Biography
He came to Shaw Bros' in the early 60's and was one of a few people picked in Open Audition, the others being Wang Yu and Lo Lieh. He (often) played the heroic swordsman (in early Shaw epics) and though his acting seems kind of bland at times, he was (really) a very good actor. I think it's that stoic look on his face, that sometimes looks like he'd rather have a cigarette, than waiting for his turn to jump into the action. I find that with a sword in his hands, he's a much more effective star, as he seemed to excel in the Swordplay films of the late 60's. Without the sword, he could still hold his own (acting-wise), against some of the best that Shaw Brothers had to offer. He handled himself rather well, for a guy who wasn't up to par with early 70's breed of actors. He made quite a few films, never having reached Superstar status, with the likes of Ti Lung and David Chiang -- but, that never slowed his progress.
As more and more flashier kung-fu stars came out (i.e., John Liu, Billy Chong) in the 70's, he kind of got lost in the shuffle (yet) he still made some enjoyable films. Films like Pursuit and Payment In Blood, were excellent vehicles for his talents, as he was one of a few actors who could play in various genres (martial-arts, drama, comedy), to good effect. Totally under-rated, when held in regards with some of the more popular kung-fu stars of the 70’s (Wang Tao, Sonny Chiba or even Meng Fei for that matter) -- still, he's had the type of longevity in his career, that many actors could only hope for.
As more and more flashier kung-fu stars came out (i.e., John Liu, Billy Chong) in the 70's, he kind of got lost in the shuffle (yet) he still made some enjoyable films. Films like Pursuit and Payment In Blood, were excellent vehicles for his talents, as he was one of a few actors who could play in various genres (martial-arts, drama, comedy), to good effect. Totally under-rated, when held in regards with some of the more popular kung-fu stars of the 70’s (Wang Tao, Sonny Chiba or even Meng Fei for that matter) -- still, he's had the type of longevity in his career, that many actors could only hope for.
An accomplished Musician, he later tried his hand as a Singer, which didn't exactly work out (a fate that also happened to actress Polly Shang-Kuan and others). He (even) tried his hand at portraying villains, something that did work in his favor. Films such as, The Greatest Plot and Killer Clans, gave him ample opportunity to test his range as a villain, which he did quite well. Check out the film - A Deadly Secret, if you (really) want to see him in Evil-mode (you'll never sit the same). His acting was up to par with a lot of his fellow actors at Shaw studios. Unlike many of the "Macho Men" of his era, he wasn't afraid to take roles in non-martial arts films like Shaw's circus film Trapeze Girl or House Of 72 Tenants. He was an excellent actor, who performed well in any genre -- something that not all actors at the studio, could attest to. Yet, as talented as he was, he will be remembered as one of the studio's most, under-rated performers.