How Bruce Lee outlined his plan to become America’s first ‘Oriental super star’ – and earn US$10 million – in 1969
How much would you pay for a handwritten, signed personal statement by Bruce Lee? What about his kung fu costume, or the punchbag he pummelled with a thousand “fists of fury”?
I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor
Rare items belonging to the late actor, martial artist – and, most recently, inspirational figure for the Hong Kong protests – will be auctioned in Los Angeles on September 25 and 26.
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The personal declaration by Lee, titled “My Definite Chief Aim”, is one of the most coveted items in the auction.
In the handwritten note, which he signed and dated “Jan 1969” – by which time he had already acted in supporting roles in American television series, including Batman, The Green Hornet and Ironside – he outlines his future goals.
The pop culture icon wrote idiomatically: “I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor.
“Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onwards till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness.”
One of his most famous quotes, ‘Be formless … shapeless, like wate’” offers a sense of Lee the philosopher and free-verse poet.
Only a few years after writing his manifesto, Lee was dead, at the age of 32, after suffering a brain aneurysm in Kowloon Tong on July 20, 1973.
Yet incredibly, over that short period, Lee did achieve “world fame”, just as he had predicted, through his groundbreaking work in Lo Wei’s The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), Way of the Dragon (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973), considered one of the greatest martial arts films of all time.
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It is estimated that his handwritten note will sell for between US$60,000 and US$80,000 at the forthcoming “Icons and Legends of Hollywood” auction.
Writing thoughtful, uplifting memos was not an unusual practice for the Hong Kong-American actor.
In fact, a lot of his correspondence with friends, family and fans, as well as personal notes and poetry, has been printed in Letters of the Dragon and Striking Thoughts, as well as other publications.
One of his famous quotes, “Be formless … shapeless, like water” offers a sense of Lee the philosopher and free-verse poet.
Also at auction will be the kung fu gi worn by Lee in Enter the Dragon, a film he also produced. The traditional martial arts costume has an estimated sale price of between US$60,000 and US$80,000.
Lee’s personal double-ended punchbag, which he used for martial arts training, has an estimated sale price of between US$6,000 and US$8,000.
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The punchbag, made with panelled khaki canvas material, features handwritten Chinese characters on the top of the bag, as well as the text “Made at Andre’s Gym. 3486, Ml. Shore” stamped on the bottom.
The auction is being run by Profiles in History, the world’s largest auctioneer and dealer of Hollywood memorabilia.
Previous auctions and sales held by the American company have included Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white “subway dress” from the film, The Seven Year Itch (1955), which sold for US$5.52 million, and the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz (1939).
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Iconic martial artist’s items – including punchbag and kung fu costume worn in 1973 film, Enter the Dragon – to be auctioned in Los Angeles on September 25 and 26