Bruce Lee is suspected by Roman Polanski of killing Sharon Tate

Bruce Lee not only taught kung fu to Roman Polanski and his wife Sharon Tate but also resided close by the couple in Los Angeles during the time Tate and four other people's murdered by the Manson Family in August 1969. It would be months before the Manson Family was apprehended for the killings, but in the interim, according to an Esquire story, Polanski had become fixated on identifying a culprit, searching even among his own close circle for potential perpetrators.

In the months following the killings, Polanski had expressed interest when Lee revealed that he had lost his glasses during a kung fu lesson. After all, his wife's body had been found close to a strange pair of horn-rimmed glasses that had been discovered at the crime site. According to The New York Post, Polanski had even bought a gauge to measure the lenses and determine the precise prescription so that he could conduct his own investigation.

Without revealing himself, the director volunteered to take Lee to the eye doctor to acquire new glasses. By doing so, he would be able to personally hear Lee's prescription and verify whether the eyeglasses found at the crime site belonged to him. Lee's prescription turned out to be incorrect, and Polinsky immediately informed his friend of his suspicions.