Jerry Poteet

Jerry Poteet
BornNovember 29, 1936
United States
DiedJanuary 15, 2012(2012-01-15) (aged 75)
United States
StyleJeet Kune Do (Jun Fan Gung Fu)[1]
Teacher(s)Bruce Lee
Stan Lee Lawson
Notable studentsJason Scott Lee[2]
Michael Worth
Glenn Danzig

Jerry Poteet (November 29, 1936 – January 15, 2012) was an American martial arts instructor, recognized for his teachings in the art of Jeet Kune Do as an original Bruce Lee student.[3][4]

Biography

Poteet began his martial arts career in Kenpo, and became a brown belt under the Kenpo instructor Ed Parker.[5][6] Poteet also trained the Dallas Cowboys football team and bodyguards in Jeet Kune Do[7], and choreograph the fight scenes of several films.[citation needed]

Poteet was chosen as the person best able to train Jason Scott Lee, for the latter's role in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.[8][9]

In addition to choreographing Jason Scott Lee's key fight scenes in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Jerry worked with him on Soldier and Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision. Other Poteet’s notable students were Glenn Danzig, Michael Worth and Kevin Sorbo.[citation needed]

Poteet credited his teacher, Bruce Lee, with giving him the tools to survive, "the fight of my life", when he was compelled to undergo a liver transplant in 1995. Until his death, Poteet taught Jeet Kune Do to the next generation of students and instructors. He taught martial arts for over 40 years.[citation needed]

The last years of Poteet's life were dedicated to preserving and refining the legacy he received from his instructor, Bruce Lee.[citation needed]

He died on January 15, 2012.[10] Today, Poteet's legacy is being kept alive by protege Sifu Fran Poteet Joseph through the Jerry Poteet Jeet Kune Do Association.[11]

Bibliography

  • Rafiq, Fiaz (2020). Bruce Lee: The Life of a Legend. Birlinn Ltd. ISBN 9781788853309.

References

  1. ^ Bowman, Paul (2013). Beyond Bruce Lee: Chasing the Dragon through Film, Philosophy, and Popular Culture. Columbia University Press. p. 18. ISBN 9780231165280. ... Inosanto (along with Richard Bustillo and Larry Hartsell) differs from other students of Bruce Lee (such as Taky Kimura, James Lee, Jerry Poteet and Ted Wong), who all tried instead to preserve the 'original form' of Jeet Kune Do.
  2. ^ Chase, Donald (1992-10-25). "Re-Enter the Dragon". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
  3. ^ Thomas, Bruce (1994). Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit. Frog Books. p. 89. ISBN 9781883319250.
  4. ^ Rafiq (2020); "One of the few original Bruce Lee students who refused to water down the original teachings, training methods and fighting methods of jeet kune do was Jerry Poteet.[...]Poteet was one of a handful of students who had the privilege of training at Bruce's house in addition to attending formal classes.
  5. ^ Rafiq (2020); "Like most of Bruce's Los Angeles Chinatown disciples, Poteet made a switch from Ed Parker's kenpo school when Bruce opened his third and final branch of Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute.
  6. ^ Poteet, Jerry (2004). "Jeet Kune Do Secrets". Black Belt Magazine (July 2004). p. 108. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  7. ^ Richmond O' Connor (September 1985). "Jeet Kune Do and the Art of Professional Football" (PDF). Inside Kung Fu. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  8. ^ Fogan, Sara (2004). "Recreating Bruce". Black Belt Magazine (July 2004). p. 110. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  9. ^ Rafiq (2020); [Poteet] went on to help choreograph fight scenes for Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story."
  10. ^ "Jerry Poteet's passing". Archived from the original on 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2012-10-28. Bruce Lee Foundation - Jerry Poteet's Passing
  11. ^ Weinraub, Bernard (1993-04-15). "Bruce Lee's Brief Life Being Brought to Screen". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-12-14.