James Tien (actor)

Last updated
James Tien
Born (1942-05-28) 28 May 1942 (age 82)
OccupationActor
Years active1968–1996
Chinese name
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Tián Jùn
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping Tin4 Zeon3
Musical career
Also known asPaul Tien

James Tien (born 28 May 1942) is a Hong Kong retired actor. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles. He retired from the Hong Kong film industry in 1996.

Contents

History

Born in Chao'an County, Guangdong, James Tien moved with his British[ citation needed ] family of Chinese descent to Hong Kong in 1958.[ citation needed ] He became a student of the Fu Sheng Drama School in Taipei, Taiwan, along with Angela Mao and Philip Kwok. [1]

His acting career began in the late 1960s, when he joined Shaw Brothers Studio. His first significant acting role was in the 1969 film Raw Courage , directed by Lo Wei. After appearing in a number of further Shaw Brothers films, he moved to Golden Harvest, where he played Bruce Lee's cousin in The Big Boss (1971). This was followed by a role in Lee's next film, Fist of Fury . He was originally intended to co-star in Game of Death , but his role was reduced after Bruce Lee's death in 1973.[ citation needed ]

In 1975, Tien starred in John Woo's The Dragon Tamers . In 1976, Tien starred in Woo's Hand of Death , a film that also featured early acting roles for the "Three Brothers", Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. A year later, he appeared in Hung's directorial debut, The Iron-Fisted Monk . From there, he went on to take roles in many more of the three brothers' films for Golden Harvest, often playing bullies or villains. He played roles alongside Jackie Chan in Spiritual Kung Fu (1978), Magnificent Bodyguards (1978), The Fearless Hyena (1979) and Dragon Fist (1979).

Appearances with Yuen Biao include The Prodigal Son (1982), Rosa (1986) and Righting Wrongs (1986), and he appeared in Sammo Hung films such as Millionaire's Express (1986) Eastern Condors (1986) and The Gambling Ghost (1991). Tien also had roles in most of the handful of films that starred all three together, including Winners and Sinners (1983), My Lucky Stars (1985) and Dragons Forever (1988).

Late in his career, he appeared with Andy Lau in Lee Rock and Lee Rock II (both 1991). His last acting role to date was in the final Lucky Stars film, How to Meet the Lucky Stars (1996), after which he retired.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammo Hung</span> Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer, and director (born 1952)

Samuel "Sammo" Hung Kam-bo is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreographer for other actors such as Kim Tai-chung, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Yuen Wah.

<i>Drunken Master</i> 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film

Drunken Master, also known as Drunken Master The Beginning, is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and produced and co-written by Ng See-yuen. The film features much of the same crew as Yuen's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow released earlier the same year, including lead actors Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang-lee; although narratively unrelated, Drunken Master bears similarities to its predecessor in its story and style.

Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and stuntman. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has also worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer. He was one of the Seven Little Fortunes from the China Drama Academy at the Peking Opera School along with his "brothers" Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan. Yuen Biao has appeared in over 130 films. He has played roles in eight television series for the Hong Kong channel TVB.

<i>My Lucky Stars</i> 1985 Hong Kong film

My Lucky Stars is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film starring and directed by Sammo Hung. The film was written by Barry Wong, and produced by Leonard Ho. The film co-stars Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Sibelle Hu, Richard Ng, Charlie Chin, Eric Tsang, and Stanley Fung. It was released as 5 Lucky Stars in Japan and as Ninja Encounter in the Philippines. My Lucky Stars is the second film in the Lucky Stars series, and a semi-sequel to Winners and Sinners, with many of the same actors returning as the "Five Lucky Stars" troupe, albeit with different character names and slightly different roles.

Hwang Jang-lee is a Korean martial artist and actor best known for his Hong Kong martial arts films. He is a ninth-dan grandmaster in Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo who began training in 1957. Prior to his acting career, Hwang was a martial arts instructor for the Korean military in Vietnam.

Yuen Wah is a Hong Kong action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.

Corey Yuen Kwai was a Hong Kong film director, film producer, action choreographer, and actor. Yuen attended the China Drama Academy and was one of the Seven Little Fortunes. In Hong Kong, he worked on several films such as Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury (1972), Hwang Jang-lee's Snuff Bottle Connection, Secret Rivals 2, The Invincible Armour, Dance of the Drunk Mantis (1979), Ninja in the Dragon's Den (1982), Millionaire's Express (1986), and Jet Li's Fong Sai-yuk II (1993), The New Legend of Shaolin (1994), High Risk, and My Father Is a Hero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lo Lieh</span> Chinese actor and martial artist

Wang Lap Tat, better known by his stage name Lo Lieh, was an Indonesian-born Hong Kong martial artist and film actor. Lo was perhaps best known as Chao Chih-Hao in the 1972 martial arts film King Boxer, Priest Pai Mei in Executioners from Shaolin and Clan of the White Lotus, Miyamoto in the 1977 film Fist of Fury II, and General Tien Ta in the 1978 film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

<i>Dragons Forever</i> 1988 Hong Kong film

Dragons Forever is a 1988 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Sammo Hung, who also starred in the film, and co-directed by Corey Yuen. The film co-stars Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Pauline Yeung, Deannie Yip, Yuen Wah, Roy Chiao, and Crystal Kwok. It is the last film in which Hung, Chan and Biao all appeared in together, as later Chan subsequently focused on his solo film career.

<i>Wheels on Meals</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Wheels on Meals is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film written and directed by Sammo Hung, with action choreographed by Jackie Chan. The film stars Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Lola Forner, Benny Urquidez and José Sancho. The film was shot in Barcelona, Spain.

<i>Winners & Sinners</i> 1983 Hong Kong film

Winners & Sinners is a 1983 Hong Kong action comedy film written and directed by Sammo Hung, who also starred in the film. The film co-stars Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao, the latter serving as one of the film's action directors. It was the first in the Lucky Stars series of films, a highly successful series in Hong Kong.

Yuen Siu-tien was a Hong Kong actor and martial artist. In the late 1970s, Yuen is perhaps best known as Beggar So in three films: Drunken Master, Story of Drunken Master and his final film Dance of the Drunk Mantis. He starred in several films with film actors like Jackie Chan and under the direction of his real-life son Yuen Woo-ping.

<i>Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars</i> 1985 Hong Kong film

Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film starring and directed by Sammo Hung. The film co-stars Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. It is the third installment in the Lucky Stars series, following Winners and Sinners (1983) and My Lucky Stars (1985). Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 15 August 1985.

Kung fu film is a subgenre of martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema set in the contemporary period and featuring realistic martial arts. It lacks the fantasy elements seen in wuxia, a related martial arts genre that uses historical settings based on ancient China. Swordplay is also less common in kung-fu films than in wuxia and fighting is done through unarmed combat.

<i>Lucky Stars</i> 1983 Hong Kong film

Lucky Stars ; was a Hong Kong action comedy film series in the 1980s and 1990s, blending Chinese martial arts with bawdy comedy. The films featured an ensemble cast, with many of the actors appearing in successive films.

<i>Heart of Dragon</i> 1985 Hong Kong film

Heart of Dragon, released in the United Kingdom as Heart of the Dragon, is a 1985 Hong Kong action drama film directed by Sammo Hung, who also starred in the lead role. The film co-stars Jackie Chan, Emily Chu and Mang Hoi. Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, and Corey Yuen were among the action directors for the film.

<i>Hand of Death</i> (1976 film) 1976 film

Hand of Death is a 1976 Hong Kong vigilante martial arts film written and directed by John Woo, who also supporting role. The film stars Doran Tan and James Tien in leading roles, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung in supporting roles and also features cameo appearances by Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, and Chiang Sheng. In addition to their acting roles, Hung also worked as stunt co-ordinator, whilst Biao also performed much of the stuntwork, including doubling for both of the principal stars.

Hapkido, released as Lady Kung Fu in North America, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Huang Feng and starring Angela Mao. The film co-stars Carter Wong and Sammo Hung, and has early cameo appearances from Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao and Corey Yuen. It was released by Golden Harvest.

<i>Pom Pom</i> (film) 1984 Hong Kong film

Pom Pom is a 1984 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Joe Cheung. It is the first in a series of four Pom Pom films starring Richard Ng and John Shum.

Billy Chow Bei-lei is a Hong Kong-Canadian former professional kickboxer and actor. He competed in the Welterweight and Super Welterweight divisions from 1977 to 1992. He was the WKA Super Welterweight champion from 1984 to 1986, and retired with a professional record of 45-0-8.

References

  1. "A Chat with Robert Tai". KFC Cinema. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2009.