Bruce Lee fans might have missed an early appearance by Chan in the film “Enter the Dragon” (1973) but that is Chan playing one of Han’s random henchmen.
Chan also played one of the students at the Jing Wu school in the film “Fist of Fury” (1972) aka “The Chinese Connection.” Lee’s death in 1973 would create a void and Chan was seen as an early contender for “the new Bruce Lee” in films like “New Fists of Fury” (1976) due to his impressive agility and talent for martial arts.
However Chan didn’t want to be the “next” Bruce Lee or be part of the Bruce Lee exploitation genre of films being cranked out at the time and did everything he could to distance himself from Lee and present his own unique style and character often trying to incorporate elements of comedy in his films.
While comic “kung fu” might have had limited appeal with audiences seeking martial arts action Chan would eventually establish himself with films such as “The Young Master” (1980), “The Big Brawl” (1980) & The Protector (1985). But while he had been making films since the mid 1970s, it wouldn’t be until 1995 that he became a true international star with “Rumble in the Bronx” and the subsequent recognition when Mtv honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.