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Level 10

Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

 

Bruce Lee the Legand at the site of his Oakland  studioBruce Lee the Legand at the site of his Oakland studio

Thanks Google, I finally found my childhood hero, after 2 days of walking around SF Bay Area, before LG Summit 2017.

Oakland CAOakland CA

Although he was long gone even before I came to know him, I felt his presence in places around SF Bay Area. Among a few celebrities legendary Bruce Lee was one who became famous posthumously, in America after he was extremely popular in Asia as a movie star and martial-arts expert.

Bruce Lee was born on the 4th floor of this old Chinese HospitalBruce Lee was born on the 4th floor of this old Chinese Hospital

The middle-aged receptionist at the new Chinese hospital of San Francisco was a busy man but was kind enough to find time to talk to me.

 

The Hospital staff at the time of Bruce Lee's birthThe Hospital staff at the time of Bruce Lee's birth

According to him Jun Fan (Bruce) Lee was born on November 27, 1940, on the 4th floor Maternity Ward in Chinese Hospital in San Francisco at the intersection of Jackson St. and Stone St. , San Francisco.

 

The one and only Chinese Hospital in USAThe one and only Chinese Hospital in USA

The new building that replaced old one where Bruce Lee was born, still remains the only ethnic Chinese hospital in the entire United States up to this day.

 

The Dragon at the hospital wallsThe Dragon at the hospital walls

Bruce Lee was a born actor as his dad was a Chinese opera star, who was on a professional tour in the United Bruce. Next year  Lee family went back to Hong Kong. Growing up in Hong Kong he acted in many movies as a child while mastering the art of Kung Fu, the ancient Wing Chun style of Gung Fu.

Bruce Lee's picture at the site of his great fight with Wong Jack Man in his Oakland martial arts studioBruce Lee's picture at the site of his great fight with Wong Jack Man in his Oakland martial arts studio

 

Bruce returned to the United States in 1959. He lived at 654 Jackson St, San Francisco CA 94133 before moving to Seattle where he attended the University of Washington following a degree in philosophy and opening a martial-arts school.

 Jackson Street climbJackson Street climb

In 1964, Lee married Linda Emery, who in 1965 gave birth to Brandon Lee, the first of the couple’s two children. 1964 Bruce gave a Wing Chun demonstration at the Sun Sing Theater (now the Sun Sing Center) at 1021 Grant Avenue, San Francisco CA 94133 (between Pacific St and Jackson St).

 

IMG_20171006_180454073_HDR.jpg

There are many rumors about this demonstration. Some say Bruce Lee extended an open challenge to anyone in the audience to prove that he were a better martial artist than him. This is the result in the famous fight between Bruce and Wong Jack Man at Lee's Oakland martial arts studio in late 1964. The other belief was that traditional Chinese community did not want Bruce Lees to teach their ancestral art form to people outside the community. The fight was conducted closed doors with a few acquaintances including Linda. The fight opened a window of golden opportunity for Bruce Lee to expand his studios.

The site of his Oakland Studio todayThe site of his Oakland Studio today  

Bruce and Linda lived in the Maxwell Park area of Oakland at 3039 Monticello Avenue, Oakland CA 94619

Oakland CAOakland CA

In 1964 Bruce opened the second Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute at 4157 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611.  The building is no longer there but stood near here where this car dealership is now located at 4145 Broadway. 

 

Rezoning has changed everything and his studio should have been somewhere hereRezoning has changed everything and his studio should have been somewhere here

 

Brandon Bruce Lee was born on February 1, 1965 at East Oakland Hospital, Oakland CA. Now called the Fruitvale Gateway Building located at 2648 International Blvd it was originally built in 1929. The hospital was closed sometime in the 1990's.

 Oakland CAOakland CA

Lee also appeared in karate tournaments around the United States and continued to teach martial arts to private clients including the actor Steve McQueen.

 

In 1966, the Lees moved to Los Angeles and Bruce appeared on the television program The Green Hornet (1966-1967). He returned to Hong Kong in the early 1970s and successfully established himself as a star in Asia with the action movies The Big Boss (1971) and The Way of the Dragon (1972), which he wrote, directed and starred in. His next film, Enter the Dragon, was released in the United States by Hollywood studio Warner Bros. in August 1973.

Tragically, Lee had died one month earlier, on July 20, in Hong Kong, after suffering a brain edema believed to be caused by an adverse reaction to a pain medication. Enter the Dragon was a box-office hit, eventually grossing more than $200 million, and Lee posthumously became a movie icon in all over the world.

 

In Honor OfIn Honor Of 

 Lee’s body was returned to Seattle, where he was buried in Lake View Cemetery. His sudden death at the young age of 32 led to rumors and speculation about the cause of his demise. One theory held that Lee had been murdered by Chinese gangsters while another rumor circulated that the actor had been the victim of a curse. The family-curse theory resurfaced when Lee’s 28-year-old son Brandon, who had followed in his father’s footsteps to become an actor, died in an accidental shooting on the set of the movie The Crow on March 31, 1991. 

 Bruce Lees famous side flying kickBruce Lees famous side flying kick

Hong Kong honored him with opening up of Kung Fu – Life – Art exhibition, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories. A line of Lee’s family originates from Shunde, a district of the city of Foshan in the Pearl River Delta, 60 kilometres southwest of Guangzhou. Today his family’s ancestral home is open to the public and Bruce Lee Paradise, a martial arts theme park, is nearby. 

 

There is absolutely nothing to remember him in San Francisco Bay Area where he was born, worked, lived and became of what we know as Bruce Lee.

 

Erhu Street Player at Jackson StreetErhu Street Player at Jackson Street

San Francisco, CA, USA
10 comments
Level 8

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017


@RohithaF wrote:

 

Bruce Lee the Legand at the site of his Oakland  studioBruce Lee the Legand at the site of his Oakland studio

Thanks Google, I finally found my childhood hero, after 2 days of walking around SF Bay Area, before LG Summit 2017.

Oakland CAOakland CA

Although he was long gone even before I came to know him, I felt his presence in places around SF Bay Area. Among a few celebrities legendary Bruce Lee was one who became famous posthumously, in America after he was extremely popular in Asia as a movie star and martial-arts expert.

Bruce Lee was born on the 4th floor of this old Chinese HospitalBruce Lee was born on the 4th floor of this old Chinese Hospital

The middle-aged receptionist at the new Chinese hospital of San Francisco was a busy man but was kind enough to find time to talk to me.

 

The Hospital staff at the time of Bruce Lee's birthThe Hospital staff at the time of Bruce Lee's birth

According to him Jun Fan (Bruce) Lee was born on November 27, 1940, on the 4th floor Maternity Ward in Chinese Hospital in San Francisco at the intersection of Jackson St. and Stone St. , San Francisco.

 

The one and only Chinese Hospital in USAThe one and only Chinese Hospital in USA

The new building that replaced old one where Bruce Lee was born, still remains the only ethnic Chinese hospital in the entire United States up to this day.

 

The Dragon at the hospital wallsThe Dragon at the hospital walls

Bruce Lee was a born actor as his dad was a Chinese opera star, who was on a professional tour in the United Bruce. Next year  Lee family went back to Hong Kong. Growing up in Hong Kong he acted in many movies as a child while mastering the art of Kung Fu, the ancient Wing Chun style of Gung Fu.

Bruce Lee's picture at the site of his great fight with Wong Jack Man in his Oakland martial arts studioBruce Lee's picture at the site of his great fight with Wong Jack Man in his Oakland martial arts studio

 

Bruce returned to the United States in 1959. He lived at 654 Jackson St, San Francisco CA 94133 before moving to Seattle where he attended the University of Washington following a degree in philosophy and opening a martial-arts school.

 Jackson Street climbJackson Street climb

In 1964, Lee married Linda Emery, who in 1965 gave birth to Brandon Lee, the first of the couple’s two children. 1964 Bruce gave a Wing Chun demonstration at the Sun Sing Theater (now the Sun Sing Center) at 1021 Grant Avenue, San Francisco CA 94133 (between Pacific St and Jackson St).

 

IMG_20171006_180454073_HDR.jpg

There are many rumors about this demonstration. Some say Bruce Lee extended an open challenge to anyone in the audience to prove that he were a better martial artist than him. This is the result in the famous fight between Bruce and Wong Jack Man at Lee's Oakland martial arts studio in late 1964. The other belief was that traditional Chinese community did not want Bruce Lees to teach their ancestral art form to people outside the community. The fight was conducted closed doors with a few acquaintances including Linda. The fight opened a window of golden opportunity for Bruce Lee to expand his studios.

The site of his Oakland Studio todayThe site of his Oakland Studio today  

Bruce and Linda lived in the Maxwell Park area of Oakland at 3039 Monticello Avenue, Oakland CA 94619

Oakland CAOakland CA

In 1964 Bruce opened the second Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute at 4157 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611.  The building is no longer there but stood near here where this car dealership is now located at 4145 Broadway. 

 

Rezoning has changed everything and his studio should have been somewhere hereRezoning has changed everything and his studio should have been somewhere here

 

Brandon Bruce Lee was born on February 1, 1965 at East Oakland Hospital, Oakland CA. Now called the Fruitvale Gateway Building located at 2648 International Blvd it was originally built in 1929. The hospital was closed sometime in the 1990's.

 Oakland CAOakland CA

Lee also appeared in karate tournaments around the United States and continued to teach martial arts to private clients including the actor Steve McQueen.

 

In 1966, the Lees moved to Los Angeles and Bruce appeared on the television program The Green Hornet (1966-1967). He returned to Hong Kong in the early 1970s and successfully established himself as a star in Asia with the action movies The Big Boss (1971) and The Way of the Dragon (1972), which he wrote, directed and starred in. His next film, Enter the Dragon, was released in the United States by Hollywood studio Warner Bros. in August 1973.

Tragically, Lee had died one month earlier, on July 20, in Hong Kong, after suffering a brain edema believed to be caused by an adverse reaction to a pain medication. Enter the Dragon was a box-office hit, eventually grossing more than $200 million, and Lee posthumously became a movie icon in all over the world.

 

In Honor OfIn Honor Of 

 Lee’s body was returned to Seattle, where he was buried in Lake View Cemetery. His sudden death at the young age of 32 led to rumors and speculation about the cause of his demise. One theory held that Lee had been murdered by Chinese gangsters while another rumor circulated that the actor had been the victim of a curse. The family-curse theory resurfaced when Lee’s 28-year-old son Brandon, who had followed in his father’s footsteps to become an actor, died in an accidental shooting on the set of the movie The Crow on March 31, 1991. 

 Bruce Lees famous side flying kickBruce Lees famous side flying kick

Hong Kong honored him with opening up of Kung Fu – Life – Art exhibition, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories. A line of Lee’s family originates from Shunde, a district of the city of Foshan in the Pearl River Delta, 60 kilometres southwest of Guangzhou. Today his family’s ancestral home is open to the public and Bruce Lee Paradise, a martial arts theme park, is nearby. 

 

There is absolutely nothing to remember him in San Francisco Bay Area where he was born, worked, lived and became of what we know as Bruce Lee.

 

Erhu Street Player at Jackson StreetErhu Street Player at Jackson Street


Hi Rohita

 

This is a nice story. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing.

 

Hello @OSAMA @NareshDarji @AnitaAO @Justine2807 @AlejandraMaria @HelloSamsonR @AnuradhaP @ErmesT @LucioV Shout out to check this. I found this post by Rohita really interesting. :))

 

Cheers

Level 9

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

Hi @RohithaF!

A very complete post about your hero, Bruce Lee :))) Congratulations!

Thank you very much @Badruddeen for letting me red this interenting post our friend has done 😉

Good Evening from the South of Spain,

Alejandra.

Level 10

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

Hello @RohithaF

 

Thank you so much for this interesting informative post about  the magnificent, incredible inspirational #BruceLee. It is totally amazing there is not a place dedicated to his work and his memory in San Francisco. As it is his home town. 

 

I do am very thankful for your post and do not doubt you  a in any way, It is just so hard to believe there is nothing to honour him there. I was curious after reading this and wanted to see if there was anything anywhere to as you say “Find Bruce Lee in San Francisco”  When I Go to Google Maps and put inquiry as Bruce Lee Memorial San Francisco. It shows the Chinese Hospital where he was born.

Chinese Hospital 

845 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
+1 415-982-2400

 

Perhaps it is something that can be done by getting funding through Hollywood, Las Angeles and  approaching the local authorities in San Francisco to make a place for his memories to inspire others for sure. He was an icon. A true hero in his Chinese American influence and total dedication to the film making industry in both countries. 

 

Let's hope something is done is not going to achieve it, but instead if we approach other Bruce Lee enthusiasts, and there are millions, perhaps his fan club would be a place to start, something will happen to make it so. 

 

My brother lives in Saucilito and I have plans to visit him in the near future. You have inspired me to look into this and see what can be done to honour Bruce Lee for what is is and was always known as a man of honour. 

 

This is a great post for a great man. Many thanks to you for all you have done investigating and researching great knowledge to share with us. 

 

Thanks also to @Badruddeen

 for sharing this with me.

 

Best wishes

@Justine2807

 

Enjoy this story @Osaka78forTRUMP , @Briggs , @PaulPavlinovich , @KarenVChin , @Haseeb , @Surendra , @ , @SarahKa

@

Level 9

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

hi @RohithaF, I enjoyed your story and felt your disappointments too. 

 

On a lighter note, I was hoping you were going to find Bruce Lee Alive from the title of the write-up 😀😀😀

 

Thank you for sharing... 

 

@Badruddeen, thanks for the tag. 


@Badruddeen wrote:

@RohithaF wrote:

 

Bruce Lee the Legand at the site of his Oakland  studioBruce Lee the Legand at the site of his Oakland studio

Thanks Google, I finally found my childhood hero, after 2 days of walking around SF Bay Area, before LG Summit 2017.

Oakland CAOakland CA

Although he was long gone even before I came to know him, I felt his presence in places around SF Bay Area. Among a few celebrities legendary Bruce Lee was one who became famous posthumously, in America after he was extremely popular in Asia as a movie star and martial-arts expert.

Bruce Lee was born on the 4th floor of this old Chinese HospitalBruce Lee was born on the 4th floor of this old Chinese Hospital

The middle-aged receptionist at the new Chinese hospital of San Francisco was a busy man but was kind enough to find time to talk to me.

 

The Hospital staff at the time of Bruce Lee's birthThe Hospital staff at the time of Bruce Lee's birth

According to him Jun Fan (Bruce) Lee was born on November 27, 1940, on the 4th floor Maternity Ward in Chinese Hospital in San Francisco at the intersection of Jackson St. and Stone St. , San Francisco.

 

The one and only Chinese Hospital in USAThe one and only Chinese Hospital in USA

The new building that replaced old one where Bruce Lee was born, still remains the only ethnic Chinese hospital in the entire United States up to this day.

 

The Dragon at the hospital wallsThe Dragon at the hospital walls

Bruce Lee was a born actor as his dad was a Chinese opera star, who was on a professional tour in the United Bruce. Next year  Lee family went back to Hong Kong. Growing up in Hong Kong he acted in many movies as a child while mastering the art of Kung Fu, the ancient Wing Chun style of Gung Fu.

Bruce Lee's picture at the site of his great fight with Wong Jack Man in his Oakland martial arts studioBruce Lee's picture at the site of his great fight with Wong Jack Man in his Oakland martial arts studio

 

Bruce returned to the United States in 1959. He lived at 654 Jackson St, San Francisco CA 94133 before moving to Seattle where he attended the University of Washington following a degree in philosophy and opening a martial-arts school.

 Jackson Street climbJackson Street climb

In 1964, Lee married Linda Emery, who in 1965 gave birth to Brandon Lee, the first of the couple’s two children. 1964 Bruce gave a Wing Chun demonstration at the Sun Sing Theater (now the Sun Sing Center) at 1021 Grant Avenue, San Francisco CA 94133 (between Pacific St and Jackson St).

 

IMG_20171006_180454073_HDR.jpg

There are many rumors about this demonstration. Some say Bruce Lee extended an open challenge to anyone in the audience to prove that he were a better martial artist than him. This is the result in the famous fight between Bruce and Wong Jack Man at Lee's Oakland martial arts studio in late 1964. The other belief was that traditional Chinese community did not want Bruce Lees to teach their ancestral art form to people outside the community. The fight was conducted closed doors with a few acquaintances including Linda. The fight opened a window of golden opportunity for Bruce Lee to expand his studios.

The site of his Oakland Studio todayThe site of his Oakland Studio today  

Bruce and Linda lived in the Maxwell Park area of Oakland at 3039 Monticello Avenue, Oakland CA 94619

Oakland CAOakland CA

In 1964 Bruce opened the second Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute at 4157 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611.  The building is no longer there but stood near here where this car dealership is now located at 4145 Broadway. 

 

Rezoning has changed everything and his studio should have been somewhere hereRezoning has changed everything and his studio should have been somewhere here

 

Brandon Bruce Lee was born on February 1, 1965 at East Oakland Hospital, Oakland CA. Now called the Fruitvale Gateway Building located at 2648 International Blvd it was originally built in 1929. The hospital was closed sometime in the 1990's.

 Oakland CAOakland CA

Lee also appeared in karate tournaments around the United States and continued to teach martial arts to private clients including the actor Steve McQueen.

 

In 1966, the Lees moved to Los Angeles and Bruce appeared on the television program The Green Hornet (1966-1967). He returned to Hong Kong in the early 1970s and successfully established himself as a star in Asia with the action movies The Big Boss (1971) and The Way of the Dragon (1972), which he wrote, directed and starred in. His next film, Enter the Dragon, was released in the United States by Hollywood studio Warner Bros. in August 1973.

Tragically, Lee had died one month earlier, on July 20, in Hong Kong, after suffering a brain edema believed to be caused by an adverse reaction to a pain medication. Enter the Dragon was a box-office hit, eventually grossing more than $200 million, and Lee posthumously became a movie icon in all over the world.

 

In Honor OfIn Honor Of 

 Lee’s body was returned to Seattle, where he was buried in Lake View Cemetery. His sudden death at the young age of 32 led to rumors and speculation about the cause of his demise. One theory held that Lee had been murdered by Chinese gangsters while another rumor circulated that the actor had been the victim of a curse. The family-curse theory resurfaced when Lee’s 28-year-old son Brandon, who had followed in his father’s footsteps to become an actor, died in an accidental shooting on the set of the movie The Crow on March 31, 1991. 

 Bruce Lees famous side flying kickBruce Lees famous side flying kick

Hong Kong honored him with opening up of Kung Fu – Life – Art exhibition, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories. A line of Lee’s family originates from Shunde, a district of the city of Foshan in the Pearl River Delta, 60 kilometres southwest of Guangzhou. Today his family’s ancestral home is open to the public and Bruce Lee Paradise, a martial arts theme park, is nearby. 

 

There is absolutely nothing to remember him in San Francisco Bay Area where he was born, worked, lived and became of what we know as Bruce Lee.

 

Erhu Street Player at Jackson StreetErhu Street Player at Jackson Street


Hi Rohita

 

This is a nice story. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing.

 

Hello @OSAMA @NareshDarji @AnitaAO @Justine2807 @AlejandraMaria @HelloSamsonR @AnuradhaP @ErmesT @LucioV Shout out to check this. I found this post by Rohita really interesting. :))

 

Cheers


 

A-Beta
Connect Moderator

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

Hey @RohithaF, you were in my old stomping grounds and you didn't share with me this story last October! 

 

Here is a fun fact all my aunts and uncle and anyone else living in Chinatown was born in this hospital.  Since the patients did not speak English, the doctors or nurses were the ones who came up with the American, or English, names for all the babies that were born in that hospital for more than half a century!

 

So glad that the receptionist told you the story of Bruce Lee's birth. He is a legend for sure. But he also spent time living in Oakland as well as you mentioned. So, definitely, a SF Bay Area legend!

 

Thanks @Justine2807 for tagging me. @ErmesT @FaridTDF, I know you will love reading (and seeing all the photos too) Rohitha's post.

 

Cheers,

Karen

 

 

Connect Moderator

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

Great interesting post of your super hero. thanks for sharing with us @RohithaF

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Level 10

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

@RohithaF Nice story. You should have taken us there. 

Level 10

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

Interesting story that of Bruce Lee, it is a pity that in San Francisco there is no representative place on it.

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Level 10

Re: Finding Bruce Lee in San Francisco during LG Summit 2017

The spot I will never spare @RohithaF

BHASI BAHULEYAN