Who was Jim Kelly in enter the Dragon?
Jim Kelly as Williams in Enter the Dragon (1973). The martial artist and actor Jim Kelly, best known for his nonchalant turn in the Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon, has died at the age of 67.
What happened to Jim Kelly?
Kelly's role in the 1973 film, starring Bruce Lee, was brief, but fans loved the delivery of his wisecrack lines. Jim Kelly, who parlayed his martial arts skills into a successful but brief career in action movies, has died. He was 67. Kelly’s former wife Marilyn Dishman told CNN that the actor died Saturday of cancer, but did not elaborate.
Where did Jim Kelly start his martial arts?
Early life. Kelly began his martial arts career under the tutelage of Sin Kwan The (Shaolin-Do) in Lexington, Kentucky. He trained in Okinawan karate under the direction of Parker Shelton, Nate Patton, and Gordon Doversola. During the early 1970s, Jim Kelly became one of the most decorated world karate champions in the sport.
What movies did Jim Kelly appear in?
Jim Kelly (martial artist) Kelly rose to fame in the early 1970s appearing in several blaxploitation films. Kelly is perhaps best known for his role as Williams in the 1973 martial arts action film Enter the Dragon. He also had lead roles in 1974's Black Belt Jones as the title character and Three the Hard Way as Mister Keyes.
Where is Jim Kelly from Enter the Dragon now?
US actor and karate expert Jim Kelly, who starred with Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, has died at the age of 67. Kelly became famed for his cool one-liners and fight scenes as the charismatic Williams in the 1973 martial arts classic.
What type of cancer did actor Jim Kelly have?
squamous cell carcinomaJim Kelly, the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and former University of Miami football standout, announced Thursday that he will once again undergo treatment for oral cancer after recent testing indicated the cancer has returned. Mr. Kelly, 58, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in his upper jaw in June 2013.
Who is the black actor that played in Enter the Dragon?
Jim Kelly"Black Belt Jones, Three the Hard Way and Black Samurai — all starring Jim Kelly as an African-American martial arts master — busy looking good in a funky Afro. "Kelly's break-out role was in the Bruce Lee classic Enter the Dragon.
Did John Saxon know martial arts?
Saxon's martial arts skills was, in real life, nowhere near the level of Lee, fellow US actor Jim Kelly, who also appeared in Enter the Dragon, or Chuck Norris, but he was popular with martial arts fans all the same. Saxon trained with Lee and was proficient in judo and Shotokan karate.
What age Bruce Lee died?
32 years (1940–1973)Bruce Lee / Age at death
Is John Saxon still alive?
July 25, 2020John Saxon / Date of death
How old is Chuck Norris today?
82 years (March 10, 1940)Chuck Norris / Age
How tall was Bruce Lee?
5′ 8″Bruce Lee / Height
Overview
James Milton Kelly (May 5, 1946 – June 29, 2013) was an American athlete, martial artist, and actor. After winning several karate championships, Kelly rose to fame in the early 1970s appearing in various action films within the martial arts and blaxploitation genres. Kelly played opposite Bruce Lee in 1973's Enter the Dragon, and had lead roles in 1974's Black Belt Jones as the title character and Three …
Early life and athletic career
Kelly's father ran a locker-rental service for Navy personnel. He began his athletic career at Bourbon County High School in Paris, Kentucky, competing in basketball, football, and track and field. He attended the University of Louisville on a football scholarship, but left during his freshman year after a coach referred to a black teammate with a racial slur. Instead he began to study Shorin-ryu karate.
Acting career
Kelly was the first black martial arts film star. His first film role was a martial arts instructor in the thriller feature film Melinda (1972). He got it after being asked by the film's writer, to whom he was introduced by one of his karate students, to teach martial arts to its star, Calvin Lockhart. Kelly then co-starred alongside Bruce Lee in the blockbuster, Enter the Dragon (1973). He played Williams, a ma…
Personal life and death
Kelly was married twice: from 1967 to 1968, to his college sweetheart Marilyn Dishman, and from 1980 until his death in 2013, to Marcia Bentley. From 1973 to 1976, Kelly dated film actress Rosalind Miles. On June 29, 2013, Kelly died of cancer at his home in San Diego, California. He was 67 years old.
Filmography
• Melinda (1972) – Charles Atkins
• Enter the Dragon (1973) – Williams
• Black Belt Jones (1974) – Black Belt Jones
• Three the Hard Way (1974) – Mister Keyes
See also
• Martial arts portal
• Film portal
External links
• Jim Kelly at IMDb
• Jim Kelly at AllMovie