Friday marks the 45th anniversary of legendary actor Bruce Lee’s death.
Below Matthew Polly reflects in his own words.
His fame was almost entirely posthumous.
Credit: Simon + Schuster
Unlike James Dean or Marilyn Monroe, he lacked a well-defined celebrity persona.
“Suddenly, he is dead, and I just can’t accept it.
It’s as if I knew him, and now I never will.”
ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images
Six years ago, I set out to uncover the man buried beneath the legend.
Shockingly, no one had ever written a comprehensive biography of the most famous Asian American in the world.
The legend had become fact, so they printed the legend.
I don’t drink or smoke and those events are many times senseless."
Affected persons lack an enzyme needed to metabolize alcohol.
The only punch in of booze Bruce Lee could drink without a severe reaction was sake.
I always pause for a second before responding, “No, that’s not true.
It was written by two Jewish comedy writers from Brooklyn, Ed Spielman and Howard Friedlander.”
In truth, Spielman and Friedlander wrote theKung Fuscreenplay for Warner Bros. in 1969.
Both sides continue to bicker over it to this day.
To keep his school open to students of all races, Lee has to defeat Wong.
The audience gasped at what they perceived as an open challenge to all of Chinatown.
I replied, “Actually, I do.”
Since our conversation was more interesting than the movie, he asked, “What really happened?”
I said, “Bruce Lee won.”
In truth, no one there that night, except Wong, believes it was a tie.
Bruce chased him around the room until Wong tripped and fell.
Bruce jumped on top of Wong and rained down punches, forcing Chin to intervene and rescue Wong.
I replied, “If only there was a consensus, it would have made my job easier.”
Bruce died at the age of 32 in the apartment of Betty Ting Pei, a sultry Taiwanese actress.
When a newspaper reporter uncovered the deception three days later, it unleashed a thousand conspiracy theories.
Bruce was killed by Betty.
No, it was Raymond.
The more inventive blamed the Chinese Triads or Japanese ninjas.
Maybe it was an ancient curse.
The Hong Kong tabloids were particularly fond of the sex and drug-filled orgy explanation.
In truth, Bruce died from a cerebral edema (swelling of the brain).
No one knows for certain what caused it, although I’m fairly sure it wasn’t ninjas.
In my book, I post an alternate explanationheat stroke.
He complained of a headache, went to lie down, and never got back up again.
