Seattle's Famous Four
Seattle's Famous Four
Developing and documenting Local Seattle information on Seattle's Famous Four
and their mysterious connections to each other.
In their footsteps
Spirits of Seattle
Bruce Lee, Kurt Cobain, Frances Farmer and Jimi Hendrix
by Charlette LeFevre, a rendition from Edward Hopper's Nighthawks
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Click here for Bruce Lee,
Kurt Cobain, Frances Farmer and Jimi Hendrix |
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee on the stairway of Ruby Chows Restaurant on Broadway.
....
Ruby Chows restaurant on Broadway - now a parking lot
photos courtesy of Michael Maikowsky
...
Photos
of Bruce Lee's room at Ruby Chows Restaurant on the corner of Broadway and
Jefferson (no longer there).
The
photos were taken right before the building was torn down.
courtesy of James DeMile, one of Bruce Lee's first students.
Bruce Lee lived in the attic room while he worked as a waiter.
It is said Bruce Lee used to pop pigeons from his bedroom window.
....
Bruce Lee at Ruby Chow's Restaurant on the corner of Broadway
and Jefferson- now a parking lot
- one of the first locations where Bruce Lee first started demonstrating his
martial arts.
Ruby Chow, at one time held the position of City Commissioner and the world's
first woman member of the Chong Wah Benevolent Association.
Bruce Lee's first students
Ed Hart is on the left, then LeRoy Garcia, James DeMile, Jesse Glover.
1961 at DeMiles home. Likely celebrating a birthday.
It was Bruce Lee who was taking the picture.
Photo courtesy of James DeMile
..
..
Amy Sanbo
Senior photo from Garfield H.S.yearbook - 1958 and in 2007 reflecting on her
memories of Bruce.
The mysterious stunningly beautiful Japanese girl Bruce Lee proposed to and
wanted to marry
giving her his grandmothers ring.
Bruce Lee met Amy Sanbo at the University of Washington in 1960. Amy graduated
from the Univ. of Washington and became a dancer and playwrite.
Amy Sanbo with dancer Karl
Stairs North of the University of Washington near Fluke Hall,
believed to be the stairs Bruce Lee carried Amy Sanbo
when she hurt her foot.
Lonny Kaneko - Author and poet met Bruce Lee also at the University of Washington and often wient out together with Amy Sanbo and Bruce.
Bruce on
his birthday
Nov. 27, 2007
Seattle, WA
Happy Birthday Bruce!
Cake cutting at the museum
Photo of Bruce Lee Nov. 27, 2006
Seattle, WA
Taky Kimura, Bruce Lee's senior student and friend
at Bruce Lee's Website on the 33rd anniversary of his death June 20, 2006.
Seattle, WA
Check out the museum the first Saturdays of every month for a general presentation on Bruce Lee's history in Seattle.
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NEWS
Chan Kwok-kwan
will play Bruce Lee Hong Kong, Dec. 4, 2006 - The
Hong Kong actor who played a Bruce Lee look-alike in the comedy "Shaolin
Soccer" has landed the lead role in a new Chinese television series
on the late Kung Fu star, newspapers reported Saturday.
Face Comparison 
Bruce Lee Movie Coming! Hong Kong - The family of Bruce Lee is planning a movie to mark the 35th anniversary of the kung-fu legend's death, a news report said Friday. Hollywood star Keanu Reeves and Hong Kong action star Stephen Chow have expressed interest in playing the leading role, the South China Morning Post reported. The movie is being filmed by a company called JA Media in cooperation with Lee's brothers Robert and Peter and sisters Phoebe and Agnes, the newspaper said. Its release is planned for 2008 in time for the 35th anniversary of Bruce Lee's mysterious death in his home city of Hong Kong when he was at the height of his fame. Speaking Thursday in Hong Kong on the 33rd anniversary of Lee's death, Robert Lee said the film would show 'the other side of Bruce, how he was growing up, his secrets and his philosophy.' Producer Stephen Shin told the newspaper he would 'trawl the world' for the right actor to portray Bruce Lee and said an announcement would be made on the star's birthday in November. Lee died in 1973 after falling unconscious at the home of a Hong Kong actress. He was 32 years old. Despite his enduring fame, officials in Hong Kong have refused to set up a museum or a permanent tribute to Lee because of disapproval over his lifestyle. Rumours of drug taking and affairs shortly before his death tainted his legacy in Hong Kong although he became a martial-arts icon around the world. A survey found that despite official disapproval of Lee, he remains the number one male icon among Hong Kong children, finishing ahead of Jackie Chan and David Beckham in a school poll. |
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March 2006
Hironori Tabata and Yuichi Onozuka, Director
of the
Japanese Bruce Lee Fan's website
Wave and Spiral
Nov. 27, 2005
Group of people who visited Bruce and Brandon Lee's gravesite
on his birthday, Taky Kimura- student
and friend of Bruce Lee and Perry Lee- world collector at Bruce's gravesite.
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Ghost of Bruce Lee
on tombstone? You decide. |
Tidbits
Bruce Lee graduated from Edison Technical School
Dec. 2, 1960 on Capitol Hill - now Seattle Central Community College
Was Bruce Lee defeated by a Ghost?
(From Robert Clouse Bruce Lee-the Biography)
Ruby Chow's restaurant was known to be haunted. There was the case of a cook
who saw a ghost in the basement and came flying up to leave his employer that
day.
Ruby claims to have seen a ghost that appeared as a black shadow and pinned
her down on the floor on her stomach.
She never again slept on her stomach. This same shadow grappled with Bruce
as well. He told of being held down for several
minutes, drenched in sweat by the time he was finally released. This was probably
one of the few times Bruce had been physically defeated.
T here were other ghostly appearances in the restaurant, but none proved threatening.
One cousin who worked for Ruby during
those years was jostled as she was taking a tray of dirty dishes to the kitchen.
A half-filled teapot tipped over on its side and its contents formed a perfect
question mark on the floor.
Scoff at your own risk.
(one wonders if this incident was to later
influence his life, his studies of philosophy and a strong reason Bruce Lee
wanted to leave the restaurant )
Places Bruce Lee visited
Area where Bruce Lee practiced, demonstrated his martial arts and where he
asked his future wife Linda Emery for their first date to the Space Needle.
Sylvan Theater at the University of Washington - visible from the road at
South end of Stevens Way at 40th St. entrance to campus.
Right - Librarian Philip Lipson at the columns Dec. 2005
Bruce Lee's third studio was also at 4750 University Way. He lived in the
back part in 1963.
Taky Kimura took over lessons when Bruce Lee went to Oakland in 1964.
Should this be historically designated? We think so!
According to Taky Kimura and Skip Ellingsworth's website, Bruce Lee also
ate at
Tia Tung Restaurant
in the International District.
659 S. King St. Seattle,
It is considered Seattle's oldest Chinese restaurant, if not the oldest restaurant
in Seattle having established since 1930.
Authentic Chinese
(their almond chicken is really good!)
Check out www.andykimura.com
Ongoing
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SEATTLE
CAMPAIGN FOR BRUCE LEE STATUE
The Seattle Museum of the Mysteries proudly announces a Seattle campaign for a Bruce Lee statue, joining Bosnia and China in erecting statues honoring the legendary martial artist. A life-size bronze statue is planned, featuring Bruce Lee in a dynamic Jeet Kune Do pose-a martial arts style Lee began developing in his Seattle studio. A call for design entries is now announced, and entries should be submitted by January 30, 2006, to the Seattle Museum of the Mysteries. The top three designs will be chosen by the museum board. The museum since its opening in 2004 regularly refers visitors and tourists to Bruce Lee's gravesite just northeast of the museum in Lakeview Cemetery; however, a statue would be more befitting to recognize the life of Bruce Lee and the contributions he made in fighting discrimination. On November 26, 2005, Bosnia became the first city in the world to erect a Bruce Lee statue, and on Bruce Lee's birthday, November 27, 2005, China erected a statue in the harbor of Hong Kong, supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The Seattle campaign, organized by Charlette LeFevre and Philip Lipson, co-directors of the Seattle Museum of the Mysteries, are leading the effort to erect the first major statue of Bruce Lee in the United States. Plans for the statue are for a bronze, life-size, 5-foot 7-inch depiction. Two features will make this a statue distinct from those in Bosnia and Hong Kong. The directors are striving to be as authentic as possible and hope to model after an actual face cast of Bruce Lee from the Perry Lee Collection. The cast was created to mold the black mask the character Kato wore in the Green Hornet TV series. In addition, funds allowing, the museum plans to have the statue gold-leafed to prevent corrosion. The museum will be contracting the Fremont Foundry, owned by Peter Bevis of Kalakala fame. The foundry also cast the well-known Jimi Hendrix statue located on Capitol Hill across the street from the Seattle Central Community College. No location for the Bruce Lee statue has been chosen yet, but the directors anticipate a location where the statue is highly visible, where tourists can visit and touch the statue, and where martial arts classes can practice in front of the statue. The new Cal Anderson Park or Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill has been suggested. Using this statue as an inspirational symbol, the museum will continue to explore and document the cultural exchanges between ancient Eastern traditions/philosophies and the evolution of multiethnic and transcultural art. The museum asks the public to support this statue memorializing Seattle's own native son and Washington State's most famous movie star and martial artist. The museum has already posted a friendly challenge to the city of San Francisco to also erect a statue by November 27, 2006, in the same manner Bosnia and Hong Kong created an international race to create the world's first statues. Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco, and it was in Oakland where he was formally challenged by a martial artist sent by the elders of Chinatown. The famous incident is related by his wife Linda Lee that if Bruce Lee lost he could not teach outside the community. Bruce Lee took down his opponent in three minutes, and from then he was spurred to further develop his martial arts skills, as he felt three minutes was too slow. Bruce Lee graduated from Seattlešs Edison Technical School on December 2, 1960, and attended the University of Washington. He worked at Ruby Chow's restaurant on the corner of Broadway and Jefferson, now a parking lot. He practiced and taught his martial arts techniques in the International District and its surrounding parks as well as demonstrated martial arts at Garfield and Franklin High Schools. Lee was named by Time magazine as one of the greatest heroes and icons and among the most influential martial artists of the twentieth century. He is one of the world's most recognized Chinese persons and for some remains the most prominent person to break racial stereotypes of the Chinese in Hollywood and around the world. Bruce Lee's final resting place is in Lakeview Cemetery along with his son, Brandon Lee. His gravesite is believed to be the most visited gravesite in the Washington State. The current display at the Seattle Museum of the Mysteries takes an in-depth look at Bruce Lee's life from 1959 to 1964 as a student and a developing martial artist, as well as at his teachings and his philosophy. While documenting personal experiences and local stories, the museum believes a statue will provide the ultimate avenue for people to recognize Bruce Lee's accomplishments in life and the cultural obstacles and discrimination for Asians that were evident during his life and how they have changed. In addition to this statue, photos, letters, video, and several memorabilia from one of the world's largest collections-the Perry Lee Collection-are on display at the Seattle Mystery Museum. The Seattle Museum of the Mysteries is a non-profit 501(c)3 museum, library, and cultural center highlighting the mysteries of the Northwest. Donations for the statue can be made at the museum, mailed, or called in. A dedicated account has also been created for statue. Donations can be made at any Bank of America, account #26763011, or ask for the Bruce Lee account under the Seattle Museum of the Mysteries. The Seattle Museum of the Mysteries is located on Capitol Hill at 623 Broadway East, Seattle, across from Kinkos. Congratulations Bosnia
and Hong Kong for erecting the world's first Bruce Lee Statues! |
Frances Farmer
Collector's card
See the museum exhbit for additional photos
Tidbits
Frances Farmer went to West Seattle High School
and the University of Washington
At one time she lived at 312 Harvard Ave East which is believed to be behind
the current Washington Mutual on Broadway.
Kurt Cobain
Tidbits
Lakeview Cemetery according to a Seattle PI
new report July 3, 1995 refused Kurt Cobain's ashes stating....
Dean Mathiesen, Love's personal assistant, said, ``Their reason was that they
already had their hands full with
Bruce Lee and Brandon being buried there, and they couldn't take on another
celebrity."
Its been said he liked Count Chocula cereal and Fruit Loops.
Kurt's bench at Viretta Park and just beyond - the house where he died.
Viretta park is on the corner of 39th Ave and E. John.
Jimi Hendrix
Tidbits
Jimi Hendrix statue is on Broadway and was
created by the record company it sits in front of.
He claimed to have a UFO sighting during Woodstock and a UFO encounter according
to fellow musician Curtis Knight.
Stop by the museum to see a stature of Jimi Hendrix by sculptor Roark Congden.