By Monica Land
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A memorial service was held in Lexington, Kentucky on July 13 for Millersburg native Jim Kelly. A 1970s black action hero, Kelly starred in at least 12 films including “Melinda“, “Three the Hard Way” and “Enter the Dragon” with Bruce Lee.
Kelly died of cancer at his San Diego home on June 30 at the age of 67.
Sporting an Afro hairstyle and sideburns, Kelly and his lanky 6-foot-2 frame made a splash with his one-liners and fight scenes in the 1973 martial arts classic “Enter the Dragon.”
During a 2010 interview with Salon.com, Kelly said he started studying martial arts in 1964 in Kentucky and later moved to California. He said the role in the Bruce Lee film came about when his agent called him. It was his second film role. “Melinda” was his first.
“It was one of the best experiences in my life,” he told Salon.com of working on “Enter the Dragon.” `’Bruce was just incredible, absolutely fantastic. I learned so much from working with him. I probably enjoyed working with Bruce more than anyone else I’d ever worked with in movies because we were both martial artists. And he was a great, great martial artist. It was very good.”
In later years, Kelly played professional tennis and became a ranked player on the USTA senior circuit. But he was always open to doing more feature films.
“I never left the movie business,” Kelly told The Los Angeles Times in 2010, when a retrospective DVD set of his movies came out. “It’s just that after a certain point, I didn’t get the type of projects that I wanted to do.”
But he was never far from the screen or the spotlight.
In 2004, he starred with basketball star Lebron James in a Nike commercial that spoofed another Bruce Lee film, “Game of Death.” And he also appeared at comic book conventions, much to the delight of his lasting fans.
Kelly had a faithful following on his Facebook page and according to his website, jimkellykarate.com, Kelly said he was “one of the most influential Martial Arts film stars, ever.” He said he “inspired and motivated people all over the world of all races and ethnicity.”
Kelly said he was the first black Martial Arts film star and gave “young black kids hope and pride thru his movies, style and charisma” and “made them believe they could be successful in life.”
“The Last Dragon” star and martial arts expert Taimak agreed.
“Im glad I had the opportunity to meet him before he passed. He gave so much by just being himself,“ Taimak posted. “R.I.P. Grand Master Kelly!”
Kelly’s remains were cremated and his ashes remain his wife of 33 years, Marcia Bentley-Kelly.
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