Bolo Yeung

Bolo Yeung

Bolo Yeung - Budo Gala 2010
Background information
Born (1946-07-03) 3 July 1946
Guangzhou, China
Occupation Actor
Years active 1970 Present

Yang Sze (simplified Chinese: 杨斯; traditional Chinese: 楊斯; pinyin: Yáng Sī; Jyutping: Yeung4 Si1; born 3 July 1946[1] in Guangzhou), better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder and a martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies in which he stars, he is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon, as Chong Li in Bloodsport, and for his numerous appearances and long-spanning career in the martial arts filmography for Hong Kong's motion picture industry.

Biography

Bolo began his martial arts training at the age of 10 in Guangzhou, where he studied under several kung fu masters. Growing up, he took an interest in bodybuilding, and later became Mr. Hong Kong bodybuilding champion. He held the title for ten years. Because of his impressively muscular physique, he was chosen for several bad guy roles in films produced by Shaw Brothers Studios, such as The Heroic Ones, The Deadly Duo, Angry Guest and others. He left Shaw Brothers in 1971.

Bolo met Bruce Lee while the two were filming a Winston cigarettes commercial.[2] A friendship emerged and Bruce invited him to star in Enter the Dragon, where he became known as "Bolo", the name of the character he portrayed. The two became close friends during the filming of Enter the Dragon, where Bruce and Bolo worked very closely on technique training. Bolo once stated in an interview, many years after Lee's death, "There will never be another Bruce Lee; and I am privileged to have had the honor of calling him friend."

During the 1970s and '80s, Bolo starred in numerous kung fu films, but his breakout film was Bloodsport, based on the allegedly true story of Frank Dux. Shot on a $US 1.5 million budget, it became a US box-office hit in the spring of 1988. Jean-Claude Van Damme had the leading role as Frank Dux, while Bolo Yeung played the role of Chong Li. A strong friendship formed between the two actors on the set of Bloodsport; and Van Damme wanted no one but Bolo to play opposite him in his film (Double Impact) set in the Orient.

Canadian action film actor, director and producer Jalal Merhi met Bolo in Hong Kong while shooting his first film Fearless Tiger, then again on the set of Double Impact. Jalal was impressed with his personality and ability, and decided to create a part specifically for Bolo.[3] Later Merhi worked with Yeung on more films such as Tiger Claws, TC 2000 and Tiger Claws 2.

In 2007, Bolo made a rare appearance as a protagonist in Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter. Jalal Merhi directed the first 60 minutes of the film that was shot in Toronto, but due to other commitments could not complete the remaining part of the film in Russia. Producer Erken Ialgashev directed the remainder of the film. Due to legal issues, the film remains unreleased.

Filmography

Year Film Role
2015 The Whole World at Our Feet
2007 Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter Erik's Trainer
1997 Tiger Claws II Chong
1996 Fists of Legends 2 Iron Bodyguards Mongolian fighter
1995 Shootfighter 2 Shingo
1994 Fearless Tiger Master on mountain
1993 TC 2000 Master Sumai
1992 The Magnificent Duo Bolo
1992 Tiger Claws Chong
1992 Ironheart Ice
1992 Shootfighter: Fight to the Death Shingo
1992 Mega Force from Highland The Wu Tang Swordsman
1991 Double Impact Moon
1991 Breathing Fire (as Bolo Young) Thunder
1989 Bloodfight Chang Lee - The Vietnamese Cobra
1988 Bloodsport Chong Li
1988 One Husband Too Many Dung Ken - Muscleman
1987 Killer's Nocturne (No-Evening Day) ???
1987 To Err is Humane (aka To Err is Human) ???
1987 Shanghai Express (aka Millionaire's Express, Wealthy Train, Nobles' Express) ??? (cameo)
1986 Legacy of Rage Thug
1986 Lucky Stars Go Places (aka Luckiest Stars) Movie patron
1994 Seven Angels Bar customer in green shirt
1985 Bruce Lee's Dragons Fight Back ???
1985 My Lucky Stars (aka Lucky Stars Superior Shine or Winners and Sinners 2) Millionaire Chan
1985 Working Class (aka Hit Work Emperor) Giant kickboxer
1985 Lucky Diamond (aka Wish You Good Luck) ???
1985 Way of the Dragon 2 (as Sze Yang) ???
1984 Silent Romance ???
1983 Just for Fun ???
1983 The Boxers Omen (aka Mo) Mr Bu Bo - The Thai Boxer
1982 The Supergang Big King
1982 The Ninja Strikes Back (aka Bruce Le Fights/Strikes Back or Eye of the Dragon) ???
1981 All the Wrong Clues (for the Right Solution) ???
1980 Enter the Game of Death (aka The King of Kung Fu) ???
1980 The 36 Deadly Styles Cheungs Brother
1980 (Bruce) the King of Kung Fu (aka Revenge of the Dragon/s) ???
1980 Fearless Hyena 3 (as Yang Tze) (aka Fearless Master) ???
1980 Challenge of the Tiger (as Yang Sze) (aka Dragon Bruce Le or Gymkata Killer) ???
1980 Invincible (aka Fighting Dragon) ???
1980 Treasure of Bruce Lee (aka King Boxer 2) ???
1979 Bruce the Superhero (as Yang Sze) Peter Sze The Bullkiller
1979 Ruthless Revenge (aka Invincible Kung Fu or The Two Tricky Kids) ???
1979 (The) Dragon, the Hero (aka Dragon on Fire) ???
1979 Enter Three Dragons (aka Three Avengers) Bolo
1979 The Fists, the Kicks, and the Evil Master Lung
1979 Snake Deadly Act The Giant
1979 Writing Kung Fu (as Sze Yang) Ah Yen
1978 Bruce (Li/Lee) in New Guinea (aka Last Fist of Fury) ???
1978 Amsterdam Connection (as Yang Sze) Big Louie
1978 Drunken Master Gorilla
1978 Black Belt Jones 2 (aka Tattoo Connection) -
1977 10 Magnificent Killers (as Yang Szu) Ling Chu
1977 Bolo the Brute (aka Bolo) Bolo
1977 The Clones of Bruce Lee Martial arts trainer
1977 Bruce and Shaolin Kung Fu (aka Bruce vs Black Dragon) Lam Chi Chu
1977 Soul of Chiba (as Yang Sze) Nepal
1976 A Queen's Ransom (aka International Assassin(s)) Ram
1975 Hong Kong Superman (aka Bruce: Hong Kong Master) ???
1975 Seven Blows of the Dragon 2 (aka 108 Heroes, 7 Soldiers of Kung Fu, All Men are Brothers 2, 7 Kung Fu Assassins, Turbulent Invade Record) ???
1975 Kung Fu Massacre (as Yang Sze) ???
1975 G-Men '75 (TV series) ???
1975 He Loved Once Too Many (as Bolo Yeung Tze) ???
1975 The Fighting Dragon (TV series) (aka The Fighting Dragon) Red Tiger
1974 Super Kung Fu Kid (as Sze Yang) Tiger
1973 Chinese Hercules Chinese Hercules
1973 Thunderkick ???
1973 Kung Fu's Hero (as Sze Yang) ???
1973 Enter the Dragon Bolo
1973 Freedom Strikes A Blow (as Yang Sze) Chiang Tai
1973 Greatest Thai Boxing ???
1973 Tiger ???
1973 Ninja Killer (as Yang Sze) Mr Yang
1972 Man of Iron (aka Iron Man or Warrior of Steel) Jin Xi Fu
1972 Trilogy of Swordsmanship ???
1972 Young People ???
1972 King Boxer (aka 5 Fingers of Death, Invincible Boxer, Iron Palm, Hand of Death) Pa Tu Er, Mongolian fighter
1972 The 14 Amazons Western Xia wrestler
1972 Angry Guest (aka Kung Fu Killers) Sze Yang
1971 The Rescue Chief Cha Te
1971 The Lady Professional Bald Killer
1971 The Oath of Death Officer Shi
1971 The Deadly Duo The River Dragon of Jin
1970 The Heroic Ones (aka Shaolin Masters, 13 Fighters, 13 Warlords) General Meng Juehai
1970 The Wandering Swordsman Unicorn Du Kuo Lung

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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