This week, we're exploring the martial arts craze that swept Britain in the 1970s, inspired by the unlikely hit TV series "Kung Fu" starring David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, the wandering Shaolin monk.
Remember those Saturday tea times when we were allowed to eat in front of the TV? The lineup was glorious - Pink Panther, Alias Smith and Jones, and of course, Kung Fu. This slow, meditative Western about a half-Chinese, half-American monk wandering the Old West was unlike anything else on television.
The show ran from 1972 to 1975 and captivated audiences with its unique blend of Eastern philosophy and Western action. Each episode followed Caine as he searched for his half-brother while getting drawn into helping others - corrupt sheriffs, oppressed farmers, racist outlaws. What made it special were the flashbacks to his training in a Shaolin monastery with his blind master Po and the stern Master Kan, giving us iconic moments like "when you can take the pebble from my hand, it'll be time for you to leave" and the famous nickname "Grasshopper."
The show's influence was massive - it sparked a martial arts craze that saw kids across Britain donning what looked like dressing gowns to attend kung fu classes after school. Bruce Lee's films like "Enter the Dragon" had made martial arts cool, but Kung Fu brought it into mainstream television.
However, the show carries a controversial legacy. According to Bruce Lee's widow Linda, the series was based on Lee's original pitch called "The Warrior," but studios allegedly felt America wasn't ready for a Chinese lead, casting David Carradine instead - a decision that casts a shadow over the show's cultural impact.
From Hong Kong Phooey to the Goodies' "Ecky Thump," the kung fu craze influenced everything in 70s popular culture. It was a product of its time - when America was dealing with Vietnam, counterculture was going mainstream, and television was becoming more philosophical and edgy.
Did you learn kung fu in the 70s? Were you able to walk across rice paper without leaving footprints? Share your martial arts memories with us!
Take care,
Oliver
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