Wang Tao
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Biography
He is without a doubt, one of my favorite kung-fu stars. A quality performer who generally makes some very good movies, outside of his first film [during the Kung Fu genre] he didn't make many bad films. The film, The Yellow-Faced Tiger (aka Slaughter In San Francisco) was a vehicle for Bruce Lee, (who hated the script), so he passed on it. As it seems, he was right [but] the film still provided this man, with his first starring role.
A former Policeman (when scouts for Golden Harvest found him back in the late '73), the last thing on his mind, was becoming a kung-fu star. Trying to fill Lee's shoes was one thing, [but] had they looked closer, they would have found a gifted young man, with a lot of potential. After that film bombed, they didn't really know what to do with him and (after a couple of films) he was let go from his contract.
Later, he would be picked to star in another little known picture, that would help establish him as an up-and-coming star of the 70's - The Secret Rivals. Rumor has it, that his techniques weren't too good, when he first started out (he kept hitting people, by accident). His control improved -- [as well as his all-around skills] -- making him one of the best screen-fighters of the 70's. Though, he'd studied Tae Kwon Do, his techniques seemed to favor his hands, than his feet. Directors [often] paired him with some of the cinema's better Kickers Tan Tao-Liang and John Liu to name a few. In Death Duel Of Kung Fu, he got to work with Korean powerhouse Han Ying -- who [literally] stole the show, from both stars.
He turned out to be a well-rounded actor and one of the genre's better performers. As his skills improved, he seemed to get better with each film. In The Hot, The Cool, & The Vicious (one of his better films), he got to share the screen with his father George Wang, who [also] happened to be the film's producer. A favorite of director Lee Tso-Nam, he appeared in a number of films for him, as it was he, who [truly] made him a star. With such film roles as - Eagle's Claws, Challenge Of Death, and 10 Brothers Of Shaolin -- he beacme a fan favorite. Before he knew it, he was one of the most popular stars of the mid - late 70's.
Though, he'd worked with other directors on such films as Eunuch Of the Western Palace, Bandits, Prostitutes, & Silver, and Battle For The Republic Of China; his work never seemed to equal, those films shot by director Lee. He was a star who could really act and he showed exceptional range. Some of my favorite films by him would have to be - Shaolin Invincible Sticks and Fatal Needles, Fatal Fists -- where he gave a stirring performance as a [distraught] policeman , who [accidently] caused the death of his friend. In Along Comes A Tiger, the film had the same premise as Jackie Chan's Shaolin Wooden Men, where they both wouldn't speak, until they found their father's killer. This was taken from the Western, Once Upon A Time In The West.
He was definitely, one of the biggest and brightest stars in the kung-fu genre. Later in his career, he got to expand his acting with a villainous role in Yuen Woo-Ping's Drunken Tai-Chi (featuring Donnie Yen, in one his best role to date). Though, he didn't show a lot of kung-fu skill in this film, I was a shock to see him playing a villain. This was an area, that he should have delved into [more] earlier in his career. He could have made an exceptional villain, considering his level of skill. Later on in his career, he suffered a severe leg injury, which forced him to end his career (as an action-fighter). He would return to the industry, in films that were less (physically) demanding. His body of work shows, that he had what it took, to be one of the best actor/fighters in the genre.