Friday, April 12, 2013

Kung Fu: Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting!


David Carradine starred as Caine in Kung Fu from 1972 to 1975. 

Today's topic is the 1970s television phenomenon Kung FuKung Fu aired on ABC from October 1972 to June of 1975 and never once made it into the Top 25 shows, but it was nominated for two Golden Globes and was undoubtedly a cult TV favorite for children and teens in the 1970s. Kung Fu had everyone Kung Fu fighting! 

I believe Kung Fu was popular with the masses for a number of reasons. First, the art of Kung Fu was popular at that time. Chinese American martial artist Bruce Lee, instructor, philosopher, filmmaker and actor dominated Hollywood with his powerful on-screen presence and intense physical appearance and performances. Just as skinny teens in the 1950s wanted to be Charles Atlas, the man who never allowed anyone to kick sand in his face, young men in the 1970s wanted to be Bruce Lee, who played Kato in The Green Hornet, fighting crime, kicking butt and asking questions later. The emphasis, of course, was taking care of oneself, and defending the oppressed. 

Caine's Childhood   

Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine), the star of Kung Fu, is the child of a Chinese woman and American sea captain. He is raised in a Shaolin temple to be a monk, but in the pilot episode he is forced to flee his temple family when he kills the Chinese Emperor's nephew, an act of revenge for the murder of his mentor and elder, Master Po (Keye Luke), a man of peace who was shot with a gun, an issue that Caine often struggles with throughout the show. Caine manages to escape to America where he searches for his half brother, Danny Caine, in the American West while constantly on the run from Chinese government agents. 

Keye Luke plays Master Po in Kung Fu

In each episode, Caine flashes back to his childhood experiences growing up in the temple and the teachings of Master Po as he searches for answers to his current problems (young Caine is played by Radames Pera). In these flashbacks, Master Po refers to young Caine as "Grasshopper." The fact that Caine is Chinese and in the Old West is a problem in itself as the Chinese were forced to endure tremendous prejudice, particularly when they were hired by the railroads to work for lower wages. Caine does not limit his use of Kung Fu to defend the Chinese, though. He will protect anyone who is threatened or in danger. Unfortunately, this means he is constantly on the move to avoid retaliation.

David Carradine as Caine, a man of peace, in the television cult show Kung Fu. 
  
Life in the West is even more difficult for a man raised to be a monk as Caine's life quest is to find peace. He lives for truth and goodness. He is patient and shows great humility. He will only kill if forced to defend himself or someone who is victimized from death, only with great reluctance. In the words of David Carradine, quoted in Cult TV, "Caine has a great "reverence for all life." It is these qualities that made him so appealing to the Flower Children of the 1960s and early 70s. Kung Fu was also positive education for children in the 1970s because Caine fought for the weak, the victimized, the oppressed, and he always won. More importantly, Caine taught children self-control and the advantages of living a peaceful life. 

David Carradine and Chief Dan George in Kung Fu, 1973.

In fact, I believe Caine was adored by children who developed a Kung Fu style of communication in the 1970s. Schoolchildren across America would reply to their friends and parents by placing their palms together in front of their chest and saying, "Of course, Master." The appropriate way to respond to a question was to ask a question. "Do you hear the wind, Grasshopper? Do you hear the water rushing in the stream, Grasshopper? That is your answer." Everyone was a "Grasshopper." Kung Fu talk was great fun! As a teen, I had a secret crush on Caine. I never missed an episode of Kung Fu. If Caine were a man, I would marry him. (Insert sigh here.) 

David Carradine

David Carradine, who plays Caine in the show, comes from a family of famous film and television stars. His father, John Carradine, made a career out of playing mad scientists in Hollywood horror films, but he also made appearances on numerous television anthologies, such as Love, American Style, Night Gallery, and even played a preacher in an episode of Kung Fu

John Carradine, father of David, Keith, and Robert Carradine, in a trailer screenshot from Blood and Sand. John Carradine started the Carradine acting dynasty. 

John Carradine had three sons: David, Keith, and Robert, all famous actors in their own right. Not surprisingly, the equally skilled actress Martha Plimpton is his granddaughter, daughter of Keith Carradine. Each of these actors has their own style and appeal, and are equally successful in film and TV. When the producers chose David Carradine for this role, they not only chose a star with the perfect personality and skill to carry this role, they also cast his family name. 

The Mystery of the Origin of Kung Fu

In her memoir, Bruce Lee: The Only Man I Knew, Bruce Lee's wife, Linda, claims Paramount stole the idea for Kung Fu from her husband. In fact, she presents such a convincing argument that I feel uncomfortable listing Warner Brothers on my source list! 

Actor, director, instructor, and Kung Fu expert Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee first mentioned his idea for a remarkably similar show during a 1971 interview with Pierre Berton. He said that he wanted to play a warrior in the Old West, but he was having trouble convincing Paramount or Warner Brothers to buy the show. The show was eventually produced by Warner Brothers, who denied any connection with Bruce Lee's suggested project and also denied rumors that Lee was their original choice to play Caine. Tragically, Bruce Lee died in 1973, when the series was at its peak.

Sources: 
  • Javna, John. Cult TV. St. Martin’s Press. New York: 1985.
  • Kung Fu. Creator: Ed Spielman. Perf. David Carradine, Radames Pera, Keye Luke. Warner Bros. Television. Running Time: 60 min.  
  • Winship, Michael. Television. Random House. New York: 1988.




10 comments:

Unknown said...

So sad, that story about Bruce Lee.

Damyanti @Daily(w)rite
Co-host, A to Z Challenge 2013

Twitter: @AprilA2Z
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Anonymous said...

I remember watching re-runs of this when I was a kid. Nice choice. =)Visiting from Smurfin' The Web

Unknown said...

Hi Darla, just popping by via the A-Z Challenge and I must say, I really enjoyed this post. In fact I enjoyed it so much, that I went back and read from the very beginning.

Excellent theme, which had me pining for my childhood. :)

Darla Sue Dollman said...

Hello everyone! Thank you for your comments! Unfortunately my settings were wrong and I had no idea the comments were here. I was beginning to worry that no one was reading my blog! Thank you for reading. Damyanti-yes, everything about Bruce Lee's story is sad, from the "alleged" theft of his show, to his untimely death and that of his son. smurfdok, I watched the reruns, too. For some reason, this show was more important to me than many others I watched as a child. I felt as if I was receiving a lesson in character. Lily, thank you for reading! I'm so glad it reminded you of your childhood--I had good memories researching the post!

Changes in the wind said...

Great post and all true info...Happy A-Z challenge

Tami Von Zalez said...

How can you forget that famous line from Kung Fu - "snatch the pebble from my hand, grasshopper."

Popped by as an AtoZ Mighty Minion.

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Darla Sue Dollman said...

Ahh, another fan! Lol! I just love that name. "Grasshopper." When I hear it I can see myself as a child so clearly in my mind, talking to my younger sister. "Ahh, Grasshopper, one must learn by doing! It is your turn to clean the bedroom!"

Bob/Sally said...

Great show - I was a big fan of Kung Fu: The Legend Continues as well.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Darla Sue Dollman said...

Read more. Seriously. This has to be spam, so I will delete it quickly. At the bottom of the post I list my sources--always. I have no idea what you're talking about. A video? I am obviously much older than you and this site is targeted at an older audience with more experience and education. I watched this television show from the time it started until it last aired.

Okay, this has to be spam. Get off my website, spammer.