Alan Tang
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Biography
While, more of a Dramatic Heart-throb, he still, managed to star in a few of Kung-fu films. His initial martial-arts film, The Iron Fiddle, Invincible Iron Palm, actually, pre-dates Shaw Brother's 5 Fingers Of Death by about a (1) year. While a decent film, even his more impressive co-stars (Chen Kuan-Tai and Pai Ying) couldn't really lift this film above an average film. The one thing that this film really showed us, was that he wasn't Kung-Fu (star) material. As with most Singer, actors, etc .., when they become famous in their own career, people (producers) seem to want to capitalize off them even more, by putting them in a Kung-fu movie.
It didn't matter that they did really have the "skills" to pull off such films, the fact they they were popular, could only mean more money at the at the box-office (yet, that wasn't always the case). Nicknamed the 'Student Prince' after appearing in his first film aptly titled - The Student Prince, he achieved instant fame. In his youth he reminded me of a young (Chinese) Charlie Sheen and all the fame that surrounded him.
It didn't matter that they did really have the "skills" to pull off such films, the fact they they were popular, could only mean more money at the at the box-office (yet, that wasn't always the case). Nicknamed the 'Student Prince' after appearing in his first film aptly titled - The Student Prince, he achieved instant fame. In his youth he reminded me of a young (Chinese) Charlie Sheen and all the fame that surrounded him.
I remember seeing the film - Dynamite Brothers, back in the mid-70's , where he was teamed up with actor Timothy Brown. Almost (30) before RUSH HOUR, but the chemistry between the two men was awful.
He feuded with famed director Ching Kang over the film, The Scoundrel. Ching liked to take his time on projects, sometimes lasting Years !! This didn't sit well with Tang, who was Producing the film. The longer the film was being delayed, the more money Tang was losing.