Dick Wei
Encyclopedia
Dick Wei is a Taiwanese
actor, director and writer who specializes in martial arts and action films.
His first films were made while he was still in the army (mostly low budget Taiwanese productions). His earliest movie appearance may be a brief fight scene with Ti Lung
in the Shaw Brother's
Iron Chain Assassin from 1974.
, he was spotted by Chang Cheh
, who persuaded him to have a screen test
which was shown to Sir Run Run Shaw. He later signed with the Shaw Brothers and moved to Hong Kong
in 1977. Here he made several films under the name "Tu Lung". These included The FiveVenoms, Kid With a Tattoo and Kid with the Golden Arm
.
From the Shaw Brothers he moved to Golden Harvest
where he joined Sammo Hung
's team of actor/stuntmen along with such notables as Yuen Wah
and Lam Ching-ying. The characters he played many include "Lo San Pao" (the pirate king in Project A
), Bandit number 6 in Millionaire's Express
, and one of Frankie Chan
's henchmen in The Prodigal Son
. Sammo also used him to help train Joyce Godenzi (the future Mrs. Hung) for the movie Eastern Condors
. He was also involved in Michelle Yeoh
's training when she first began to make martial arts movies. Yuen Biao
included him as a co-star in two of his projects - The Champions and Rosa.
and Cynthia Rothrock
(whose jaw he is reputed to have broken). Other notables he has worked with include Chow Yun-fat
, Chow Sing Chi and Simon Yam
. Later, he was the action director and co-star on one of Jet Li
's earlier films, Dragon Fight
.
More recently he has moved back home to Taiwan where he has turned his hand to directing and producing. He is working in Taiwanese television and has starred in a number of movies, including some made-for-television
. It is rumored that he is currently (2009) involved in a "Magnificent Seven
" type project along with such veteran film actors as Leung Kar Yan
.
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
actor, director and writer who specializes in martial arts and action films.
Early life & career
He was born in the town of Pingdong in southern Taiwan and began studying martial arts in Junior High School, winning numerous competitions. Later, he served in the Taiwanese army, attaining the rank of Captain, and was an instructor in unarmed combat, especially Tae Kwon Do.His first films were made while he was still in the army (mostly low budget Taiwanese productions). His earliest movie appearance may be a brief fight scene with Ti Lung
Ti Lung
Tommy Tam Fu-Wing, also known as Ti Lung , or Dik Lung, is a Hong Kong actor.-Background:He studied Wing Chun under the martial arts master Chu Wan. In 1969, Ti was found by the Shaw Brothers and cast in Return of the One-Armed Swordsman opposite Jimmy Wang Yu, a role which would launch his career...
in the Shaw Brother's
Shaw Brothers Studio
The Shaw Brothers Studio , owned by Shaw Brothers Ltd., was the foremost and the largest movie production company of Hong Kong movies.From their distribution base in Singapore where they founded parent company Shaw Organization in 1924, and as a strategic development of their movie distribution...
Iron Chain Assassin from 1974.
Discovery
While operating a martial arts studio in TaipeiTaipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, he was spotted by Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh was Shaw Brothers Studio's best known and most prolific film director, with such films as the Five Venoms, the Brave Archer , the The One-Armed Swordsman, and other classics of wuxia and kung fu film.-Career:Referred to as "The Godfather of Hong Kong cinema", Chang Cheh directed over 100...
, who persuaded him to have a screen test
Screen test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film and/or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a camera to see if they are suitable...
which was shown to Sir Run Run Shaw. He later signed with the Shaw Brothers and moved to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1977. Here he made several films under the name "Tu Lung". These included The FiveVenoms, Kid With a Tattoo and Kid with the Golden Arm
Kid with the Golden Arm
Kid With The Golden Arms is a 1979 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh and produced by Mona Fong. It is one of the few Venom Mob films to include Wei Pai .- Plot :...
.
From the Shaw Brothers he moved to 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...
where he joined 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...
's team of actor/stuntmen along with such notables as 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 Lam Ching-ying. The characters he played many include "Lo San Pao" (the pirate king 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....
), Bandit number 6 in Millionaire's Express
Millionaire's Express
Millionaire's Express aka. Shanghai Express is a 1986 Hong Kong martial arts action western film written and directed by Sammo Hung. Film starred Hung, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan, Mei-sheng Fan and Hwang Jang Lee.-Plot:...
, and one of Frankie Chan
Frankie Chan
Frankie Chan Fan-kei is a Chinese actor, film director, producer, action director, and composer.Chan is best known to Hong Kong action cinema fans as the main antagonist in Sammo Hung's The Prodigal Son where he faces Yuen Biao in the final reel...
's henchmen in 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...
. Sammo also used him to help train Joyce Godenzi (the future Mrs. Hung) for the movie 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...
. He was also involved in Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng is a Hong Kong-based Malaysian Chinese actress, well known for performing her own stunts in the action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s....
's training when she first began to make martial arts movies. Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao
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...
included him as a co-star in two of his projects - The Champions and Rosa.
Later roles and directing
He moved on to play a variety of honorable villains and driven cops in films with stars such as Cynthia KhanCynthia Khan
Yang Li-Tsing also known by her stage name Cynthia Khan is Taiwanese actress Martial artist born on December 13, 1968 in Chiayi County, Taiwan and She's also in the sub-genre known as girls with guns.-Early life:...
and Cynthia Rothrock
Cynthia Rothrock
Cynthia Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress specializing in martial arts films. -Martial arts achievements:Rothrock is five-time World Karate Champion in forms and weapons between 1981 and 1985...
(whose jaw he is reputed to have broken). Other notables he has worked with include Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
, Chow Sing Chi and Simon Yam
Simon Yam
Simon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague....
. Later, he was the action director and co-star on one of Jet Li
Jet 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...
's earlier films, Dragon Fight
Dragon Fight
Dragon Fight is a 1989 Hong Kong action film directed by Billy Tang Hin-Shing, written by James Yuen and Sally Nichols, and starring Jet Li and Stephen Chow....
.
More recently he has moved back home to Taiwan where he has turned his hand to directing and producing. He is working in Taiwanese television and has starred in a number of movies, including some made-for-television
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
. It is rumored that he is currently (2009) involved in a "Magnificent Seven
The Magnificent Seven
The Magnificent Seven is an American Western film directed by John Sturges, and released in 1960. It is a fictional tale of a group of seven American gunmen who are hired to protect a small agricultural village in Mexico from a group of marauding Mexican bandits...
" type project along with such veteran film actors as 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...
.
Selected filmography
- Brave ArcherBrave ArcherThe Brave Archer, alternatively known as Kungfu Warlord, is a 1977 Hong Kong film adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The film was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chang Cheh, starring Alexander Fu and Tanny Tien in the leading roles...
(1977) - Carry On PickpocketCarry On PickpocketCarry On Pickpocket is 1982 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Sammo Hung who also stars in it alongside Frankie Chan and Deannie Yip. Hung, the Sammo Hung Stuntmen's Association, Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-ying and Billy Chan served as action directors...
(1982) - Chinatown KidChinatown KidChinatown Kid is a 1977 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh, with action choreography by Robert Tai Chi Hsien and Lee Ka Ting, and starring Alexander Fu Sheng and the Venom Mob....
(1977) - Crippled AvengersCrippled AvengersCrippled Avengers is a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh and starring four members of the Venom Mob. It has been released in North America as Mortal Combat and Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms....
(1978) - Dragon FightDragon FightDragon Fight is a 1989 Hong Kong action film directed by Billy Tang Hin-Shing, written by James Yuen and Sally Nichols, and starring Jet Li and Stephen Chow....
(1989) - Dragons ForeverDragons ForeverDragons 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...
(1988) - Eastern CondorsEastern CondorsEastern 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...
(1987) - Five Venoms (1978)
- Heart of DragonHeart of DragonHeart of Dragon is a 1985 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Sammo Hung, and starring Hung, Jackie Chan, Emily Chu and Mang Hoi.It is also known by the titles as 'The First Mission and Powerman III....
(1985) - Invincible ShaolinInvincible ShaolinInvincible Shaolin aka Unbeatable Dragon is a Hong Kong films of 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh. It is one of Chang Cheh's tales of Shaolin's historic rivalries with the Qing Dynasty...
(1978) - Kid with the Golden ArmKid with the Golden ArmKid With The Golden Arms is a 1979 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh and produced by Mona Fong. It is one of the few Venom Mob films to include Wei Pai .- Plot :...
(1978) - Lightning Kung Fu (1980)
- My Lucky StarsMy Lucky StarsMy Lucky Stars is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film, directed by Sammo Hung. It is the second film in the Lucky Stars series...
(1985) - Owl vs Bombo, The (1984)
- Pedicab DriverPedicab DriverPedicab Driver is a 1989 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by and starring Sammo Hung, who portrays the leader of a crew of cycle rickshaw drivers in 1930s Macau.The movie features features guest appearances by Eric Tsang, Corey Yuen and Lau Kar-leung....
(1989) - Pom PomPom Pom (film)Pom Pom is a 1984 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Joe Cheung. It is the first in a series of four Pom Pom films starring Richard Ng and John Shum....
(1984) - Prodigal Son, TheThe 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...
(1981) - Project AProject AProject 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....
(1983) - RosaRosaThe name Rosa, Latin and botanic name of the flowering shrub Rose, could refer to:-Places:*223 Rosa, an asteroid*Rosa, Alabama, USA*Rosa, Germany, in Thuringia, Germany*Roşia Nouă village, Petriş Commune, Arad County, Romania-Other uses:...
(1986) - Seventh Curse, The (1986)
- Millionaire's ExpressMillionaire's ExpressMillionaire's Express aka. Shanghai Express is a 1986 Hong Kong martial arts action western film written and directed by Sammo Hung. Film starred Hung, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan, Mei-sheng Fan and Hwang Jang Lee.-Plot:...
(1986) - Shaolin HandlockShaolin HandlockShaolin Handlock is a Shaw Brothers film directed by Ho Meng Hua, starring Lo Lieh and David Chiang.-Plot:Li Bai is the creator and master of the 'Shi Zi So Hou Shou' who passes down the skill to his children 'Ching Yang' and Meng Ping...
(?) - Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky StarsTwinkle, Twinkle Lucky StarsTwinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film directed and co-written by Sammo Hung. It is the third instalment in the Lucky Stars series, following Winners and Sinners and My Lucky Stars...
(1985) - Winners and SinnersWinners and SinnersWinners and Sinners is a 1983 Hong Kong action comedy film directed, co-written by and starring Sammo Hung. It was the first in the Lucky Stars series of films - a highly successful series in Hong Kong....
(1983) - Yes Madam (1985)