Biographer Tom Bleecker Discusses the Subject of Racism and Bruce Lee
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- The author shares his views on racism as it pertains to Bruce Lee's personal life, as well as his TV career in the United States and his worldwide film career.
Tom Bleeker is the biggest thing to hit TH-cam. I can literally go for hours listening to these amazing stories!
Another great topic, can't get enough of these great stories, carry on with the great work Mr Bleecker. God bless.
Jesse Glover has said his classes looked like a United Nations meeting or something like that.
😂😂😂
My Hero Bruce ✊🏻
I just discovered your channel today and I really love your stories! I'm going to watch all your videos tonight. Thank you sir!
Thanks! That's a lot of hours. I think I have 88 videos on my channel. Cheers
Excellent video, Bruce basically experienced racism both in Hong Kong for not being a pure Chinese & he experienced that here as well, especially in the role he missed out on which was Kung Fu series. He even acknowledges this in his famous interview where he says "I don't blame them" he understood from a business prospective they didn't want a Chinese main character. Bruce himself was never a racist, always had a pure heart, always helped everyone and just had a pure heart of gold. He was also the least paid main character on the set of Green Hornet. I remb looking at the figures on one of his biographies I read and it was like almost 10 times less then what Van Williams made, very shameful.. Glad Hollywood changed mainly because of him giving other Asian actors leading roles.
I’m half Chinese and I don’t experience any racism is Hongkong. As a matter of fact they like the halfbreed look.
I also agree that he didn't get the Kung Fu series role. It probably wouldn't suit the audience either.
Enjoyed this very much. Not the same old recycled BL stories myths and rumors. I agree with you that Enter the dragon is the gold standard in martial arts films. Something that is often left out of conversations that helped make ETD great is the music score by Lalo Schifrin. Lalo did an incredible job creating music and sounds that made the film especially unique. From the opening scene at the Shaolin temple to O’Hara’s death, the underground fight and the mirror room fight finale. Lalo made the film come alive like no other and (as of today) he is still alive at age 90!
Excellent point about Lalo Schifrin. Having worked in the film industry for many years, I know that creating a successful film is a group effort. No one person is ever responsible for a box-office winner. As an aside, director/producer can thank Henry Mancini for the many great movie and TV scores on Edwards's film and TV productions.
A MEN, YOUR 100% RIGHT. CAN YOU IMAGINE WATCHING " ENTER THE DRAGON " WITHOUT ANY MUSIC OR FOR THAT MATTER, ANY MOVIE WITHOUT MUSIC, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
Great video again Tom. Another factor of racism against Bruce was because of his European background from his Grandmother, the other students at Ip Man's school wanted him expelled because he was not pure Chinese. So originally he was not Chinese enough to learn Wing Chun, but to Chinese for the part of Kung Fu. Work that one out.
I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS STEROTYPING BRUCE LEE. THE CHINESE IN HONG KONG DIDN'T LIKE BRUCE LEE BECAUSE HE WASN'T FULL BLOODED CHINESE AND IN THE UNITED STATES BRUCE LEE WASN'T FULL BLOODED CAUCASIAN. NOW THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL " STEROTYPING ", 2 FACED, WEARING A HAT WITH 2 BRIMS. NOW ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY BUT IT'S THE TRUTH; THE PROBLEM ISN'T BECAUSE OF THE CHINESE, JAPANESE OR KOREAN PEOPLE OR ANY OTHER ASIAN COUNTRY, THE PROBLEM IS THE WHITE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME THING. " ALL THING'S ARE CREATED EQUAL ", INCLUDING HUMAN BEINGS (IN GOD'S EYE'S). BUT APPARENTLY THAT DOESN'T APPLY IN THE UNITED STATES, WRONG!
Hello, my love and respect from Argentina, your channel and your life is just great, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching.
I agree that Tom does videos about bruce Lee and the times that arent just a rehash of what weve already seen and heard.
4 and 1/4 movies and a short tv series role to be an ultimate icon. You can't beat it.
Mr. Han is a superb villain. He's philosophical, learned, regal. No Caucasian can be such a superb villain.
I'm going to steal his line in paraphrase, "We forged ourselves in the fire of our will." Who speaks like that?
He's like a true supervillain. He's a flesh and blood supervillain, a supervillain that can destroy a Superman.
He's the greatest villain I've ever seen. His palace is a museum of arms from all civilizations.
Han: It is difficult to associate these horrors with the proud civilizations that created them: Sparta, Rome, The Knights of Europe, the Samurai... They worshipped strength, because it is strength that makes all other values possible. Nothing survives without it. Who knows what delicate wonders have died out of the world, for want of the strength to survive.
He knows history. He knows philosophy.
It is even said of him, in the movie!
"Man, you come straight out of a comic book!"
Han is greatest supervillain on film, EVER!
Compare that to the villain of Bloodsport: "You break my record, I break you!"
"We forged ourselves in the fire of our will."
That sounds like the answer to The Riddle of Steel.
In interviews Bruce spoke of Hollywood. It was clear that while he didn’t like the difficulty of finding starring roles he well understood that money flowed to mainstream projects and eschewed risk. Risk includes anything that’s not immediately or easily bankable.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, no one in Hollywood has ever been able to predict what project will turn out to be a hit and which one will flop. Historically, producers have made films that most everyone agreed would be surefire winners, and yet they bombed miserably at the box-office. Same is true of films everyone predicted would be losers - and they turned out to be enormous hits. There's just no rhyme or reason to it. Sort of like the stock market.
@@TomBleecker yes, in Bruce’s case ETD would have reversed everything as he would’ve been presumed bankable ever after.
@@klavier1us Well, not ever after, but he would have been guaranteed at least five films based on the huge success of ETD. The big question would have been what would Bruce have done after the MA action film craze died out, just as the Rocky films died out and Clint Eastwood's westerns, to name but two examples?
In my personal opinion, Bruce Lee was like the malcolm x of the Chinese communities.
I agree with you MR Bleecker, It was meant to be! Thank You!
I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR VIDEOS AND BESIDES YOU are a great man, you have a way of telling stories about Bruce with respect. THANKS-I have 2 questions, would you do me the favor of answering? 1/That scene on DRAGON BRUCE LEE story were he argues with LINDA and destroys everything in the room , did it really happen or was it out of ROB COHEN's imagination? 2/ last question: Don't you think RAYMOND CHOW or BETTY didn't tell Us the whole stroy about the July 20th night?
Thank you for your kind words. To answer your first question, Bruce's temper and violent outbursts have been well documents. That said, if the scene you are referring to is the one in the hospital, it could not have occurred in real life because Bruce's back injury wasn't that serious and, secondly, he was never hospitalized. With regard to your second question, in my view, Raymond Chow and Betty Ting-pei never told the entire story about what happened on the night Bruce died. Cheers
@@TomBleecker THANKS A LOT MR BLEECKER for your wise words--I myself write books, my next one will be published in December. My intention ,is to translate it in english Maybe I'll send you one....Maybe one day you'll write another book after UNSETTLED MATTERS and give me the rights to help you translate in french (my native tongue ) and hel you spread the legacy of Bruce in the french world where he is truly loved also.
@@questionspourdeschampionsv1465 I did write a Bruce Lee related book after UNSETTLED MATTERS - a novel entitled TEA MONEY. Not sure how many copies of UM would sell if translated into French. Because Bruce has been gone for nearly 50 years, his following has substantially diminished. Cheers
Great analysis
Love these videos , insightful comments from someone who lived the time
Thanks very much for sharing these stories about Bruce Lee (李小龙). Always waiting expectantly for the next video.
Greetings. To your point. Why was Lee so marginalized? The same reason producer Sheldon Leonard told Andy Griffith. " I don't want any references to civil rights conflicts on this show therefore we will keep the black population in Mayberry to a minimum." That meant zero. The same reason the network told Rod Serling in a Mike Wallace interview. " Do your twilight zone episode about Emmet Till in another place with a different race and take the Coca Cola sign off the storefront. We don't want to lose our southern catholic sponsors and stockholders." The same stockholders who phoned in to cut a scene of Lassie having puppies out of the show. "We don't wish to tarnish the crystal clean image of the sponsors products with any overt sexual references." From Gore Vidal to Truman Copote. They all were cited by the powers. Charles Fitzsimmons, the Green Hornet producer had to fight to convince the southern demographic that it was ok for Kato to be seen on the show in his white dinner jacket without the mask, let alone Bruce writing letters to Dozier to give his character more collegiality and less subservience.It was what it was. It was Benny Dobbins who urged Lee to get stunt coordination work when ever he could to learn how the camera interprets movement differently from the human eye. He was fortunate to have Phil Karson directing "The Wrecking Crew" . It was he who let Bruce " look through the viewfinder" so he could learn lenses. Henry Fonda, Spencer Tracy, Charles Bronson, and Clint Eastwood all made cameramen their drinking buddies. Its not like viewing dailies. Now he saw what editors saw and developed a more visceral feel for what was cinematic. Those Joseph Macelli books on "Cinematography" he read. It was his time to concentrate on the technical. Even then, Lee wanted in the end to produce and direct. Stone, Lewis, Parker , Norris, Wall, ? It was a good time to be a martial artist but a great time to be a white martial artist in the sixties. They all saw film as great retirement and wanted in. The first thing they did was try to get around Bruce . Norris always said it was Steve McQueen who started him. So they rallied around Norris. Norris pitched. McQueen gave them new advice. " Don't pitch to me. I don't make stars. Go see Bruce." Robert Culp said the same thing.They bit that nail and had to see the chinese guy who wasn't a professional fighter like they were. Always in the back of their minds. No matter what he accomplished to July of 73 and beyond. We are. he's not. And Bruce still hired them for "Wrecking Crew". Ordered them around. Rehearsed them. Yelled "Action" and "Cut". Gave them a shot. But the camera didn't. None of them were cinematic.No charisma. You have it or you don't. But they saw Bruce evolve so by the time of the "Big Boss" , he understood production and more so,... the game . The game where the race card is always there. Insidiously quiet like a spectator, a face in the crowd...but it was there, this time, not to hold Bruce back, but to help Bruce sell Bruce. Bruce exploited nationalism in "The Chinese Connection". I was in a packed black theater when the sign" No dogs and Chinese allowed" was shown and people SPEWED! They saw themselves. Then Lee beats them down. Lee was black that day ! All day! Why did Lewis turn down "Way of the dragon" ? No way Mr. California gets his ass handed to him by a little 135 pound chinese guy WHO NEVER FOUGHT. Why did "Way of the Dragon " work? Patriotism. He took his personal commentary on Hollywood to the its white epicenter, the Roman Coliseum, and beat it in front of his comrade audience. Bruce was still, however western, still very chinese. Why did Norris turn down Oharra for "Enter the Dragon"? No way Im getting my ass handed to me twice by the same little chinese guy who never fought. Bob Wall didn't care. He saw market and opportunity. Bruce didn't want him. He wanted Bill Ryusaki but he was injured. Weintraub convinced Bruce to use Wall because he "sold" punch reactions better than all of them which he did. When Bruce died, these same guys, including Jim Kelly, all said they could handle Bruce pretty easily, especially Wall . When the documentary gravy train started , "Bruce was the greatest". Off camera, the opposite. This is a fact. Call it oscillating back stabbing . Call it supremacy from the DNA. Call it racism...the step child of economics. Either way, these guys played checkers. Bruce played chess. Its the American way.
Great post Judy LM, but please let me mention two things:
1) Nobody of them was a full-professional fighter. Its ridicolous to me that people dont get the difference between a professional (pro) and semi-professional (semi-pro) fighter or martial artist.
Pro fighters are full time combat sport fighters. They gain enough money through their combat sport, they dont need an other job.
A pro martial artist is a full time MA instructor, like Emin Boztepe or Tommy Carruthers for example. They dont fight in combat sport but teach MA, but can train the whole day because its their main profession.
Chuck, Lewis, Stone, Louis Delgado, Skipper Mullins etc. those guys were all semi-pro fighters. Yes they made money with fighting, but they didnt gain enough money to live from that, they needed other jobs.
Chuck was a pro or main professionaly martial arts instructor like Bruce in his early days in the US, Wall was a business man etc., but Chuck, Wall etc. did combat sport as semi-pros.
The only pro fighters who fought main professionaly in the 1960s in the USA were Boxers like Ali, Liston, Patterson and these people. They made enough money to live from that.
2) Even if J. Kelly said these things in the 70s to hype himself. Its not fair to compare him with Wall for example. Kelly stated from the late 80s to his death as far as he concerned, Bruce was the greatest martial artist that ever lived. Wall said that too in the I Am BRuce Lee Doc, but contrary to Wall, Kelly also explained how Bruce was untouchable and sparred many world champions.
I wanted to add these two points. Point 2 because Kelly doesnt deserve to be compared 1-1 with a liar like Wall (Rip!), and point 1 is simply to make clear 1960 point Karate Champions werent professional fighters, they were semi-professional fighters even if they claimed they were professionals like Boxers.
Bill Wallace to Lee historian JOhn Little:
"Back in those days, you could go to Chicago, fighting 3 guys from Chicago, and being crowned as World Champion". So World Championships werent really World Championships.
Type in the Searchbox here on TH-cam "Kung Fu Genius John LIttle" and watch this interview with Wing Tsun Instructor Alex Richter and Lee historian John Little.
Of course the movie business is s business, but the idea is that the lack of demand for non Caucasian actors was a result of racial bias in the society, not that the movie producers had a personal dislike of him because of race. There now seems to be some debate about the matter, but the word was Bruce was considered for the lead in "Kung Fu" but the TV executives were not sure if a Chinese man would be popular with an American audience, so David Carradine was chosen instead. This idea sounds stupid since the character is supposed to be Chinese, or at least half Chinese, but seems more credible when you consider not long before that African American characters had been portrayed by Caucasians in "black face". In one interview Bruce himself said there just wasn't much demand for Asian actors in American TV, and when there was it was the "pig tailed, chop chop, coolie" stereotype, which he found offensive and had no interest in portraying. He also said he understood the movie business owners'/investors concerns with being profitable and said if he were in their position he would probably have similar concerns, so he seemed to hold no personal grudge. He just felt frustrated with the situation.
You make some excellent points.
@Tom Bleecker Hi Tom I thought Bruce being hired on the wrecking crew movie was as the stunt coordinator at the insistence of Stirling silliphant. Bruce was able to get chuck norris and Mike Stone roles in the movie.
@@silverfoxsilverfox6932 On the film's credits, Bruce is listed as a "karate advisor" and not listed as a stuntman or stunt coordinator. This may have to do with him not being in the stuntman's union, although I'm not sure. Although Stirling may have had an input, Elke Sommer was one of the stars and was married to Joe Hyams, so her voice would have been substantial. At that time, Joe and Stirling were taking semi-private lessons from Bruce. www.imdb.com/title/tt0065225/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
Hello! I watched the making of the tv series Kun Fu and they say they found Bruce Lee's thick cantonese accent. After the interview, the guy doing the interview said he couldn't understand a thing. Now... I feel this was a half truth and that this man a little racist. Brcue did have a thick accent, but I believe he was understandable. I still believe that the Kung Fu series did extremely well on the philosophical and moral side, even fighting racism. But I remember one of the episode where they have a Chinese Kung Fu artist turned to the dark side and the character was wearing the same gloves has Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon. I found this extreemely low life on their part to insinuate that Jeet Kune Do was but violent.
What if I told you that Bruce was self aware of his metaphysical side why was he so far ahead of everyone that is one thing he most likely kept secret now imagine your a martial artist and you combine your metaphysical abilities as one you could feel your opponents next move with ease this is real remember when inosanto once said that Bruce told him Bruce says when I'm fighting someone it's like I'm out of my body up here looking at myself and the opponent to easy that's called metaphysical abilities 😊👍also want to say sorry about my writing I'm a46 year old that never had education 😊
Thank you for sharing that. It's an interesting point.
Mickey Rooney; not Andy ;)
You are correct! Changing that error would require deleting the video, then editing it and reposting it. So, I think I'll let it go. Good eye, and a good knowledge of old-time actors!
Cheers Tom. I agree that Bruce was bigger than television. Was Enter the Dragon the first BL film that you saw when it was released in August 1973?
I did see "Fists of Fury" when it had its short run here in the states prior to ETD. As I recall, the film had subtitles?
@@TomBleecker The Big Boss was released as Fists of Fury in the US. The dubbing is something else lol but the action is what set Bruce apart from the rest. Thanks Tom for sharing your great stories, interviews and insights about Bruce.
@@nickclarkemusic I sometimes ask people who many minutes of the two-hour film ETD features Bruce's action scenes. They're always surprised when I tell them the answer is 11 minutes.
@@TomBleecker Yes that is surprising. I like Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon better for action but ETD Cavern fight scenes and vs Bob Wall are excellent. And not forgetting Jim Kelly's BS Mr Han Man :)
Great stories Tom and theses are stories I've not heard before so very refreshing in hearing stuff I've no heard instead of all the regurgitated stuff out there ❤
Who is that pretty lady over your shoulder?
My mother. She competed in beauty contests, including the Mrs. America contest when I was four. Many felt she drew a resemblance to Marlyn Monroe.
@@TomBleecker Yes, thought it was Marilyn Monroe before you mentioned was your mother. Thanks for sharing.
Ironically besides Bruce ,Chuck Norris Van Damme and Steven Seagal are all household names in Asian countries like Indonesia maybe because Martial arts is a universal language or because many ,if not, all Asian countries all have strong Martial Arts traditions that are part of the local culture.
It was Mickey Rooney who played a Japanese man in Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Yes, I realized my mistake after the video was posted. Odd because I should have known this, given my close working and personal relationship with Blake Edwards who directed the picture.
@@TomBleecker Easy done :) As a lifelong fan of Bruce Lee, I really appreciate your biographical work on his life.
@@antimatter9489 Thank you.
I recall several 1960's Japanese monster movies that had American actors in them.
Great video. Bruce was born in the US, but brought up in Hong Kong, so he was not really an "American". He had a heavy and unusual Chinese accent. He lived 18 years in China and died at 32. 14 years in the US. He spent most of his time in China and as "Chinese". A little point.
Bruce Lee was as much of an American as I am. It doesn't matter how much time he spent here or anywhere else. While he had a Chinese accent, his English was very good, given that he was schooled in Hong Kong that was under British rule. Had he lived, he had every intention of spending the rest of his life in the United States. As an aside, he married an American and both his children were born in America.
What about a video with Angela Mao she has a restaurant in NYC don’t know if she’s ever spoken on her relationship with Bruce!
I’m a big fan of Bruce Lee all my life and love your insight and knowledge and it’s given me new things to think about
Thanks 🙏
Please check out Charles Damiano's Bruce Lee Collectors channel. They visited Angela Mao's restaurant to celebrate Bruce's birthday and released the videos a couple of weeks ago. Angela is seen throughout and there will be and interview with her in the near future.
Very good article on bruce Lee, only drugs I knew he proberly took I read once was hashe if I'm saying it right I read he use to eat it to calm his nerves and other drugs for the pain in his back from the time he lifted the weights wrong during training, so it was written.
I agree that it would have been a mistake for bruce to have gotten the lead role of cain in the series kung-fu.
The character was serene and philosophical even during the action sequences.
Bruce's screen presence was too intense and of course his speed and fighting ability was too dynamic for the wild west period. Thankfully it wasn't meant to be.
Ian Robinson uk.
22:58 Tom "Last Samurai" Cruise enters the chat...
"The Last Samurai" was produced by Warner Brothers, and the majority of the exterior shots were filmed in New Zealand.
Your a good person I can see it 😊👍
Thank you. Happy holidays!
In my opinion people in the business didn’t want to work with Bruce because he was not a yes sir anything you say kind of guy. Hollywood’s run on money second and ego first. And Bruce was not patting anybody’s ego but openly expresses his opinions and so forth and with an attitude backed up with his fighting ability was enough to scare the shit outta them.
Bruce was extremely friendly with Hollywood people, especially those who made the decisions and handled the purse strings. He was certainly smart enough to know to not offend those who could better his career. Moreover, no power broker in Hollywood would have feared Bruce's kung-fu. Bruce wasn't the only tough dude hanging around Hollywood. Anyone who tried to muscle their way into Hollywood circles would have been quickly ostracized.
The audience has to identify with culture and character. All independent artist has to build an audience, your lucky if a job takes a chance
Right! In goes both ways. On one side, you need the majority to identify to the hero, but then again, if you never allow the minority to recognize their etchic origin in the hero, you cultivate a sort of racial segregation. I guess there is a fine balance to find.
John Lithgow pulled off the whole features to television and back sorta thing. Worked out for him.
I think this was a lot harder to do 50 years ago when Bruce's star was on the rise.
Sounds like Bruce was getting back at the Americans and the Japanese. Tom, next stop, Joe Rogan Podcast. Look into it.
Never heard anyone mention Bruce’s thoughts on politics or the CCP etc
I don't recall Bruce having an opinion about politics. What is the CCP?
@@TomBleecker CCP=Chinese Communist Party. Did Bruce express any political thoughts or opinions based on your personal experience? Greatly appreciate you Sir!
@@StephenSSTiger I don't recall Bruce ever talking about anything political. His main, if not only, interests were his kung-fu and becoming rich and famous.
@@TomBleecker Thank you Sir! I appreciate your response!
Linda Lee's claim that Kung Fu was stolen from Bruce Lee is ridiculous. I was a Catholic altar boy. Kung Fu was like The Bible. Each episode is like a parable for life.
Contrast that with the story of Enter the Dragon.
th-cam.com/video/8P0JcXLI_Yk/w-d-xo.html
That is the most horrific story line ever.
I travelled to many countries around the world and its the same everywhere if not more so
Bruce Lee like John Wayne are both white, Bruce Lee being one eighth German from his mother side. They were also rich on his mothers side and his grandpa side and they spoke English. Bruce Lee was also born in America in California. Bruce Lee‘s family even in Hong Kong looked American. I believe Bruce Lee’s great grandfather who divorced his grandmother moved to California. Bruce Lee was extremely American and Chinese. But look at Brandon and Shanon his son and daughter who are more white than Chinese. Bruce Lee was American in racist America. But… at least he wasn’t born in ancient Rome. Was there ever a Chinese gladiator?
What? Bruce lee was a quarter European,not 1/8th
Stop it you wouldn't consider Barack Obama to be white lol.
Bruce Lee would never claim to be a caucasian . That was very desperate of you