Tom Bleecker began his writing career in 1970 under the mentorship of Oscar winning screenwriter and director Blake Edwards and continued writing television and film for Edwards for 15 years. During that timeframe, Bleecker also wrote for actor William Shatner, as well as several major television networks and film studios. After writing for screen and television for nearly 30 years, Bleecker coauthored his first book with Linda Lee, The Bruce Lee Story, which was published in July 1988 and used as the foundational material for Universal’s feature film DRAGON. Bleecker is best known for Warner Brothers’ The Jacket starring Academy Award winner Adrian Brody and Keira Knightly.
Several books followed, including Bleecker’s controversial second book on Lee, Unsettled Matters, which became a bestseller and is considered by many to be the most informative book ever written on the legendary martial arts icon. The Journey with noted biographer Joe Hyams; Inside U: How to Become a Master of Your Own Destiny by Grandmaster Byong Yu, Ph.D., with Tom Bleecker (Hay House Publishers), Conquest over Hatred: the Donnie Williams Story, which has been featured on Pat Robertson’s 700 Club and Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), and followed by Horace Heidt: Big Band Star Maker. In 2011, the author completed Tea Money, which is a mystery-thriller and full length feature screenplay inspired by the controversial death of kung-fu legend Bruce Lee.
The following year, the author penned The International Journey, followed by THE JET (Foreword by Gene LeBell), which is the life story of the legendary martial arts kickboxing icon Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. One of Tom Bleecker’s recent works is MY SONG, which is the compelling and heartwarming life story of Polish immigrant Jolanta Soysal. In June 2016, Bleecker coauthored with Rick Avery A LIFE AT RISK, which is the life story of legendary Hollywood stuntman Rick Avery; recently published is Bleecker’s long-awaited book on the tragic death of his high school sweetheart and fiancé Diane Linkletter, DIANE LINKLETTER: A Princess Wrongly Accused.
In honor of his more than 50 years of close involvement on many levels with the martial arts community, on August 11, 2012, Tom Bleecker was inducted into the prestigious Masters Hall of Fame, receiving the Platinum Life Achievement Award, which was presented at the Orange County Hilton at a Black Tie dinner.
