via Imago
Image courtesy – Imago
via Imago
Image courtesy – Imago
Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee worked together several times in the 70s. Chan had worked as a stuntman for Lee in Fist of Fury, Chinese Connection, and Enter the Dragon and soon become one of Lee’s favorite stuntmen. So in 1973, when the two ran into one another on the street, Lee instantly recognized Chan.
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The Karate Kid star could barely hold his excitement when the martial arts icon offered to accompany him to a bowling alley. In a 2017 interview, Chan described his impromptu encounter with the iconic movie star. However, he didn’t know it would be their last meeting.
Jackie Chan couldn’t believe it was real
In 2017, Yahoo Entertainment interviewed the global star, during which he recalled his fond memory of an impromptu meeting with Bruce Lee in 1973. Chan said he was walking on the street when the Dragon spotted him. “Hi, you! You, what your name?” asked Lee. “Ahh! Jackie,” he?said after hearing Chan’s answer and enquired where he was going.
ENTER THE DRAGON ENTER THE DRAGON Bruce Lee fighting with Jackie Chan Date: 1973. Strictly editorial use only in conjunction with the promotion of the film. Credit line mandatory. This image is copyright of the film company and is supplied under the terms of issue as film still. No commercial or book cover use permitted without prior consent from the film company. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Mandatory credit line: Image courtesy Warner Bros / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
ENTER THE DRAGON ENTER THE DRAGON Bruce Lee fighting with Jackie Chan Date: 1973. Strictly editorial use only in conjunction with the promotion of the film. Credit line mandatory. This image is copyright of the film company and is supplied under the terms of issue as film still. No commercial or book cover use permitted without prior consent from the film company. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Mandatory credit line: Image courtesy Warner Bros / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
“I was going to play bowling,” said Jackie Chan. However, the young actor didn’t expect what Lee would say next. “I’ll come with you,” said the iconic actor. Since Chan didn’t have a car, the pair took a cab to the bowling alley.
Rare image of a 19-year-old stuntman named Jackie Chan with Bruce Lee on the set of Enter the Dragon. (1972) #oldisgold pic.twitter.com/WdCGPJhYrW
— fuchsia (@mysticalodds) February 2, 2022
Once the two reached their destination, people flocked around Lee. As everyone tried to get an autograph from the action movie star, Chan requested the fans to leave them alone. “I?m such an important person,” Chan recalls feeling, as the duo bowled together. However, after two games, Lee said, “Jackie, I gotta go.”
When Chan called Lee a cab, the martial art legend turned to Chan, nodded at him, and smiled before getting into the cab and taking off. “It was like a dream,”?said the actor. Ten days later, on July 20th, Bruce Lee died of swelling in his brain. “I was totally shocked,”?said Jackie.
Chan debunks myths about Bruce Lee’s death
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In October 2017, Jackie Chan appeared on the Sway Universe YouTube channel. During their conversation, the host revealed two popular theories about Bruce’s death. The host said that one theory argued that Bruce had upset the triad gangs in Hong Kong, while the other suggested an ancient curse.?
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WHO AM I, aka WO SHI SHEI, aka JACKIE CHAN S WHO AM I, Jackie Chan, 1998, c Golden Harvest/courtesy Everett Collection Golden Harvest/courtesy Everett Collection ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCH?TZT PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCourtesyxEverettxCollectionx MCDWHAM EC003
Chan categorically refuted these myths. The actor said that Lee had died in someone’s house and that it was his boss who took him to the hospital.
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Watch this story – Relive the iconic on-screen fights of the GOAT Bruce Lee from his movie collection
Chan didn’t know his impromptu meeting with Lee would be their last. However, he still cherishes that day fondly.
