What killed Bruce Lee? Drug rumours add to the mystery surrounding the death of the Hong Kong martial arts actor
- When Bruce Lee died suddenly at the age of 32, conspiracy theories about his death started to circulate immediately
- Letters found recently, referring to the supply of various illegal drugs, have ignited new speculation about his death
These rumours took a darker turn in July this year when more than 40 letters were unearthed that implied the martial arts legend was a secret drug user.
British tabloids The Sun and Daily Mirror reported that the handwritten letters to Hollywood actor and Fist of Fury co-star Robert “Bob” Baker suggest he supplied Lee with an array of drugs over a five-year span. Drugs such as cocaine, LSD and cannabis were mentioned in the letters, which covered the period up until his death.
The letters were discovered at a flea market in the United States. After being verified by Professional Sports Authenticator, a leading authenticator of celebrity autographs, they were all sold in July for US$462,500 by American auction house Heritage Auctions. Bids on individual letters ranged from US$600 to more than US$10,000.
The collection includes letters between Lee and his wife, Linda Lee Caldwell, and Baker. One letter suggests that Baker went to great lengths to ship drugs from the US to Lee while he was filming in Hong Kong in 1972 – a year before his death. Baker died in 1993.
