Remembering Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, but Seattle claims the martial-arts master as its own. He moved to the city in 1959 to work at Ruby Chow's restaurant on Broadway and Jefferson, and attended the University of Washington in the early '60s, where he met and married Seattleite Linda Emery.

A decade later — at the height of his fame as an action-movie star (see 1973's genre-defining "Enter the Dragon") — he died suddenly, possibly from an allergic reaction to a painkiller. He was 32 years old and was laid to rest in Lake View Cemetery on Capitol Hill.

Today and Tuesday, Seattleites will celebrate his birthday (Nov. 27, 1940) with a number of events, including:

• A rally by students supporting a Bruce Lee memorial at the University of Washington. Noon-1 p.m. Monday on the campus's Red Square.

• Bruce Lee Birthday Benefit to raise money for the memorial effort. 8 p.m. Monday at The Viceroy, 2332 Second Ave. (206-956-VICE or www.viceroyseattle.com).

• Gathering at Bruce Lee's grave site followed by a showing of movie clips and photos at the nearby Seattle Museum of the Mysteries. Noon Tuesday graveside gathering, Lake View Cemetery, 1554 15th Ave. E., Seattle. 7 p.m. cake cutting at Museum of Mysteries, 623 Broadway E., Seattle (206-328-6499 or www.seattlechatclub.org).

Lynn Jacobson: 206-464-2714

or ljacobson@seattletimes.com