Bruce Lee (1940-1973)

Bruce Lee is also renowned for his expertise with the Nunchaku (or Nunchucks) - two batons of wood with a chain or cord between them. In expert hands, it is a devastating martial arts weapon.

Born in San Francisco, California, of Chinese parents, young Lee went to Hong Kong and was educated at Catholic schools there.

In 1954, he began studying Wing Chun kung fu under the Hong Kong Grand-master, Sifu Yip Man. Bruce was soon fighting and beating other martial artists from other styles.

Between 1957 and 1959, he continued his Wing Chun martial arts training, learning from Wong Shun-leung and later William Cheung, (who were both disciples of Grandmaster Yip Man).

He moved back to the USA in 1959, finishing his high school education in Seattle. He then majored in Philosophy at the University of Washington.

By this time, Bruce had put together his own fighting philosophy. He called it Jeet Kune Do - The Way of the Intercepting Fist. Lee also began teaching foreigners (non-Chinese) students.

In 1964, Bruce Lee demonstrated his JKD skills at Ed Parker's International Karate Tournament at Long Beach, California. He took on all comers, and demolished those who accepted his challenge.

In the same year, Bruce married Linda Emery in Seattle, and on February 1st, 1965, she gave birth to their son, Brandon Lee.

Lee then moved to Los Angeles, and appeared as Kato in the TV series, The Green Hornet. This gave him a cult following with Kung Fu fans around the world.

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