Jim Kelly
Also Known As: James Milton Kelly
Biography: James Milton "Jim" Kelly (May 5, 1946 – June 29, 2013) was an American athlete, martial artist, and actor best known for his roles in 1970s action and blaxploitation films. Born in Millersburg, Kentucky, Kelly excelled in athletics from a young age, participating in multiple sports before dedicating himself to Okinawan karate. He became a decorated karate champion, winning several prestigious titles in 1971 and opening his own dojo in Los Angeles. His appearance alongside Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon" (1973) launched his acting career, leading to starring roles in films like "Black Belt Jones" (1974) and "Three the Hard Way" (1974). Beyond martial arts and acting, Kelly was also a professional tennis player, achieving a high ranking in senior men's doubles in California. Jim Kelly, who was 6'2" (1.88 m), died on June 29, 2013, in San Diego, California, due to cancer. He is remembered as the first Black martial arts film star, who broke down the color barrier and left a memorable presence on screen.
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Paris, Kentucky, USA
Adult: No
Birthday: May 05, 1946
Age: 79 years old
Gender: Male
Deathday: June 29, 2013
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Known For:
Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted
Overview: Written, directed, and produced by David Walker, MACKED, HAMMERED, SLAUGHTERED, & SHAFTED is an insightful examination of the blaxploitation film movement of the 1970s. Featuring interviews with key actors and filmmakers, the documentary explores the origins of blaxploitation, and the controversial history of Hollywood's most misunderstood genre.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2004-12-31
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Enter the Dragon
Overview: A martial artist agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament there as cover.
Genres: Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1973-08-17
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Death Dimension
Overview: The Pig has a plan to eradicate some people with a freeze bomb that instantly freezes people to death. It is up to Detective Ash to stop him and protect the woman with the secret to the ice bomb embedded in a microdot under the skin of her forehead.
Genres: Action Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1978-07-01
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Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
Overview: Delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, this is the untold history of black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2019-02-07
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Kings of Cult
Overview: Feature Length sit down with Charles Band and Roger Corman.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2015-09-02
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Take a Hard Ride
Overview: After his cattle rancher boss dies, right-hand man Pike is given the job of returning $86,000 to some families who live across the border in Sonora, Mexico. Honest Pike is joined on the trip through the wilderness by a dishonest gambler named Tyree.
Genres: Action Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1975-10-29
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Three the Hard Way
Overview: After his wife is kidnapped by a group of White supremacists, a record producer teams up with a PR man and a martial artist to get her back and put a stop to their plot to poison the water supply with a toxin that only kills Black people.
Genres: Action Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-06-26
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Hot Potato
Overview: Martial-arts expert tries to rescue an ambassador's daughter who was kidnapped in Thailand.
Genres: Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-04-09
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BaadAsssss Cinema
Overview: With archive film clips and interviews, this brief look at a frequently overlooked historical period of filmmaking acts as an introduction rather than a complete record. It features interviews with some of the genre's biggest stars, like Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, and Richard Roundtree. Director Melvin Van Peebles discusses the historical importance of his landmark film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. For a contemporary perspective, the excitable Quentin Tarantino offers his spirited commentary and author/critic bell hooks provides some scholarly social analysis.
Genres: Action Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2002-08-14
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Black Belt Jones
Overview: Jones is a secret agent who has gone into semi-retirement, concentrating instead on teaching the martial arts to inner city youths. The karate school is run by a kindly old coot named Pops ,played by Scatman Crothers. His gambling debts, however, bring the local thug, Pinky, down on him. To make matters worse, Pinky is then hired by some white thugs who want to get a hold of the property Pops' school occupies so they can build a shopping mall. When things get heavy, Black Belt Jones leaps into action. Only he's not alone. Pops' daughter, Sidney, shows up to lend a hand, proving herself every bit as agile and powerful a martial artist as Jones.
Genres: Action Comedy Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-01-28
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Black Samurai
Overview: When the daughter of the royal family is held hostage, an agent for "D.R.A.G.O.N." will stop at nothing to destroy the evil organisation which abducted her.
Genres: Action Adventure Crime Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-12-22
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Bruce Lee: The Legend
Overview: The Official Golden Harvest tribute to the Master of the Martial Arts Film, Bruce Lee.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1984-01-01
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One Down, Two to Go
Overview: A pair of tough cops go after the mob who jinxed the martial arts tournament and injured their buddy.
Genres: Action Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1982-11-19
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Golden Needles
Overview: An ancient Asian statue with the power to grant health and long life via secret acupuncture points is being pursued by a wealthy criminal, but his plans are put in peril when a slovenly detective is tasked with protecting the relic.
Genres: Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-07-17
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Stranglehold
Overview: Deep inside the nation's top chemical weapons facility, a brilliant terrorist takes a Congresswoman hostage. The Navy can't stop him. The Air Force can't reach him. The Coast Guard can't kill him. Only one man can do the job: special agent Ryan Cooper. He's in a race against time to save the world, facing his greatest challenge yet!
Genres: Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1994-01-01
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The Tattoo Connection
Overview: When a diamond is stolen in Hong Kong, the company insuring the diamond sends a former CIA agent to Hong Kong to retrieve it. Meanwhile, one of the thieves begins to have a change of heart because his girlfriend wants him to leave his criminal organization.
Genres: Action
Original Language: zh
Release Date: 1978-07-27
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Mr. No Legs
Overview: A double amputee known as Mr. No Legs oversees a drug syndicate while cavorting around in his double shotgun-equipped wheelchair. When one of the syndicate's drug dealers accidentally kills his own girlfriend—whose brother is a cop—after she announces plans to leave him, the game is on to bury the evidence, protect the syndicate and evade the long arm of the law.
Genres: Drama Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1978-05-01
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Afro Ninja
Overview: This homage to martial arts legend Jim Kelly is based on a hugely successful YouTube video. Reggie's got a dead end job, a cruel boss, and no real prospects. Until he uncovers a pair of magic nun-chucks that gives him karate superpowers and set Reggie up for a battle with the evil Kung Fu Master.
Genres: Action Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2009-01-01
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Melinda
Overview: A slick, smooth-talking, womanizing young black DJ falls hard for an enigmatic woman he's just met. Things take a turn for the worse, though, when she is found dead in his apartment. It turns out that she was killed by the local mob, which is trying to frame him for the crime. With the police after him, he calls on some of his old acquaintances to help clear his name and avenge the woman's death.
Genres: Romance Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-08-06
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Top Fighter
Overview: Welcome to the world of the martial arts. A voyage for the times of the martial arts cinema, from the beginning in China in the 6th Century A.C. by a Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma, until the actual time and the influence in the world, with interviews to actors and historians, and a review to the most important movies of all times and to the most famous action movies actors. A magnificent jewel of this genre what nobody wouldn't lose.
Genres: Documentary Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1995-06-15
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The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made
Overview: There are some movies that are so bad they're good. And there are some movies that are so bad- that they're just bad...
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2004-07-13
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Bruce Lee: In His Own Words
Overview: A collection of old interviews with Bruce Lee show us his beliefs, thoughts on fighting and what martial arts means to him.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1998-07-01
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Ultimatum
Overview: Dina Bonnevie played a Filipina working with a US-based chemical company which sent a team to the Philippines to check a branch here. Eddie Garcia played the Chief of Police assigned to protect the chemical company's visiting group which fell victim to a terrorist gang headed by Vernon Wells. Eddie was only too obsessed to save the chemical company group because Dina happened to be his girlfriend, who, against Eddie's wishes, had gone to the U.S.A. for greener pastures.
Genres: Action
Original Language: tl
Release Date: 1994-02-23
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Death by Misadventure: The Mysterious Life of Bruce Lee
Overview: Death by Misadventure: The Mysterious Life of Bruce Lee exposes the truth behind Lee's death and the cover-up that ensued.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1993-12-31
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Afros, Macks & Zodiacs
Overview: A compilation of some of the best Black Action films of the 70s! Hosted by Mr. Dolemite himself... RUDY RAY MOORE!
Genres: Documentary Action Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1995-01-01
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Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon
Overview: Promotional film on the making of 'Enter the Dragon.'
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1973-08-01
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