Legendary Chinese-American martial arts artist and actor (1940–1973) whose skill, charisma, and presence afforded martial arts films a new measure of respectability and popularity. Lee first came to widespread attention with his role as Kato on the television series The Green Hornet, which ran for a total of 26 episodes on ABC during 1966 and 1967. For most Americans, the show provided the first glimpse of Lee in (albeit TV-friendly) action; within the space of a few years, he would become a powerhouse film attraction. His untimely death “by misadventure” sparked all manner of speculation, including rumors of assassination, ancestral curses, and more—and would propel him into the realm of legend. Unissued membership card for Lee’s Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, 3.75 x 2.5, signed in black ink “Bruce Lee.” In rejecting many components of traditional martial arts and adopting a more inclusive, holistic approach, Lee developed a system he originally called “Jun Fan Gung Fu,” a name that incorporated the Chinese form of his own name, Lee Jun Fan. Lee summed up the underlying philosophy of his style, later renamed Jeet Kun Do (“The Way of the Intercepting Fist”), as “simply the direct expression of one’s feelings with the minimum of movements and energy.” Lee operated a number of schools based on his methods until 1971, though he permitted his students to carry on his teachings on a private basis. The logo for the system, which appears on the card, incorporates a yin-yang symbol with Chinese characters indicating the principles “Using no way as way” and “Having no limitation as limitation,” along with arrows representing the endless movement and change of the universe. Accompanied by an undated letter of authenticity from Taky Kimura, Lee’s top student and confidant. A few faint creases (small crease to first name), otherwise fine, clean condition. RRAuction COA.
