Shark Bytes

The reason Bruce Lee wasn't the star of "Kung Fu" was because of predjudice on US television; the producers couldn't see past his Asian heritage and thought someone of his descent wouldn't be able to carry a show...so David Carradine got the part.

This show started the whole karate garbage in the 70s.Remember the drive in karate movies? Seemed everyone knew Kung Fu or some other form of karate bs. We as teens watched it for a laugh.We could never understand why someone would spend a lifetime learning Karate when all someone has to do is shoot you. You know David was high as a kite in every epesode.

Unfortunatley Bruce did die before Kung Fu the series got on it's feet. But to say that Bruce wouldn't have been up to doing television is stupid. For One, Kung Fu was actually Bruce Lee's idea. Then to say that he didn't speak clear English is also stupid. Though his accent was still "Asian thick", he spoke perfect English. Probably better than most Americans.

er, sorry, but Bruce Lee was a crappy actor compared to David Carradine. This show was a classic and way ahead of its time. So they didn't hire an Asian to play the role, boo hoo. Cain was supposed to be mixed race, half American and half Chinese. This gave him a connection to the setting he found himself in. He was a part of it, and it him, but at the same time he was an outsider.

There was a reason Bruce Lee didn't have very many lines as Cato.

The show went down hill when Cain took a bath and put on silk pjs. In my opinion, the show thrived best with the intermingling of cultures, the old west rediscovered through the wise east. As such, it was necessary for the Kung fu master to be hidden within the rags of a drifter.

People remember it only because Bruce got screwed.

Haha, you guys are funny!

The show jumped before it was even produced? Too bad Bruce wasn't in it but the fact people remember it means David did a good job.

As for Bruce's English, it wasn't that great, just watch an interview with him.

We are told how much U.S. audiences dislike sub-titles yet seem to feel the need to sub-title even the slightest accent on the news etc.

I'm sure if the producers wanted they could have found a more "Asian" actor to use - don't forget there were numerous Asian actors as the monks etc.

I can't remember the show that well, but would have watched it when it was on.

Did not jump. As far as Bruce Lee not getting the part because he was Asian, I don't know the inside story but it doesn't ring true and it seems that Bruce himself probably would not have stuck around in a show like that for long anyway. He was always pretty savvy about his career and movies were what he knew best, from his days with Raymond Shaw, and the right vehicles for his talent. It's a deep loss that he died so soon. Maybe nineteen or twenty Bruce Lee films instead of just four would have be fantastic. Kung Fu with Carradine was good enough, the pilot was great and the episodes weren't so cheesy as to be unwatchable. After all, nobody said it was Playhouse 90.

Although it got a little weird on the philosophy stuff the fight scenes got better. It did not run long enough to tank.
I say it started good and continued good even with any changes.

prefereed kung fu movie with brandon lee and david carridine i enjoyed the series

I have never watched this show, but I would have if I has known Bruce Lee would be the star. I can't believe they didn't give him the part because he was asian.

And to anyone who says that he didn't get the part because no one could understand what he was saying is full of crap. Bruce Lee spoke clear english, haven't you seen his movies?

I do not wish to harm you, I seek only water.

I don't think Kung Fu ever jumped
the shark, but that spin-off
(Kung fu: the legend continues)
is a different story.

Bruce Lee died as Dave he was good actor yea people get over it, I dont think it had anything to do with Dave beign white, or Bruce beign Chinaness thats part of life Bruce was well know he just didnt want to do it and i think he was dead by the time the show started so yea whatever.

There's no more reason to believe the producers than there is to believe Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell. Both sides have motivation to fudge the truth, and the producers have the advantage that Lee is dead and cannot now contradict their version.