Yuen Biao is regarded as one of the most acrobatic martial artists ever. Unfortunately, he is still underrated and not as popular as other contemporaries such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, and Jet Li even though he is the most critically acclaimed out of all of them and the most talented as well. And now he is receiving a cult following due ...
"Kung fu talent is abundant in China. But is there an experienced person who can mold this potential to make films, action films? Like Sammo Hung or Jackie Chan, who have the desire for action films, and able to teach them? I don't think there ever will be." - from Project A DVD interview.
2
"We'd known about Bruce Lee ever since we were children. Regarding what he could do, he did deserve people's admiration. On film, his kung fu was magnificent, but as far as filming technique is concerned, those old films were not that sophisticated. They were one-man shows. If he hadn't been so great, there would have been nothing to see. [Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and I] had all done "Enter the Dragon" together with Lam Ching-Ying. Bruce Lee liked our group, the stunt-men, very much. After he died, action films declined for a while. Then Sammo Hung and [the rest of] us emerged. We made action films together, with Sammo Hung as leader." - from Project A DVD interview.
3
"By the time we came out to work in Hong Kong film industry, we realized that our teacher had taught us useful things, since we didn't go to normal schools. We studied opera so we entered the entertainment industry. If there wasn't a film industry, we would have been lost. We were lucky that in Hong Kong, people liked this kind of film, and there were people who could perform it to represent Hong Kong. This became the mainstream film. Then eventually, Hong Kong became renowned for it." - from Project A DVD interview.
#
Fact
1
Is one of the rare HK performers who have a more loyal following in Japan than in his native Hong Kong. Thus the many Japan/HK co-productions in his work (The Setting Sun 1992, Bakayaro! 1991, No Problem 2 2002.) For the Kung Fu-soccer comedy The Champions (1983), he was promoted as a wholesome, super-athlete version of Japan's pop idol culture. As the norm for idols in Japan, Yuen released several music albums despite his rudimentary grasp on Japanese and pop music. Documented as recently as 2004, Yuen still makes the occasional personalized replies to his Japanese fans.
2
Introduced nephew Edmond Fung Yuen-Man to film production. Fung has now directed Futago (2005).
3
Biao has worn spectacles since adolescence. Although in most movies he does not not wear spectacles he can be seen wearing his own pairs in Wheels on Meals (19834), Mr Vampire 2 (1986), and Hunted Hunter (1997).
4
"Yuen" is the surname of his Peking Opera school teacher, Yu Jim Yuen. Many school graduates take the name as their stage name, in honor of their teacher. "Biao" means a youthful tiger in its prime.
5
Attended Peking Opera school, run by Yu Jim Yuen who moved to Hong Kong from Mainland China. By the time Yuen Biao, Jackie Chan, and Sammo Hung graduated, Peking Opera performances were declining in popularity (a fictionalized account is told in Painted Faces 1988, starring Sammo Hung as their infamously strict teacher Yu Jim Yuen.) These graduates skilled in Peking Opera and martial arts then entered film business to apply their life-long skills, transforming the waning swordplay and (old school) kung fu genres in 1970s-1980s, and inventing the now classic, multi-genre modern action of 1980s.
6
Longtime friend of Jackie Chan (Rush Hour (1998)) and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (Martial Law (1998)).
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Kuai can che
1984
David
Pom Pom
1984
Truck Driver
Project A
1983
Captain Tzu
Boh ngau
1983
Lee Tong
Qi mou miao ji: Wu fu xing
1983
CID Agent
Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain
1983
Ti Ming Chi
Tai fong siu sau
1982
Man at bank
Yong zhe wu ju
1981
Mousy
Bai ga jai
1981
Leung Chang
Game of Death II
1981
Blue Staff Monk (uncredited)
Wu yi bian fu
1980
Spooky Encounters
1980
Vampire
Shen bu you ji
1980
Jo-Wing cohort
Shi di chu ma
1980
Sang Kung's Son / Fourth Brother
Lin Shi Rong
1979
Leung Foon (Guest star) (as Biao Yuan)
Zhuang ju zai yu Niu gan yan
1979
Mo Lai Tao
Za jia xiao zi
1979
Yipao
Lao hu tian ji
1978
Casino Fighter #3
Zan xian sheng yu zhao qian Hua
1978
Spiritual Kung Fu
1978
Master of the Five Fists
Xiao shi yi lang
1978
Fei Lung gwoh gong
1978
Fighter in Opening Credit Sequence
Chu zhong
1978
Amsterdam Connection
1978
Game of Death
1978
Billy Lo (as Bill Yuen)
Xue fu rong
1978
Flying Guillotine at bamboo forest
Po jie
1977
Bei po
1977
The Amsterdam Kill
1977
Shen tui tie shan gong
1977
Casino fighter
Jue bu di tou
1977
Death Duel
1977
Ying zhao tie bu shan
1977
Assassin
Yin yang xie di zi
1977
Jade Tiger
1977
Nan quan bei tui dou jin hu
1977
Si da men pai
1977
Fighter at the school
Da wu shi yu xiao piao ke
1977
Sword and Knife Man
Shaolin Wooden Men
1976
Bruce Lee: The Man, the Myth
1976
Challenges Bruce Lee on the Set of 'Enter the Dragon'
Tien ya ming yue dao
1976
Extra
Jiang hu zi di
1976
Shao Lin men
1976
Arrow Guard
Nan quan bei tui
1976
Liu A-Cai yu Huang Fei-Hong
1976
Hot Potato
1976
Rangoon's Henchman (uncredited)
Liu xing hu die jian
1976
Mi zong sheng shou
1976
Dragon Flies
1975
uncredited
Zhong lie tu
1975
Kameda
Zhong tai quan tan sheng si zhan
1974
The Bod Squad
1974
Extra
From China with Death
1974
Stoner
1974
Thug
Meng hu dou kuang long
1974
Crash! Che botte... strippo strappo stroppio
1973
Hai do Zhang Bao Zhai
1973
Ze wang
1973
Huang Fei Hong
1973
Tai quan zhen jiu zhou
1973
Enter the Dragon
1973
Tournament Fighter (uncredited)
Xiao ba wang
1973
Tou du ke
1973
Tie wa
1973
Ma tou da jue dou
1973
Ma lu xiao ying xiong
1973
Diao shou guai zhao
1973
Pickpocket (as Bill Yuen)
He qi dao
1972
Japanese martial arts student (uncredited)
The Way of the Dragon
1972
Thug (uncredited)
The Chinese Connection
1972
Extra (uncredited)
Wo de te gong ye ye
2016
Cop
Sifu vs. Vampire
2014
Tai Chi Hero
2012
Li Qiankun
The Guardsman
2011
Da wu sheng
2011
Master Yu Shengying
Kung-Fu Master
2010
The Legend Is Born: Ip Man
2010
Ng Chung So
Yuet gwong bo hup
2010
Liu Bei
Laughing Gor: Bin chit
2009
C.I.P. Xian Sir (as Officer Sin)
Bo bui gai wak
2006
Inspector Steve Mok
Fat shan chaan sin sang
2005
TV Series
Leung Chaan
Shao nian Chen Zhen
2004
Mr. Qu
Da lao ai mei li
2004
Georgie Hung's father
Chek ji kuen wong
2004
Wah
Moumantai 2
2002
Lam Kau
The Avenging Fist
2001
Thunder
Shanghai Noon
2000
Saloon Fighter (uncredited)
Hong qiang dao ying
2000
Ma Sar
A Man Called Hero
1999
Boss
Righteous Guards
1998
TV Series
Sima Bu Ping
Dong an X Sha Ren Fan
1997
Ma Yong Zhen
1997
Tam See
Tapusin na natin ang laban
1997
Dragon from Shaolin
1996
San tau jin zi lei saam
1996
Li San
The First Assignment
1995
No hoi wai lung
1995
Li Chin Tang
Mou mian bei
1995
Custom Officer Rambo Wong Yuk-Man
Ma hei siu chi
1994
Han / Lo Yi Tung (as Yuen Biu)
Deadly Melody
1994
Lui Lun
Xin bi xue jian
1993
Constable Yuen Shing Chi
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
1993
Huang Fei-Hong zhi gui jiao qi
1993
Lau Zhai
Rakuyô
1992
Tougetsu
Huo tou fu xing
1992
Tang Tai-Chi
Xi Zang xiao zi
1992
Wong La
Baka yarô! 4 You! Omae no koto da yo 3 Sagi naru Japan
$17 Million
