RIP Jim Kelly

[MrMari]

I don't know how many Jim Kelly fans are on here but I loved his films. Gonna have to put, "Three the Hard Way" on this week in his honour.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/30/3478974/enter-the-dragon-actor-jim-kelly.html

[retrorussell]

What a shame.  Watched him in an interview not that long ago and he seemed like a nice, down to earth guy.  It's interesting how you expect all these martial arts superstars to be egocentric d*ckholes.  And they usually have no ego in interviews.

[Archivist]

Nooooooooooooo!   

I met Jim Kelly at Supanova Melbourne 2012, where the line to his signing table was woefully bare compared with the tables held by Summer Glau (big drawcard) and the twins from the Harry Potter movies.  Enter The Dragon was the movie that introduced me to Bruce Lee when I was 12, and I have watched it about once a year for years on end.

When I met him for a photograph, he was wonderful.  I was first in line for his photos for that day, and I shook his hand and said, 'Welcome to Melbourne, Mr. Kelly'.  He smiled warmly and thanked me, and we posed together for a photo in fighting stances.  I know it's silly to get all geeky about an actor, but meeting him was quite dream-like, the crystallization of a formative childhood event.  After our photo was taken, we bowed to each other in karate style, and I skipped away. 

Later, he signed that photo in glistening silver and we talked a bit about training and the movies he'd been in.  He was really warm, friendly and very cool.  I also bought a few other photos for him to sign.  I discovered that he had a Q&A session the previous day, and some idiot had asked him, 'could you have taken Bruce Lee'.  I mean, come on, he must get asked that question every appearance.  I wish I had been there to ask him a question that was more fitting for his movie career and long athletic history.

RIP Jim Kelly.  I am glad to have met you.

[lester1/2jr]

Enter the Dragon was the best Bruce lee movie imo and he was a big part of that. RIP

[The Burgomaster]

Wow.  BLACK BELT JONES is one of my favorite blaxploitation movies.  Farewell, Jim . . .

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

Oh man, that brings me down, I loved all his films...

[Trevor]

  RIP, Mr Kelly.

I was watching Enter The Dragon before I went to the Arts Festival. 

[RCMerchant]

He was super cool. I feel old. 

[MrMari]

Jim was supposed to be at Supercon in Miami today. One of the only reasons I got tickets. Sad.

[Archivist]

Here's a great tribute someone created on YouTube for Jim's passing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t-NZ6CC6nk

MrMari, I feel for you.