But in 1959 a short, skinny 18-year-old kid traveled from Hong Kong to America and declared himself to be John Wayne. In America where the Chinese were still stereotype as house servants and railroad workers. Bruce Lee was a hero figure. He became obsessed with martial arts and body building and not much else. Lee landed his first U.S. show-biz role in The Green Hornet, a 1996-7 TV superhero drama.