Bruce Lee Chronology

What does Bruce Lee have to do with Wing Chun? It's not just martial arts name-dropping. In fact, long before he became famous as a Hollywood actor, he helped make Wing Chun famous in Hong Kong.

1940
o November 27--born in San Francisco, CA at the Jackson Street Hospital. Son of Lee Hoi-Chuen and Grace Lee. Named Lee Jun-Fan, meaning "Return again Lee" in hopes he'd return to the United States some day ["Lee" is pronounced "lay" in Cantonese].
1941
o Returned with family to Kowloon, Hong Kong.
1952
o Entered La Salle College, a Catholic boy's school.
1952-1959
o Attended St. Francis Xavier College [this isn't a college as the word is used in the USA, but what we call a high school].
1954-1957
o Studied Wing Chun under the instruction of Yip Man. Learned as far as the second hand form and part of the wooden dummy form. Didn't finish the wooden dummy form, learn the third hand form or weapons forms. With Wong Sheun-Leung, William Cheung, and others, made Wing Chun famous in Hong Kong by winning numerous challenge matches against other martial artists.
1957-1958
o Continued Wing Chun under the instruction of Wong Shun-Leung.
1957-1959
o Continued Wing Chun under the instruction of William Cheung.
1958
o Appeared in Movie "The Orphan." Won Crown Colony Cha-Cha Championship.
1959
o April--returned to San Francisco, California, USA.
1959-1963
o Moved to Seattle, Washington. Finished High School, then majored in Philosophy at the University of Washington. Since he hadn't completed his study of Wing Chun and faced now with larger opponents, he began to examine and incorporate aspects of other martial arts into his fighting style. This eventually led him to create and teach his own personal system.
1963
o Wrote "Chinese Gung Fu: the philosophical art of self defense" (Burbank: Ohara, 1963) [this book isn't about Wing Chun].
o Trip to Hong Kong.
1963-1964
o Returned to Seattle. Moved to Oakland, California.
1964
o August--gave first major demonstration at Ed Parker's Long Beach Karate Internationals.
o Married Linda C. Emery in Seattle. Lived with James Yimm Lee family in Oakland.
1965
o February 1--son Brandon born.
o Visited Hong Kong.
o September--returned from Hong Kong to Seattle.
1966
o March--moved to Los Angeles.
1966-1967
o 9 September 1966-14 July 1967--appeared as Kato in the television series "The Green Hornet" [what you see in his TV and movie roles is not Wing Chun--instead this is his "movie" style].
1969
o Appeared in "Marlowe" with James Garner.
o April 19--daughter Shannon born.
1971
o October--moved to Hong Kong.
o Starred in "The Big Boss" and "Fist of Fury."
1972
o Starred in "Way of the Dragon" and "Game of Death" (unfinished).
o Assisted in the publication of "Wing Chun Kung Fu" with James Yimm Lee.
o December 1--death of Bruce's Wing Chun Sifu Yip Man in Hong Kong. Bruce did not attend the funeral--conflicting reasons have been given.
1973
o Starred in "Enter the Dragon."
o July 20--died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. I won't go into the rumors about cause of death; instead read one of his many biographies--I recommend the one by Linda Lee, his widow.
o Buried at Lakeview Cemetery, Seattle.
If you with to pay your respects in person, Lake View Cemetery is at 1554 15th Avenue East, just north of Volunteer Park, in the Capitol Hill area east of downtown Seattle. After entering the cemetery, follow the road straight ahead towards the top of the hill. Then turn north from there and within a few feet you should find the gravesite of Bruce and his son Brandon just to your right (east) of the road. Gates are open from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.

Jackie in 1954
Jackie was reportedly offered for sale by his impoverished parents to a British doctor in Hong Kong for $1,500HK (about ). His father eventually reconsidered....
Jackie emigrated to Australia with his parents as a small child.

Jackie 1955-60
Jackie would spend his early childhood with his parents in Australia.
The outside world was changing radically with the "communist threat", fear of nuclear war and the population explosion...


Jackie in 1961
Jackie returned to Hong Kong alone at age 7 to be indentured to the Chinese Opera Research Institute.
He was trained in the techniques of the Peking Opera from 5 am to nearly midnight each day--under the threat of corporal punishment (caning) and food deprivation.
Studies included studied acting, singing, dance, mime, acrobatics and a variety of martial arts


Jackie 1963-70
Jackie continued his grueling studies at the Chinese Opera Research Institute :acting, singing, dance, mime, acrobatics and a variety of martial arts...every day.
The "sixties" are the most socially turbulent and vibrant decade since World War I...

Jackie in 1971
Jackie graduated and rejoined his parents in Australia; worked at various odd jobs such as dishwasher and bricklayer.
Returned to Hong Kong and adopted the stage name Chen Yuan Long and found work as a stunt man, martial arts fighter and extra at Shaw Brothers Studios.
First film role as an adult, Little Tiger From Canton
Jackie in 1972
Jackie Served as the stunt double for the dreaded Mr. Suzuki in Lo We's Fist Of Fury/The Chinese Connection, a popular Bruce Lee vehicle.
Jackie successfully executed what was reputedly the highest stunt fall ever attempted in Asian cinema.
Credited as fight choreographer: Police Woman.
Jackie in 1973
The Heroine was Jackie's first credit as martial arts director (he also played the second male lead).
He appeared in bit parts in Not Scared To Die.
First film lead, The Little Tiger Of Guandong (shelved until 1974)
Jackie in 1974
The Little Tiger Of Guandong, Jackie's first film lead is released.
First released theatrical feature in starring role: Strange In Hong Kong
Bit part Li Han Xiang's Golden Lotus
Jackie in 1975
Appeared in Hand Of Death, an early effort by director John Woo
Bit part in All In The Family (Hong Kong)
Jackie in 1976
Starred in six kung fu movies for producer-director Lo Wei (who had helmed Bruce Lee's first two films) beginning with New Fist Of Fury (released in the same year).
Unfortunately, most were unsuccessful