The transcript below is from the video “She Met Bruce Lee in 1971. This Is What She Remembers (The Big Boss Locations)” by BruceLeeRealFight.
Bruce Lee Real Fight Channel (Real Bruce Lee Fight Stories and Jeet Kune Do Training):
The lady in this video is one of the staffs who worked at the hotel during the time that Bruce Lee and the crew were filming The Big Boss (Fists of Fury). She told us that she still remembers Bruce Lee although it has been nearly 50 years. Let’s listen to what she said about Bruce Lee.
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“Everything has changed.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“You said, Bruce Lee didn’t sleep on the mattress?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“He didn’t sleep on the mattress. He sleeps on the floor.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Why? He lets someone else to sleep on his bed or?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“No… It was his room. He didn’t sleep on the mattress. He slept on the floor.”
[End of Conversation with the lady]
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Welcome to BruceLeeRealFight Channel. Hello everyone, welcome to BruceLeeRealFight Channel.
On 12 July 1971, Bruce Lee flew from Los Angeles to Bangkok via Hong Kong. He spent a few days in Bangkok, before being driven on July 18 to a small town called Pak Chong, to film ‘The Big Boss’. Bruce and all the film crew stayed at this hotel, The Rimtarninn. In 1971, this hotel was known as the New Wan Chai. The lady in this video was one of the staff who worked at the hotel during the time that Bruce Lee and the crew were filming.
She told us she still remembers Bruce Lee, although it has been nearly 50 years. Let’s listen to what she said about Bruce Lee.”
[Conversation with a lady who met Bruce Lee while working at New Wan Chai Hotel in 1971.]
BruceLeeRealFight:
“How tall was Bruce Lee?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“He was taller than me, because I am not tall.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“How does he look like?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“Bruce Lee’s body looks fit.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Did you know he will become popular?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“I didn’t know. He came here for filming Then they rented the hotel here. They rented a few rooms. And they filmed the movie at several places. They filmed at the market over there and then the waterfall behind. But it has changed a little.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Is the waterfall still there?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“Yes, the waterfall still exists, but it doesn’t look as beautiful as last time. They filmed at the market; the market has changed too. The shop lot has changed too. Now it’s a grocery store but it’s still at the same street. Everything has changed.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“You said, Bruce Lee didn’t sleep on the mattress?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“He didn’t sleep on the mattress. He sleeps on the floor.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Why? He lets someone else to sleep on his bed or?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“No. It was his room. He didn’t sleep on the mattress. He slept on the floor.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“How long did he stay here?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“I can’t remember, it’s too long. I need to ask my sister, but she is not here.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Your sister?”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“My sister was the one who managed the hotel.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“I see.”
Lady, Former Staff at New Wan Chai Hotel:
“Yes, my sister. My sister was the one who managed the hotel. She was always at the hotel. She always showed Bruce Lee locations, when Bruce Lee fans come here.”
BruceLeeRealFight:
“I see. Thank you very much.”
[End of Conversation with the lady]
BruceLeeRealFight:
“Apart from that, this lady also told us that she remembers Bruce Lee practicing his fight scene choreography at the hotel on an almost daily basis. Her most vivid memory from almost 50 years ago involving Bruce Lee, was when he asked her to remove the mattress from his room. She remembers Bruce Lee told her he preferred to sleep on the hard floor, instead of the mattress owing to a back injury he had sustained.
BruceLeeRealFight:
On a day, in 1970, without warming up, something Bruce Lee always did, he picked up a 125-pound barbell and did a “good morning” exercise, severely injuring his back After much pain and many tests, it was determined that he had sustained an injury to the fourth sacral nerve. He was ordered to complete bed rest and told that undoubtedly, he would never do Kung Fu or martial arts again. For the next six months, Bruce stayed in bed. It was an extremely frustrating, depressing and painful time. And a time to redefine goals. It was also during this time, that he did a great deal of the writing that has been preserved. After several months, Bruce instituted his own recovery program and began walking gingerly at first and gradually built up his strength. Then he went to Thailand to film, ‘The Big Boss’. This is why he preferred to sleep on the hard floor, instead of the mattress. It was here Bruce Lee wrote and received letters home.
BruceLeeRealFight:
Alright everyone, it was really nice to talk to this lady who is about 70 years old. She was one of the luckiest persons on earth who was with Bruce Lee when they were filming, ‘The Big Boss’, back in 1971. She told us about all the filming locations. We can’t believe we met her while looking for Bruce Lee locations. It’s definitely well worth visiting for every Bruce Lee fan. Thank you for watching BruceLeeRealFight YouTube Channel.
