The Hollywood Reporter (THR) is reporting that iconic martial artist and actor Jim Kelly has died.
THR staff writes:
“Jim Kelly, a martial artist famous for his role in the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon, died on Saturday of cancer, his ex-wife Marilyn Dishman told the Associated Press… Kelly starred in numerous martial arts films in the 1970’s, including Black Belt Jones, Three the Hard Way and Black Samurai. He later left acting and became a professional tennis player. He appeared in a commercial with NBA star LeBron James in 2004.”Â
The article quotes a 2010 L.A. Times interview with the iconic actor:
“I never left the movie business,” Kelly told the LA Times in 2010. “It’s just that after a certain point, I didn’t get the type of projects that I wanted to do. I still get at least three scripts per year, but most of them don’t put forth a positive image. There’s nothing I really want to do, so I don’t do it. If it happens, it happens, but if not, I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished.”
http://youtu.be/QqDo7lpdO_g
Jim Kelly, the first cousin of baseball great Willie Mays, was 67.
Read more at The Hollywood Reporter.
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