Contrary to popular belief, Bruce Lee wasn't born in Hong Kong: he was actually born in Chinatown in San Francisco, USA. His father, Lee Hoi-chuen, was of Chinese ancestry, whilst his mother, Grace Ho, was half-Chinese, half-Caucasian. Curiously, Lee was born in the Year of the Dragon, on the day of the Dragon, on the hour of the Dragon. Fate? Bruce remained in the US as an infant until he was three months old; his parents made the move to Hong Kong in 1941, and Bruce was raised in the region of Kowloon until he was in his late teens. After losing a bunch of fights against rival gang members, he developed an interest in Wing Chun at age sixteen - a martial art in which he trained under the tutelage of the infamous Yip Man (who has since had several films made about him). He later returned to the States - to the city of Seattle, Washington, to be precise - when he was eighteen-years-old with a mere $100 in his pocket after his family became frightened for his safety based on gang activity. There, he enrolled at the University of Washington as a drama student - a decision that would later influence his decision to become an actor.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
