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THE FURY OF THE DRAGON-1976-This is a theatrical version of the short lived 1966 TV show that debuted the same year as the more popular “Batman”. It was released 10 years after it’s lone TV season to cash in on Bruce Lee’s “last film” THE GAME OF DEATH. Though the new credits made it seem like a Bruce Lee feature it’s just 4 TV episodes strung together featuring Van Williams as the masked crime fighter that everyone thinks is a villain. His sidekick and chauffeur is the Kung-Fu kicking Kato who tries to spice up the mundane action. The Hornet's real identity is newspaper publisher Bret Reid whose sideline is known only to the DA (Walter Barry) and his secretary.

The excitement challenged storylines include a kidnapping/blackmail plot on a visiting diplomat, crooked cops and a death ray. It’s not the corny tongue in cheek “take off” Batman was (there was a crossover episode) and lacked the villainous guests stars, which may be the reason it wasn’t a hit. The version I saw had Chinese sub-titles and featured trailers for Lee’s other movies at the beginning and his black and white screen test at the end. Van Williams appeared in other TV shows but made very few movies.

However in the 1993 Bruce Lee biopic DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY he portrayed the TV director of THE GREEN HORNET.

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