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Austin Wai Tin Chi

 
 
 
 
Other names : 惠天赐
Hui Tian Si
Hui Tien Chi
Hui Tin Chee
Austin Wai
Wai Tin Chi
 
Birthdate : 13/8/1957
Date of death : 5/10/2010
Workplace : Hong Kong
Activities : Action Director (5), Assistant Action Director (1), Actor (64), Brief appearance (2), Stuntman (1)

Biography

As the elder brother of martial arts diva Kara Hui Ying Hung, actor and choreographer Austin Wai's career may not be as high profile as his sister's, but he still managed to make a name for himself in the wuxia genre as a supporting player for both movies and TV serials.

Wai was born in 1957 from a refugee family with Manchu ancestry. His physical abilities were honed through his childhood at the Spring and Autumn Peking Opera Academy of Madame Fen Ju-hua, where he trained alongside such future Hong Kong cinema luminaries as Meng Hoi, Lam Ching Ying and Hsiao Ho.

While still a teenager, Austin Wai's first recorded film appearance was a small part in the Shaw Brothers kung-fu flick Thunderbolt Fist. Later on, like his fellow Peking opera brethren, he worked as a stuntman and martial arts extra for among others Shaw Brothers and Sammo Hung's stunt team. His physical talents got noticed and he was cast in fighting henchmen type part for such movies as Avenging Eagle, Incredible Kung Fu Master and Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber II. His first big break came when Shaw Brothers cast him as one out of a trio of Jackie Chan-style “kung-fu kids” for their very first martial-arts comedy Five Super Fighters. It was here that he got to truly showcase his abilities, not only in martial performance, but also his screen charisma and a touch of comic flair. Subsequently Shaw's cast him in two wuxia style movies, Killer Constable and Magnificent Spearman, but a bad back injury incapacitated him and brought a halt to Wai's initial foray into playing leads.

Once recovered, he continued his career as a supporting martial player for Shaw Brothers wuxia pian productions in such films as Convict Killer, Heroes Shed No Tears and The Ambitious Kung Fu Girl. At one point he was hired by independent producer/director Lo Wei to replaced Jackie Chan himself for a follow-up to the hit Fearless Hyena. It was Wai's second and final kung-fu kid role but as the movie was released only after many years it's did'nt seem to have done much for Wai's carreer. His second chance at the big time came with the film Gang Master, playing a rebel patriot accused of being a Mongol spy (which is somewhat ironic considering Austin Wai's own Manchu ancestry). Unfortunately, the film turned out to be a box-office dud.

Wai finally got his time in the limelight, but on the small screen rather than the big one, playing roles in television wuxia serials produced by the TVB channel (also owned by the Shaw Brothers). These not only made good use of his physical skills but his smouldering looks and sorrowful gaze as well, making him perfectly suited to play mysterious brooding swordsmen such series as Demi Gods And Semi Devils (1982), Legend Of The Condor Heroes (1983), The return of Luk Siu Fung (1983) Foundation(1983), New Adventures Of Chor Lau Heung (1984), just to name a few.

Wai's steady television work kept him out of the movies for the better part of the eighties, with the notable exception of Final Test, a rare Hong Kong sci-fi entry, where he choreographed the action and played the lead role. His true return to the movies began in 1989, working as both supporting actor and action choreographer in wuxia pictures and action thrillers. Among his movies from this period are Pom Pom And Hot Hot (as the white-clad assassin) and The Blade (as the hero's grizzled adoptive father). He also played a small part in the tragic actioner Burning Ambition, the only known time that he shared the screen with his younger sister Kara Hui. He worked as a choreographer only intermittently after 1990, but was nominated for a Golden Horse Award for his work on a Generation Pendragon. (1999)

Austin Wai continued to work both on the big and small screens up to 2010, often playing elder police officer-types One Nite In Mongkok,Sha Po Lang, Flashpoint). Afterwards, as did many aging actors, Wei transitioned into business ventures outside the film industry. He passed away in his home in Bejing in early October of 2012 at only 55 years of age.


Yves Gendron (November 2012)
 
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Filmography
 [ 2010 - 2000 - 1990 - 1980 - 1970 ] 
 Alternate lists by alpha / genre / year
 
Title    ( HK -  All )  Year Activity
 
 Kung Fu Wing Chun 2010 Actor
 I Corrupt All Cops 2009 Actor
 Rebellion 2009 Actor
 Flash Point 2007 Actor
 Funeral, The 2007 Actor
 Who's Next 2007 Actor
 Insuperable Kid 2005 Actor
 Sha Po Lang 2005 Actor
 One Nite In Mongkok 2004 Actor
 D7 SDU 2000 Actor
 Fist Power 1999 Actor
 High Tension Crime 1999 Actor
 King Of Debt Collecting Agent, The 1999 Actor
 Moonlight Express 1999 Actor
 No Time For Two 1999 Actor
 Blade, The 1995 Actor
 Deadly Island 1994 Actor
 Master Of Zen 1994 Actor
 True Hero, The 1994 Actor
 All Men Are Brothers : Blood Of The Leopard 1993 Actor
 Happy Partner 1993 Action Director
 Reincarnated 2 1993 Actor
 Sword Stained With Royal Blood, The 1993 Action Director
 Unpublicizable File, The 1993 Actor
 Woman In Lust 1993 Actor
 Once A Black Sheep 1992 Actor
 Pom Pom And Hot Hot 1992 Actor
 Twilight Of The Forbidden City, The 1992 Actor
 Action In Border 1991 Actor
 Banquet, The 1991 Brief appearance
 Firefox's Killer 1990 Actor
 Generation Consultant 1990 Actor
 Ghostly Love 1990 Actor
 Whampoa Blues 1990 Actor
 Burning Ambition 1989 Action Director, Actor
 Fortune Code, The 1989 Action Director, Actor
 Final Test, The 1987 Action Director, Actor
 Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars 1985 Brief appearance
 Foundation, The 1984 Actor
 New Adventures Of Chor Lau Heung, The 1984 Actor
 Fearless Hyena II 1983 Actor
 Legend Of The Condor Heroes, The 1983 Actor
 Supreme Swordsman, The 1983 Actor
 Demi Gods And Semi Devils I : Six Meridians Divine Sword 1982 Actor
 Gang Master 1982 Actor
 Ambitious Kung Fu Girl 1981 Actor
 Convict Killer, The 1980 Actor
 Heroes Shed No Tears 1980 Actor
 Return To The 36th Chamber 1980 Actor
 Crazy Partner 1979 Assistant Action Director, Actor
 Deadly Breaking Sword, The 1979 Actor
 Five Super Fighters 1979 Actor
 Full Moon Scimitar 1979 Actor
 Incredible Kung Fu Master, The 1979 Actor
 Kung Fu Vs Yoga 1979 Actor
 Lama Avenger, The 1979 Actor
 What Price Honesty ? 1979 Actor
 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, The 1978 Actor
 Avenging Eagle 1978 Actor
 Bruce Lee - The Invincible 1978 Actor
 Game Of Death, The 1978 Stuntman
 Heaven Sword And Dragon Sabre, Part II 1978 Actor
 Shaolin Hand Lock 1978 Actor
 Voyage Of Emperor Chien Lung, The 1978 Actor
 Fatal Flying Guillotines, The 1977 Actor
 He Has Nothing But Kung Fu 1977 Actor
 Iron Fisted Monk, The 1977 Actor
 Shaolin Plot, The 1977 Actor
 Thunderbolt Fist, The 1972 Actor
 

 Article    Review    Poster/Gallery    DVD Captures    Trailer    DVD Captures/Trailer  
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Gallery
 
 Austin Wai Tin Chi pictures :  (Hide)
Sha Po Lang
One Nite In Mongkok
Moonlight Express
The King Of Debt Collecting Agent
Master Of Zen
Burning Ambition
The Fortune Code
The Final Test
The Final Test
Fearless Hyena II
Gang Master
The Convict Killer
Kung Fu Vs Yoga
The Incredible Kung Fu Master
Avenging Eagle
The Iron Fisted Monk
The Iron Fisted Monk
The Thunderbolt Fist
Gang Master
Gang Master
 
 Other Austin Wai Tin Chi pictures :  (Hide)
The King Of Debt Collecting Agent (2)
The Blade (1)
Master Of Zen (1)
The True Hero (1)
Burning Ambition (1)
The Final Test (6)
Fearless Hyena II (2)
Gang Master (5)
The Convict Killer (1)
Five Super Fighters (4)
 
More pictures in the gallery
 
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