Jim Kelly (martial artist)
| Jim Kelly | |
|---|---|
Kelly in Black Samurai, 1977.
|
|
| Born |
James Milton Kelly May 5, 1946 Millersburg, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 2013 (aged 67) San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education |
Bourbon County High School University of Louisville |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1972–2013 |
| Known for | Williams – Enter the Dragon Black Belt Jones – Black Belt Jones Mister Keyes – Three the Hard Way |
| Spouse(s) |
Marilyn Dishman (m. 1967; div. 1968) Rosalind Miles (m. 1973; div. 1977) Marcia Bentley (m. 1980–2013) |
| Website | jimkellykarate |
James Milton Kelly (May 5, 1946 – June 29, 2013), known professionally as Jim Kelly was an American athlete, actor, and martial artist. Kelly rose to fame in the early 1970s appearing in several Blaxploitation films. Kelly is perhaps best known for his role as Williams in the 1973 martial arts action film Enter the Dragon. He also had lead roles in 1974's Black Belt Jones as the title character and Three the Hard Way as Mister Keyes. Kelly died of cancer on June 29, 2013 at age 67.
Kelly was born in Millersburg, Kentucky. His father ran a locker-rental service for Navy personnel. He began his athletic career at Bourbon County High School in Paris, Kentucky, competing in basketball, football, and track and field. He attended the University of Louisville, where he played football, but left during his freshman year to begin studying Shorin-ryu karate.
Kelly began his martial arts career under the tutelage of Sin Kwan The (Shaolin-Do) in Lexington, Kentucky. He trained in Okinawan karate under the direction of Parker Shelton, Nate Patton, and Gordon Doversola. During the early 1970s, Jim Kelly became one of the most decorated world karate champions in the sport. In 1971, Kelly won four prestigious championships that same year, most notably, the World Middleweight Karate title at the 1971 Long Beach International Karate Championships. Kelly opened his own dojo, which was frequented by numerous Hollywood celebrities. He taught karate to actor Calvin Lockhart for a role in a thriller feature film Melinda (1972) and plays a martial arts instructor in the movie. Kelly was also a professional tennis player on the USTA Senior Men's Circuit. He played amateur tennis in the 1970s at Plummer Park in West Hollywood.
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