Jim Kelly
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Biography
A talented football player, this athlete from Kentucky chose to enter the world of the martial-arts films, where he put his abilities to good use. He starred in the "Blaxploitation" classic Melinda (1971), and later tried out for a role in a film that Warner Bros' would be making overseas called - Enter The Dragon (1973). After the movie opened, he achieved International fame and was in a position that, even Wesley Snipes couldn't compare to today. He was the Idol of thousands of Black kids everywhere and when he appeared in the films - Black Belt Jones (1974) and 3 The Hard Way (1974) , his popularity soared even higher.
An actor with good fighting skills, he could have [probably] beat up a few of the kung fu stars in real life. He said that he was surprised that a lot of the movie actors that fans loved, couldn't really fight at all (except on the screen). While filming the Tattoo Connection (1978), he (supposedly) got into arguments with one of the stars and choreographer Bruce Liang, causing a rift and making production slow, almost to a grinding halt. Rumor has it, that he and Tan Tao-Liang were actually hitting each other in some scenes. The crew claimed that Kelly liked to hit them, but didn't like to get hit back. He was supposed to film another movie in Hong Kong, but that idea was said to have been scrapped, because of the prior incident.
His air of confidence, was often seen as Arrogance on the screen, but his screen persona, was said to differ greatly, in real life. He was said to have been a very humble (and private) person, who didn't dwell on his (acting) past. He voiced his opinion early on, about how it was harder (for Black stars) to make it in the movies back in the early 70's, and it seems that he was right. Yet, he and fellow martial-artists Ron Van Clief and Carl Scott, were the only Black stars, to make a name for themselves in Asian Cinema (back in the 70's). He has done fine work, within (4) genres of film - Kung Fu, Blaxploitation, Modern Action, and even a Western Take A Hard Ride (1975). His name was always "whispered" throughout the Martial-arts era and never (truly) forgotten. Said to be the inspiration for the Eddie Griffin film - Undercover Brother, he was later featured in a Nike ad starring Basketball superstar, Lebron James. He succumbed to Cancer in June 2013.