Bruce Lee

Biography

Bruce Lee was a Hong Kong and American actor, martial artist, and filmmaker whose work reshaped martial arts cinema. He was born in San Francisco but grew up in Hong Kong, where his father, a Cantonese opera star, introduced him to film as a child. Lee later trained in Wing Chun under Ip Man and, after moving to Seattle in 1959, opened his first martial arts school. He reached American viewers as Kato on the ABC television series The Green Hornet, which aired from 1966 to 1967. Returning to Hong Kong in 1971, he gained stardom in The Big Boss (1971), then starred in Fist of Fury (1972) and served as writer, director, and star of The Way of the Dragon (1972). Enter the Dragon (1973) became one of the year's highest-grossing films. His movies helped popularize martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema.

32years old at death

Born November 27, 1940San Francisco Chinese Hospital
Died July 20, 1973Kowloon Tong
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
李振藩 (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 12
Career span: 51 years1969 to 2020

Genres

Action50%, 6 films
Documentary42%, 5 films
Drama33%, 4 films
Crime25%, 3 films
Mystery17%, 2 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Own stunts
Lee knocked out Gary Elms, the previous champion, in the final of the 1958 Hong Kong schools boxing tournament. That year he also took Hong Kong's Crown Colony Cha-Cha Championship.
A role that slipped away
Cadwell said Lee's idea was reworked and given the title Kung Fu, yet Warner Bros. did not credit Lee for it.
Big break
Lee's first leading role came in The Big Boss in 1971. The film was a huge box-office hit across Asia and made him an instant star in Hong Kong.

Bruce Lee movies on Netflix

Be Water2020IMDb rating 7.3as Self (archival)
I Am Bruce Lee2012IMDb rating 7.4as Self (archival)
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee2001IMDb rating 7.0as Himself
The Best of the Martial Arts Films1990IMDb rating 6.9as Himself
Game of Death II1981IMDb rating 5.1as Billy Lo / Lee Chen-Chiang
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death1980IMDb rating 2.4as The Martial Arts Master
The Real Bruce Lee1977IMDb rating 4.4as Himself
Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend1973IMDb rating 6.2as Himself
Enter the Dragon1973IMDb rating 7.6as Lee
The Chinese Connection1972IMDb rating 7.2as Chen Zhen
The Big Boss1971IMDb rating 6.9as Cheng Chao-an
Marlowe1969IMDb rating 6.4as Winslow Wong

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Enter the Dragon1973 Action, Crime, Dramaas Lee
IMDb rating 7.6122K votes
The Chinese Connection1972 Action, Drama, Romanceas Chen Zhen
IMDb rating 7.238K votes
The Big Boss1971as Cheng Chao-an
IMDb rating 6.932K votes
I Am Bruce Lee2012as Self (archival)
IMDb rating 7.44.1K votes
Marlowe1969as Winslow Wong
IMDb rating 6.44.7K votes
Game of Death II1981as Billy Lo / Lee Chen-Chiang
IMDb rating 5.14.1K votes
Be Water2020as Self (archival)
IMDb rating 7.32.4K votes
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee2001as Himself
IMDb rating 7.0115 votes

Most often with

Wei Lo directed two of these films. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Tony Liu

Angela Mao

Shannon Lee

Linda Lee CadwellWei LoDirector, 2 films

Films together

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar4 films together, 1977 to 2020
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's page
- Be Water2020IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Self (archival)Abdul-Jabbar as Self - Student / Friend
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee2001IMDb rating 7.0Lee as HimselfAbdul-Jabbar as Himself
- The Best of the Martial Arts Films1990IMDb rating 6.9Lee as HimselfAbdul-Jabbar as Himself
- The Real Bruce Lee1977IMDb rating 4.4Lee as HimselfAbdul-Jabbar as Hakim
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung3 films together, 1973 to 1990
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung's page
- The Best of the Martial Arts Films1990IMDb rating 6.9Lee as HimselfHung as Himself
- Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend1973IMDb rating 6.2Lee as HimselfHung as Himself
- Enter the Dragon1973IMDb rating 7.6Lee as LeeHung as Shaolin Fighter
Tony Liu3 films together, 1971 to 2020
Tony Liu's page
- Be Water2020IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Self (archival)Liu as Self - Actor / Family Friend
- The Chinese Connection1972IMDb rating 7.2Lee as Chen ZhenLiu as Chin
- The Big Boss1971IMDb rating 6.9Lee as Cheng Chao-anLiu as Hsiao Chiun (Mi's son)
Angela Mao3 films together, 1973 to 2020
Angela Mao's page
- Be Water2020IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Self (archival)Mao as Self - Actress
- The Best of the Martial Arts Films1990IMDb rating 6.9Lee as HimselfMao as Himself
- Enter the Dragon1973IMDb rating 7.6Lee as LeeMao as Su Lin (Guest star)
Shannon Lee3 films together, 1973 to 2020
Shannon Lee's page
- Be Water2020IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Self (archival)Lee as Self - Daughter
- I Am Bruce Lee2012IMDb rating 7.4Lee as Self (archival)Lee as Himself
- Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend1973IMDb rating 6.2Lee as HimselfLee as Himself
Linda Lee Cadwell3 films together, 1973 to 2020
Linda Lee Cadwell's page
- Be Water2020IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Self (archival)Cadwell as Self - Wife
- I Am Bruce Lee2012IMDb rating 7.4Lee as Self (archival)Cadwell as Himself
- Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend1973IMDb rating 6.2Lee as HimselfCadwell as Self - Bruce Lee's widow
Wei LoDirector, 2 films, 1971 to 1972
- The Chinese Connection1972IMDb rating 7.2Lee as Chen Zhen
- The Big Boss1971IMDb rating 6.9Lee as Cheng Chao-an

Awards

Two awards and honors.

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Bruce Lee's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Other honors
2015	California Hall of Fame (posthumous)	Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame	Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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