Star Students of Martial Arts Legend Bruce Lee: Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Kareem Abdul Jabbar

"Life itself is your teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning." Bruce Lee lived by this philosophy, until his name became synonymous with martial arts. Despite big name martial artists like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, when someone says Kung Fu, we inevitably think of legendary Bruce Lee.

Cut down in his prime at 32, Lee was born in San Francisco California in 1940 and died in the summer of 1973. Bruce Lee's cultural role is so indispensable; it's hard to imagine modern action films without acknowledging his enormous contribution. Still, there's a side to his life and legacy, which goes overlooked.

Many don't know Lee began his illustrious career as a martial arts teacher. After holding classes at the University of Washington, he opened up a self-defense or Gung Fu school. His reputation soon grew as a leading fight instructor. As his star rose prominently in Hollywood and abroad, Bruce taught his Jeet Kune Do to Hollywood's elite.

Steve McQueen

During the prime of his career, Steve McQueen epitomized cool. His most lasting performances are in sci-fi classic The Blob, the crime caper playfulness of The Thomas Crown Affair and actioner The Getaway with future wife Ali McGraw.

Steve McQueen became a pupil of Lee's through introduction by Jay Sebring. During a demonstration Lee conducted at the Long Beach International Karate Championships courtesy of an invitation by Kenpo karate master Ed Parker's, Lee's electric performance was seen by Sebring, a Hollywood hairstylist and McQueen acquaintance . They would become such close friends, he'd serve as a pallbearer at Lee's funeral.

James Coburn

Also a friend of Steve McQueen's, Coburn starred with him in classics like The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape and won an Oscar in Affliction co-starring with Nick Nolte.

Lanky Coburn would often spar with Lee at each other's homes, and there's great film footage of the two training in various exercises, most dramatically on the heavy bag. The two men, along with another pupil of Lee's, Stirling Silliphant concocted a film script called The Silent Flute and even were sent to India by studio Warner Brothers for location scouting. Sadly, it never materialized, but was made into Circle of Iron starring David Carradine, who ironically had been the lead in the TV series Kung Fu, a role Lee had auditioned for, but lost. Coburn, like McQueen, became so close to Lee he also was pallbearer at Lee's funeral.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend whose real name is Lew Alcindor, Jabbar became Lee's good fried and student. At the imposing height of 7ft-2in, it's safe to say Jabbar was Lee's tallest pupil.

Because of Jabbar's gargantuan size, Lee cast him as Hakim, one of the villainous warriors in his movie Game of Death. The film, though never officially completed by Lee was released in 1978 posthumously. Jabbar wasn't all size. In the film, his incredible speed, reach and strength push Lee to his limits. For sheer visual spectacle in terms of mismatched opponents, this fight may be the most fascinating ever put to film.

Chuck Norris

A martial arts legend in his own right, Norris got his big screen debut from friend and teacher Lee in Return Of The Dragon, a movie Lee also wrote and directed.

The two met in New York in 1968 when Norris won the World Middle Weight Karate Championship at Madison Square Garden. The two became friends, colleagues and shared martial arts knowledge. In Return Of The Dragon, Norris plays a paid thug who's hired to defeat Lee. Their duel to the death in the Roman Coliseum remains one of the most electric brawls ever filmed.

Roman Polanski

Before film director Polanski became infamous because of a statutory rape case in America, he was a hot movie maker and Bruce Lee's student. Polanski even flew Lee to Switzerland for private lessons.

Born Rajmund Roman Liebling in Paris, France, Polanski was the creative force behind such classics as Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown. In a tragic connection, Jay Sebring who helped get Bruce noticed by Hollywood heavyweights, died along with many others in the Sharon Tate murders masterminded by Charles Manson. At the time of her death, Sharon Tate was Roman Polanski's wife.

James Garner

In 1969, Lee landed a small role in a James Garner film, Marlowe. Garner is perhaps best known as Jim Rockford on television's The Rockford Files.

In the movie, Lee plays a mob enforcer type thug who only has two scenes with Garner's private eye character Marlowe, but they're pretty memorable. During their first confrontation, Lee totally destroys Marlowe's office in spectacular fashion, then later falls to his death after Marlowe taunts him on the roof of a building