The Skip Ellsworth Interview
Conducted by Paul Bax
What was your previous experience in the martial arts before studying Gung Fu under Bruce Lee?
Skip Ellsworth: I was a “white-kid” that was raised on an Indian Reservation in America. That was more than half a century ago. At that time, there were many Indians that still resented white people for destroying the Indian Culture. The racial problems that I faced on the “rez” meant that I had to fight Indian guys almost every day – often two or three times each day. My problems were increased by the fact that I had a Paper Route (the Duluth Herald) when I was a kid, and therefore I had to go deep into “hostile territory” on a daily basis. Therefore, during times of “no snow” (e.g. spring, summer and fall) it was unusual for me to get through a day without having to fight at least one Indian. Because of this, I became familiar with many of the mental and physical aspects of fighting. For example, I learned how to face those situations calmly no matter how bad I knew they could be. I learned how to accept fighting – plan for it – deal with it – and (ironically for me) even look forward to it. I learned how to become friends with pain – to not quit – and to accept the fact that my fights could involve staying on my feet or going to the ground. I also accepted the fact that my fights could involve fists – elbows – knees – feet – teeth – and any other weapons that might be at hand, including rocks, sand, dirt, etc. In other words, even though I had never heard the term “martial arts” I none-the-less became quite familiar with several aspects of those arts. It brings a smile to my face now, when I think about the experiences I had as a kid on the “rez.”
When did you first meet Jesse Glover?
SE: I first met Jesse Glover in either 1957, or 1958, when I joined the Seattle Judo Dojo. I was either 18 or 19 years old. Jesse was already a well known member of the Dojo, and as I recall he was the Inland Empire First Degree Black Belt Judo Champion at the time. At the Dojo, Jesse was one of the “main men” as far as teaching and helping people is concerned. Jesse and I became close friends almost immediately. He was six or seven years older than me, and I looked upon him as being a “big brother.” In fact, to this day I still call him “Brother Jesse.”
In those days, Jesse was sharing a duplex apartment with his good friend Ed Hart [R.I.P.]. Ed was a black-belt Judo player from the same Dojo, and he later became Bruce Lee’s second student in America. Jesse and Ed were totally friendly and hospitable guys. Therefore their apartment became a place for our group of friends to “hang-out” as we pursued our interest in Martial Arts. All of us were so poor that we would sometimes joke about the fact that we often used the same tea-bag for two weeks or more.
Incidentally, the above-mentioned apartment was located at the southeast corner of Seventh and James in downtown Seattle. It saddens me to say that the site is now buried under the Northbound lanes of the I-5 Freeway.
Later on, Jesse and one of his girl-friends rented a different duplex apartment that was located on the same block as the Seattle Judo Dojo. That apartment was located only 90 meters or so from the Dojo, and therefore it became one of the major hang-out places for Bruce’s original gang in Seattle (consisting of Bruce Lee, Jesse Glover, Ed Hart, Skip Ellsworth, Mike Lee [I think Jesse’s half-brother Mike was ten years old at the time.], Jim DeMile, LeRoy Garcia, Taky Kimura, Tak Miyabe, Charlie Woo, etc.).
Unfortunately, Ed Hart died on December 3, 1998. My son Chip and I went to his memorial meeting (sort of like a wake or a funeral service) in Chinatown in Seattle. Of course, a huge number of Ed’s friends were there. To help Ed’s family preserve the memory of that occasion, I circulated a paper for all of Ed’s friends to sign (with their names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses). I did this so Ed’s family, in later years, would always be reminded of how many good friends Ed had. I still have a copy of that “sign-in” sheet.
Even though Ed Hart has now been dead for many years, I am still in contact with his family -- especially with his daughter Lori and grandson Ronnie in Australia. In Lori’s email to me dated August 19, 2007, she signed-off with the words: “You are my father’s brother, Skip. All our love, Lori and Ronnie.” I was very touched by Lori’s words, because she obviously realizes that I will always love her father. Ed Hart was an awesome guy, and one of the best friends that a man could ask for.
When I became friends with Bruce Lee, Jesse Glover and Ed Hart those occasions added up to being a very worthwhile turning point in my life.
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