ALS signed “Bruce,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, on colorful Jeet Kune Do letterhead letterhead, no date. Letter to Taky Kimura, his prize student and eventually one of only three Lee-certified instructors of Jeet Kune Do. In full: “Received registered letter and the dues. Thank you. The new[s] of Don Lindsley is most shocking. Disregard of what happened he has my thought & moral support. Every man is entitled to one mistake. I hope you will call Don’s mother for me or better yet, give me her address and phone number. Also, be sure to keep me informed on this terrible matter. Enclosed you will find three certificates, one for Tosh, one for John & the third one for Marc. I hold Chris’s certificates because I like to hear from you of his progress and dedication 3rd rank is pretty high and he should qualify for it. Is he showing up regularly? Earnest & diligent? Let me know. In the meantime, I’ll hold on.
As for equipment for the girl class, I suggest a football shield (for kicking mainly— you can tied it around groin area, or hold it) and a thick plastic welding glass (for Bill Jee). Enclosed you will find some cards of the Institute that you can use (Will send separate). By the way, be sure to fill in the membership number and sign your name on the empty space below marked INSTRUCTOR. Also, I put in one for you because I’ve secured the correct print now. The omitted word ‘promoted’ is filled in. Be sure to let me know if any new ideas regarding the expansion come up. Think of expanding & maintaining the class as I have plan[s] for you after the series make the hit.
Jesse asked me (when I was in Seattle) if he can open a school. I said it’s okay as long as Gung Fu is not involved, but I do not know he’s going in with Demile—that character I can’t stand. What is your thinking along his martial art academy? Of course Jesse knows better not to fool around with you. Write & let me know how things are and let me know of your program for girls and I’m sure I can add on & expanding that program systematically.”
Lee has added the postscript: “Will you send me the informations [sic] of the file on John, Chris, Tosh. And let me have your file so I can duplicate one”. In fine condition, with light bends and wrinkling, and tiny staple holes at the extreme upper left corner affecting one letter of text.
Most of this letter was published in Kimura’s 2009 publication Regards from the Dragon – Seattle, prefacing the letter with a statement that this very correspondence was the last one sent regarding martial arts in Seattle. Kimura noted that Lee ‘was always very diligent in keeping my positive attitude up and my spirits high. He believed in my ability to carry on what he broke ground with...Bruce knew that men and women had different needs with the martial arts, so he was always comprising custom plans for both genders, so they both could make the best out of the curriculum.’ Interestingly, Kimura omitted this letter’s line “but I do not know he’s [Jesse] going in with Demile – that character I can’t stand.’
The mentioned “Jesse” was Jesse Glover, Lee’s first student who trained together in the early 1960s and became the first person Lee authorized to teach Jeet Kune Do; “Demile” was James Demile, more of a street fighter than a martial artist, subscribing to the philosophy ‘it was a fight between two people and whoever was standing would win.’ Regardless, Demile admitted in later interviews that ‘Bruce could beat us all. And I don’t mean it would be a struggle I mean he could beat us all and we didn’t have a chance.’ Though undated, this letter could not have been written before 1966, as Lee tells Taki to “think of expanding & maintaining the class as I have plan[s] for you after the series make the hit”—a reference to the filming of The Green Hornet, which began in June 1966. Superior content as the martial arts master continued his rise to stardom. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
