Linda Lee Cadwell

Biography

Linda Lee Cadwell is an American Teacher, author and a martial artist. Her husband Bruce Lee was a renowned martial artist and actor. Both her children Brandon Lee (deceased) and Shannon Lee are accomplished martial artists and actors.

She co-founded Bruce Lee foundation, along with her daughter Shannon Lee and promotes the martial art Jeet Kune Do (invented by Bruce Lee) along with her daughter.

Childhood- Early Life

Linda Emery was born on 21st March 1945 in Everett, Washington to Vivian R. Hester(Mother) & Everett Emery(Father). She was raised in a Baptist family. Her father died when she was just 5 years old. After the death of her father, she, her mom and elder sister moved to Seattle.

She is of English, rish and Swedish ancestry. 

Education

• Meany Junior High: She attended Meany, a public school located in Seattle 
• Garfield High School: She attended James A. Garfield High School, a public high school in Seattle
• University of Washington: She graduated from the University of Washington

Marriage- Relationships

Bruce Lee

Meeting: Linda Emery was a student at the Garfield High School, Bruce Lee (the Martial artist & actor) visited the High school to demonstrate Kung Fu and that is how they first met. After her High School, she joined the University of Washington where Bruce Lee was a teacher, inspired by his Kung Fu she decided to learn Kung Fu and joined him as a student.

Image: Young Linda with Bruce Lee

Linda & Bruce Lee started dating in October 1961, back then it was not common for an Asian man to marry a white woman, she married Bruce Lee on 17th August 1964. She has two children with him, a son named Brandon Bruce Lee (born in 1964) & a Daughter named Shannon Emery Lee (born in 1969). Both of her children became actors and martial artists following their father's footsteps.

Image: Linda Lee Family: husband Bruce Lee, son Brandon, daughter Shannon

Her husband Bruce Lee died on 20th July 1973 of an allergic reaction to an analgesic. Not being able to take care of a young family all by herself she sold copyrights of Bruce Lee to a measly sum (Which her daughter bought back later paying a  hefty amount)

[Shannon Lee with brother Brandon Lee and Mom Linda]

Her son Brandon died in a shooting accident while shooting for the movie The Crow in 1993, there was a gun malfunction, dummy bullets came in contact with residual gun powder, which was enough to cause actual firing. 

Second Marriage- Tom Bleecker

Linda married Tom Bleecker, an author and screenwriter in 1988, they however divorced soon after in 1990. Tom Bleecker has written a biographical book on Bruce Lee named 'The Bruce Lee Story' with Linda.

Third Marriage- Bruce Cadwell

Linda married Bruce Cadwell, a stock broker in 1991, they have been together since then, they do not have any biological children together, they live in Rancho Mirage, California. 

Image: Linda Lee Cadwell with Bruce Cadwell

Linda along with her daughter Shannon promote the martial arts system 'Jeet Kune Do' invented by Bruce Lee. Linda and Shannon have a Memorial website for Bruce Lee & Family.

Career

Books

Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew (1975)

[Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew]

Linda authored the 1975 biographical book on Bruce Lee. This was written just some time after his death and has recollection of many incidents fresh from memory. The movie Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story(1993) was based on the book. Jason Scott Lee (not related to Bruce Lee despite the surname) played Bruce Lee in the movie and Lauren Holly as Linda Emery.

Linda has written a few other Biographical books on Bruce Lee:

• The Bruce Lee Story (1989) (with Tom Bleecker)
• The Life And Tragic Death Of Bruce Lee
• Bruce Lee: The Tao of the Dragon Warrior
• The Warrior Within

Interesting Facts

• Linda is of Dutch, English, Irish, Swedish descent.
• She kept Lee's surname even after his demise in his memory.
• Linda, along with her daughter Shannon runs Bruce Lee Foundation, an organization dedicated to help the needy and spread philosophy of Bruce Lee & his Life history. 
• She was a cheerleader at High school.
• She took pre-medicine at college
• After returning to US after Bruce Lee's death she took to teaching, she taught Kindergarten kids.
• She wanted to become a doctor in her childhood, but seeing that her mother couldn't afford to pay her fees she chose teaching.
• Her mother initially did not like her daughter marrying a Chinese person. In fact most of her family initially did not like them getting married. Her mother did attend the wedding though and Bruce Lee grew on her over time.

Filmography

Quotes

• No one knows how Bruce died, but I'd rather remember the way he lived.

Sources

1. Linda Lee Cadwell on wikipedia
2.