Bruce Lee was a Hong Kong American martial artist, Hong Kong action film actor, martial arts instructor, filmmaker, and the founder of Jeet Kune Do. Lee was the son of Cantonese opera star Lee Hoi-Chuen with a net worth of $10 million dollars. He is widely considered by commentators, critics, media and other martial artists to be one of the most influential martial artists of all time, and a pop culture icon of the 20th century. He is often credited with helping to change the way Asians were presented in American films.
Bruce Lee, also known as Lee Jun-fan, was born in San Francisco, California and spent part of his childhood in Hong Kong. After the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong ended, Bruce Lee began studying martial arts. He began training in Wing Chun under famed instructor Yip Man. Though he was an excellent student, he became heavily involved with gang life, and his grandfather decided to send him to the United States to get away from the gangs of Hong Kong. After moving to the United States, he went on to become a major figure in martial arts, winning numerous championships, and training a number of successful students. He was introduced to the film industry by his father and appeared in several films as a child actor. Lee moved to the United States at the age of 18 to receive his higher education, at the University of Washington, and it was during this time that he began teaching martial arts. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim, sparking a surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in the United States, Hong Kong and the rest of the world. He also launched a massively successful film and television career. Many of his films have remained successful to this day. He passed away at the age of 32.