Who Bruce Lee's First Celebrity Student Was
Bruce Lee taught kung fu to a long list of celebrities, but which one was the first to train under him? Long before his legendary rise to stardom, Lee made a name for himself in Hollywood by teaching kung fu to well-known movie actors, directors, screenwriters, and musicians. Quite a few of his students were considered household names.
Lee’s role as a kung fu instructor is what provided the majority of his income for a significant portion of the 1960s. Since Lee was struggling to find acting work, he was able to devote a great deal of his time toward training others in both the philosophical and physical aspects of martial arts. During these years, Lee ran kung fu schools and taught his own unique style of martial arts, which is known today as Jeet Kune Do. As time passed, he attracted the attention of numerous Hollywood stars looking to learn from him. As a result, Lee formed lasting, storied friendships and connections with celebrities such as Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Roman Polanski, James Garner, Lee Marvin, Stirling Silliphant, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Related: The Bruce Lee & Frank Sinatra Hollywood Myth Explained
According to Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly, Lee’s reputation for training celebrities began with Vic Damone. Damone, a big band singer and a crooner, was at the height of his popularity in the 1950s with big hits like “You’re Breaking My Heart”, “My Heart Cries For You”, and dozens more. He also performed the title song for An Affair to Remember, hosted variety shows, and made occasional appearances in movies.
Up until meeting Damone, Lee hadn’t been able to recruit any celebrities. Acting on the advice of others, Lee decided to raise his rates. Polly wrote in his book that only by charging high
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