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Statistics :
11630 Movies
19215 People
1448 Studios
29 Articles
73 Interviews
12 DVD Reviews
32452 Screenshots
3722 Videos
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| Other names : |
王羽
Wang Yu
Wang Yue
Wang Zheng Quan
Wong Jing Kuen
Wong Yu Lung
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| Birthdate : |
28/3/1943 |
| Date of death : |
5/4/2022 |
| Nationality : |
China |
| Workplace : |
Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan |
| Activities : |
Director (10), Producer (8), Action Director (4), Writer (4), Actor (82), Brief appearance (1), Cameo (1), Planning (2), Presenter (2) |
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Biography |
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In the mid-60’s the Shaw Brothers was attempting to broaden their offerings by producing more action films. Their reputation up until then was based primarily on dramas and romances, but the popularity of the Japanese Chambara films seemed to indicate that martial arts/wuxia films had the potential for a strong resurgence. So they began adding actors to their stable of performers in hopes of their becoming possible action stars. One of their hires was a former water polo champion from Shanghai by the name of Jimmy Wang Yu (which translates to "King Youth"). The success of King Hu's Come Drink with Me and then the film Jade Bow reinforced this strategic change.
Wang Yu appeared in a few action films such as Temple of Red Lotus (1965), Twin Swords (1965) and Tiger Boy (1966) before he was to appear in a film called The One Armed Swordsman in 1967 that was to instantly make him a star. Wang Yu had already worked with the director Chang Cheh but this film was to make both of their reputations. Wang Yu by the way was right-handed, but tradition necessitated that he play the character left-handed. Chang Cheh revolutionized the martial arts or wuxia film by dramatically revving up the violence and introducing what could be called anti-heroes. Chang Cheh was also a strong believer in “yanggang” or masculine male – and feeling that it had disappeared to some degree from Chinese film – created tough, stoic male characters in his films. Wang Yu was his first prototype in doing this.
Their collaborations also included the classics Assassin (1967), Golden Swallow (1968) and Return of the One Armed Swordsman (1969). In all these films Wang Yu plays a lonely, tormented, complex swordsman/killer full of anger but still generally an honorable guy deep down - generic roles that he was to copy many times in his film career. These portrayals made him a gigantic star. So much so that he was no longer satisfied with the salary that he was receiving from the Shaw Brothers. As this was happening another phenomenon was in the air in Hong Kong. Everyone was talking about Bruce Lee coming to Hong Kong after his televison success in The Green Hornet in the states. Shaw had refused to outbid Golden Harvest for Lee's services, but they intended to get a kung fu film out to the public first.Trying to keep him happy, The Shaw Brothers allowed Wang Yu to make this film, The Chinese Boxer.
It is The Chinese Boxer (1970) that is generally given the credit as being the first film wholly dedicated to kung fu. Up until this time most martial arts films were based around the sword with some kung fu thrown in from time to time. This film was extremely violent and comprised only of hand to hand combat. This was a year before Bruce Lee made his appearance in HK and in a sense it began the kung fu period of the 70’s. To some degree, it also served as a template for many of the kung fu films to follow - a loner seeking revenge and having to battle seemingly insurmountable odds to get it. It is also strongly anti-Japanese - another thread that was to run through many of Wang Yu's films.
Even with the huge success of this film, Wang Yu broke his contract (though Shaw sued) and began making films on his own in Taiwan and then in partnership with Golden Harvest. Wang Yu produced and starred in a load of films over the next couple of years – One Armed Boxer and Beach of the War Gods are considered classics – but he began to be overshadowed by newer stars – Bruce Lee, Ti Lung, David Chiang and others with better martial arts skills. As important as his films were, Wang Yu was never really an accomplished martial artist - though he used the camera/editing effectively to hide this. His swordsmanship is quite enjoyable, but his kung fu looks clunky and slow compared to many others that came after him.
So his popularity started to dwindle – though he still appeared in two international films – Man from Hong Kong (1975) and A Queens Ransom (1976) – and by the mid to late 70’s he was no longer an essential part of the cinematic landscape. His later 70's films have been termed schlocky, but lots of fun by some - and they still have that Wang Yu feel to them that are different from any other films. There is no doubt that Wang Yu was a vital and extremely important part of the evolution of HK action films and he still has a loyal base of fans.
Off the screen Wang Yu was also legendary - for getting into numerous public brawls, having many affairs and having ties to the triads. This last item was helpful when Jackie Chan was trying to break his contract with Lo Wei in the late 70's (Jackie later appeared in a Wang Yu film (Island of Fire) as a repayment.
Back in the late sixties Wang Yu wooed famous movie actress Jeanette Lin Tsui who was married, with children, and was 12 years his senior. There was no divorce as the husband Qin Jan, a famed director of melodrama, happily obliged by hanging himself. The actress was already pregnant when Wang brought her to the altar. It's hard to imagine a star career surviving such a scandal, but Wang Yu did, although there is a one and a half-year gap in between The Return of the One Armed Swordsman and Chinese Boxer. The couple split-up in the mid-seventies after Lin accused him of beating her up, but Wang later explain that he hit her because she was involved with a lesbian. Their daughter is singer Linda Wang.
Wang remarried with an air hostess named Kai-cheng and she's the one who raised the children born in the previous marriage. The couple separated around 1997 with Kai Cheng asking for divorce and Wang Yu refusing. She eventually started an affair with an up and coming young entrepreneur. Last December Wang Yu invaded the lovers love-nest accompanied by reporters and police. Then having utterly humiliated his wife in the most public of fashion, he was done with her.
Yves Gendron
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Filmography |
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 Alternate lists by alpha / genre / year |
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Title
( HK - All )
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 Year |
Activity |
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Soul |
2012 |
Actor |
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Tai Chi 0 |
2012 |
Actor |
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Let's Go ! |
2011 |
Actor |
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Wu Xia |
2011 |
Actor |
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Eighteen Springs |
1997 |
Producer |
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Stand Behind The Yellow Line |
1997 |
Producer |
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Beheaded 1000, The |
1994 |
Producer, Actor |
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Drug Connection |
1993 |
Actor |
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Requital |
1992 |
Actor |
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Shogun And Little Kitchen |
1992 |
Actor |
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All For The Gamblers |
1991 |
Presenter |
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Island Of Fire |
1991 |
Producer, Actor, Planning |
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Once Upon A Time In China |
1991 |
Actor |
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Tantana, The |
1991 |
Producer |
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Millionaire's Express, The |
1986 |
Actor |
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Clash Of The Professionals |
1985 |
Producer, Actor |
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Shanghai 13 |
1985 |
Actor |
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Fantasy Mission Force |
1982 |
Actor, Presenter |
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Battle of Guningtou, The |
1979 |
Actor |
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Cute Foster Sister |
1979 |
Planning |
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Big Leap Forward |
1978 |
Actor |
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Brotherly Love |
1977 |
Actor |
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Bruce Lee, We Miss You |
1977 |
Brief appearance |
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Criminal, The |
1977 |
Actor |
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Deadly Silver Spear |
1977 |
Actor |
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Lantern Street, The |
1977 |
Actor |
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One Arm Chivalry Fights Against One Arm Chivalry |
1977 |
Actor |
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Revenge Of Kung Fu Mao |
1977 |
Actor |
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Dead Rivalry, A |
1976 |
Producer, Actor |
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Killer Meteors, The |
1976 |
Actor |
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Master Of The Flying Guillotine |
1976 |
Director, Writer, Actor |
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One Armed Swordsman Against Nine Killers |
1976 |
Producer, Actor |
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One Armed Swordsmen |
1976 |
Director, Actor |
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Queen's Ransom, A |
1976 |
Actor |
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Tiger And Crane Fist |
1976 |
Director, Action Director, Actor |
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Cookbook Of Birth Control, A |
1975 |
Actor |
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Eight Hundred Heroes |
1975 |
Actor |
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Great Hunter, The |
1975 |
Actor |
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Iron Man |
1975 |
Actor |
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Man From Hong Kong, The |
1975 |
Director, Actor |
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My Wacky, Wacky World |
1975 |
Cameo |
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Return Of The Chinese Boxer |
1975 |
Director, Actor |
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Four Real Friends |
1974 |
Director, Actor |
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My Father, My Husband, My Son |
1974 |
Actor |
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Beach Of The War Gods |
1973 |
Director, Writer, Actor |
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Black Friday |
1973 |
Actor |
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King Of Boxers |
1973 |
Actor |
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Kiss to Remember, A |
1973 |
Actor |
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Knight Errant |
1973 |
Actor |
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Man Called Tiger, A |
1973 |
Actor |
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Seaman No. 7 |
1973 |
Actor |
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Tattooed Dragon, The |
1973 |
Actor |
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Two Cavaliers, The |
1973 |
Actor |
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Adventure, The |
1972 |
Actor |
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Chow Ken |
1972 |
Actor |
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Fatest Fists |
1972 |
Actor |
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Furious Slaughter |
1972 |
Actor |
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Gallant, The |
1972 |
Actor |
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Hero, The |
1972 |
Actor |
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Invincible, The |
1972 |
Actor |
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Last Duel, The |
1972 |
Actor |
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Lion's Heart |
1972 |
Actor |
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Ma Su Chen |
1972 |
Actor |
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Shogun Saints |
1972 |
Actor |
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Showdown |
1972 |
Actor |
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Brave And The Evil, The |
1971 |
Director, Action Director, Actor |
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Desperate Chase, The |
1971 |
Actor |
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Invincible Sword |
1971 |
Actor |
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Magnificent Chivalry |
1971 |
Actor |
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Morale And Evil |
1971 |
Actor |
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One Armed Boxer, The |
1971 |
Director, Action Director, Writer, Actor |
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Professional Killer, The |
1971 |
Actor |
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Sword, The |
1971 |
Action Director, Actor |
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Zatoichi Meets The One-Armed Swordsman |
1971 |
Actor |
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Chinese Boxer, The |
1970 |
Director, Writer, Actor |
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My Son |
1970 |
Actor |
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Return Of The One-Armed Swordsman |
1969 |
Actor |
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Golden Swallow |
1968 |
Actor |
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Sword Of Swords, The |
1968 |
Actor |
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Asia-Pol |
1967 |
Actor |
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Assassin, The |
1967 |
Actor |
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Auntie Lan |
1967 |
Actor |
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One-Armed Swordsman |
1967 |
Actor |
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Sword And The Lute, The |
1967 |
Actor |
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Trail Of The Broken Blade, The |
1967 |
Actor |
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Magnificent Trio, The |
1966 |
Actor |
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Tiger Boy |
1966 |
Actor |
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Temple Of The Red Lotus |
1965 |
Actor |
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Twin Swords, The |
1965 |
Actor |
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