hard for street combat. He liked jogging which was why he was able to maintain his great physical condition. In the past, martial arts practitioners never regard jogging as a kind of physical fitness training. If they practice martial arts, then they would just practice martial arts. As a result, they did not have the successful foundation liked Bruce. If your cup contained the content of weightlifting, power training, strategy etc., and you practice JKD, then your cup would be filled with the necessary ingredients. However, if your cup is only filled with techniques, then, you would not be able to fight effectively and at a high energy level. In addition, Nishioka said the martial arts skills Bruce learnt and practiced surpassed anyone at that time. This made him and his martial arts stood out among the rest.

 

Every time I sparred with Bruce, I felt that regardless of the techniques or the content, Bruce was always coming out with something new. I have completely no doubt about his ability in participating in the tournament. In fact, in real fighting without rules and regulations, I believed Bruce was 4 times more terrifying than in the competition. Indeed, Bruce Lee was a master with such a complete combination of philosophy, strategy, physical condition, power, speed, skills and passion who came along very rarely. He was just one in a zillion. Bruce Lee was definitely not a tournament fighter but he was definitely a street fighter who trained much more professionally than anyone else and that was what he did and focused daily.

 

 

 

 

 

Kurt Seemann

 

https://judoinfo.com/street/

 

about Nishioka

 

Back around the turn of the century, bareknuckled boxers competed with very few regulations. There was little in the way of safety equipment, and matches often lasted until someone either was knocked out or passed out from exhaustion.

 

Then, boxing was transformed into a more viable sport, with rules and an organizing commission which sanctioned bouts. Some of the unnecessary roughness was taken out to protect the competitors and make the sport more understandable for spectators.

 

In much the same way, judo has become a sport. Over the past decade, judo has been superseded by other more advertised and glamorous forms of self-defense. But, at the same time, it has become an Olympic sport, popular on a worldwide scale. There are standardized rules for national and international tournaments. A judo event in France will have nearly the same regulations as a tournament in the United States. Simply stated: judo is a “sport.”

 

But is sport judo applicable to street self-defense predicaments? Have the rules tamed it too much? Are judo students learning the sport for self-defense, or purely for competition?

 

When it comes to martial arts self-defense, kicks and punches are considered essential. Judo flips, chokes and arm bars are not as fascinating or colorful to most observers as karate side kicks, reverse punches and spinning back kicks. So, in a one-on-one situation against the local tough guy, can a judo person subdue the bully? Judo experts from around the United States say yes . . . usually.

 

“Judo is the foundation of the martial arts,” said Florida-based judo instructor Ed Maley, who was inducted into the BLACK BELT Hall of Fame in 1980. “It teaches balance, coordination, agility, spirit and no fear of body contact.”

 

No matter what form of self-defense one uses, all the attributes Maley mentioned are needed if a street survival situation arises. But possibly the most important thing Maley cited is body contact. In a streetfight, anything goes. Invariably, the tussle will end up in the dirt or on the concrete, where grappling movements are necessary. Front kicks and reverse punches are as useful there as army boots to a marathon runner. Not surprisingly, one of the most studious practitioners of the martial arts, the legendary Bruce Lee, knew better than to force the issue against a judo player who was on the ground.

 

“I remember one time I was at Bruce’s house,” said Hayward Nishioka, who was voted into the BLACK BELT Hall of Fame twice for his judo, as both an instructor and a competitor. “I had done a little karate, but I couldn’t hold a candle to him (Lee). He was too fast for me; he would tap my head before I even got set.

 

“Finally I asked Bruce what he would do if I just sat on the ground and waited for him to attack me,” continued Nishioka. “He said he’d just walk away.”

 

Lee knew he could not compete on the ground, it was not his area of expertise. That is one advantage a judo player would have over an unsuspecting adversary who wouldn’t have Lee’s forethought. And once the judo man gets his opponent on the pavement, it’s all over.

 

“You learn to fight from the ground up,” said Maley, who has been involved with judo in Florida for 34 years. “Once a judo guy gets in close and gets you down, he should prevail. Most people can’t stand the grappling. They aren’t trained for it.”

 

Judo players are trained for using throws, arm bars and chokes. Do not think for a second that these three techniques won’t cause damage.

 

“Once you get thrown by a judo player, it’s all over,” said Wally Jay, a judo and jujitsu teacher from Northern California and BLACK BELT Hall of Fame member. “Head injuries and broken collarbones will happen. You see, most people don’t know how to fall. I find it hard to see any guy getting up after hitting the concrete, after being thrown by a judo black belt.”

 

It seems obvious that throws are going to render the average streetfighter helpless. But the types of throws are not really that important, it’s execution that counts. It’s a matter of getting the job done.

 

“Make a throw fast enough, and they don’t get up,” said 1981 BLACK BELT Hall of Fame judo instructor Jack Williams. “It’s all done on instinct. Afterward you can figure out what type of throw you used.”

 

Among the more common self-defense throws are the ogoshi (hip throw), morose seoinage (two-arm shoulder throw), osoto-gari (outside major reap), and ippon seoinage (one-arm shoulder throw). Basically, it’s not what move was used, but the final result that counts.

 

In tournaments players sometimes might ease an opponent down, but on the street do not expect such conduct. “In self-defense judo if you don’t guide them down on a throw, they could get killed,” said Larry Kobayashi of the Seinan Dojo in Los Angeles, pointing out that judo is at least as powerful as karate in self-defense.

 

Killing someone though, is a real danger that all martial artists face. Even witnesses can only help if they can prove your life was in danger and the conflict could not be avoided.

 

The choke is one police and judo technique that has become very controversial. Many suspected criminals have died because the delicate technique was not properly accomplished.

 

“Chokes are used all the time in sport judo,” said Maley. “But instructors are always watching very closely. Remember if they (chokes) aren’t used properly people could be killed. For the most part we haven’t had any problem with chokes, though, because we work with the techniques all of the time. But when police use it, they may not be as well trained.”

 

According to Nishioka, the best way to choke is to get behind the assailant. The hadaka-jime (bar arm) can be used against tall, short, heavy, or light opponents. The biggest problem with self-defense chokes is that the choker might not know when to let up.

 

“In tournaments, we’ve never had trouble with chokes because he (the opponent) can tap twice when he’s had enough and we let go,” said Nishioka. “In police work, they don’t wait for someone to tap twice.”

 

If you can’t throw them or choke them, a good arm bar will make any tough guy cry uncle-or get a broken arm or shoulder. In tournament competition, arm bars are only allowed by black belts who have enough experience to control the move. Arm bars are applied to the weak elbow joint.

 

“Arm bars are good in self-defense situations,” said Nishioka. “No matter how big the guy is he will worry more about a broken arm or shoulder than he will about breaking your face.”

 

Judo has been compared to wrestling when it comes to grappling techniques, but the two main items that separate the pair of sports are chokes and arm bars. Another aspect they both share is physical conditioning. In order to be proficient judo players or wrestlers must be in great shape, not only strength-wise but also in their cardiovascular conditioning.

 

“Mat work is a great cardiovascular conditioner,” said Maley. “Karate people don’t get this kind of conditioning, where you have to get down on the ground and twist and turn. At my school, we’ve had marathon runners who couldn’t last two minutes. Sometimes the difference between winning and losing a fight is who’s in better shape.”

 

There are many forms of physical fitness. A distance runner is in good running shape, but probably does not have the muscular strength of a weightlifter. A cyclist is prepared for road races or short sprints, but not for channel swimming. Simply said, every athletic endeavor requires different forms of fitness.

 

“Basically sport judo is dependent on using a lot of muscle,” said George Kirby, a noted jujitsu and judo veteran from Southern California. “If a judo person gets close in he will have a good advantage, because that’s what he’s trained for.”

 

One area the average judo player might not be ready for is fighting against weapons. For the most part in a street situation, any martial artist will tell you to give up your money if a robber has a weapon. The odds against disarming someone are usually going to be heavily against you. You would have a better chance winning the pick-six at a racetrack.

 

“Of course in sport judo you don’t have to worry about weapons,” said Maley. “But in my school, we work against weapons like knives, clubs, guns and baseball bats. My students have been getting this kind of training for years.”

 

Nishioka feels it might be better to kick or punch someone with a weapon. “In a situation where they start demanding your money or your life, you should give them the money,” said Nishioka.

 

“But if you have no choice, it’s better to kick or punch than try to contain, unless you’re close enough to wrestle.” If your life is on the line, survival should be your only concern. “You can’t hold back any reserve,” said Nishioka.

 

Even though fighting someone with a firm grip on a weapon is considered riskier than swimming in shark-infested waters, another area that is controversial for judo people is the ability to handle an attacker that either weighs more or is taller than you.

 

In judo competition, weight classes are set so that contestants are not physically overmatched. The old, layman’s theory that a 130 pounder can obliterate a 200 pounder is dubious.

 

“Using any judo techniques would be more difficult against a larger person,” said judo instructor Willy Cahill, who is in the BLACK BELT Hall of Fame. “But, then again sometimes the best martial artist is one who doesn’t look like he can defend himself.”

 

“It has happened in the past that a lighter person has beaten a heavier one,” noted Nishioka. “You have the element of surprise and some knowledge of judo or other martial arts behind you. There is a certain quickness you attain from the practice of judo. It can be transferable to self-defense situations. You would only need one or two techniques that really work well and that work the majority of the time in any situation.”

 

Nishioka has in the past, on occasion, put his sport judo techniques to use in public as a nightclub bouncer The results were positive, with the former champion more than holding his own against all sorts of unruly citizens. Nishioka also feels that judo people make better bouncers or doormen than other martial artists, weightlifters or football players.

 

“There were times when I had to escort people out,” said Nishioka. “Sometimes I wasn’t real nice, I had to use force. In those situations, arm bars came in very handy. I didn’t have to hit a person or knock them out. If you have a good hold of someone they aren’t going to struggle too much.”

 

“As far as I’m concerned, judo is underrated and underestimated and underpublicized,” said Williams, who is the judo coach at Miami-Dade Community College in Florida. “Not many people are going to continue to fight after they hit the concrete and suffer a separated shoulder.”

 

 

 

 

 

Norris, Chuck (1940-)

 

Born on March 10, 1940, Chuck Norris started studying martial arts in Korea in the 1950s. He was serving in the U.S. Air Force at the time. When he returned home, Norris soon opened his karate studio. He switched to movies in the 1970s, appearing with Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon. Norris became a popular action-film star in the 1980s and starred in his own television series in the 1990s.

 

Early Years

 

The oldest of three boys, Chuck Norris once described himself as "the shy kid who never excelled at anything in school." His father was an alcoholic who all but disappeared from Norris' life after his parents divorced. At the age of 10, Norris moved with his mother and brothers to California. There, he attended North Torrance High School.

 

Norris married his high school sweetheart, Dianne Holechek, in 1958 -- the same year he joined the U.S. Air Force. While stationed at the Osan Air Base in South Korea, he began studying martial arts. He left the service in 1962, and started working as a karate instructor.

 

Martial Arts Expert

 

In the 1960s, Norris opened more than 30 karate studios. He taught several celebrities, including Priscilla Presley and actor Steve McQueen. McQueen encouraged his teacher to try acting. In addition to being an instructor, Norris also was a fierce competitor. He participated in numerous martial arts tournaments, and he won many of the events he competed in.

 

Norris earned his first World Middleweight Karate Championship title in 1968. Proving to be one of the greatest fighters in martial arts, he defended this title five more times. He decided to retire after his 1974 victory.

 

Film and Television Star

 

While he had made one brief film appearance previously, Norris made more of an impact on movie-goers in 1972's Way of the Dragon (also known as Return of the Dragon in the United States). One of the highlights of the film was a fight scene between Norris and martial arts action star Bruce Lee, staged in the famed Roman Colosseum. In 1977, Norris had his first starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker!.

 

Movie audiences loved to watch him mete out swift justice to bad guys in such films as Good Guys Wear Black and Forced Vengeance. In Missing in Action (1984), Norris played a former prisoner of war who returns to Vietnam to free other soldiers still being held. He did this film and its sequels as a tribute to his younger brother, Wieland, who died in combat in Vietnam

 

s received warmer reviews for his cop movie, Code of Silence (1985), and teamed up with the legendary tough guy Lee Marvin for the military action film The Delta Force (1986). Norris' box-office appeal, however, was beginning to fade by the early 1990s. No longer making hit movies, he made the switch to the small screen with Walker, Texas Ranger. Norris played Cordell Walker, an honorable crime fighter, for eight years. The show had a strong following, and was still faring well in the ratings when it went off the air in 2001. Since then, Norris has taken on few acting roles. He has also served as a product spokesperson, appearing in infomercials for exercise equipment.

 

Philanthropist and Activist

 

Norris has been a longtime supporter of numerous charities, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the United Way. In 1992, Norris started his own charitable organization called Kickstart with help from President George Bush. Kickstart provides martial arts training to middle-school students to learn respect and discipline and to improve their self-esteem.

 

Politically conservative, Norris has campaigned on behalf of Republican candidates. He backed George Bush in the 1988 presidential election and supported Mike Huckabee in the 2008 race for the Republican nomination. A believer in the Constitution's Second Amendment, Norris has worked with the National Rifle Association to oppose some legislation on restricting gun ownership.

 

HISTORY Car Week Special

 

Some of the most innovative and mindboggling cars are not on the streets – they are helping the military pound the pavement and cross terrain around the world. From an amphibious truck that can charge over deep sea and water in a flash, to a six-wheeled Humvee with more firepower than some tanks – Norris will take viewers on a tour through the wildest vehicles in the history of the Armed Forces in the one-hour HISTORY Car Week special Chuck Norris's Epic Guide to Military Vehicles. The special airs Monday, July 8 at 9/8c.

 

Personal Life

 

Chuck Norris has been married twice. He has three children from his first marriage to Dianne Holechek. The couple divorced in 1988. In 1998, Norris married Gena O'Kelley and they welcomed twins three years later.

 

Norris loves speed, and has competed in off-shore powerboat competitions. In 1997, he reached an important martial arts milestone, becoming the first man in the Western Hemisphere to earn an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master title.

 

Possessing a more contemplative side, Norris has written several books. He published his autobiography, The Secret of Inner Strength, in 1988, which became a bestseller. A few years later, Norris penned a self-help tome, The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems. In 2007, Norris was made an honorary U.S. Marine for his years of support of the military, in particular wounded servicemen.

 

Grandmaster Norris began his martial arts study in Judo while serving as an MP at the Osan Air Base in Korea. After only two weeks of training he broke his shoulder in a fall on the mat. While walking through a local town a few nights later, he came upon a group of martial artists practicing outdoors and was amazed by their acrobatic skills. He asked his Judo instructor Mr. Ahn about it and was told it was an art called Tang Soo Do. Master Norris asked his instructor what he thought about his training in karate until his shoulder healed. Thinking it a good idea, Mr. Ahn introduced him to Master Jae Chul Shin (# 698). While he did continue to study Judo one day a week, it was Tang Soo Do that appealed to him most.

After a year of training for 5 hours daily, Master Shin told him he was ready to test for black belt in Seoul. Grandmaster Hwang Kee presided at the testing. Although he did not pass his test that day, he did pass three months later. Upon returning to the U.S., he continued to train on his own as there were no Tang Soo Do schools at that time. When others on the base showed an interest in his Tang Soo Do practice, he began a karate club on the base. He was 21 years old at the time. After his discharge in 1962, he opened a school in Torrance, California with his brother Aaron who was also training.

Master Norris's competitive career began in 1964 at a small tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lost his first three tournaments but went on to defeat some of the biggest names competing on the tournament circuit - Joe Lewis, Louis Delgado, Skipper Mullins, Victor Moore and others. His fight record was 65-5 by the time he retired as undefeated Professional Full-Contact Middleweight Champion in 1974.

In 1969 he earned the Triple Crown for the most tournament wins and was named fighter of the year by Black Belt Magazine. He also became the first Westerner to earn an 8th Degree in Tae Kwon Do.

 

 

By age 34, Grandmaster Norris had established 32 schools and among his many students were Priscilla Presley, the Osmonds, and Steve McQueen. It was Steve McQueen who urged him to get into acting. His first role was in "The Wrecking Crew" in 1969. His next role in 1973 would put him on the road to stardom. It was the classic fight scene at the Colosseum in Rome opposite Bruce Lee in "Return of The Dragon".

 

Grandmaster Norris founded the National Tang Soo Do Congress (now headed by Pat Johnson) and the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF). He also developed two of his own martial arts systems, "Chun Kuk Do" (the Universal Way), and American Tang Soo Do.

To help battle drugs and violence in schools, he created KickStart, a non-profit organization that provides martial arts training in the school system for at-risk kids. Instructors in the program work full time and are part of the school curriculum, another first in the martial arts world.

Grandmaster Norris has also retired from the series Walker, Texas Ranger after eight successful year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker, Ed (Edmund Kealoha „Ed Parker)

 

 (1931 –1990)

 

Life

 

 

 

Grandmaster Edmund Kealoha Parker, 10th Degree Black Belt, is the undisputed father of American Kenpo with the greatest modern day influence on the spread of Kenpo around the world. He has often been referred to as a "genius of motion" and has made an incomprehensible contribution to the martial arts world.

 

He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on 19th March, 1931. At age 16, already a Black Belt in Judo, he had his first introduction to the art of Kenpo through Frank Chow. Parker quickly learned everything Frank could teach him, and Frank soon arranged for his more experienced brother, William Chow, to help Parker reach a higher level

 

In 1949, Parker enrolled at Brigham Young University in Utah. After two years, he was drafted into the Korean War and luckily managed to be stationed in Hawaii for most of his three year term with the US Coast Guard. This allowed him to continue his training with Chow on a full-time basis. The art, system and science of Kenpo intrigued him and his desire to introduce it to the United States grew.

 

Early on in his career, Parker met Terry Robinson, a World War II combat instructor who was impressed with Kenpo. It was through this association with Robinson that Parker began teaching celebrities including Elvis Presley (who Parker toured with as a member of Elvis's security group) and Steve McQueen. This allowed Parker to introduce Kenpo to the world of television and movies as an actor and stunt coordinator. Easily the most impressive movie featuring Kenpo, from which Parker worked behind the scenes, is The Perfect Weapon starring Jeff Speakman [see the News & Updates section regarding Jeff Speakman].

 

In 1964, Ed Parker held his first "International Karate Championships" (IKC) in Long Beach, California, which became the largest Martial Arts tournament in the US for many years. The IKC brought out some of the best martial artists from around the world. It was around this time that Ed Parker had met and become friends with Bruce Lee.  The two had trained together and exchanged ideas on how innovation should be applied to the traditional martial arts.  By Parker's invitation, Bruce Lee was given centre stage at the IKC tournament and provided his first demonstration of skills to the American public, which obtained him the role of Kato in the "Green Hornet" television series. That role later propelled him to stardom

 

Parker was born in Hawaii. He  began training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing. Sometime in the 1940s, he was first introduced to Kenpō by Frank Chow who then introduced Ed Parker to William Chow, a student of James Mitose. William trained Parker while serving in the Coast Guard and attending Brigham Young University. In 1953 he was promoted to the rank of black belt. Parker, seeing that modern times posed new situations that were not addressed in Kenpo, adapted the art to make it more easily applicable to the streets of America and called his style, American Kenpo Karate.^[2]

 

Parker opened the first "Americanized" karate school in the western United States in Provo, Utah in 1954.By 1956, Parker opened a Dojo in Pasadena, California. His first brown belt student was Charles Beeder. There is controversy over whether Beeder received the first black belt awarded by Parker. Beeder's son has stated for the record that his father's black belt came after Ed Parker had moved to California.^[4] The other black belts in chronological order up to 1962 were: Rich Montgomery, James Ibrao, Mills Crenshaw, authorized by Ed Parker to open a school in Salt Lake City, UT in late 1958 (That school later became the birthplace of the International Kenpo Karate Association; or IKKA.), Tom Garriga, Rick Flores, Al and Jim Tracy of Tracy Kenpo, Chuck Sullivan, John McSweeney, and Dave Hebler.^[5] In 1962, John McSweeney opened a school in Ireland, which prompted Parker to give control of the Kenpo Karate Association of America to the Tracy Brothers and form a new organization, the International Kenpo Karate Association.

 

Parker was well known for his business creativity and helped many martial artists open their own dojos. He was well known in Hollywood where he trained a great many stunt men and celebrities; most notable was Elvis Presley, to whom he eventually awarded a ninth degree black belt in Kenpo. He left behind a few grand masters who are known around the world to this day such as Al Tracy, head of the world's largest system of kenpo, Bob White, Huk Planas, Larry Tatum, Ron Chapel, and Frank Trejo who runs a school in California.^[6] He helped Bruce Lee gain national attention by introducing him at his International Karate Championships. He served as one of Elvis Presley's bodyguard during the singer's final years, did movie stunt-work and acting, and was one of the Kenpo instructors of martial arts action movie actor Jeff Speakman. He is best known to Kenpoists as the founder of American Kenpo and is referred to fondly as the "Father of American Kenpo". He is formally referred to as Senior Grand Master of American Kenpo. Parker can be seen with Elvis Presley in the opening sequence of the 1977 TV special "Elvis in Concert". Parker wrote a book about his time with Elvis on the road.

 

Parker had a minor career as a Hollywood actor and stunt man. His most notable film was Kill the Golden Goose.^[7] In this film, he co-stars with Hapkido master Bong Soo Han. His acting work included the (uncredited) role of Mr. Chong in student^[8] Blake Edwards' Revenge of the Pink Panther and again in Curse of the Pink Panther.^[9]

 

Edmund K. Parker died in Honolulu of a heart attack on December 15, 1990. His widow Leilani Parker died on June 12, 2006. Of their five children, his son, Ed Parker Jr., founded his own self-defense system known as Paxtial Martial Arts. Ed Parkers four daughters, Darlene Parker Tafua, Beth Parker Uale, Yvonne Parker Autry and Sheri Parker Pula are joint officers of Ed Parker Sr.ʻs Kam IV Inc. The family business, formerly known as Ed Parker Enterprises (including Ed Parkerʻs American Kenpo Karate Studios, International Kenpo Karate Association [IKKA], International Karate Championship Tournament, and DELSBY publications), was renamed "Kam IV Inc." and turned over to Ed Parkerʻs daughters just before Leilani Parkerʻs passing in May 2006. Kam IV Inc. holds the exclusive legal rights to all of Ed Parker Seniorʻs Intellectual Property.

 

Parker's training

 

Ed Parker's father enrolled his son in Judo classes at the age of twelve. Parker received his Shodan in Judo in 1949 at the age of eighteen.^[1] After receiving his brown belt in Kenpo, he moved to the mainland to attend Brigham Young University and began to teach the martial arts. Mr. Parker's kenposhodan diploma is dated 1953.

 

It was during this period that Parker was significantly influenced by the Japanese and Okinawan interpretations prevalent in Hawaii. Parker's Book Kenpo Karate, published in 1961, shows the many hard linear movements, albeit with modifications, that set his interpretations apart.

 

All the influences up to that time were reflected in Parker's rigid, linear method of "Kenpo Karate," as it was called. Between writing and publishing, however, he began to be influenced by the Chinese arts, and included this information in his system. He settled in Southern California after leaving the Coast Guard and finishing his education at BYU. Here he found himself surrounded by other martial artists from a wide variety of systems, many of whom were willing to discuss and share their arts with him. Parker made contact with people like Ark Wong, Haumea Lefiti, Jimmy H. Woo (who developed many of the American Kenpo forms still used today), and Lau Bun. These martial artists were known for their skills in arts such as Five Family Fist Kung Fu, Splashing-Hands, San Soo, T'ai Chi, and Hung Gar, and this influence remains visible in both historical material (such as forms that Parker taught in his system) and current principles.

 

Exposed to new Chinese training concepts and history, he wrote a second book, Secrets of Chinese Karate published in 1963. Parker drew comparisons in this and other books between karate (a better known art in the United States at that time) and the Chinese methods he adopted and taught.

 

In the 1991 martial arts film The Perfect Weapon, starring his student Jeff Speakman, Parker helped with the fight choreography shortly before his death.^[10]

 

Bibliography

 

• 1960, Kenpo Karate: Law of the Fist and the Empty Hand. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-47-3
• 1963, Secrets of Chinese Karate. Prentice-Hall ISBN 0-13-797845-6
• 1975, Ed Parker's Guide to the Nunchaku ISBN 0-86568-104-X
• 1975, Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate Accumulative Journal. International Kenpo Karate Association.
• 1978, Inside Elvis. Rampart House ISBN 0-89773-000-3
• 1982, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Vol. 1: Mental Stimulation. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-00-7
• 1983, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Vol. 2: Physical Analyzation I. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-02-3
• 1985, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo, Vol. 3: Physical Analyzation II. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-04-X
• 1986, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights Into Kenpo, Vol. 4: Mental and Physical Constituents. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-06-6
• 1987, Ed Parker's Infinite Insights Into Kenpo: Vol. 5: Mental and Physical Applications. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-08-2
• 1988, The Woman's Guide to Self Defense
• 1988, The Zen of Kenpo. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-10-4
• 1992, Ed Parker's Encyclopedia of Kenpo. Delsby Publications ISBN 0-910293-12-0

 

Beaver, W. (April 1991). "My Friend, Ed Parker". Black Belt Magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

·         Filmography

 

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1964	The Secret Door		Uncredited
1966	Dimension 5	Sinister Oriental
1967	The Money Jungle	Cassidy
1968	The Wrecking Crew	Guard	Uncredited
1978	Revenge of the Pink Panther	Mr. Chong	Uncredited
1978	Seabo	Jimbo
1978	Kill the Golden Goose	Mauna Loa
1979	Seven	Himself
1983	Curse of the Pink Panther	Mr. Chong	(final film role)

 

·         TV

 

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1963	The Lucy Show episode Lucy And Viv Learn Karate	Himself	Named in show, credited as "Judo Student #

 

 

 

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001866/bio

 

Young Sze (1946 -)/simplified Chinese: 杨斯; traditional Chinese: 楊斯; pinyin: Yáng Sī/ ), better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist and a martial arts film actor. He is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon (starring Bruce Lee, 1973)   He began his martial arts training at the age of 10. In his teens Yeung begun studying a variety of styles, favouring Tai Chi and Wing Chun (he would also later study Jeet Kune Do under the instruction of Bruce Lee). Growing up he took an interest in bodybuilding. In the 1960s he swam  from China to Hong Kong 4km through the dirty Dapeng and Shenzhen bays to escape communism. In the early 1960s Yeung took part in the great exodus to Hong Kong in search of a better life.

 

Luckily Yeung managed to evade capture, and he soon settled into his new life in Hong Kong as a gym instructor.

 

Later he became know as Chinese Hercules after becoming Mr. Hong Kong bodybuilding champion. He held the title for ten years 1970-1980). Because of his impressively muscular physique he was chosen for several bad guy movie roles, produced by Shaw Brothers Studios, such as The Heroic Ones, The Deadly Duo, Angry Guest and others. He left Shaw Brothers in 1971. ???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/b/Bruce_Lee.htm

 

 

 

Bruce Lee Time line

 

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 loses a fight. One of Man's most notable students was Bruce Lee, who studied under the master.  At the age of 13, Lee was an excellent and intense student and became proficient in the Wing Chun art. Lee would return to visit Yip Man in later years, the two having become friends.   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's. He works odd jobs around the various Chinese communities. Later, he moves to Seattle to work for Ruby Chow, another friend of his father's. 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. Lee began teaching martial arts in the United States. He called what he taught Jun Fan Gung Fu (literally Bruce Lee's Kung Fu). It was basically his approach to Wing Chun. Lee taught friends he met in Seattle, starting with Judo practitioner Jesse Glover, who continued to teach some of Lee's early techniques. 1961 - March (Age 21): Seattle- Bruce enrolls at the University of Washington, studying Philosophy. He teaches Kung-Fu to students at school. By the time Bruce had reached the age of 21 in 1961, his skill in the martial arts was astounding, both in terms of physical application and his understanding of the philosophical evolution, which shaped their development as both a combat medium and art-form. In March of the same year, Bruce matriculates at the University of Washington, to study philosophy. Very soon, knowledge of his incredible skill spreads to the other students, and Bruce once again fulfills the role of both teacher and mentor to many of his classmates. After a romance lasting several months with local girl Amy Sanbo, Bruce, aged 23, decides to propose in the summer of ‘63, but is unfortunately turned down. Dejected he returns to Hong Kong with friend Doug Palmer to visit his family and to benefit from a few months of rest and relaxation before re-commencing his studies. The remainder of ’63 was to prove to be a significant time in the life of Bruce Lee. Not only did he open his first ‘Jun Fan Gung-Fu’ institute, where he would fly in the face of tradition by teaching his direct, effective and street-realistic principles of self-defence to any person of any race, but he also embarked on a relationship with a certain Linda Emery. Bruce’s first date with Linda was on October 25th at the ‘Space Needle’ restaurant in Seattle, and the two quickly fell in love and would eventually marry. Encouraged by Linda, Bruce moved his Jun Fan Gung Fu institute to 4750 University Way near the university campus, and benefited greatly from a major influx of students who became interested in his teachings, and principles of self-defense. 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. In 1963 he moved his family to Oakland, leaving the Seattle school in Taki Kimura’s capable hands. In Oakland Bruce started a process of shedding some of his old techniques and adding some new elements to his personal martial art. He added a major emphasis on physical conditioning. Bruce also added Western boxing footwork to add mobility to his art, and Western boxing punching to add variety and angles to his punching repertoire. At this time Jun Fan Gung Fu, which is what Bruce Lee called his art, consisted of wing chun trapping and straight punches with four corner simultaneous blocking and hitting, a mixture of Northern and Southern Chinese kicking techniques with angle punching and footwork from boxing. 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.) In 1964, aged 24, Bruce meets Jhoon Rhee, the man considered by many to be the ‘Father of Tae-kwondo-do in America’. The two men would go on to develop a life-long friendship, based on their respect for each other’s abilities, and Rhee subsequently invites Bruce to appear at tournaments in Washington and other locations throughout the United States to demonstrate his breath-taking skills. Due to his success with the school in Washington and his growing profile within the United States as a renowned master of the martial arts, Bruce opens a second Jun Fan Gung-Fu school in Oakland, and his good friend and student Taky Kimura takes over the responsibility as head instructor. On August 2nd 1964, Bruce performs at the International Karate championships in Long Beach, California, at the invitation of Kenpo legend, Ed Parker. Bruce mesmerizes the audience with his feats of super-human ability, including the performance of a series of "two-finger" push-ups, and the incredible "One Inch Punch". -"The One-Inch Punch" is a technique which Bruce developed with student James Demille, which effectively allowed him to position his fist one inch away from the torso of an opponent, and with a short, focused strike, propel him backwards several feet through the air, seemingly without effort. Present at the groundbreaking demonstration was Jay Sebring, hair-stylist for the popular "Batman" TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Sebring was so impressed with Bruce’s physical prowess and magnetic charisma, that he immediately put him in touch with "Batman" producer William Dozier, who invites Bruce to L.A. to take part in a screen-test for his forthcoming TV series "The Green Hornet". After a passionate, whirlwind romance lasting less than a year, Bruce proposes to Linda and the couple marry on August 17th 1964 and move to Oakland, California. 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 - Oakland (Age 24): 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 flys down to Los Angeles for a screen test. 1964 - August 4 (Age 24): Oakland - Bruce leaves for Seattle. He will propose to Linda. In 1964 Bruce made his move to Los Angeles to co-star in the Green Hornet television show, and left James Lee in charge of the Oakland school. While in Los Angeles, Bruce made many trips to both Oakland and Seattle to work with James and Taki. 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 attemps 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 condiiton. 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 flys 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 buyse 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. In 1967 Bruce opened the Chinatown school with Dan Inosanto as the head instructor. At this time Bruce started adding fencing theory to his martial art. His front hand finger jab was used in a similar way to a Western fencing foil. He adapted fencing attacks into the five ways of attack. But most important of all he took the most efficient defensive technique, which is to intercept your opponent’s attack with a stop hit. Bruce Lee felt that being able to stop hit is so important that he named his art Jeet Kune Do which means "the way of the intercepting fist". 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 inteviewed 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 existance. 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 fo the part in the upcoming series, The Warrior. This series was later released as Kung-Fu, staring David Carradine, who doesn't know shit 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 the 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 an 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 goodbye 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 a four days later 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.

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

• Bishop, James (2004). Bruce Lee: Dynamic Becoming. Dallas: Promethean Press. ISBN 0-9734054-0-6.
• Bolelli, Daniele (2008). On the Warrior's Path. Blue Snake Books. ISBN 1-58394-219-X.
• Campbell, Sid (2003). The Dragon and the Tiger: The Birth of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. 1 (illustrated ed.). Frog Books. ISBN 1-58394-089-8.
• Campbell, Sid (2006). Remembering the master (illustrated ed.). Blue Snake Books. ISBN 1-58394-148-7.
• Clouse, Robert (1988). Bruce Lee: The Biography (illustrated ed.). Unique Publications. ISBN 0-86568-133-3.
• Dennis, Felix (1974). Bruce Lee, King of Kung-Fu (illustrated ed.). Wildwood House. ISBN 0-7045-0121-X.
• Dorgan, Michael (1980). Bruce Lee's Toughest Fight. EBM Kung Fu Academy. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
• Glover, Jesse R. (1976). Bruce Lee Between Win Chun and Jeet Kune Do. Unspecified vendor. ISBN 0-9602328-0-X.
• Lee, Bruce (1975). Tao of Jeet Kune Do (reprint ed.). Ohara Publications. ISBN 0-89750-048-2.
• Lee, Bruce (2008). M. Uyehara (ed.). Bruce Lee's Fighting Method: The Complete Edition (illustrated ed.). Black Belt Communications. ISBN 0-89750-170-5.
• Lee, Linda (1975a). Bruce Lee: the man only I knew. Warner Paperback Library. ISBN 0-446-78774-4.
• Lee, Linda (1989). The Bruce Lee Story. United States: Ohara Publications. ISBN 0-89750-121-7.
• Little, John (2001). Bruce Lee: Artist of Life. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3263-3.
• Little, John (1996). The Warrior Within – The philosophies of Bruce Lee to better understand the world around you and achieve a rewarding life (illustrated ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-8092-3194-8.
• Little, John (1997). Words of the Dragon: Interviews 1958–1973 (Bruce Lee). Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3133-5.
• Little, John (1997). Jeet Kune Do: Bruce Lee's Commentaries on the Martial Way (illustrated ed.). Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3132-7.
• Little, John (1997). The tao of gung fu: a study in the way of Chinese martial art. Bruce Lee Library. 2 (illustrated ed.). Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3110-6.
• Little, John (1998). Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8048-3129-1.
• Little, John (2002). Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living (illustrated ed.). Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3471-7.
• Polly, Matthew (2018). Bruce Lee: A Life. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781501187643.
• Sharif, Sulaiman (2009). 50 Martial Arts Myths. new media entertainment ltd. ISBN 0-9677546-2-3.
• Thomas, Bruce (1994). Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit: a Biography. Berkeley, California: Frog, Ltd. ISBN 1-883319-25-0.
• Thomas, Bruce (2006). Immortal Combat: Portrait of a True Warrior (illustrated ed.). Blue Snake Books. ISBN 1-58394-173-8.
• Uyehara, Mitoshi (1993). Bruce Lee: the incomparable fighter (illustrated ed.). Black Belt Communications. ISBN 0-89750-120-9.
• Vaughn, Jack (1986). The Legendary Bruce Lee. Black Belt Communications. ISBN 0-89750-106-3.
• Yılmaz, Yüksel (2000). Dövüş Sanatlarının Temel İlkeleri. İstanbul, Turkey: Beyaz Yayınları. ISBN 975-8261-87-8.
• Yılmaz, Yüksel (2008). Jeet Kune Do'nun Felsefesi. İstanbul, Turkey: Yalın Yayıncılık. ISBN 978-9944-313-67-4.

 

 

 

·         Filmography

 

 

 

 

 

·         Jump to: Actor | Miscellaneous Crew | Producer | Writer | Director | Stunts | Thanks | Self | Archive footage

 

·         Hide  Actor (32 credits)

 

·          1973 A sárkány közbelép
Lee

 

·          1972 A sárkány útja
Tang Lung

 

·          1972 Tomboló ököl
Chen Zhen

 

·          

 

·          1971 Longstreet (TV Series)
Li Tsung

 

·         - "I See", Said the Blind Man (1971) ... Li Tsung

 

·         - Wednesday's Child (1971) ... Li Tsung

 

·         - Spell Legacy Like Death (1971) ... Li Tsung

 

·         - The Way of the Intercepting Fist (1971) ... Li Tsung

 

·          

 

·          1971 A nagyfőnök
Cheng Chao-an

 

·          1969 A kicsi nővér
Winslow Wong

 

·          1969 Here Come the Brides (TV Series)
Lin

 

·         - Marriage, Chinese Style (1969) ... Lin

 

·          1969 Blondie (TV Series)
Karate Instructor

 

·         - Pick on Someone Your Own Size (1969) ... Karate Instructor

 

·          1967 Ironside (TV Series)
Leon Soo

 

·         - Tagged for Murder (1967) ... Leon Soo

 

·          1966-1967 The Green Hornet (TV Series)
Kato

 

·         - The Hornet and the Firefly (1967) ... Kato

 

·         - Invasion from Outer Space: Part 2 (1967) ... Kato

 

·         - Invasion from Outer Space: Part 1 (1967) ... Kato

 

·         - Hornet, Save Thyself (1967) ... Kato

 

·         - Alias the Scarf (1967) ... Kato

 

·         Show all 26 episodes

 

·          1966-1967 Batman (TV Series)
Kato

 

·         - Batman's Satisfaction (1967) ... Kato

 

·         - A Piece of the Action (1967) ... Kato

 

·         - The Spell of Tut (1966) ... Kato (uncredited)

 

·          1966 The Milton Berle Show (TV Series)
Kato

 

·         - Adam West (as Batman), Van Williams (as the Green Hornet), Bruce Lee (as Kato), Phyllis Diller, Joe Pyne, Paul Revere & the Raiders (1966) ... Kato

 

·          1960 Ren hai gu hong
Ah Sam (as Lee Siu-Lung)

 

·          1957 Lei yu
Chow Chung (as Siu Lung Lee)

 

·          1956 Zao zhi dang cu wo bu jia
Kai Cheung

 

·          1956 Zha dian na fu
Yeung Siu-lung (as Lee Siu Lung)

 

·          1955 Er nu zhai
Ah Cai

 

·          1955 Gu er xing

 

·          1955 Gu xing xue lei
Frank / Fuk-Wan (child)

 

·          1955 Ai xia ji
Ma Si-Hau's son

 

·          1955 Ai
Ma Si-Hau's son

 

·          1953 Wei lou chun xiao (as Lee Jun-fan)

 

·          1953 Qian wan ren jia

 

·          1953 Fu zhi guo (Juvenile)

 

·          1953 Ci mu lei

 

·          1953 Ku hai ming deng
Tin Sang (Juvenile) (as Siu Lung Lee)

 

·          1951 Ren zhi Chu
Ngau Tsai

 

·          1950 Xi lu xiang
Ah-Cheung (Juvenile) (as Lung Lee)

 

·          1949 Meng li xi shi (as Siu Hoi-Chuen Lee)

 

·          1948 Fu gui fu yun
[intro]

 

·          1946 The Birth of Mankind

 

·          1941 Golden Gate Girl

 

Olympics: JOC to name Yasuhiro Yamashita as new chief

KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2019 - 20:40 | Sports, News, All

The Japanese Olympic Committee is set to name former Olympic judo gold medalist Yasuhiro Yamashita as successor to President Tsunekazu Takeda, who is under investigation by French authorities for alleged bribery, multiple sources said Friday.

Takeda will retire at the end of his current term in June as a result of the bribery allegations, which are related to Tokyo's successful bid for the 2020 Games. He is the longest-serving JOC president.

The 61-year-old Yamashita, who won nine straight national championships during his judo career, currently serves as a senior executive board member of the JOC. The 61-year-old has also been the president of the All Japan Judo Federation since 2017. He is being tasked with propping up the JOC ahead of next year's Olympics.

The election process will begin with the convening of a candidate selection committee, selection of new officers by the board of trustees in June and then final election by the board of directors in July.

According to a JOC source, JOC Managing Director Kozo Tashima, the Japan Football Association's president, and JOC Vice President Seiko Hashimoto were also looked upon as candidates to replace Takeda. Both declined citing other responsibilities outside the JOC.

Yamashita, a native of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, won the men's open-weight category gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and is a recipient of the prestigious People's Honor Award.