Shoes

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Gender

Male

Birthday

1946-05-05

Place of Birth

Paris, Kentucky, USA

Jim 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.

Known for

Highway to Heaven

Highway to Heaven

A probationary angel is sent back to Earth to team up with an ex-cop and help people.

Enter the Dragon

Enter the Dragon

A martial artist agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament there as cover.

Stranglehold

Stranglehold

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!

Bruce Lee, the Legend

Bruce Lee, the Legend

The Official Golden Harvest tribute to the Master of the Martial Arts Film, Bruce Lee.

Death Dimension

Death Dimension

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.

Afro Ninja

Afro Ninja

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.

Top Fighter

Top Fighter

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.

Take a Hard Ride

Take a Hard Ride

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.

The Unbeatable Bruce Lee

The Unbeatable Bruce Lee

A look at the life of superstar Bruce Lee.

Kings of Cult

Kings of Cult

Feature Length sit down with Charles Band and Roger Corman.

Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted

Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted

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.

Black Belt Jones

Black Belt Jones

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. 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.

Three the Hard Way

Three the Hard Way

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.

Afros, Macks & Zodiacs

Afros, Macks & Zodiacs

A compilation of some of the best Black Action films of the 70s! Hosted by Mr. Dolemite himself... RUDY RAY MOORE!

The Tattoo Connection

The Tattoo Connection

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.