Production Kung Fu (TV series)

1 production

1.1 development

1.1.1 bruce lee s involvement
1.1.2 ed spielman s commentary


1.2 broadcast
1.3 sets
1.4 special effects

production
development

kung fu created ed spielman, directed , produced jerry thorpe, , developed herman miller, writer for, , co-producer of, series.

bruce lee s involvement

in memoirs, bruce lee s widow, linda lee cadwell, asserts lee created concept series, stolen warner bros. there circumstantial evidence in december 8, 1971 television interview bruce lee gave on pierre berton show. in interview, lee stated had developed concept television series called warrior, meant star himself, martial artist in american old west (the same concept kung fu, aired following year), having trouble pitching warner brothers , paramount.

in interview, pierre berton comments, there s pretty chance ll tv series in states called warrior , in it, use what, martial arts in western setting?

lee responds, original idea, ...both of them [warner , paramount], think, want me in modernized type of thing, , think western type of thing out. whereas want western. because, see, how else can justify of punching , kicking , violence, except in period of west?

later in interview, berton asks lee problems face chinese hero in american series. have people come in industry , said well, don t know how audience going take non-american ?

lee responds well, such question has been raised, in fact, being discussed. why warrior not going on. lee adds, think business-wise risk. don t blame them. if situation reversed, , american star come hong kong, , man money, have own concerns whether acceptance there.

whether or not kung fu based on concept lee, undoubtedly considered starring role. herbie pilato, in 1993 book kung fu book of caine: complete guide tv s first mystical eastern western (pages 32–33), commented on casting decision:

before filming of kung fu tv movie began, there discussion whether or not asian actor should play kwai chang caine. bruce lee considered role. in 1971, bruce lee wasn t cult film hero later became roles in big boss (1971), fist of fury (1972), way of dragon (1972) , enter dragon (1973). @ point best known kato on tv s green hornet (1966–1967) (kung fu guest actor robert ito reports lee hated role of kato because thought subservient ). in eyes , in eyes of jerry thorpe, says harvey frand, david carradine our first choice play caine. there disagreement because network interested in more muscular actor , studio interested in getting bruce lee. frand says lee wouldn t have been appropriate series—despite fact went on considerable success in martial arts film world. kung fu show needed serene person, , carradine more appropriate role. ed spielman agrees: liked david in part. 1 of japan s foremost karate champions used qualification needed trained in martial arts had know how dance. , on top of being accomplished athlete , actor, david dance. nonetheless, grumbling asian community have made sense, given fact major roles asian actors nonexistent. james hong, actor on show , ex-president of association of asian/pacific american artists (aapaa) says @ time asian actors felt if going so-called asian hero on kung fu, why don t hire asian actor play lead? show went on, realized great source of employment asian acting community. in fact, hong says, carradine had relationship asian community.

ed spielman s commentary

according herbie j. pilato, author of kung fu book of caine , kung fu book of wisdom:

ed spielman creator of kung fu series. claims contrary incorrect, , injustice. teenager, mr. spielman worked page @ abc-tv in new york. discovered secret arts of kung-fu in 1960s, , studied mandarin chinese in college @ night. spent years doing research in new york s chinatown , elsewhere unearthing heretofore secret knowledge. @ time, kung-fu not known in western world , denied non-chinese. taught master–student relationships , within families. never revealed non-chinese. but, spielman pressed on.

by mid-1960s, ed had acquired depth of information, , wrote forty-four-page treatment film, tv , publishing titled, kung fu: way of tiger, sign of dragon. spent next few years trying move forward film or television. in 1969, introduced young agent peter lampack @ william morris agency in new york. lampack liked material , made deal warner s executive bennett sims in new york.

in february of 1970, lampack bartered deal spielman , friend , collaborator, howard friedlander, write theatrical motion picture screenplay spielman s original story. of occurred in new york.

at end of development, warner bros. chose not make theatrical film. but, studio executive harvey frand had faith in project, , took abc, time, had introduced pioneering movie of week format.

the spielman–friedlander script pared down budget, produced , shown on abc, february 22, 1972. immediate hit. iconic kung fu monthly-then-weekly series followed ...

undoubtedly, bruce lee had own ideas , aspirations, has nothing ed spielman s groundbreaking , original work. writers guild of america west awarded sole credit ed spielman creator of kung fu ... , no allegation of bruce lee s having creation of kung fu appeared in public until bruce lee story (1993) in allegation made.

ed spielman told me specifically: in 1993, preparing major law suit against universal, delaurentis productions , of responsible false allegations in bruce lee story deprive me of authorship of work , defame me. but, bruce lee died in 1973 , son brandon tragically died in 1993. lawsuit me have fallen on bruce lee s widow, linda. had lost enough. didn t think have survived years in court. thought ... told lawyers forget it. documents speak cares ... disappointed bruce lee did not appear principal in kung fu series. had nothing creation. work , kung fu project on east coast; on west coast. work predated years. complete story , characters registered in mid-1960s. documents , contracts prove that.

broadcast

the series aired on abc october 1972 april 1975 total of 63 episodes. kung fu preceded full-length (90 minutes, commercial breaks) feature television pilot, abc movie of week, broadcast on february 22, 1972. series became 1 of popular television programs of 1970s, receiving widespread critical acclaim , commercial success upon release.

sets

the shaolin monastery appeared in flashbacks set used 1967 film camelot. inexpensively , converted setting in china.

special effects

the series used slow-motion effects action sequences, warner brothers had utilized in 1969 sam peckinpah film wild bunch, , subsequently utilized action sequences in science-fiction series 6 million dollar man.