The transcript below is from the video “The Life and Sad Ending of Jim Kelly – A Legendary Tribute” by Most Actor & Actress Hollywood.
Most Actor & Actress Hollywood:
Jim Kelly was born James Milton Kelly on May 5, 1946, in Millersburg, Kentucky. His father ran a business of locker rentals for the personnel of the U.S Navy. Not much is known about his parents or siblings. Kelly attended the Bourbon County High School in Kentucky. While in school, he was active in several sports. He played football and basketball and competed in track and field athletic events too. Later, he attended the University of Louisville where he played football.
Gradually, Kelly developed an interest in Karate. After his freshman year, he left the university to pursue Karate. He was trained in the Shaolin-Do Karate under tutelage of Sin Kwang The’. He mastered the Okinawan Shorin-Ryu form of Karate too.
Most Actor & Actress Hollywood:
In the 1970s, Kelly started his career as a martial arts trainer. In 1971, Kelly won several world Karate championships. The most notable of these was the World Middleweight Karate title at the Long Beach International Karate Championships. Kelly was a tennis player too. In 1970, he played amateur tennis at Plummer Park. Kelly was a professional tennis player for the United States Tennis Association.
After establishing himself as a martial artist, Kelly opened his own dojo for practicing Karate. Many Hollywood celebrities were frequent visitors at his dojo. In 1972, Kelly got the opportunity to provide martial arts training to actor Calvin Lockhart for the movie Melinda. This was a turning point in his career. The movie was directed by Hugh Robertson and had Lockhart in the leading role of a radio disc jockey.
Most Actor & Actress Hollywood:
The film had a character, Charles Atkins, who was a martial artist teacher. Due to Kelly’s impressive martial arts performance, the makers of the film cast him in the role of Charles Atkins. This was Kelly’s film debut. Kelly was the first black actor to star as a martial arts expert. Before Kelly made his entry, this genre was dominated by Asian actors.
In 1973, Kelly grabbed one of the most memorable movies of his career. He was cast in the movie Enter the Dragon. It was produced by Bruce Lee, who was also the lead actor. The movie featured Kelly in the role of Williams, a Vietnam war veteran and a martial arts expert. Kelly made his character memorable with his unique hairstyle and effortless Karate moves.
Most Actor & Actress Hollywood:
After the success of Enter the Dragon, Kelly was sought by filmmakers for two genres of movies; martial arts and Blaxploitation. Blaxploitation was a genre that had emerged in the U.S to portray black communities as heroes rather than villains or victims. Kelly bagged a three-movie contract with Warner Brothers.
In 1974, Kelly was cast in the lead role in the movie Black Belt Jones. It was a martial arts film directed by Robert Clouse. The movie featured Kelly as a martial arts master named Jones, who embarked on a mission to protect his friend’s dojo. This was one of the few films in which Kelly played a starring role. By 1974, Kelly was cast in the Blaxploitation movie Three the Hard Way. The movie told the story of a black genocide. Kelly played one of the main characters Mister Keyes, who was shown as a martial artist and as someone who played a major role in unearthing the plot to kill African-Americans.
Most Actor & Actress Hollywood:
Also, in 1974, Kelly performed as Jeff in the American adventure movie, Golden Needles. It was the story of the hunt for a legendary statue with golden needles on it. Jeff was one of the characters involved in the hunt. In 1975 Kelly starred in the Italian-American movie Take a Hard Ride. Kelly performed as Kashtok, an Indian scout skilled in martial arts. In 1976, Jim Kelly performed in the action movie Hot Potato. It was a sequel to Black Belt Jones and had Kelly playing the lead role. The movie was about the kidnapping of a U.S senator’s daughter. Kelly played Jones, who was given the task of rescuing the lady. The following year, Kelly performed the lead role in the Blaxploitation movie, Black Samurai. Kelly played the lead character, Robert Sand, who was an agent of the defense agency D.R.A.G.O.N. In the years that followed, Kelly was a part of several movies such as The Tattoo Connection and One Down, Two to Go.
Most Actor & Actress Hollywood:
Also, in 1974, Kelly performed as Jeff in the American adventure movie, Golden Needles. It was the story of the hunt for a legendary statue with golden needles on it. Jeff was one of the characters involved in the hunt. In 1975 Kelly starred in the Italian-American movie Take a Hard Ride. Kelly performed as Kashtok, an Indian scout skilled in martial arts. In 1976, Jim Kelly performed in the action movie Hot Potato. It was a sequel to Black Belt Jones and had Kelly playing the lead role. The movie was about the kidnapping of a U.S senator’s daughter. Kelly played Jones, who was given the task of rescuing the lady. The following year, Kelly performed the lead role in the Blaxploitation movie, Black Samurai. Kelly played the lead character, Robert Sand, who was an agent of the defense agency D.R.A.G.O.N. In the years that followed, Kelly was a part of several movies such as The Tattoo Connection and One Down, Two to Go.
