It has been rumoured that martial arts legend Bruce Lee has been abusing drugs in the years before his death in 1973 at the age of 32.
Lee’s handwritten letters to actor Robert Baker talked about his use of cocaine, LSD, and cannabis. Lee asked Baker in one letter to send him “a large amount of cocaine” as he was “stoned as hell” and needed the drugs to get him into character for a movie role.
Lee also hinted that he wanted to put an end to his drug use. In a 1970 letter, he wrote: “I told Linda to call you to forget about the ‘stuff’ because I really don’t need them in my training. I feel that I have ‘gained’ in trying them, but the excessive indulgence of them just isn’t in my road in Jeet Kune Do.”
Lee was married to Linda Lee Caldwell from 1964 until his death. According to 8days.sg, weeks before the late action star died in 1973, Linda allegedly wrote to Baker saying, “Don’t worry about Bruce using the C — he is not going overboard”.
The letters were discovered at a flea market and are being sold by auction house Heritage Auctions, who say that the letters have been authenticated by experts.
They estimate that the 40 letters, which they say contain an “explosive secret” about the screen icon, are expected to be sold for about US$222K (SGD300K).
Born Nov 27, 1940, Lee Jun-fan, commonly known as Bruce Lee, was a Chinese American martial artist, actor, director, martial arts instructor and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that are often credited with paving the way for modern mixed martial arts (MMA).
Lee is considered by commentators, critics, media, and other martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time and a pop culture icon of the 20th century, who bridged the gap between East and West. He is credited with helping to change the way Asians were presented in American films. /TISG