January 7, 2009
Posted: 1748 GMT

LONDON, England - You would expect a dead film icon's house would hold some kind of special cachet; that a suitably wealthy fan would want to spend silly amounts of money to inhabit the ex-home of their favorite deceased film crush. After all, someone once spent $38,000 at auction to acquire a bible owned by Marilyn Monroe.

Kung fu legend Bruce Lee's ex-home will be turned into a museum filled with martial arts weaponry.
Kung fu legend Bruce Lee's ex-home will be turned into a museum filled with martial arts weaponry.

So, it comes as a bit of a surprise that late kung fu legend Bruce Lee's old house almost suffered the ignominious fate of becoming a "seedy love motel," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Luckily, in the nick of time, a philanthropic Hong Kong tycoon (see above) has swooped in with a bid to turn the roundhousing marvel's house into a tourist attraction.

The fate of the the two-storey town house in the suburb of Kowloon hung in the balance for years, until real estate and hotel tycoon Yu Pang-lin, who owns it, decided to donate it to the city of Hong Kong. It will be turned into a museum and Lee's study and training hall will be recreated and filled with martial arts weaponry.

Lee was the star of kung fu classics like "Fist of Fury," "Game of Death" and "Enter the Dragon." He died in mysterious circumstances in 1973 at the age of 32.

Your say: What memorial would you create for your favorite movie icon from the past?

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lauro silva Brazil   January 8th, 2009 255 GMT

Certainly movie lovers   would  enjoy a lot a memorial gathering clothing, personal effects, musical instruments,photos and many other things linked to the movie icons from the past. For instance things such as  the Humphrey Bogart`s hats,Gilda´s dresses,Nat king Cole´s piano, Elvis and Bittles´guitars, John Waine´s  worn and torn hats- scarves- saddles- boots-guns-shotguns, Brando´s tuxedoes from The Grandfather, Louis Armstrong`s trumpets,etc,etc, and an auditorium where you can watch the ancient movie pictures with stars singing romantic songs such as Amado Mio, As time goes By,Non Dimenticar, and an inumerable memories from the past. That memorial should also include movie icons from the not too far past so that a newer generation can also participate.

T. H.   January 11th, 2009 734 GMT

Typical of Chinese. They probably think the idea of Bruce Lee is a reminder of the Colonial days of Hong Kong when they were under British rule. They like destroying anything that reminds them of their "weak" past. This is why most of the old government buildings, schools, houses, villages are all demolished and replaced with new tall modern buildings. Just look at Shanghai and Beijing as well. If they could bulldoze the entire Forbiden City and replace with a World Financial market, it would already be done. Not sure why it hasn't been done to tell you the truth.........

papi   January 14th, 2009 611 GMT

Its great,he is the lengend of kung fu,he should be immortalised

julio serra   January 14th, 2009 1149 GMT

Excellent idea and I'm sure Bruce's fans will love to pay a visit at the museum. I'd also like to see a similar place dedicated to the western movies classics from John Wayne era to Clint Eastwood's trilogy spaghetti.

M L   January 14th, 2009 1747 GMT

In answer to T.H.'s comment, it is not about tearing down Lee's house in making way for skyscrapers and no-one in Hong Kong is ashamed of HK's colonial past. As for replacing old buildings with taller ones, it is not a question of getting rid of the past but a need for modern way of living and economy of space. Who likes to live in a house or to work in a place with inadequate toilet facilities? It may be that some people like to find reasons to dislike Chinese.

MT   January 17th, 2009 2043 GMT

In answer to T.H. comment of "Typical of Chinese"
Moran like you should pull your head out of your rear end before you decide to make racist remarks like this.

wren   January 18th, 2009 145 GMT

Bruce Lee is a great figure both as a philosopher fighter and an actor, his a rare breed in that combination.
Its about time he be immortalized with other great modern Chinese such as Deng Xiao Ping, etc.

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