The Famous Celebrity Death Of Martial Arts Icon Bruce Lee In Hong Kong
Wikimedia CommonsThe famous deaths of actors Bruce Lee and later his son spawned a myth that the Lee family was cursed.
The tragic death of Bruce Lee at the height of his career in 1973 left the world reeling, and it remains one of the most famous deaths of an actor to date for its unexpected and gruesome nature.
As a renowned martial artist and aspiring actor, Lee’s undeniable screen presence and killer moves quickly made him a star both abroad and in Hollywood.
As a teenager, Lee trained in martial arts under the tutelage of Yip Man, a Hong Kong grandmaster of the martial art of Wing Chun. His parents later sent him abroad to pursue an education in the U.S., and eventually, he settled in California where he opened a martial arts studio.
Bruce Lee’s reputation as a formidable martial artist led him to opportunities on screen. His first leading role was in the 1971 Hong Kong film The Big Boss, and it was followed by Fist of Fury. Like many famous dead people, he had so much promise and not enough time.
Lee’s success in Asia finally transferred to the American market through his iconic role in 1973’s Enter the Dragon. Sadly, his life came to a shocking end before he barely had a taste of his newfound Hollywood fame.
On the morning of July 20, 1973, Bruce Lee was in Hong Kong to meet the producers of his next film, Game of Death, for which the rising star was given full creative control to write, produce, direct, and act.
It was a busy day of meetings and a clandestine meet-up with his alleged mistress, Taiwanese actress Betty Ting Pei. The two planned to have dinner with Hong Kong producer Raymond Chow to finalize the deal for Bruce Lee’s film, but the actor never left Pei’s apartment.
At 7:30 p.m. that same night, Pei gave Lee an Equagesic, a common painkiller containing aspirin and a tranquilizer known as meprobamate to soothe his headache before he went to lay down. When Lee failed to come down for dinner, Pei discovered the actor unconscious in his room.
She phoned Chow to come to the apartment, and later they called a doctor together. After 10 minutes of trying to resuscitate Lee, the doctor sent for an ambulance. Officials pronounced Bruce Lee dead upon arriving at the hospital. He was 32 years old.
An autopsy of the famous dead celebrity revealed that his death was caused by severe brain swelling. Just months prior, doctors diagnosed the actor with cerebral edema, a condition in which excess fluid in the brain causes swelling and pain. Still, devastated fans suspected something more sinister was afoot.
Tony Fischer/FlickrThe graves of famous dead celebrities Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon.
People who worked with Lee, like Chow and American martial artist Chuck Norris, believe he died from an allergic reaction to the painkiller he had taken, possibly also triggered by muscle relaxants Lee was also on. Others pointed to Pei and accused her of purposefully poisoning Lee with the Equagesic on behalf of a secret society that wanted him dead.
More theories blamed everyone from the Mafia — both Chinese and American — to his friends and family. But the most enduring conspiracy theory about Bruce Lee’s death is that it was the result of a so-called Lee family curse.
The theory has caught on ever since sleuths uncovered his elder brother’s mysterious death, and the tragic death of his son Brandon Lee, who died young in an accident on set.
But as is the case with many famous dead celebrities, Lee’s bizarre and unexpected death will remain open to speculation.
