Bruce Lee filmography explained

Bruce Lee filmography
Lee as Kato in the television series The Green Hornet (August 1967)
Filmography
Feature films37
Television appearances20
Documentaries52
Other102

This article details the filmography of actor and martial artist Bruce Lee.

Several of Lee's films premiered after his death, including Enter the Dragon, Game of Death and Circle of Iron.

Filmography

Feature films

YearTitleChinese titleRoleNotes
1941Golden Gate Girl金門女 As an infant
1946The Birth of Mankind人类的诞生
1948Wealth is Like a Dream富貴浮雲
1949Sai See in the Dream夢裡西施Yam Lee
The Story of Fan Lei-fa
1950The Kid細路祥Kid CheungAlternate title: My Son, A Chung. Available on region 1 English-subtitled DVD from Cinema Epoch.
Blooms and Butterflies
1951Infancy人之初Ngau
1953A Myriad Homes千萬人家
Blame it on Father父之過Alternate title: Father's Fault
The Guiding Light苦海明燈 Son as teenagerAvailable on region 1 English-subtitled DVD from Cinema Epoch / Alternate title: A Son Is Born
A Mother's Tears慈母淚 Alternate title: A Mother Remembers
In the Face of Demolition 危樓春曉
1955An Orphan's Tragedy孤星血淚Frank Wong (child)Available on region 1 English-subtitled DVD from Cinema Epoch
Orphan's Song孤兒行
Love
Love Part 2愛(下集)
We Owe It to Our Children兒女債Alternate title: The More the Merrier
The Faithful Wife
1956The Wise Guys Who Fool Around詐痲納福
Too Late For Divorce早知當初我唔嫁
1957The Thunderstorm雷雨 Chow ChungBased on the play Lei Yu by Cao Yu
Darling Girl
1960The Orphan人海孤鴻SamHis last Hong Kong widely released film until 1971
1968The Wrecking Crew風流特務勇破迷魂陣Action director
1969Marlowe醜聞喋血Winslow WongAlso action director
1970A Walk in the Spring Rain春雨漫步Action DirectorLee, personal friend of producer Stirling Silliphant, is credited as the film's fight choreographer.
1971The Big Boss唐山大兄Cheng Chao-anAlso action director
Alternate title: Fists of Fury
His first Hong Kong widely released film since 1960
1972Fist of Fury精武門Chen ZhenAlso action director
Alternate title: The Chinese Connection
The Way of the Dragon猛龍過江Tang LungAlso producer, director, action director and screenwriter
The film was released in the U.S. after Enter the Dragon; hence the Alternate title: Return of the Dragon
1973 Fist of Unicorn麒麟掌Action Director and fight choreographer

Released posthumously

YearTitleChinese titleRoleNotes
1973Enter the Dragon龍爭虎鬥LeeAlso action director, writer and producer
Sent as a spy into a martial arts tournament hosted by a rogue-monk-turned-drug lord
Released six days after Lee's death
1974The Green Hornet青蜂侠KatoA compilation of episodes from the TV series edited together and released as a feature film
Released one year after Lee's death
1976The Fury of the Dragon巨龙之怒A compilation of episodes from the TV series edited together and released as a feature film
Released three years after Lee's death
1978Game of Death死亡遊戲Billy LoThere are two versions of this film, each one with a different plot (the original from an incomplete 1972 film and the 1978 build doing a "footage mashup")
Lee was shown in incomplete original footage from 1972, plus stock footage from Enter the Dragon and other films
The original was finally released as a short film in the year 2000.
Circle of IronCo-writer
Alternate title: The Silent Flute
Film co-written by Bruce Lee, who was seeking to illustrate the differences between Eastern and Western philosophies
1980Game of Death II死亡塔 Billy Lo / Lee Chen-chiang Alternate title: Tower of Death
Unrelated to the first Game of Death, it was marketed as a sequel in the U.S.
Lee appears in stock footage from Enter the Dragon and other films

Box office performance

YearTitleWorldwide gross revenue (US dollars)Budget
(US dollars)
Return on investment
(ROI)
Notes
Nominal valueInflation adjusted
1968The Wrecking Crew
1971The Big Boss (Fists of Fury)$100,000%
1972Fist of Fury (The Chinese Connection)$100,000,000$100,000%
Way of the Dragon (Return of the Dragon)$130,000,000$730,000,000$130,000%
1973Enter the Dragon$400,000,000$2,000,000,000$850,000%
1978Game of Death$50,320,736$850,000%
Circle of Iron$2,600,000
1980Game of Death II$349,181
Total$741,269,917$3,964,000,000$2,030,000100,000%
Average%

Television appearances

width=5% Yearwidth=250 Titlewidth=20% Chinese titlewidth=20% Rolewidth=20% Country and channelwidth=20% Notes
1966 The Green Hornet 青蜂侠 Alternate title: The Kato Show (Hong Kong title)
1966–1967
Where the Action Is Himself
1967 Batman 蝙蝠俠 Visiting hero
Episodes: "The Spell of Tut", "A Piece of the Action" and "Batman's Satisfaction"
Ironside 無敵鐵探長 Leon Soo Guest star
Episode: "Tagged for Murder"
1968 Blondie Mr. Yoto, Karate Instructor Guest star
Episode: "Pick on a Bully Your Own Size"
1969 Here Come the Brides 新娘駕到 Lin Guest star
Episode: "Marriage, Chinese Style"
1970 Enjoy Yourself Tonight 歡樂今宵 Himself
1971 Longstreet 血灑長街 Li Tsung / Fight Choreographer Appeared in four episodes: "The Way of the Intercepting Fist", "Spell Legacy Like Death", "Wednesday's Child" and "I See, Said the Blind Man"
The Pierre Berton Show Himself
1993 Fame in the Twentieth Century Himself
1999 Famous Families Himself Episode: "The Lees: Action Speaks Louder"
2003 I Love the '70s Lee
2007 La Rentadora Himself Episode: "Be Water My Friend"
2008 Dragonland – L'urlo di Chen terrorizza ancora l'occidente Himself – Canale 21
2009 How Bruce Lee Changed the WorldHimself TVPG
2011 Bruce Lee Lives!Himself TVPG
2015 Too Young To DieHimself Broadview TV"Bruce Lee: Die Faust Hollywoods"
2017 Autopsy: The Last Hours of... Bruce LeeHimself
2018 ITV Celebrities InterviewsHimself "La Grand Émission 2018 Sur Bruce Lee"
2021 History's Greatest MysteriesHimself Season 2, Episode 3: "The Death of Bruce Lee"
Note: all the series produced after Lee's death (1973) feature archival footage of Lee.

Documentaries

width=5% Yearwidth=25% Documentary titlewidth=20% Chinese titlewidth=25% Notes
1973 Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend 李小龍的生與死 Updated in 1984 and re-titled Bruce Lee: The Legend
The Real Bruce Lee
The Last Days of Bruce Lee
1974 Kung Fu Killers
1976 The Young Bruce Lee
1984 Bruce Lee: The Legend 李小龍的生與死(下) Golden Harvest tribute; focused on their films starring Lee. Featured on the Hong Kong Legends Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend DVD.
1990 The Best of the Martial Arts Films 金裝武術電影大全
Bruce Lee – Best of the Best
1992 Bruce Lee and Kung Fu Mania
Spirit of the Dragon
1993 Top Fighter
Included on Enter the Dragon DVDs and Blu-rays
Death by Misadventure
Martial Arts Master
1994
Cinema of Vengeance History of martial arts cinema with clips of Lee
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon Biography episode; available on DVD
The Life of Bruce Lee
1997 Secrets of the Warrior's Power
1998 The Intercepting Fist
Bruce Lee: The Path of the Dragon
Bruce Lee: In His Own Words Featurette on Enter the Dragon DVDs and Blu-rays
Mystic Origins of the Martial Arts
The Immortal Masters
Jackie Chan: My Story 成龍的傳奇
1999 Century Hero
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2
2000 李小龍:死亡遊戲之旅 Found as a special feature on the 2004 DVD release of Enter the Dragon. Also on HD DVD and Blu-ray.
Bruce Lee in G.O.D.: Shibōteki Yūgi Bruce Lee in G.O.D. 死亡的遊戲
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
2002 Bruce Lee: The Legend Lives On
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture 功夫片歲月
Jackie Chan: Fast, Funny and Furious
Modern Warriors
2003 Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu 電影香江:功夫世家
2004 Dragon: Since 1973 龍:一九七三以後
2008 The Legend of Bruce Lee 李小龍傳奇 It was aired in many parts of the world: China (CCTV), Iran (IRIB), Brazil (Rede CNT; Band), Italy (RAI 4), United States (KTSF), Vietnam (HTV2; DN1-RTV), South Korea (SBS), Japan (NTV), Canada (FTV), Hong Kong (ATV Home), Philippines (Q), Taiwan (TTV), Venezuela (Televen), United Kingdom (Netflix) and Indonesia (Hi Indo).
2009 Sebring
2010 Young Bruce Lee: The Birth of a Legend
Bruce Lee, My Brother
2012 I Am Bruce Lee It won Leo Awards in 2012.
2013 No Way as Way
Fighter of Death
2015 Ip Man 3
2016 Birth of the Dragon During the premiere of the film, director George Nolfi and star Philip Ng presented a commemorative plaque to the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco, where Bruce Lee was born. / The film won the Golden Angel Award at the 12th Chinese American Film Festival.
2019 Warrior
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
2020 Be Water Part of ESPN Films' 30 for 30. It won the Gold List Award in 2021.
2022 Bruce Lee: The Way of the Warrior
2023 The Final Game of DeathAlso on Blu-ray.
Note: all the documentaries listed here were produced after Lee's death; therefore, all the Lee footage is composed of archive footage and some never-before-seen footage.

Video games

width=5% Yearwidth=25% Video game titlewidth=25% Rolewidth=25% Notes
Bruce Lee Himself
Kung-Fu Master Thomas Originally based on Game of Death
Yie Ar Kung-FuOolong (Lee in MSX version)
China WarriorWangMobile phones and PS2
Bruce Lee Lives Himself
Super Street Fighter II Fei Long Inspired by Enter the Dragon
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Himself
Himself
Himself/Hai Feng
Ultimate Bruce Lee Himself
Bruce Lee: Dragon Warrior Himself Smartphone game
Limited release
Kung Fu Warrior Himself Smartphone game
Broforce Bro Lee
EA Sports UFC Himself PS4 and Xbox One game
Bruce Lee: Enter The Game Himself Smartphone game
2016EA Sports UFC 2 — Bruce Lee Bundle Himself PS4 and Xbox One game
Bruce Lee Dragon Run Himself Smartphone game
2018EA Sports UFC 3 — Bruce Lee Bundle Himself PS4 and Xbox One game
2019Kung-fu Bruce: The Legend Continues Himself Smartphone game
Circa 2020I Am Fighter Lee Smartphone game
Circa 2020Kung Fu Attack: Final Fight Lee Smartphone game
Circa 2020King of KungFu Lee Smartphone game
2020EA Sports UFC 4 — Bruce Lee Bundle Himself PS4 and Xbox One game
2020Street Kungfu: King Fighter Lee Smartphone game
2021Superhero Captain X vs Kungfu Lee Lee Smartphone game
2022KungFu Superstar: Call Me Sifu Himself Smartphone game
2022KungFu Fighting Warrior Himself Smartphone game

Note 1: In Super Mario RPG, when Mario is about to fight a boss, his comrade Mallow stops him and says "Who do you think you are? Bruce Lee? You can't go in there with your fists flying!"

Note 2: Check Kim Dragon in World Heroes (1992), World Heroes 2 (1993), World Heroes Jet (1994) and World Heroes Perfect (1995).

Note 3: Check Marshall Law in Tekken (1994), Tekken 2 (1995), Tekken 3 (1996), Tekken 4 (2002), Tekken 5 (2005), Tekken 6 (2007) and Tekken 7 (2016) as well as Forest Law in Tekken Tag Tournament (1999), Marshall Law and Forest Law in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011).

Music videos

1975 Bruce Lee's brother released an album entitled "The Ballad of Bruce Lee".[1]
2001 Hip-hop band from Hong Kong released a song with videoclip called "1127".[2]

Bruceploitation films

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Robert Lee — The Ballad of Bruce Lee. YouTube.
  2. News: LMF — 1127 Official Music Video. YouTube.