Linda Lee Cadwell
Encyclopedia
Linda Lee Cadwell is an American teacher and the widow of martial arts master and actor Bruce Lee
.
, the daughter of Vivian and Everett Emery. Her family was Baptist
and of Swedish and English
descent. Linda met Bruce Lee while she was attending Garfield High School, where Bruce came to give a Kung Fu demonstration; he was attending the University of Washington
at the time. Eventually, she became one of his Kung Fu students when she was attending the University of Washington as a pre-medical
student.
She continued to take Kung Fu lessons from him while attending college. They married on August 17, 1964; Linda was a few credits
short of graduation from the University of Washington. They had two children together, Brandon Lee
and Shannon Lee
. Bruce Lee had opened his own Kung Fu school at the time and was teaching Jeet Kune Do. Bruce Lee died suddenly on July 20, 1973 of cerebral edema
.
Linda was remarried to Tom Bleecker in 1988, but they divorced in 1990. She married stockbroker Bruce Cadwell in 1991 and they live in Boise, Idaho
. In 1996, Bleecker published a book on his version of how Bruce Lee died. Linda Lee Cadwell attempted to stop its publication, but was unsuccessful.
Her son Brandon Lee, an actor like his father, died in a fatal shooting accident on a movie set while filming The Crow
on March 31, 1993, nearly twenty years after his father's death. Brandon's fiancee, Eliza Hutton, was involved in an out-of-court settlement with the producers of The Crow in 1993, and was instrumental in having the film released in 1994.
Cadwell has continued to promote Bruce Lee's martial art Jeet Kune Do. She retired in 2001, and her daughter Shannon (who is now in charge of the Lee family estate), together with son-in-law Ian Keasler, run the Bruce Lee Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching Bruce Lee's philosophy on martial arts and his writing on philosophy.
(ISBN 0-446-89407-9), on which the 1993 feature film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
was based. She was portrayed by actress Lauren Holly
in the film adaptation. Lee also wrote the 1989 book The Bruce Lee Story (ISBN 0897501217).
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
.
Life and career
Cadwell was born in Everett, WashingtonEverett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
, the daughter of Vivian and Everett Emery. Her family was Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and of Swedish and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
descent. Linda met Bruce Lee while she was attending Garfield High School, where Bruce came to give a Kung Fu demonstration; he was attending the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
at the time. Eventually, she became one of his Kung Fu students when she was attending the University of Washington as a pre-medical
Pre-medical
Pre-medical is a term used to describe a track an undergraduate student in the United States pursues prior to becoming a medical student...
student.
She continued to take Kung Fu lessons from him while attending college. They married on August 17, 1964; Linda was a few credits
Credit (education)
A course credit is a unit that gives weighting to the value, level or time requirements of an academic course taken at a school or other educational institution.- United States :...
short of graduation from the University of Washington. They had two children together, Brandon Lee
Brandon Lee
Brandon Bruce Lee was an American actor and martial artist. He was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee...
and Shannon Lee
Shannon Lee
Shannon Emery Lee is an American actress. She is the daughter of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell, and the younger sister of Brandon Lee.-Personal life:...
. Bruce Lee had opened his own Kung Fu school at the time and was teaching Jeet Kune Do. Bruce Lee died suddenly on July 20, 1973 of cerebral edema
Cerebral edema
Cerebral edema or cerebral œdema is an excess accumulation of water in the intracellular or extracellular spaces of the brain.-Vasogenic:Due to a breakdown of tight endothelial junctions which make up the blood-brain barrier...
.
Linda was remarried to Tom Bleecker in 1988, but they divorced in 1990. She married stockbroker Bruce Cadwell in 1991 and they live in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. In 1996, Bleecker published a book on his version of how Bruce Lee died. Linda Lee Cadwell attempted to stop its publication, but was unsuccessful.
Her son Brandon Lee, an actor like his father, died in a fatal shooting accident on a movie set while filming The Crow
The Crow (film)
The Crow is a 1994 American action film based on the 1989 comic book of the same name by James O'Barr. The film was written by David J. Schow and John Shirley, and directed by Alex Proyas...
on March 31, 1993, nearly twenty years after his father's death. Brandon's fiancee, Eliza Hutton, was involved in an out-of-court settlement with the producers of The Crow in 1993, and was instrumental in having the film released in 1994.
Cadwell has continued to promote Bruce Lee's martial art Jeet Kune Do. She retired in 2001, and her daughter Shannon (who is now in charge of the Lee family estate), together with son-in-law Ian Keasler, run the Bruce Lee Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching Bruce Lee's philosophy on martial arts and his writing on philosophy.
Books
Linda wrote the 1975 book Bruce Lee: The Man Only I KnewBruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew
Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew is a book about martial arts legend Bruce Lee, written by his widow, Linda Lee Cadwell. The book was written very close to the time of Bruce Lee's death, thus being very close in Cadwell's memories...
(ISBN 0-446-89407-9), on which the 1993 feature film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a 1993 American semi fictionalized biographical martial arts action film telling the story of actor and martial arts expert Bruce Lee, starring Jason Scott Lee as Bruce Lee, Lauren Holly and Robert Wagner...
was based. She was portrayed by actress Lauren Holly
Lauren Holly
Lauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
in the film adaptation. Lee also wrote the 1989 book The Bruce Lee Story (ISBN 0897501217).