Bruce Lee Questions.

[arnisador]

I've started reading the Bruce Lee Library Vol. I: Words of the Dragon: Interviews, 1958-1973, by John Little, and it raises some biographical questions. If anyone knows the answers, I'd be curious to hear them!

Bruce Lee's Chinese name is given both as Lee Siu Lung and Lee Jun Fan. Which is right?

It says that Bruce Lee finished high school in the States, in the Seattle area--did he finish his schooling in Hong Kong as well? Did he study at a U.S. high school because he needed credits or because he needed time to adjust to the U.S.?

Was Bruce Lee ever awarded certification as an instructor or a "black belt" in anything?

Did he finish his philosophy degree at the U. of Washington? Did his wife finish her degree? Did Brandon Lee finish at Emerson?

When did Linda Lee remarry? Does her husband (Mr. Cadwell?) have any martial arts training or connection?

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

I believe that Lee Jun Fan was his actual name. Siu Lung (Little Dragon) was his nickname. And, if memory serves, a nurse in San Francisco gave him the western name "Bruce".

 

[IMAA]

I just got thru reading "The Biography of BRUCE LEE" by Robert Clouse its an older book but it left alot of things open for suggestion. I don't know but if much of what was said about Bruce from that Biography, I dont think if I were to have of ever met him, I would not of liked him. He seemed a bit like an ***.

In the Biography it doesnt say anything at all about him finishing any school he ever went to. I think he was too busy w/ his "GANG" and trying to impress everyone. I dont know kinda odd. He seemed very unstable and not very mature.

Just my .02 from what i got from the story.

 

[Cthulhu]

Lee Siu Loong was his 'stage' name...it meant something like 'Little Dragon Lee'. Lee Jun Fan was his given Cantonese name. "Bruce" was suggested by a hospital employee in San Fransisco.

He never finished his philosophy degree a U. of Washington. Unsure of Linda Lee.

Cthulhu

 

[NYCRonin]

As far as I know, lee never was awarded a BBelt equivalent in any formal art.
Lindas second husbnad, though aware of Lees reputuation in MA's was not involved in them, at least not at the time of thier marriage.

 

[MA-Caver]

I believe Linda Lee reverted back to her maiden name Caldwell so to avoid folks from bugging her about her late husband.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by MACaver
I believe Linda Lee reverted back to her maiden name Caldwell so to avoid folks from bugging her about her late husband.

No, her maiden name was Emery, I believe.

 

[MA-Caver]

Originally posted by arnisador
No, her maiden name was Emery, I believe.

I'll stand corrected then... (SEE I DON'T know everything! )

 

[Doc]

Additionally, Bruce only had about 3 years off and on of formal training in Wing Chun. His "rep" was made as a teenage gangmember on the streets of Hong Kong.

He never graduated from high school or college.

Linda Emery's second husband was Kenpo black belt Tom Bleecker who published the "Journey," as well as a fascinating and indepth book on Bruce Lee titled "Unfinished Business." Obviously he had access to information and perspectives not available to most.

Linda's current husband is her third and her former and now current attorney.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Doc
Linda's current husband is her third

I didn't know that!

 

[markulous]

Originally posted by NYCRonin
As far as I know, lee never was awarded a BBelt equivalent in any formal art.

That is correct. The only person he ever studied under was Yipman in Wing Chun. And they don't have a belt system. If my memory serves me correctly he studied with him for about 5 or 6 years, then after that he basically moved back to America and created the rest on his own.

 

[Doc]

Originally posted by markulous
That is correct. The only person he ever studied under was Yipman in Wing Chun. And they don't have a belt system. If my memory serves me correctly he studied with him for about 5 or 6 years, then after that he basically moved back to America and created the rest on his own.

2 and a half max. A physical specimen but not very knowledgeable. An opinion of Ed Parker Sr. and Wally jay to name two. Gene LeBell as well who began to teach him grappling after an introduction by Parker Sr. and his signing on to be the primary stuntman on the Green Hornet.

 

[legend29]

Bruce did attend a technical school to earn enough credits to enter Washington University. He took Wing Chun from Yip Man from the time he was 13. He also studied other arts like the Praying Mantis from Sifu Gin Foon Mark in New York. This is where he really picked up the power side forward idea. He picked things up rather quickly and was able to get into the more advanced stages before he was done. ( The book the Dragon and the Tiger talks about this time with Sifu Mark.He also studied other forms of Gung Fu with James Yimm Lee among others.

As for Linda, she has been married three times as mentioned earlier. I'm not sure about her education though.

 

[7starmantis]

I'm not doubting you, but do you have any documentation as to Bruce's studying of mantis?

7sm

 

[legend29]

Only from what I read in the book , " The Dragon and the Tiger " and from what I've read on Sifu Gin Foon Mark. The book was co written by James Yimm Lee's son, Greglon Yimm Lee and by Sid Campbell . The book is really one of the best reads that I've had the pleasure of . It's going to be a five volume set, with each volume being released every seven months or so.

It also talks about Bruce's fight with 5th degree Karate black belt Uechi, that lasted about 11 seconds. This was observed by such people as Jesse Glover Taky Kimura, as well as other students from the Seattle period. Actually my Sifu heard about this fight from Taky Kimura at The Nucleus events when they were still intact.

You also come to find that James was very skilled at martial arts as well, and how him and Bruce met. It also talks about the meeting of Wally Jay among others. If any of you is a Bruce Lee fan, I can't stress the value of this book enough, I can't wait for volume two.

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

Jesse Glover, in his book "Bruce Lee: Between Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do", also tells about Lee studying Southern Mantis from Gin Foon Mark. In fact, Glover states that he first saw Bruce Lee in a Gung Fu demonstration which featured the Southern Mantis school, and that he (Lee) liked to do a Mantis form whenever they did demos in Seattle. He didn't say what the name of the form was, though.

 

[legend29]

In the Dragon and the Tiger book, it also mentions how Bruce was very well diversed in a lot of the Gung Fu animal styles. Such as the Tiger claw, Dragon, Crane, and the Mantis just to name a few.

 

[wingchun100]

Lee studied with plenty of other people (example: tae kwon do master Jhoon Rhee), but he never called anyone else his "teacher" other than Yip Man.

 

[Thunder Foot]

True. Lee also studied with Fook Yeung who showed him Tong Long Kuen as well as sets from the Red Junk Opera.

 

[Buka]

2 and a half max. A physical specimen but not very knowledgeable. An opinion of Ed Parker Sr. and Wally jay to name two. Gene LeBell as well who began to teach him grappling after an introduction by Parker Sr. and his signing on to be the primary stuntman on the Green Hornet.

No disrespect intended, but Wally Jay and Master Parker both told me different.