Actor Jim Kelly, best known for his role in 70s Kung Fu classic Enter the Dragon and the title role in Black Belt Jones, has died.
Kelly, who was 67, was plucked from relative obscurity as a martial arts instructor when an actor he was coaching for a film role got him a part in the movie. Kelly played a martial arts instructor in the film, Melinda, which came out during the Chinese martial arts movie boom of the early 1970s.
When Rockne Tarkington, who would later portray Black Samson in the movie of the same name, dropped out of filming for 1973 blockbuster Enter the Dragon in Hong Kong, producer Frank Weintraub put a call out for Kelly, who had earned a reputation through his tutelage of actors at his Los Angeles karate gym.
In ‘Dragon’ Kelly played ‘Williams’, a lean, afroed-up, wise-cracking dude who met his demise too soon for many tastes. Indeed, so vociferous were the complaints about the brevity of his appearance that Kelly landed the starring role in Black Belt Jones just a year later, drawing inevitable comparisons with the very actor he replaced in ‘Dragon’, whose Black Samson was released in the same year.
Though he never officially retired, eventually roles Kelly wanted to do dried up and he took to the senior tennis circuit. The last most people saw of him was a 2004 US Nike commercial with NBA star LeBron James, which spoofed Game of Death, like Enter the Dragon one of Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee’s most famous movies.
The following appeared on Jim Kelly’s Facebook page at the weekend:
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“It is with sadness and regret that we must announce the passing of a great man and legend Jim Kelly. He will be deeply missed by all. Jim had great love for his family, friends, tennis and martial arts.
“We are devastated by Jim’s passing but through faith and support from family, friends and fans-we are comforted, blessed and will remain strong. He was survived by his lifetime partner of 33 years and wife.”
