Jim Kelly (martial artist)
Jim Kelly | |
---|---|
Bourbon County High School University of Louisville | |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1972–2013 |
Spouses | Marilyn Dishman
(m. 1967; div. 1968)Marcia Bentley
(m. 1980–2013) |
Partner(s) | Rosalind Miles (1973–1976) |
James Milton Kelly (May 5, 1946 – June 29, 2013) was an American
Early life and athletic career
Kelly's father ran a locker-rental service for Navy personnel.
Kelly began his martial arts career under the tutelage of Sin Kwang The' (Shaolin-Do) in
In addition to his martial arts and film careers, Kelly also became a professional
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.[11] Kelly then co-starred alongside Bruce Lee in the blockbuster, Enter the Dragon (1973).[12] He played Williams, a martial artist invited to a tournament run by crime lord and renegade Shaolin monk Han. The role was originally intended for actor Rockne Tarkington, who unexpectedly dropped out days before shooting in Hong Kong. Producer Fred Weintraub had heard about Kelly's karate studio in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles, went there to see him, and was immediately impressed.[3] That film gave him his most memorable lines:[1][13]
Han (Shih Kien): We are all ready to win, just as we are born knowing only life. It is defeat that you must learn to prepare for.
Williams (Kelly): I don't waste my time with it. When it comes, I won't even notice.
Han: Oh? How so?
Williams: I'll be too busy looking good.— Enter the Dragon
This appearance also earned Kelly a three-film contract with
After his appearance in One Down, Two to Go, Kelly rarely appeared in movies. He did appear in two episodes of the TV series, Highway to Heaven, in 1985 and 1986.[21] A deleted scene from the film Undercover Brother (2002), included on the DVD extra features, shows him in a cameo appearance with Eddie Griffin.[22] In his last film, Kelly made a cameo appearance as Cleavon Washington in Afro Ninja (2009), produced, directed by, and starring veteran stuntman Mark Hicks.[23] In a 2010 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kelly explained his absence from film:[2]
I never left the movie business. It’s just that after a certain point, I didn’t get the type of projects that I wanted to do. I still get at least three scripts per year, but most of them don’t put forth a positive image. There’s nothing I really want to do, so I don’t do it. If it happens, it happens, but if not, I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished.
— Jim Kelly
Film and television director and producer Reginald Hudlin described Kelly's enduring identity: “The iconography that Jim Kelly established as the cool martial artist with the giant ‘fro resonates to this day. If within only a few films you can create an image that lasts over 30 years, you must have done something really right. And he did.”[2]
Personal life and death
Kelly was married twice and had one child. From 1967 to 1968, Kelly was married to his college sweetheart Marilyn Dishman. His second marriage was from 1980 until his death in 2013, to Marcia Bentley. From 1973 to 1976, Kelly dated film actress
Filmography
Film
- Melinda (1972) – Charles Atkins
- Enter the Dragon (1973) – Williams
- Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon (1973) – Self
- Bruce Lee, the Man and the Legend (1973) – Self
- Black Belt Jones (1974) – Black Belt Jones
- Three the Hard Way (1974) – Mister Keyes
- Golden Needles (1974) – Jeff
- Take a Hard Ride (1975) – Kashtok
- Hot Potato (1976) – Jones
- Black Samurai (1977) – Robert Sand
- Death Dimension (1978) – Lt. Detective J. Ash
- E yu tou hei sha xing (a.k.a. The Tattoo Connection, Black Belt Jones 2) (1978)[24] – Lucas
- Mr. No Legs (a.k.a. The Amazing Mr. No Legs) (1978)[25]
- The Amazing Mr. No Legs (a.k.a. Mr. No Legs) (1979)[26]
- One Down, Two to Go (1982) – Chuck
- Bruce Lee, the Legend (1984)[27] – Self
- The Last Match (a.k.a. L'ultima meta) (1990)
- The Silent Force (1991)
- Necessary Roughness (1991)
- Powerplay (1992)
- Death by Misadventure: The Mysterious Life of Bruce Lee (1993) – Self
- Stranglehold (1994)[28] – Executive #4
- Ultimatum (1994)[29] – Executive
- Far East (1994) – Self
- Martial Arts Master: The Life of Bruce Lee (1994) – Self
- Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon (1994) – Self
- Top Fighter (1995) – Self
- Afros, Macks & Zodiacs (1995)
- The Way of the Little Dragon (1997) – Self
- Bruce Lee: In His Own Words (1998) – Self
- Bruce Lee: The Intercepting Fist (1999) – Self
- A Huey P. Newton Story (2001) – Self
- Bruce Lee and Kung Fu Mania (2001) – Self
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001) – Self
- BaadAsssss Cinema (2002) – Self
- Undercover Brother (2002) – Self
- Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted (2004)[30] – Self
- Ban the Sadist Videos! Part 2 (2006) – Self
- Afro Ninja (2009) – Cleavon Washington
- Adventure Scouts Honor (2010) – Mental patient
- Kashtok Speaks (2011) – Self
- I Am Bruce Lee (2012) – Self
- Birth of the Living Dead (2013) – Self(archive footage)
- They Love (2014) – Self(archive footage)
- Where I Belong (2017) – Self(archive footage)
- Karmic Justice (2019) – Self(archive footage)
- Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson (2019) – Self(archive footage)
- Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019) – Self(archive footage)
Television
- Highway to Heaven (1985–1986) – Reporter, station attendant (2 episodes)
See also
References
- ^ a b c Yardley, William (July 1, 2013), "Jim Kelly, Star of Martial Arts Movies, Dies at 67", The New York Times, retrieved August 16, 2015
- ^ a b c d e Ryfle, Steve (January 10, 2010). "DVD set is devoted to 1970s martial arts star Jim Kelly". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2010.
- ^ a b Horn, John (July 1, 2013). "Jim Kelly, 'Enter the Dragon' star, dies at 67". Los Angeles Times.
- ISBN 978-0810867062.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ a b Calhoun, Bob (April 13, 2010). "Jim Kelly, "Enter the Dragon's" baddest mother". Salon.com.
- ^ Le-feuvre, Matthew (June 29, 2017). "Jim Kelly: "Man, you come right out of a comic book!"". Cityonfire. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ a b Dokosi, Michael Eli (May 15, 2020). "Remembering Jim Kelly, first black martial arts film star who starred alongside Bruce Lee in 'Enter the Dragon'". Face2Face Africa.
- ^ Melinda. IMDb. 1972.
- ISBN 9781476672861.
- ^ Simon, Zane (July 1, 2013). "Jim Kelly: Martial artist, movie star, tennis pro dies after battle with cancer". Bloody Elbow.
- ^ a b Clary, David W. (May 1992). "What ever happened to . . . JIM KELLY". Black Belt. Rainbow Publications. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ Enter the Dragon. IMDb. 1973.
- ^ "Enter the Dragon, Quotes". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ Carlson, Michael (July 2, 2013). "Jim Kelly: Actor best known as Williams in 'Enter The Dragon'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ Black Belt Jones. IMDb. 1974.
- ^ Golden Needles. IMDb. 1974.
- ^ Hot Potato. IMDb. 1976.
- ^ Three the Hard Way. IMDb. 1974.
- ^ Take a Hard Ride. IMDb. 1975.
- ^ One Down, Two to Go. IMDb. 1982.
- ^ "Jim Kelly (II)". IMDb. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ Milinsky, Brian (July 1, 2013). "Jim Kelly, 'Enter the Dragon' martial artist, dead at 67". Tail Slate. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Afro Ninja (Video 2009)". IMDb. December 9, 2009. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
- ^ The Tattoo Connection. IMDb. 1978.
- ^ Mr. No Legs. IMDb. 1979.
- ^ The Amazing Mr. No Legs. IMDb. 1979.
- ^ Bruce Lee, the Legend. IMDb. 1984.
- ^ Stranglehold. IMDb. 1994.
- ^ Ultimatum. IMDb. 1994.
- ^ Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted. IMDb. 2004.