Lee became a source of national pride to Chinese around the world in the early 1970's.

Chan Kwok Kwan, actor of "The Legend of Bruce Lee"

China Central Television hopes to fill the void. Producer Yu Shengli says "The Legend of Bruce Lee," is an exhaustive biography that cost 50 million yuan, or 7.3 million US dollars.

Shot in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, the U.S., Italy and Thailand over nine months, the series, premieres Sunday in prime-time. It will air on CCTV's flagship channel daily, with two episodes, airing consecutively every night over a two hour time period.

Unlike past films about Lee, "The Legend of Bruce Lee" gives an exceptionally detailed account. It traces Lee's life, from his teenage years in Hong Kong to the U.S., where he studied and taught martial arts. The series retells the story of his unsuccessful efforts to launch an acting career in the U.S., his return to Hong Kong where he became an international star and his early death at 32.

Hong Kong actor Chan Kwok Kwan, who plays Bruce Lee in the series, believes the programmes will reveal a side of Lee many people don't know.

Chan Kwok Kwan, actor of "The Legend of Bruce Lee", said, "I think that the biggest impact of this television series is, how it will affect the way we think about the man we know as Bruce Lee. We have mostly seen the forceful side of Bruce Lee. He comes out and is really tough, his movies are good to watch, but seeing the movies you don't understand what he went through, what injuries he sustained, what setbacks, how he faced difficulties and overcome them. I think that this TV series is able to use a lot of fine detail to tell his story."

The 33-year-old actor, is best known for his work in Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer." Chan makes up for his lack of star power with his uncanny resemblance to Lee with his thick eyebrows and slender body.

The series was authorized by the Lee family. Producer Yu said Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee Keasler, approved the script and receives a credit as executive producer.

(CCTV October 10, 2008)