Bruce Lee was born on November 27, 1940, in San Francisco, California. His father was a Hong Kong opera performer who had moved to the United States in 1939 with his wife and three children. His mother did not originally intend to give him an American name, but hospital nurses began calling him “Bruce,” a name derived from Celtic languages meaning “strong man.” At just three months old, he appeared in his first film.

In 1941, the Lee family returned to Hong Kong. From 1946 onward, Bruce Lee appeared in nearly twenty films as a child actor. Outside of acting, he developed a strong interest in dance and even won a cha-cha competition during these years.

During his teenage years, Bruce Lee became involved with street gangs in Hong Kong. To improve his fighting abilities, he began studying kung fu in 1953. By 1959, repeated street fights led to problems with the police, and his mother decided to send him to the United States to live with family friends in Seattle.

After completing high school, Bruce Lee enrolled at the University of Washington, where he studied philosophy. At the same time, he taught the Wing Chun martial art style he had learned in Hong Kong. During this period, he met Linda Emery, whom he married in 1964. He opened his own martial arts school in Seattle and later moved to California with his wife, where he established additional schools in Los Angeles and Oakland. These schools primarily focused on his own philosophy and combat system, Jeet Kune Do. Among his students were notable figures such as Steve McQueen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Coburn, and Dan Inosanto. In 1965, his son Brandon Lee was born, followed a few years later by his daughter Shannon Lee.

In 1964, Bruce Lee made his first major public appearance at a martial arts event organized by Ed Parker. He later gained wider recognition through the television series The Green Hornet, though the show lasted only one season. He also appeared in a small role in the film Marlowe, starring James Garner.

During the early 1970s, Bruce Lee received numerous offers from both Hong Kong cinema and Hollywood. In 1972, he became a major film star across Asia and founded his own production company, Concord Productions. Around this time, he suffered a severe back injury that forced him to remain bedridden for six months on medical advice. During his recovery, he began writing his philosophical work Tao of Jeet Kune Do, which remained unfinished at the time of his death. The book was later completed by his wife, Linda Lee.

Bruce Lee was married to Linda Emery and had two children: Brandon Lee (1965–1993) and Shannon Lee (born 1969).

On July 20, 1973, at the age of thirty-two, Bruce Lee passed away. His death gave rise to numerous theories and controversies, as he was known to be in excellent physical condition. He reportedly took a medication called Equagesic for a headache and lay down to rest but never woke up. He was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. Although a brain tumor was considered a possible cause, it was believed that even without the tumor, his condition would not have allowed him to live much longer. Two months prior to his death, he had also suffered a cerebral trauma. His passing plunged Hong Kong into mourning.

On March 31, 1993, his son Brandon Lee also died under controversial circumstances after being shot in the abdomen during the filming of The Crow.

Bruce Lee was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle. His son Brandon Lee was later laid to rest beside him.

Source: Biyografiler.com