Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973), was a Chinese American martial artist and actor who is widely regarded as among the most influential martial artists of the 20th century. Lee's few movies, especially his performance in the Hollywood-produced Enter the Dragon, elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity, paving the way for future martial artists actors such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chuck Norris.

Death

Bruce Lee's death was officially attributed to cerebral edema.

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On July 20, 1973, Lee was in Hong Kong, due to have dinner with former James Bond star George Lazenby, with whom he intended to make a film. According to Lee's wife, Linda, Bruce met producer Raymond Chow at 2 pm at home to discuss the making of the movie Game of Death. They worked until 4 pm, and then drove together to the home of Betty Ting Pei (丁珮), Taiwanese actress who was to also have a leading role in the film. The three went over the script at her home, and then Chow left to attend a dinner meeting.

Related Topics:
1973 - James Bond - George Lazenby - Raymond Chow - Game of Death - Betty Ting Pei

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A short time later, Lee complained of a headache, and Ting Pei gave him a tablet of analgesic. At around 7:30 pm, he lay down for a nap. After Lee didn't turn up for the dinner, Chow came to the apartment but could not wake Lee up. A doctor was summoned, who spent 10 minutes attempting to revive him before sending him by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. However, Lee was dead by the time he reached the hospital. The ensuing autopsy found traces of cannabis. There was no visible external injury; however, his brain had swollen considerably, from 1,400 to 1,575 grams. Lee was 32 years old.

Related Topics:
Analgesic - Doctor - Queen Elizabeth Hospital - Dead - Autopsy - Cannabis - Brain

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A similar incident had occurred a few months before. On May 10, during the final dubbing of Enter the Dragon, Lee suffered a sudden attack of seizures and a nonfatal cerebral edema.

Related Topics:
May 10 - Enter the Dragon - Seizures - Cerebral edema

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Lee's death was officially recorded as being the result of an abnormal reaction to painkillers he took for severe back pain, possibly in combination with the analgesic for a headache. Lee incurred this back problem when he was younger, after pinching a nerve in his lower back while doing good morning exercises using heavy weights without properly warming up -- a condition that left him temporarily in a wheelchair. Fortunately, contrary to his doctor's prognosis that he would never kick again, Lee regained his range of motion and martial arts ability.

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He is interred in Seattle's Lake View Cemetery.

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Although he made only a handful of films and television appearances in his adulthood, Bruce Lee has become an iconic pop culture figure in his movies as a personification of a small Asian man who became the epitome of what his fans see as the mental and physical perfection in martial arts.

Related Topics:
Pop culture - Personification

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His fame also sparked the first major surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West. The direction and tone of Bruce Lee's movies have forever changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in America.

Related Topics:
Chinese martial arts - Martial arts films - America

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