With The Green Hornet’s success and Bruce Lee‘s private celebrity martial art classes, the master earned great money for his growing family. Moreover, when Linda told Lee she was pregnant with their second child, the couple decided to upgrade their living standard. Hence, they began looking for bigger and better houses in California. Soon, they found a house in Bel Air in almost a steal deal. Although it was double their budget, the couple eventually managed to buy it. 

An excerpt in Lee’s biography, Bruce Lee: A Life, reveals the time when the master and his wife went house hunting with the help of Lee’s friend Steve McQueen. It narrates how the couple managed to buy the house of their dreams. 

Bruce Lee received massive help from Steve McQueen

Before buying a house, Lee lived in rented apartments for years with Linda and his daughter Shannon. This was the first time he was going to buy a house in his life. When Bruce Lee made his decision, he first went to Steve McQueen for advice. The actor offered to have his business manager help him buy a suitable house. With Bruce Lee’s overall savings, he had a budget of mid-$20,000 to buy a house.

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Moreover, they found a realtor who recommended the couple buy the house at 2551 Roscomare Road in the upscale neighborhood of Bel Air. The lavish mansion was a 1,902-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath ranch home for $47000.

Although it was double Lee’s budget, he adored the exclusivity of Bel Air. Moreover, considering the tax refund, it was a steal deal. Being in a dilemma, Lee went to Steve McQueen for advice. As a thoughtful gesture, the actor offered to cover the $10,000 down payment. Steve’s kind help meant a lot to Lee. He exclaimed during an interview with a reporter in 1968, “Boy, that was a lot of money, and he was just gonna give it to me with no strings attached.” Despite the grand gesture from McQueen, Lee turned down his offer. He would later become obligated to repay him. Hence, Bruce and Linda applied for a home loan which got approved within a few days. Eventually, they shifted to their new abode.

“Who Will Spend That Kind of Money on Kung Fu?”: Bruce Lee Was Against Charging an ‘Outrageous Figure’ for His Martial Arts Training Once

Bruce Lee and Steve McQueen were best of friends despite their rivalry. They had a great bond teaching and learning several things from each other. McQueen’s attachment to Lee was so deep that he broke his rule of not attending funerals for him. 

Steve McQueen revealed what he felt for Lee

In July 1973, the world stood still after the news of Bruce Lee’s death broke out. The legend’s fans and students expressed grief reaching Seattle’s Lake View Cemetery, where he was buried. At that funeral, Steve McQueen’s appeared as a pallbearer. It was a shocking aspect for the media because McQueen never visited funerals.

He told in Lee’s biography about his thoughts on Lee, “I cared about Bruce. I felt like saying goodbye to a friend.” After the conclusion of the funeral, McQueen left his gloves with Lee while paying his tribute to the legend.

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From helping him buy his first house to inspiring him to become famous, McQueen proved to be a true friend of Lee in several ways.