Bruce Lee was in movies.
Lee Jun-fan ( ; November 27 , 1940 -- July 20 , 1973 ) , known professionally as Bruce Lee , was a Hong Kong and American martial artist , actor , philosopher , filmmaker , and founder of the martial art Jeet Kune Do . His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim , sparking a surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s . Lee became an iconic figure known throughout the world , particularly among the Chinese , as he portrayed Chinese nationalism in his films .