A Daughter Walks On
When you talk martial arts, the first thing that pops into anyone’s mind — anyone anywhere on the planet — is the name Bruce Lee. Action filmmakers still look to his movies for inspiration for their fight scenes. Martial arts instructors still evaluate what they teach lest their students get mired in a “classical mess.”
Many of us remember where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the news of his death. No doubt we all fervently hoped that the news was wrong. Even writing these words sparks memories, transporting me back to when I was 10 — watching Lee portray Kato in The Green Hornet, kicking and chopping his way through all sorts of bad guys.
Although it’s been close to 50 years since he passed away, Lee still is and always will be the icon of the martial arts. That’s why we still celebrate his birthday on November 27 — this year would have been his 80th. To commemorate the occasion, Black Belt chatted with his daughter Shannon Lee about her efforts to ensure the world remembers her father.
The Daughter
Our story must begin with Shannon Lee herself. It starts in Los Angeles, where she was born on April 19, 1969. It may seem to some that because she’s the daughter of a superstar, she’s always had the world at her fingertips. But such is not the case. In fact, it would be a mistake to think that young Shannon grew up with a set of silver “nunchucks” in her hand.
Shannon was born at a time when her father struggled to find even bit parts and to get work as a fight choreographer after his gig as Kato ended. During the next four years, while she grew up, Bruce’s fame did indeed shoot across the
