- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJames Milton Kelly
- Height6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
- With his funky Afro hairstyle, super cool attitude and superb karate skills, Jim Kelly was instantly identifiable, and one of the top martial arts film stars of the early 1970s. After appearing in a minor film role, Kelly's second screen effort was as one of the invited guests to the deadly Han's Island in Enter the Dragon (1973). Kelly quickly cropped up in several more martial arts influenced "blaxploitation" films including Three the Hard Way (1974), Golden Needles (1974) and Black Belt Jones (1974), with its interesting fight finale in a soap filled car wash! He then appeared in several other action films of the late seventies, however since 1980, Kelly has only cropped up in two minor roles. A talented athlete, winning ranked titles both in tennis and karate, Jim Kelly was an integral part of the African-American & martial arts cinematic explosion of the 1970s.
- IMDb mini biography by: firehouse44
- SpousesMarcia Bentley(1980 - June 29, 2013) (his death)Marilyn Dishman(January 1967 - January 1968) (divorced, 1 child)
- Athletic physique
- His incredible Karate skills
- His afro
- Became a professional tennis player in 1975, rising to No. 2 in California in the senior men's doubles rankings and reaching the state's top ten in senior men's singles.
- Was first interested in karate after leaving the University of Louisville as a freshman and moving to Lexington; began studying martial arts under karate instructor Parker Sheldon
- International Middle Weight Karate Champion (1971)
- He resided in Southern California and worked as a professional tennis coach.
- Spent part of his childhood in San Diego but graduated from high school in Kentucky--Bourbon County High School --where he starred in several sports, including track and football.
- I broke down the color barrier. I was the first black martial artist to become a movie star.
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