Final answer:
Bruce Lee started his acting career with minor roles in Hollywood before moving to Hong Kong due to racism in the U.S. film industry. War time cinema, like that in Japan, was influenced by national events and propaganda, while in the U.S., racial narratives affected the opportunities for actors like Lee.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bruce Lee started his acting career playing small roles in Hollywood films. He faced the prevalent issue of racism in the American entertainment industry, which was reluctant to cast a non-white actor in a leading role. This led him to move back to Hong Kong, where he was able to find greater success and became a legendary figure in the martial arts and film community.
During this period, Hollywood was not the only film industry shaped by national events. Japanese cinema, for instance, played a significant role during the war effort, creating pro-war movies that sought to bolster the spirits of the population and support the government's agenda. Although movie theaters in the United States and United Kingdom saw increased attendance during the war years, they were also spaces where racial narratives and stereotypes could be reinforced, affecting the perceptions and opportunities for non-white actors like Bruce Lee.
In the larger context of American race relations, the situation that Bruce Lee encountered is reflective of the 'invisible racism' that many Asian Americans faced. Despite being considered part of the 'model minority', they still encountered significant barriers in fields such as entertainment. Writings like those of Jeffery Paul Chan and others have explored these dynamics, helping to shed light on the complex status of Asian Americans in society.