Yuen Biao
Encyclopedia
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong
actor
, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics
and Chinese martial arts
and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer
. Along with Peking Opera School
"brothers" at the China Drama Academy, Sammo Hung
and Jackie Chan
, he was one of the Seven Little Fortunes.
, Sammo Hung
, Corey Yuen
, Yuen Wah
and several others, under master Yu Jim-yuen, who would later become famous in Hong Kong cinema. He quickly showed a talent for acrobatics. According to Jackie Chan's autobiography when Yuen was first asked by his master, upon his first day with him, to do a backflip, Yuen did a proper backflip on his very first try. He remained at the school until the age of 16. When he left, Yuen followed his classmate Sammo Hung into a career in the Hong Kong film industry.
.
and extra
. After working on Fist of Fury
, Way of the Dragon
, Yuen became a stunt double for Bruce Lee
on Enter the Dragon
, in 1973. He was also one of the "fake" Bruce Lees in Game of Death
(1978), performing the acrobatics and stunts that the Bruce Lee "body double
" (Taekwondo
expert, Kim Tai Chung) was unable to perform. Yuen continued working as a stuntman, doubling for actors in Hong Kong action films
and taking on supporting actor roles.
During his early acting period, he adopted the anglicised name Bill Yuen for use on the Hong Kong films that were released internationally. However, recognising the growing success of Jackie Chan, Golden Harvest
were keen to give him a similar name, and on some international film prints, he was credited as Jimmy Yuen. Both anglicised names were later dropped.
and Jackie Chan
, he began working more frequently as an actor. After his co starring role in The Dragon, the Odds (1977) and his full lead role debut in Knockabout
(1978), he starred in several films in the early 1980s, notably The Prodigal Son
(directed by Sammo Hung) and Dreadnaught
(directed by Yuen Woo-ping
). He later co starred alongside his Peking Opera "brothers", Chan and Hung, in Project A
, Wheels on Meals
and Dragons Forever
, and also appeared in smaller roles in films such as Hung's original Lucky Stars
trilogy.
in Once Upon a Time in China
(1991). Yuen did not appear in the sequel
as he was replaced by Max Mok. In the late 1990s, films such as Hero (1997) co starring Takeshi Kaneshiro
and A Man Called Hero
(1999) co starring Ekin Cheng
saw Yuen return to the big screen. During this time he began to concentrate more on television work and took lead roles in the series Righteous Guards and The Legend of a Chinese Hero in 1998.
to work with Jackie Chan as the action choreographer on Shanghai Noon
. In 2001, he co starred alongside Hung in The Avenging Fist. Yuen also starred in a more comedic role in the 2002 Japan HK film No Problem 2.
He is best known for his acrobatic action scenes which often overshadow the work of his more famous co-stars, especially in films such as Eastern Condors
(co starring Sammo Hung) and Dragons Forever
.
In 2005, Yuen starred in a TVB
series called Real Kung Fu
with Yuen Wah
, Maggie Siu
, Leung Kar Yan
, Jack Wu
and one of Sammo Hung's real life son, Timmy Hung
.
In 2006, Yuen plays Inspector Steve Mok in Robin B Hood
along with his long time friend Jackie Chan.
In 2007 he finished filming the Wing Chun TV series
(a remake of the 1994 series that had preceded the film Wing Chun
) alongside Nicholas Tse
, Sammo Hung and another of Hung's sons, Sammy Hung. Biao plays an elder version of the character Leung Jan
, the role he played 25 years earlier in The Prodigal Son, and father to Tse's character.
The series has since been re-edited for release as a film, entitled Shuang Long Ji (aka Legend of Twins Dragon). However, the film's release has been delayed as it has been banned in Mainland China
for containing too much violence.
Yuen appeared as a guest judge on the China Beijing TV Station reality television
series The Disciple, which airied in Mainland China and was produced by, and featured Jackie Chan. The aim of the program was to find a new star, skilled in acting and martial arts, to become Chan's "successor", the champion being awarded the lead role in a film. It concluded on June 7, 2008, with the series winner being announced in Beijing
.
Yuen will also be starring alongside Bryan Leung and Ji Chun Hua in Legend of Shaolin Kung-fu II: Thirteen Cudgel Monks, a new film directed by Yuen Bun.
in 1989 and made his full directorial debut with A Kid from Tibet
in 1992.
Yuen also has a co-directing credit on the 2004 film Boxer's Story, with Ivan Lai (Lai Kai-Ming).
Yuen set up his own film production company, Yuen Biao Films Limited, which produced his films A Kid from Tibet and Once Upon a Chinese Hero aka Kickboxer (1993).
Hong Kong people
Hong Kong people refer to people who originate from Hong Kong. The term has no legal definition in Hong Kong. Rather, terms such as Hong Kong permanent resident and Hong Kong resident are used...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
and Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer
Stage combat
Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...
. Along with Peking Opera School
Peking Opera School
The Peking Opera Schools were boarding schools located throughout Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, specialising in teaching Peking opera...
"brothers" at the China Drama Academy, Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
and Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
, he was one of the Seven Little Fortunes.
The early years
Born 夏令震 Xià Lìng-Zhèn (Hsia Ling-Jun) in Hong Kong, he was the fifth child in a family of eight children. At the age of six he was enrolled at the Peking Opera School The China Drama Academy. He was given the stage name Yuen Biao (Little Tiger) and trained alongside schoolmates Jackie ChanJackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
, Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
, Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah is a Hong Kong based Chinese action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.-Early life:...
and several others, under master Yu Jim-yuen, who would later become famous in Hong Kong cinema. He quickly showed a talent for acrobatics. According to Jackie Chan's autobiography when Yuen was first asked by his master, upon his first day with him, to do a backflip, Yuen did a proper backflip on his very first try. He remained at the school until the age of 16. When he left, Yuen followed his classmate Sammo Hung into a career in the Hong Kong film industry.
Film career
Yuen Biao has appeared in over 130 films. He has played roles in eight television series for Hong Kong channel TVBTelevision Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
.
Early 1970s
In the early 1970s, Yuen began work as a stuntmanStunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
and extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
. After working on Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
, Way of the Dragon
Way of the Dragon
The Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.- Plot :Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help his friend's niece Chen Ching Hua, and family friends, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local Mafia, which has been...
, Yuen became a stunt double for Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
on Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
, in 1973. He was also one of the "fake" Bruce Lees in Game of Death
Game of Death
The Game of Death is a 1972 film starring Bruce Lee. It was almost the last film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. Over 100 minutes of footage was shot before his death, some of which was later misplaced in the Golden Harvest archives...
(1978), performing the acrobatics and stunts that the Bruce Lee "body double
Body double
A body double is a general term for someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character in any recorded visual medium, in shots where the character's body is shown but the face is either not visible or shown indistinctly, or in shots where the image of the credited actor's face is joined,...
" (Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
expert, Kim Tai Chung) was unable to perform. Yuen continued working as a stuntman, doubling for actors in Hong Kong action films
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
and taking on supporting actor roles.
During his early acting period, he adopted the anglicised name Bill Yuen for use on the Hong Kong films that were released internationally. However, recognising the growing success of Jackie Chan, Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
were keen to give him a similar name, and on some international film prints, he was credited as Jimmy Yuen. Both anglicised names were later dropped.
Late 1970s and 1980s
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, thanks to his good friends and former classmates, Sammo HungSammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
and Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
, he began working more frequently as an actor. After his co starring role in The Dragon, the Odds (1977) and his full lead role debut in Knockabout
Knockabout (film)
Knockabout is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Sammo Hung and starring Hung and Yuen Biao.-Plot:...
(1978), he starred in several films in the early 1980s, notably The Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son (film)
The Prodigal Son , also released as "Pull No Punches," is a 1981 Hong Kong kung fu comedy film directed by Sammo Hung, starring Yuen Biao and Lam Ching-ying and featuring Hung in a supporting role...
(directed by Sammo Hung) and Dreadnaught
Dreadnaught (film)
Dreadnaught aka Yong zhe wu ju is a 1981 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Yuen Biao, Leung Kar Yan, and Kwan Tak-hing as Wong Fei Hung.- Plot :...
(directed by Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...
). He later co starred alongside his Peking Opera "brothers", Chan and Hung, in Project A
Project A
Project A is a 1983 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film written and directed by Jackie Chan, and starring Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao....
, Wheels on Meals
Wheels on Meals
Wheels on Meals is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action film written and directed by Sammo Hung. Starring in the film are Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao...
and Dragons Forever
Dragons Forever
Dragons Forever is a 1988 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Sammo Hung. Film stars Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. The three actors, known colloquially as the Three Brothers, had attended the famous China Drama Academy together, and became members of the Seven Little Fortunes...
, and also appeared in smaller roles in films such as Hung's original Lucky Stars
Lucky Stars
Lucky Stars Lucky Stars Lucky Stars (or Five Lucky Stars; was a Hong Kong action comedy film series in the 1980s and 1990s, blending Chinese martial arts with bawdy comedy...
trilogy.
1990s
Yuen's acting roles waned somewhat in the early 1990s, although he notably played a supporting role alongside Jet LiJet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
in Once Upon a Time in China
Once Upon a Time in China
Once Upon a Time in China is a Hong Kong martial arts action/adventure film franchise directed, written, and produced by Tsui Hark. The stories are based on the life of the legendary kung fu master, Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung...
(1991). Yuen did not appear in the sequel
Once Upon a Time in China II
Once Upon a Time in China II is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts action film written and directed by Tsui Hark and starring Jet Li returning as Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung. It is the second film and first sequel in the Once Upon a Time in China film series...
as he was replaced by Max Mok. In the late 1990s, films such as Hero (1997) co starring Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
and A Man Called Hero
A Man Called Hero
A Man Called Hero is a 1999 Hong Kong film based on the manhua series Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword by artist Ma Wing-shing. Directed by Andrew Lau, the film starred Ekin Cheng, Shu Qi, Kristy Yang, Nicholas Tse and Yuen Biao. The film's theme song Tin Sat Ku Hsing was performed by Ekin...
(1999) co starring Ekin Cheng
Ekin Cheng
Ekin Cheng is a Hong Kong actor and Cantopop singer. Early in his career he used the name Dior as a first name. He has also been referred to as Noodle Cheng, after a popular noodle product with a similar name...
saw Yuen return to the big screen. During this time he began to concentrate more on television work and took lead roles in the series Righteous Guards and The Legend of a Chinese Hero in 1998.
2000s
In 2000, Yuen went to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to work with Jackie Chan as the action choreographer on Shanghai Noon
Shanghai Noon
Shanghai Noon is a 2000 American martial arts action comedy western film starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. The film, marking the directorial debut of Tom Dey, was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar....
. In 2001, he co starred alongside Hung in The Avenging Fist. Yuen also starred in a more comedic role in the 2002 Japan HK film No Problem 2.
He is best known for his acrobatic action scenes which often overshadow the work of his more famous co-stars, especially in films such as Eastern Condors
Eastern Condors
Eastern Condors is a 1987 Hong Kong action film set in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. It was directed by and starred Sammo Hung along with Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah...
(co starring Sammo Hung) and Dragons Forever
Dragons Forever
Dragons Forever is a 1988 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Sammo Hung. Film stars Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. The three actors, known colloquially as the Three Brothers, had attended the famous China Drama Academy together, and became members of the Seven Little Fortunes...
.
In 2005, Yuen starred in a TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
series called Real Kung Fu
Real Kung Fu
Real Kung Fu is a Hong Kong television series first broadcast on TVB in October 2005. The series is shown to celebrate TVB's 38th anniversary.-Cast:-Viewership ratings:-External links:* Real Kung Fu - Official Website...
with Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah is a Hong Kong based Chinese action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.-Early life:...
, Maggie Siu
Maggie Siu
Maggie Shiu Mei-kei , sometimes credited as Maggie Shaw, is a prominent Hong Kong actress.-Career:Her career began in 1985 when she joined Hong Kong TVB. As her career developed, she took on variety of roles in TV series and movies...
, Leung Kar Yan
Leung Kar Yan
Bryan Leung Ka-yan is a Hong Kong film and television actor and director who has played roles in numerous acclaimed martial arts films. He is affectionately known as "Beardy" due to his trademark facial hair. He also has characteristic hyper-extendable fingers, which can be observed when he has...
, Jack Wu
Jack Wu
Jack Wu is a television actor, and host from Hong Kong, working for TVB.-TV series:-External links:*...
and one of Sammo Hung's real life son, Timmy Hung
Timmy Hung
Timmy Hung Tin Ming is a Hong Kong actor and the eldest son of martial arts superstar Sammo Hung. He is half Korean, his mother is Sammo Hung's first wife.-Film:-Television series:-External links:* at the Hong Kong Movie Database*...
.
In 2006, Yuen plays Inspector Steve Mok in Robin B Hood
Rob-B-Hood
Rob-B-Hood is a 2006 action comedy film directed by Benny Chan, and starring Jackie Chan, Louis Koo and Michael Hui. It was produced with a budget of HK$130 million and filmed between December 2005 and January 2006...
along with his long time friend Jackie Chan.
In 2007 he finished filming the Wing Chun TV series
Wing Chun (TV series)
Wing Chun is the English language title of a two Hong Kong martial arts TV series: one produced in 1994 and one produced from 2004-2007.-1994 series:please expandSee also Wing Chun for the 1994 film starring Michelle Yeoh....
(a remake of the 1994 series that had preceded the film Wing Chun
Wing Chun (film)
Wing Chun is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and stars Michelle Yeoh as the eponymous character Yim Wing-Chun, a tofu maker and martial artist who tries to protect her village's inhabitants from a group of bandits.The film was preceded by a 1994...
) alongside Nicholas Tse
Nicholas Tse
Nicholas Tse is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter, actor and musician, and son of actor Patrick Tse. He is a member of the Emperor Entertainment Group...
, Sammo Hung and another of Hung's sons, Sammy Hung. Biao plays an elder version of the character Leung Jan
Leung Jan
Leung Jan was a Wing Chun practitioner. Leung was a Chinese herbal doctor in Foshan. His name became well-known due to his wins in competitive bouts. He was called Mr...
, the role he played 25 years earlier in The Prodigal Son, and father to Tse's character.
The series has since been re-edited for release as a film, entitled Shuang Long Ji (aka Legend of Twins Dragon). However, the film's release has been delayed as it has been banned in Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
for containing too much violence.
Yuen appeared as a guest judge on the China Beijing TV Station reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series The Disciple, which airied in Mainland China and was produced by, and featured Jackie Chan. The aim of the program was to find a new star, skilled in acting and martial arts, to become Chan's "successor", the champion being awarded the lead role in a film. It concluded on June 7, 2008, with the series winner being announced in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Yuen will also be starring alongside Bryan Leung and Ji Chun Hua in Legend of Shaolin Kung-fu II: Thirteen Cudgel Monks, a new film directed by Yuen Bun.
Directing and producing
Though mainly known as an actor, Yuen co-directed Peacock King with Lam Ngai KaiLam Ngai Kai
Lam Ngai Kai aka. Nam Lai Choi, Nam Nai Choi, Simon Nam is a Hong Kong-based film director. French critic Xavier Desbarats has repeatedly compared his work with that of Edward D...
in 1989 and made his full directorial debut with A Kid from Tibet
A Kid from Tibet
A Kid from Tibet is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts-action film directed by and starring Yuen Biao. The film features two more former members of the Seven Little Fortunes: Yuen Wah as an evil sorcerer and a cameo appearance from Jackie Chan. A Kid From Tibet is the only film to date that Yuen has...
in 1992.
Yuen also has a co-directing credit on the 2004 film Boxer's Story, with Ivan Lai (Lai Kai-Ming).
Yuen set up his own film production company, Yuen Biao Films Limited, which produced his films A Kid from Tibet and Once Upon a Chinese Hero aka Kickboxer (1993).