Bruce Lee — born Lee Jun-fan on 27th November 1940 in San Francisco — was a martial artist, actor, philosopher and filmmaker who became one of the most influential and iconic figures of the 20th century. He is widely regarded as the greatest martial artist of all time.
His films including The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon were box office sensations that transformed how Asians were portrayed in American and global cinema. He broke through racial barriers in Hollywood at a time when Asian actors were routinely sidelined or stereotyped.
He passed away suddenly on 20th July 1973 in Hong Kong, aged just 32. His influence on martial arts, cinema, philosophy and popular culture remains immeasurable. He was posthumously recognised by Time magazine as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.