Is it true that Bruce Lee was virtually unknown in America until after his death?

[Tom]

I'm aware that he was on Green Hornet but from my understanding the series only lasted one season and was canceled because nobody watched it. The average american in the 1970s hadn't seen any of his Hong Kong films unless they were kung fu enthusiast who collected foreign films (to my understanding) and Enter the Dragon was supposed to be his first big entry into the Hollywood movie industry.


Unfortunately the nikka died before the film dropped


Ironically his death helped hype of the film and made him an icon/martyr even though most ppl at the time had never even heard of him until after he was a corpse.

 

[Rekkapryde]

No.

 

[Tom]

Can Newark88/Galvytron/ Shamungo or anyone else who was alive in 1973 comment on this?


From my understanding Bruce Lee at the time of his death was about as well known as that 'Sons of Anarchy' actor who recently offed himself. Basically "Who?" status.

Dude had 3 films that nobody outside of Hong Kong had seen and a failed TV series that lasted only one season.


Enter The Dragon was gonna be the film that put him on the map tho

 

[Tom]

U also gotta take into account that Bruce lost the starring role in the Kung Fu series to an UNKNOWN David Carradine.

If Bruce was well known at the time then that certainly wouldn't have happened. His name alone would have brought in millions of viewers each week if he was as popular as you guys claim he was at the time.


Home didn't become an icon until he died bro

 

[trick]

U also gotta take into account that Bruce lost the starring role in the Kung Fu series to an UNKNOWN David Carradine.

If Bruce was well known at the time then that certainly wouldn't have happened. His name alone would have brought in millions of viewers each week if he was as popular as you guys claim he was at the time.


Home didn't become an icon until he died bro

He didn't lose the role because he wasn't popular, he lost it because they wanted a white lead.

 

[Tom]

So everything is the white mans fault again b?

 

[WaveCapsByOscorp™]

So everything is the white mans fault again b?

lmao.

Spoiler

 

[feelosofer]

U also gotta take into account that Bruce lost the starring role in the Kung Fu series to an UNKNOWN David Carradine.

If Bruce was well known at the time then that certainly wouldn't have happened. His name alone would have brought in millions of viewers each week if he was as popular as you guys claim he was at the time.


Home didn't become an icon until he died bro

First of all Bruce came up with show as his own vehicle in order to bring the beauty of Martial Arts to a western audience, but in the 60's, Asians were still relegated to chop-socky films and racist roles.

Enter the Dragon was his break out film, his star rose rapidly after that movie came out. Prior to that the only people that really knew about Bruce were hood n1ggas because they played his earlier movies (dubs) in the dollar matinees back in the early and mid 70's, along with other Kung Fu films.

 

[dappadonna]

Can Newark88/Galvytron/ Shamungo or anyone else who was alive in 1973 comment on this?


From my understanding Bruce Lee at the time of his death was about as well known as that 'Sons of Anarchy' actor who recently offed himself. Basically "Who?" status.

Dude had 3 films that nobody outside of Hong Kong had seen and a failed TV series that lasted only one season.


Enter The Dragon was gonna be the film that put him on the map tho

Shots fired

 

[Tom]

First of all Bruce came up with show as his own vehicle in order to bring the beauty of Martial Arts to a western audience, but in the 60's, Asians were still relegated to chop-socky films and racist roles.

Enter the Dragon was his break out film, his star rose rapidly after that movie came out. Prior to that the only people that really knew about Bruce were hood n1ggas because they played his earlier movies (dubs) in the dollar matinees back in the early and mid 70's, along with other Kung Fu films.

That's the whole point of this thread, that film wasn't released until dude had already been dead a few months


Homie didn't blow up in the states until after he was D.O.A..... dude was on his Health Ledger after DarkKnight swag when Enter the Dragon dropped

 

[feelosofer]

That's the whole point of this thread, that film wasn't released until dude had already been dead a few months


Homie didn't blow up in the states until after he was D.O.A..... dude was on his Health Ledger after DarkKnight swag when Enter the Dragon dropped

He wasn't unknown though, you said he was virtually unknown. That means no one knew who he was. He was known, but he was a cult hero, up to that point. That film would have blown up regardless of whether Lee died or not, there was enough marketing muscle behind that movie to make it viable, though it would've been a slower burn, imo. Back in the day, you didn't just have big box office or major studio movies in the theater, you had off-day matinees that were vehicle for less well known (read: non-white) stars, similar to the Blaxploitation films that were coming out in that same era. Bruce would have blown up sooner or later, the cultural climate was just ready for more non-traditional heroes. I would say Way of the Dragon and his battle with Chuck Norris was the spark if anything to him becoming a star afterward.

 

[ExodusNirvana]

Some of the threads that get made on this site...

 

[Heretic]

He wasn't unknown though, you said he was virtually unknown. That means no one knew who he was. He was known, but he was a cult hero, up to that point. That film would have blown up regardless of whether Lee died or not, there was enough marketing muscle behind that movie to make it viable, though it would've been a slower burn, imo. Back in the day, you didn't just have big box office or major studio movies in the theater, you had off-day matinees that were vehicle for less well known (read: non-white) stars, similar to the Blaxploitation films that were coming out in that same era. Bruce would have blown up sooner or later, the cultural climate was just ready for more non-traditional heroes. I would say Way of the Dragon and his battle with Chuck Norris was the spark if anything to him becoming a star afterward.

I agree with everything you said breh. Way of the dragon got him that extra recognition, enter the dragon would have put him over the top.

 

[Tryna Makit]

Soooo to the bushes then right?

 

[Tom]

What did Way of the dragon do at the U.S box office? (before 73')


Nobody seen that shyt bruh.


Again, dude didn't really blow up in the american publics eyes until he was already dead (Enter the Dragon)