Chang Cheh's Favorites



Any fan of Shaw Bros' films would know these guys at first glance. They've appeared in countless films for the studio, each playing the Hero (or heroic parts), at some time or another. They would slowly work their way up the ladder to Superstar status at the studio and won over millions of fans in the process. The underlying link to all (4) men was famed director Chang Cheh.

Through him, they would become household names (throughout Asia) and starred in a number of excellently crafted films under him. Each man brought something uniquely different to the table and each had their own style, charisma, and following of dedicated fans. Here we will examine their film personas and look at their body of work (for Shaw studios).

David Chiang - This consumate actor was the godson of the director. Chang knew his parents (both actors as well) and was instrumental in getting him started at Shaw Bros' during the early phase of his career. He quickly rose above mere stuntwork and extra parts and after seeing him perform in Street Boys, it was apparent that he had the makings of a fine actor. Though, he's mostly associated by his work with Ti Lung, he has proven himself time and again as an actor.

Under Chang's watchful eye, he was normally cast as the lead in most of his films after the departure of Jimmy Wang-Yu, who defected to rival studio - Golden Harvest. Fu Sheng basically had cameo roles in his films when he first started acting. It was more like, getting a person use to being on camera, before giving them bigger parts. When they appeared together in Friends, his was more like the "Little Brother" type of role to David's "Big Brother". Their chemistry wasn't the greatest and that's probably why they weren't paired together other than in ensemble or group roles, like 5 Masters of Death or in the film Shaolin Temple.

Having shared the screen with Ti Lung for many years, and then watching Fu Sheng grow into a full-fledged actor, Chang Cheh began casting all three (along with Chi Kuan-Chun) in a series of films together (which, eventually, caused friction between the three). All were stars, and each wanted "Top Billing" in the films that they starred in together. After Magnificent Wanderers, it was apparent that Chang was focusing most of his energy on Fu Sheng, which only added to problems. After this films, David and Ti Lung began working with other directors and Chi Kuan-Chun left the studio completely.

Chang was displeased with him when he accepted an offer to do a film (Shaolin Mantis), with Liu Chia-Liang (his former choreography, now turned director himself). Chang had brought him through the ranks even teaching him (and Ti Lung) how to work the camera and letting him direct feature films The Drug Addict and The Condemned. He started working with Independant directors (in conjunction with those at Shaw Bros'), varying his roles, and started taking risks in his film choices.

His Strong Points

w/ Fu Sheng

Fu Sheng - After joining Shaw Bros' in 1971, he began getting noticed early on. He had cameo roles in Young People, Four Riders, and Warrior of Steel (kid with the bicycle that warns Chen Kuan-Tai), before landing the role in Police Force with Wang Chung. After this film, he began to receive much bigger roles and he was well on his way to becoming a fine actor. Director Chang groomed him to be a leading star with his role in Heroes 2.

His portrayal won both alot of praise and he was now in position to become the director's next big star. At this time Chang had setup his film branch in Taiwan (though the company was still a part of Shaw Bros') and he started filming story about the "Shaolin Temple". These films proved to be very popular with fans around the world as he would come into his own as an actor. He was paired with a new actor that the director had discovered in Taiwan during an open audition for talented actors and fighters for his new film company.

Chi Kuan-Chun was a sleek, muscular fighter with a personality similiar to Fu Sheng's and martial-arts skills that surpassed his. Chang directed them both in a series of films that became so popular, that they were being compared to Shaw's first "Dynamic Duo" - David Chiang and Ti Lung. He would cast all (4) men (along with Meng Fei) in the 5 Shaolin Masters, which turned out to be one of the most popular films of the "Shaolin" series. From their performances together, it was obvious that Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan-Chun were there true stars of this series.

Chang Cheh focused mainly on Fu Sheng after most of his stars started working with other directors. They basically, felt that they weren't being treated as well and didn't feel they should wait until Chang came up with suitable projects for them. Back in Hong Kong, Chang cast him various films that would continue to spotlight his talents. Brave Archer and Chinatown Kid (partly shot in San Francisco), this would become one of his most memorable films. This film would bring a number of Taiwanese performers (later known as the Venoms), to the fore-front.

When Chang started concentrating on the Taiwanese acrobats in his camp, they began to even overshadow Fu Sheng. But, when he took film roles with another director (Sun Chung), it was almost as if Chang Cheh had turned his back on him. Yet, it was because of a series of accidents that he'd suffered during filming that widened the gap between them. Though, he would later work again with Chang on a few films, it was obvious, their work relationship was not the same. Brave Archer and His Mate was the last time they would work together, even then, Kuo Chui had taken over the lead part that he made famous.

His Strong Points

Fu Sheng & Chi Kuan-Chun


Chi Kuan-Chun - With the release of Disciples of Death, the director introduced his newest find, a "5 Animal" stylist from Taiwan, who showed enormous potential as a fighter and an actor. Though, Fu Sheng started a few years before him, he would ultimately find success working with Chang Cheh. He held a position that his frequent co-star (Fu Sheng) and others didn't have. Though he starred in films for Shaw Bros', he was not under contract with the studio. His contract was with director Chang under his "Chang's Films" company, which was semi-owned by Shaw Bros'.

A more skilled martial-artist than either Fu Sheng or David Chiang, he often played the more serious one in the films he starred with them. The films that he starred in with Fu Sheng helped to elevate them both as stars. The success of these films also helped re-establish director Chang major force at Shaw Bros'. Within (4) years of working with Chang, he had also became a bankable star. Yet, as these series of films had "ran-their-course" and were pretty popular, the director was in debt and would have to return back to Shaw studios in Hong Kong, full-time.

At a crossroads, and with the demise of "Chang's Films", he made a few more films under the director before deciding to strike out on his own. He would go on to star in a number of films for various Independant companies. He appeared in such classics as Showdown at the Cottonmill, Green Jade Statuette, and 2 Heroes, Shooting Stars with former Shaw alumni Li I-Min. Though he became a star in his own right, he would never reach the status of David Chiang or Fu Sheng, but, at the same time, they never owned their own film company (which he did). During the beginning of a "Chang's Film", he could be seen as the company's symbolic mascot, which he would later recreate for his own film company - "Champion Films".

His Strong Points

David Chiang, Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan-Chun

Part 2 

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