Every Martial Arts Movie That Ever Aired on TV: Black Belt Theater, Kung Fu Theater

[shaolinkng7]

Yeah, I watched the martial arts movies nearly every Saturday in the 80s. I had no idea the show I was watching was called Black Belt Theater. WNEW aired it as Drive-in Movie. It was not until long after FOX cancelled Drive-in Movie that I bought a copy of "Martial Arts Films: From Bruce Lee to the Ninjas" that I saw the first mention that those movies that began with the World Northal log were called Black Belt Theater. I wanted to buy all the movies I had watched growing up. World Northal released a few on home video through Embassy. And soon after that I discovered the Shaw Brothers bootlegs. But I wanted to know about the rest of the movies. What was the German one with the midget villain again? "Fear No Evil" or something? How about the one that took place in the old west? Or the Charlies Angels rip-off?

It was not until the Drive-in Movie article by Chris Poggiali that I found a complete list of all the movies that aired during Drive-in Movie, including all the Black Belt Theater films. The article even included a list of Black Belt Theater films that never aired on Drive-in Movie. But what about those movies from Channel 11? For a while there was a second channel in NYC that aired martial arts movies on Saturdays. Once again the Internet provided the answer. The show was called Fist of Fury Theater, and an article from Project A.K.A. listed some of the movies that aired on it. The link to that article is now dead.

Since the Project A.K.A. list was incomplete, I did some more digging on the Internet and discovered that USA Network had a program called Kung Fu Theater that was every bit as popular as Black Belt Theater. I did not have cable until the 90s, so I had no idea this show existed. I was intrigued. I did more investigating and found sites discussing other local stations that aired martial arts films. I began working on a master list of every martial film that ever aired on television.

Well, you can't always trust the Internet. I found a few online articles on USA Network's that claimed that Kung Fu Theater was was a syndicated show that USA Network picked up but was also available on local stations across the country. Based on that I compiled a list based from accounts of stations that also had weekend shows called Kung Fu Theater. A Youtube video had the host of the San Fransisco Kung Fu Theater introducing a movie that also aired on USA, so I assumed I was on the right track. Then I read some comments on this site refuting that the local and USA Kung Fu Theaters were the same. I forgot the golden rule, don't f*#%ing trust the Internet. Unlike The New York Times, no one fact checks the online articles. For every reliable article, like Chris Poggiali's well researched one on Drive-in Movie, there are another hundred other articles cobbled together from hacks looking to create quick content to sell to websites. And for every inaccurate online article there are hundreds of blog entries that are far worse. Even Wikipedia can not be trusted. I have a master list, but many of the films on it are suspect.

Here Is Where Everyone Can Help

I would still like to compile a master list of every martial arts movie that aired during the golden era for televised martial arts ( 1981 - 1995, depending where you lived. ) I know that other members here would like a list of every film that aired, especially on their local stations. We have many members here who watched those shows and who know what aired. I think together we all could come up with a complete list of not only every syndicated martial arts package like World Northal's Black Belt Theater, but perhaps even a complete list of every show that aired on most of the local stations that had their own weekend martial arts movie show.

Memories of watching these programs is acceptable, but I prefer proof. Needless to say, sometimes memories are not that good, especially in my case. But lets say you videotaped some of the movies, you still have those tapes lying around, and they still have the stations logo or some other identifying feature. ( WNEW usually had a voice over during the ending credits announcing what program was on next. There was also a mandatory FCC rule that the station's lD had to show up once an hour on the dot. ) Or lets say you have some old TV Guides gathering dust somewhere. Admit it. You were a huge A-Team fan at one time and saved the issue with the cast on the cover. Or maybe you were a Linda Carter fan and saved the cover with her. There had to be some TV Guide you kept, and perhaps forgot all about. Those old TV Guides are an invaluable resource that can tell you what aired locally, what aired on USA's Kung Fu Theater, and what may have aired late nights. If your local paper had daily television listings, another source of proof would be your local library's microfilms of their old news papers.

Here is what I am looking for. Conformation on films that aired on television. If possible, date, channel and time of movie broadcasts ( See Drive-in Movie list ). Name of program that movies aired on ( eg. Fist of Fury Theater, Samurai Sunday ). Broadcast history ( The year your local station began airing the movies, and the date they stopped ). Anything unique about your local broadcasts. ( Any host? I read somewhere that one of the shows was hosted by a puppet? Any unusual graphics during the opening sequence? ) If you taped it, I would like a screen capture of the opening to the martial arts movie show, if not already posted here. And anyone has any information on the individual syndication packages, such as exactly how many individual packages were syndicated by World Northal and which movies were in each. Also, any conformation on the rumored "lost" final Black Belt Theater package that supposedly aired in a few markets.

(?) signifies unconfirmed movies. If someone can confirm or prove they aired, then please do so.

[shaolinkng7]

Black Belt Theater

Distributor: World Northal

Aired on: WNEW-5 New York City; WTAF-29 then moved to WWSG/WGSB-57 Philadelphia; WTXX-20 Waterbury Conn. ( where else? )

5 Masters of Death

18 Fatal Strikes

A Hard Way to Die

A Man Called Tiger

Avenging Eagle

Avenging Warrior of Shaolin

Bloody Avengers

Bruce Lee: His Last Days, His Last Nights

Challenge of the Masters

Challenge of the Ninja

Chinatown Kid

Daredevils of Kung Fu

Deadly Angels

Deadly Mantis

Death Chambers

Disciples of Death

Demon Fist of Kung Fu

Destroyers

Dirty Ho

Duel of the Iron Fist

Dynamo

Dynasty of Blood

Executioners of Death

Fists of the White Lotus

Five Deadly Venoms

Five Fingers of Death

Flying Guillotine

Four assassins

Four Invincibles

Golgo 13: Kowloon Assignment

Incredible Kung Fu Master

Instructors of Death

International Assassin

Incredible Kung Fu Brothers

Invincible One

Iron Chain Assassin

Iron Fingers of Death

Jade Claw

Karate Exterminators

Kid with the Golden Arm

Killer Army

Killer From Shangtung

Kung Fu Conspiracy

Kung Fu Executioner

Kung Fu Hellcats

Kung Fu Instructor

Kung Fu Invaders

Kung Fu Killers

Kung Fu Warlords

Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu

Manhunt

Masked Avengers

Master Avengers

Master Killer

Master of Kung Fu

Mortal Combat

Ninja Warlord

Powerforce

Return of the Master Killer

Revenge of the Patriots

Roar of the Lion

Roots of Evil

Savage 5

Seven Soldiers of Kung Fu

Shaolin Hand Lock

Shaolin Martial Arts

Shaolin Masters

Shaolin Plot

Slaughter in San Fransisco

Slice of Death

Spearmen of Death

Stoner

Street Gangs of Hong Kong

Strike 4 Revenge

Stroke of Death

Super Ninjas

Super Power

Superfighters

Tattoo Connection

Tattooed Dragon

Ten Tigers of Kwangtung

The Three Avengers

Three Evil Masters

Thunderbolt Fist

Two Champions of Death

Unbeatable Dragon

Warrior of Steel

When Tae Kwon Do Strikes

These films allegedly were part of a final Black Belt Theater "lost" package and are rumored to have aired in a few markets. ( any conformation? )

The Bastard Swordsman

Battle For Shaolin

Boxer From the Temple

Breaking Sword of Death

Claw of the Eagle

Disciples of the Master Killer

House of Traps

Invincible Pole Fighter

Lightning Fists of Shaolin

My Young Auntie

Naked Fists of Terror

Here are a few movies without martial arts that World Northal syndicated in other packages and occasionally aired on the same time slot as Black Belt Theater

Black Magic: Shaw Brothers horror film with Ti Lung being cursed by a witch doctor

Bullet Train: Japanese disaster movie where terrorists rig a train to explode if it drops below 80mph

Goliathon: Shaw Brothers version of King Kong

Revenge of the Zombies: Lo Lieh is another witch doctor who specializes in turning people into zombies.

Fist of Fury Theater (?) ( possible name of martial arts movie package that aired on WPIX )

Distributor: Unknown

Aired on: WPIX-11 New York City ( where else? )

The Amsterdam Connection

The Bloody Fight

The Bloody Fists

Bruce Lee Against Supermen (?)

Bruce Lee We Miss You

Bruce Lee's Secret

Cantonen Iron Kung Fu

Crack Shadow Boxers (?)

Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger (?)

Fists of Vengeance

Kung Fu Commandos

Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion

Northern Kicks and Southern Fist (?)

Revenge of the Dragon

Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue (?)

Story in Red Temple Lily

Struggle Through Death

Superdragon

Tiger's Claw

True Game of Death

Golden Harvest

Distributor: Paragon (?)

Aired on: WNEW-5 New York City ( where else ? )

The Chinese Connection

Fists of Fury

Game of Death

Game of Death II

Return of the Dragon

Winners and Sinners

Young Master

Cinema Shares

Distributor: Cinema Shares

Aired on: WNEW-5 New York City ( where else ? )

Bruce Lee the Invincible

Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth

Dynasty ( 2D version )

Fists of Bruce Lee

Killing Machine

Kung Fu Gold

Soul Brothers of Kung Fu

Warner Television

Distributor: Warner Television

Aired on WPIX-11 ( where else ? )

Kung Fu ( pilot movie )

The Big Brawl

Enter the Dragon

Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires

The Protector

The Ultimate Warrior

Harmony Gold (?) One message board claimed that USA Network aired the following movies in the mid 90s. Can someone confirm?

Duel of the Ultimate Weapons (?)

Fury in the Shaolin Temple (?)

Invincible Obsessed Fighter (?)

The Shaolin Incredible Ten (?)

Ocean Shores (?)

Can anyone confirm if an Ocean Shores syndicated package existed? Rumors of this exist, but they may be thinking of the Cinema Shares package.

National Telefilm Associates

Blind Fist of Bruce (?)

Dragon on Fire

Dragon's Inferno

Golden Dragon, Silver Snake (?)

Return of the Kung Fu Dragon (?)

Heroes of Shaolin (?)

Other Martial Arts Movies in Syndication Between 1980 and 1995

Anyone remember any others?

A Force of One

An Eye For An Eye ( Embassy )

Breaker! Breaker! ( AIP )

Bushido Blade ( Rankin/Bass )

Circle of Iron ( Embassy )

Code of Silence ( Orion )

Dynasty ( 3D Version ) ( 3D Madness )

Enter the Ninja ( Cannon )

Forced Vengeance ( MGM/UA )

Golden Needles ( AIP )

Good Guys Wear Black

Infra Man

The Karate Kid ( Columbia )

The Karate Kid II ( Columbia )

Kill or Be Killed

The Last Dragon ( Tri-Star )

Lone Wolf McQuade

Marlowe ( MGM/UA )

Master Ninja ( Viacom )

The Octagon

Sword of the Ninja ( a.k.a. The Challenge ) ( Embassy )

That Man Bolt ( Universal )

Three the Hard Way

[shaolinkng7]

Kung Fu Theater

9/4/83 1pm Incredible Master Beggars ( 1980 ) Liang Hsiao, Ku Feng, Han Kuo Tsai; 7pm Renegade Monk ( 1980 ) John Liu, Ko Shou Liang

9/11/83 12pm Renegade Monk ( 1980 ) John Liu, Ko Shou Liang; 7pm Two Graves of Kung Fu ( 1980 ) Lau Ka Wing

9/9/84 1pm The Japanese Connection ( 1978 ) Cheun Lik, Hsia Wen, Yukio Fomeno; 7pm Magnificent Wonderman From Shaolin ( 1979 ) Ying Hau, Chau Lin

9/15/85 1pm Flying Claw vs. 14 Demons ( 1981 ) Chia Ling, Kam Kang

Also:

3 Evil Masters

A Gathering of Heroes (?)

Amsterdam Connection (?)

Avenging Warrior of Shaolin

The Brave Lion (?)

Bruce and Shao - Lin Kung Fu (?)

Cobra (?)

Deadly Strike (?)

Dynasty of Blood

Enter the Game of Death (?)

Enter the Panther (?)

Heroes of Shaolin (?)

Kung Fu Commandos (?) ( May have aired under the title "Incredible Kung Fu Mission" )

Kung Fu Inferno (?)

Kung Fu Instructor (?)

Kung Fu Zombies (?)

Magnificent Kung Fu Warriors

Ninja Exterminators (?)

Shaolin Drunkard (?)

Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue (?)

Showdown at the Equator (?)

Snake Fist Fighter (?)

Snake-Crane Secret (?)

Tower of the Drunken Dragons (?)

Warriors Two (?)

Writing Kung Fu (?)

Kung Fu June ( 1990 )

Fist of the White Lotus

The Invincible One

Return of the Master Killer

Super Ninjas

Late Night Mid 90s (?) ( can someone confirm these and other Harmony Gold films aired during the late night time slot? )

Dreadnought Rivals

Duel of the Ultimate Weapons (?)

Fury in the Shaolin Temple (?)

Invincible Obsessed Fighter (?)

Secret Executioner

The Shaolin Incredible Ten (?)

[shaolinkng7]

Drive-in Movie WNEW-5

3pm - 5pm Saturdays, beginning at 1pm on double feature days.

Drive-in Movie was not specifically a martial arts showcase. It's opening segment and bumpers was a montage of scenes from a 50's drive-in theater with 50's music playing in the background. It was conceived as a program to feature the grind house movies the channel had the broadcast rights to. A mixture of Hammer horror films, biker films, teen comedies, and other exploitation films. The films of Black Belt Theater were suppose to be just part of the mix. When ratings for martial arts movies outperformed everything else, Black Belt Theater films began to dominated Drive-in Movie on a weekly basis. Unfortunately WNEW also had a contract with SFM Holiday Network to air their boring 'G' rated family films which would preempt Drive-in Movie a few times each year. Very disappointing. Briefly in 1983 around the time of NYC's televised martial arts peak [ see below ] Drive-in Movie was renamed Black Belt Theater. Live segments were shot at a Karate school with one of the teachers as the host [ I do not remember the guy's name ] who introduced the movie and demonstrated a few martial arts moves during some of the commercial breaks. The first of these Black Belt Theater segments aired July 9, 1983. Alexander Fu Sheng had just died a few days earlier, so the live segments paid tribute to him. It was just a matter of extreme coincidence that the movie scheduled that day was "Chinatown Kid". The live segments lasted at least two weeks before WNEW reverted back to calling it Drive-in Movie and returning to the original bumpers. Aside from World Northal's Black Belt Theater, Drive-in Movie aired martial arts movies from other distributors. Golden Harvest/Paragon distributed the Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan films, while API was the distributor on the Chuck Norris CB film "Breaker! Breaker!". Cinema Shares began adding martial arts films to one of their B movie packages, most of which ended up on Drive-in Movie. The final martial arts movie that aired in the Drive-in Movie time slot was "Dynasty" distributed by 3D Madness. The Bruce Lee films debuted in prime time on week nights before they aired on Drive-in Movie. Thanks to the article by Chris Poggiali that provided the air dates for this list.

5/2/81 3pm BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST DAYS, HIS LAST NIGHTS

6/6/81 3pm THE MASTER KILLER

7/11/81 3pm THE THREE AVENGERS

7/25/81 3pm DUEL OF THE IRON FIST

8/8/81 3pm THE CHINATOWN KID

9/12/81 3pm EXECUTIONERS OF DEATH

9/25/81 3pm DYNAMO

10/3/81 3pm THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS

10/10/81 3pm THE SAVAGE FIVE

10/31/81 3pm THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM

11/21/81 3pm THE TATTOO CONNECTION

1/9/82 3pm BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST DAYS, HIS LAST NIGHTS

1/16/82 3pm THE MASTER KILLER

1/30/82 3pm THE THREE AVENGERS

2/6/82 3pm DUEL OF THE IRON FIST

2/20/82 3pm TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG

2/27/82 3pm THE CHINATOWN KID

3/20/82 3pm EXECUTIONERS OF DEATH

4/17/82 3pm DYNAMO

5/8/82 3pm STREET GANGS OF HONG KONG

5/15/82 3pm FIVE MASTERS OF DEATH

5/22/82 3pm SHAOLIN HANDLOCK

6/12/82 3pm THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS

7/10/82 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS

7/17/82 3pm THE UNBEATABLE DRAGON

7/24/82 3pm THE MASTER OF KUNG FU

7/31/82 3pm KILLER FROM SHANTUNG

9/11/82 3pm THE TATTOO CONNECTION

9/18/82 3pm THE SAVAGE FIVE

9/25/82 3pm THE FOUR INVINCIBLES

10/2/82 3pm THE TATTOOED DRAGON

10/9/82 3pm A MAN CALLED TIGER

10/23/82 3pm STONER

11/6/82 3pm SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO

11/20/82 3pm ROOTS OF EVIL

12/11/82 3pm AVENGING EAGLES

12/18/82 3pm DEATH CHAMBER

1/15/83 3pm FIVE MASTERS OF DEATH

1/22/83 3pm STREET GANGS OF HONG KONG

2/5/83 3pm THE DEADLY ANGELS

2/12/83 3pm KUNG FU CONSPIRACY

2/19/83 3pm A HARD WAY TO DIE

2/26/83 3pm THE NINJA WARLORD

3/5/83 3pm BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST DAYS, HIS LAST NIGHTS

3/12/83 3pm THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM

3/19/83 3pm JADE CLAW

4/2/83 3pm SUPER POWER

4/16/83 3pm THE MASTER KILLER

4/23/83 3pm THE FOUR ASSASSINS

5/7/83 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE NINJA

5/14/83 3pm THE FLYING GUILLOTINE

6/4/83 1pm SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO; 3pm DUEL OF THE IRON FIST

6/11/83 1pm STREET GANGS OF HONG KONG

6/25/83 1pm THE SAVAGE FIVE

7/2/83 3pm THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS

7/9/83 1pm CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS; 3pm THE CHINATOWN KID

7/16/83 1pm THE UNBEATABLE DRAGON; 3pm THE THREE AVENGERS

7/23/83 1pm THE MASTER OF KUNG FU; 3pm EXECUTIONERS OF DEATH

7/30/83 1pm STONER; 3pm THE BLOODY AVENGERS

8/6/83 3pm AVENGING EAGLES

8/13/83 3pm DYNAMO

8/20/83 3:15pm THE TATTOO CONNECTION

8/27/83 1pm TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG

9/3/83 1pm DEATH CHAMBER; 3:15pm THE TATTOOED DRAGON

9/17/83 1pm THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM; 2:45pm THE SPEARMAN OF DEATH

9/24/83 3pm THE DEADLY ANGELS

10/1/83 1pm KUNG FU EXECUTIONER; 3pm A HARD WAY TO DIE

10/8/83 1pm A MAN CALLED TIGER; 2:30pm THE BULLET TRAIN

10/15/83 1pm THE FOUR ASSASSINS

10/22/83 1pm SUPER POWER; 3pm KOWLOON ASSIGNMENT

11/5/83 1pm KILLER FROM SHANTUNG; 3pm WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES

11/12/83 1pm THE NINJA WARLORD; 3pm THE RETURN OF THE MASTER KILLER

11/19/83 1pm THE DESTROYERS

11/26/83 1pm KUNG FU CONSPIRACY; 2:45pm TWO CHAMPIONS OF DEATH

12/3/83 1pm JADE CLAW

12/10/83 1pm BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST DAYS, HIS LAST NIGHTS

1/7/84 2pm THE TATTOO CONNECTION

1/14/84 3pm AVENGING EAGLES

1/21/84 3pm FIVE MASTERS OF DEATH

2/4/84 3pm FISTS OF THE WHITE LOTUS

2/11/84 3pm MASKED AVENGERS

2/18/84 3pm INSTRUCTORS OF DEATH

2/25/84 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE NINJA

3/3/84 3pm STREET GANGS OF HONG KONG

3/31/84 3pm KUNG FU EXECUTIONER

4/21/84 3pm THE FLYING GUILLOTINE

5/5/84 3pm DIRTY HO

5/12/84 3pm SLICE OF DEATH

5/26/84 3pm MORTAL COMBAT

6/2/84 3pm WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES

6/9/84 3pm ROOTS OF EVIL

6/30/84 2:30pm THE SPEARMAN OF DEATH

7/7/84 3pm DUEL OF THE IRON FIST

7/14/84 3pm THE MASTER KILLER

7/21/84 3pm TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG

7/28/84 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS

8/4/84 3pm THE FOUR ASSASSINS

8/11/84 3pm THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS

8/18/84 3pm THE MASTER OF KUNG FU

9/1/84 3pm THE UNBEATABLE DRAGON

9/8/84 3pm THE THREE AVENGERS

9/15/84 3pm THE DESTROYERS

9/22/84 3pm THE DEATH CHAMBER

9/29/84 3pm KILLER ARMY

10/13/84 3pm KUNG FU KILLERS

10/20/84 3pm THE DEADLY MANTIS (1978)

11/10/84 3pm SUPER NINJAS

11/17/84 3pm WINNERS AND SINNERS

11/24/84 3pm THE INVINCIBLE ONE

12/8/84 3pm STONER

12/15/84 3pm THE BLOODY AVENGERS

12/29/84 3pm KILLER FROM SHANTUNG

1/5/85 3pm THE YOUNG MASTER

1/12/85 3pm RETURN OF THE MASTER KILLER

1/19/85 3pm RETURN OF THE DRAGON

1/26/85 3pm THE CHINESE CONNECTION

2/9/85 3pm THE GAME OF DEATH

2/26/85 3pm GAME OF DEATH II

2/23/85 3pm THE TATTOOED DRAGON

3/2/85 3pm BREAKER! BREAKER!

3/16/85 3pm SUPER POWER

3/30/85 3pm A HARD WAY TO DIE

4/13/85 3pm THE CHINATOWN KID

5/4/85 3pm FIVE MASTERS OF DEATH

5/11/85 3pm FISTS OF FURY

5/25/85 3pm SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO

6/15/85 3pm THE DEADLY ANGELS

6/29/85 3pm KUNG FU CONSPIRACY

7/6/85 3pm JADE CLAW

7/20/85 3pm GOLIATHON

7/27/85 3pm THE SAVAGE FIVE

8/3/85 3pm STREET GANGS OF HONG KONG

8/10/85 3pm DUEL OF THE IRON FIST

8/17/85 3pm THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM

8/31/85 3pm KUNG FU EXECUTIONER

9/7/85 3pm EXECUTIONERS OF DEATH

9/21/85 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE NINJA

9/28/85 3pm AVENGING EAGLES

10/5/85 3pm KUNG FU WARLORDS

10/12/85 3pm ROAR OF THE LION

10/19/85 1pm DISCIPLES OF DEATH

10/26/85 3pm TWO CHAMPIONS OF DEATH

11/2/85 2:45pm KARATE EXTERMINATORS

11/9/85 3pm LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF KUNG FU

11/30/85 2:45pm INVINCIBLE KUNG FU BROTHERS

12/14/85 3pm INSTRUCTORS OF DEATH

12/21/85 3pm DIRTY HO

12/28/85 3pm SLICE OF DEATH

1/4/86 3pm WINNERS AND SINNERS

1/11/86 3pm BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH

1/18/86 3pm SHAOLIN HANDLOCK

1/25/86 3pm IRON FINGERS OF DEATH

2/1/86 3pm STROKE OF DEATH

2/8/86 2:45pm THE MASTER KILLER

2/15/86 3pm SEVEN SOLDIERS OF KUNG FU

2/22/86 3pm STRIKE 4 REVENGE

3/1/86 3:15pm BRUCE LEE: THE LEGEND

3/8/86 3pm SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS

3/15/86 3pm IRON CHAIN ASSASSIN

3/29/86 3pm POWERFORCE

4/5/86 3pm THE FLYING GUILLOTINE

4/12/86 3pm THE SPEARMAN OF DEATH

4/19/86 3pm KILLER ARMY

4/26/86 3:30pm THE NINJA WARLORD

5/3/86 3pm THUNDERBOLT FISTS

5/10/86 3pm DAREDEVILS OF KUNG FU

5/24/86 3pm KUNG FU HELLCATS

5/31/86 3pm THE DEADLY MANTIS (1978)

6/7/86 3pm FISTS OF THE WHITE LOTUS

6/14/86 3pm MORTAL COMBAT

6/21/86 3pm THE INVINCIBLE ONE

7/26/86 3pm THE UNBEATABLE DRAGON

8/16/86 3:15pm KUNG FU KILLERS

8/23/86 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS

8/30/86 2:45pm THE FOUR ASSASSINS

9/6/86 3pm THE FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH

9/20/86 3:15pm SUPERFIGHTERS

9/27/86 3pm DEATH CHAMBER

10/4/86 3pm SHAOLIN MASTERS

10/11/86 3pm WARRIOR OF STEEL

10/18/86 3pm KUNG FU GOLD

10/25/86 3pm POWERFORCE

11/1/86 3:15pm THE KILLING MACHINE

11/8/86 3pm KUNG FU INVADERS

11/22/86 3:15pm DEMON FIST OF KUNG FU

12/13/86 3pm THE DESTROYERS

12/20/86 3pm THE RETURN OF THE MASTER KILLER

12/27/86 3pm TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG

1/3/87 3pm THE BLOODY AVENGERS

1/10/87 3pm SOUL BROTHERS OF KUNG FU

1/17/87 3pm THE MASTER OF KUNG FU

1/24/87 3pm SHAOLIN HANDLOCK

1/31/87 3pm KILLER FROM SHANTUNG

2/7/87 3pm THREE EVIL MASTERS

2/14/87 2:45pm DYNASTY OF BLOOD

2/21/87 3pm THE KUNG FU INSTRUCTOR

2/28/87 2:45pm AVENGING WARRIORS OF SHAOLIN

3/7/87 2:45pm STONER

3/14/87 3pm WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES

3/21/87 3pm CHALLENGE OF THE NINJA

4/11/87 3pm A HARD WAY TO DIE

4/18/87 3pm INSTRUCTORS OF DEATH

4/25/87 3:30pm SUPER POWER

5/2/87 3:30pm SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO

5/16/87 3pm KUNG FU WARLORDS

5/23/87 1pm LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF KUNG FU

6/13/87 3pm KOWLOON ASSIGMENT

6/20/87 2:45pm THE FLYING GUILLOTINE

7/11/87 3:15pm KUNG FU CONSPIRACY

7/18/87 3pm THE SPEARMAN OF DEATH

8/15/87 3:30pm THE NINJA WARLORD

8/22/87 1pm KUNG FU EXECUTIONER

8/29/87 3pm ROOTS OF EVIL

9/5/87 3pm AVENGING EAGLES

9/12/87 3pm THE DEADLY MANTIS (1978)

12/5/87 3pm DYNASTY ( 3D Madness version )

Fist of Fury Theater WPIX-11

1pm - 3pm Saturdays around 1983

In 1983 WPIX decided that they too would air martial arts on Saturday afternoons. Fist of Fury Theater was never as popular as Drive-in Movie, and was gone by the next year. WPIX would later air other martial arts films, mostly American productions and including "Enter the Dragon", but randomly on week nights.

9/3/83 1pm Revenge of the Dragon ( 1981 ) Wang Chung

9/10/83 1pm Struggle Through Death ( 1981 ) John Liu, Jennifer Wang

Also:

The Amsterdam Connection

The Bloody Fight

The Bloody Fists

Bruce Lee Against Supermen (?)

Bruce Lee We Miss You

Bruce Lee's Secret

Cantonen Iron Kung Fu

Crack Shadow Boxers (?)

Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger (?)

Fists of Vengeance

Kung Fu Commandos

Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion

Northern Kicks and Southern Fist (?)

Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue (?)

Story in Red Temple Lily ( a promo for this movie ran, but the movie itself was preempted and possibly never aired. )

Superdragon

Tiger's Claw

True Game of Death

WWHT-68/60

10/3/83 3:30pm Two Champions of Death

1983

In 1983 televised martial arts movies peaked in New York City. The Saturday Drive-in Movie on WNEW-5 had gone from airing one Black Belt Theater film a month, to nearly every week during Drive-in Movie, to finally extending Drive-in Movie to a double feature with an earlier 1pm slot added to the 3pm slot, booth usually airing Black Belt Theater films. Around the same time WPIX-11began airing Fist of Fury Theater Saturdays at 1pm. And I finally found proof that WWHT-68 was also airing Shaw Brothers movies the same year. I found a TV guide with a listing for "Two Champion's of Death" on 10/3/83 @ 3:30 PM. WWHT was a UHF station that offered a prime time premium service that played unedited movies. Their signal was scrambled and could only be unscrambled with a box you rented from them. It was initially so successful that WWHT expanded the service over the weekends and eventually took over the entire day, cancelling all their regular programming including "The Uncle Floyd Show" which had just gone into syndication that year*. Because WWHT was a subscription channel, it created a technicality that allowed World Northal to sell it the same Shaw Brothers movies that were already airing in the same market on a different channel. Those who claimed they saw Shaw Brothers movies on WWHT also claimed they were letterboxed, suggesting they were unedited and not part of the Black Belt Theater package.

The peak happened when a fourth station, WWOR-9, also began airing martial arts movies on Saturday. For two weeks they aired Anglo produced ninja movies, starting with "Enter the Ninja". WWOR never went beyond their two week experiment. Fist of Fury Theater lasted about a year on WPIX, then was gone for good. They simply could not match the success that WNEW had with the same genre. Even WNEW could not match their own success. The double feature, which began the first week of June, ended the last week of November. The double feature returned in 1985, but this time only the second feature was a martial arts film. In 1986 WNEW mixed in martial arts movies from Cinema Shares along with the regular Black Belt Theater movies, suggesting the genre was still pulling high ratings. The final Black Belt Theater movie to air on Drive-in Movie was in September of 1987, preempted a week later by sfm Holiday Network "How Green Was My Valley". When Drive-in Movie returned it was no longer airing martial arts movies, possibly because of a directive from the new FOX network, the new owners of the channel. A few weeks later 3D Madness, a weekly show that aired 3D movies requiring blue/red glasses, began it's brief two week run in the Drive-in Movie time slot. The second film was "Dynasty", the final martial arts movie to ever air on Saturday afternoon on WNEW. Both the Black Belt Theater and Cinema Shares movies were moved to 12 midnight where they both aired until the Black Belt Theater package expired. Cinema Shares also disappeared, but then reappeared for a week or two at 3 am on week nights.

* Uncle Floyd was just picking up a national cult following when his show was abruptly cancelled, in turn effectively cancelling his syndication deal. The premium movie service failed shortly after 1983 as cable television expanded into the rest of the New York City area. WWHT then became a popular music video channel U68, but after a year was sold to Home Shopping Network who used the signal to simulcast their channel.

[shaolinkng7]

Super 66 Samurai Sunday WGBO-66

Anyone from the Chicago area know what films aired?

WGN-9

King Boxer

Detroit

Martial Arts Theater WXON-20

Dragon Lord (?)

Infernal Street (?)

Challenge of Death (?)

WKDB-50

Aired Black Belt Theater packages

[shaolinkng7]

Kung Fu Theater KTSF-26

Channel 26's Kung Fu Theater originally opened with a montage of photos from old Hollywood movies accompanied by Glen Miller's "In The Mood", apparently the same generic opening for all the channels movies. Eventually the channel went for something more original by building a set and hiring martial art Master Tat Mau Wong as the weekly host. Not only did he introduce films, but gave demonstrations, and even invited guest martial artists from surrounding schools to give their own demos.

Known to have aired:

Bloody Fist

Secrets of the Snake & Crane

Kung Fu of Tai Kwan Do

Dragon Force Operation

Anyone know more about this show, or what other movies aired?

[shaolinkng7]

Black Belt Theater (?) Kung Fu Theater (?) WTAF-29

Boxer Rebellion

Challenge of the Masters

Dreadnaught

Executioners from Shaolin

Invincible Shaolin

Shaolin Martial Arts

Shaolin Temple

Samurai Sunday WWSG/WGBS-57 ( Philly 57 )

Anyone from Philadelphia know what films aired on each?

WPHL-17 (?)

Blind Fist of Bruce (?)

Dragon on Fire (?)

Dragon's Inferno (?)

Golden Dragon, Silver Snake (?)

Return of the Kung Fu Dragon (?)

Heroes of Shaolin (?)

[teako170]

Black Belt Theater (?) Kung Fu Theater (?) WTAF-29

Anyone from Philadelphia know what films aired on each?

These films I recall from WTAF....

Boxer Rebellion

Challenge of the Masters

Dreadnaught

Executioners from Shaolin

Invincible Shaolin

Shaolin Martial Arts

Shaolin Temple

More when I think of them....

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

Holy shit!!!!!!!!!!! Mind blown!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dionbrother]

"What was the German one with the midget villain again? "Fear No Evil" or something? How about the one that took place in the old west? Or the Charlies Angels rip-off? "

ROOTS OF EVIL , the greatest movie ever made. A HARD WAY TO DIE, the second greatest movie ever made. DEADLY ANGELS, the 798the best movie ever made.

I do think Golden Harvest handled much of their own tv syndication, and did a rather poor job of it. I always heard about YOUNG MASTER and DRAGON LORD playing on channels in the Northeast in the 80s. Never saw them on tv south of the Mason Dixon Line. Golden Harvest had an L.A. office back then, but they never seemed to do much other than signing a weird deal with Cinema Group Home Video.

Philly 57 aired INVINCIBLE KUNG FU BROTHERS and DEADLY ANGELS in 1992. With World Northal logos. One presumes they possibly knew WN was gone and the tapes were in the public domain. Strange because both titles were scarce at the time among VHS traders. I had the only copy of DEADLY ANGELS, because the kung fu collectors didn't care about it!

There is an issue of Martial Arts Movie Associates that lists every title in every BBT package, including the phantom "unsyndicated" 5th package(except for two titles that showed up on LA tv).. If I dig it up in the next month or so, I'll post the titles. But others may have it.

[Jesse Smooth]

Now this was in my pre-Kindergarten to 4th Grade days.

I remember USA played Secret Executioners and Dreadnought Rivals.

WGN played THE KING BOXER, with Meng Fei.

WXON in Detroit had Martial Arts Theater. Some of these films included DRAGON LORD, INFERNAL STREET, CHALLENGE OF DEATH, etc... I'll have to come back to that.

[dionbrother]

USA ran a lot of titles from Harmony Gold in 1989. NORTHERN KICKS AND SOUTHERN FISTS, HERO TATTOO WITH NINE DRAGONS and WANG YU KING OF BOXING. Just a few months after I wrote them asking to consider bringing back Kung Fu Theater. They wrote me back and said they were looking into it. Then those flicks started airing that summer.

[shaolinkng7]

ROOTS OF EVIL , the greatest movie ever made. A HARD WAY TO DIE, the second greatest movie ever made. DEADLY ANGELS, the 798the best movie ever made.

Sorry about that. I should have mentioned that I later found the names of those movies, and before the Drive-in Movie article was posted. It took me forever trying different variations on titles with "of Evil" and "fear no" in it on IMDB before I finally stumbled on "Brood of Evil" ( literal translation of the film's German title ). Soon after IMDB began using it's English language name "Roots of Evil" which made it easier to find. I was also able to track down a copy. Someone posted a torrent of a Dutch(?) video release. Foreign subtitles but in English. I discovered the name of the Billy Chong western in the mid 90s when I ordered a catalog from Ocean Shores and recognized scenes from the film on the box of "Sun Dragon". From there I found the alternative title World Northal used, "A Hard Way to Die". So close to "Three the Hard Way" that I assumed it must have been called something else. I knew that the Shaw Brothers rip off of Charlies Angels must have had "Angels" in the title somewhere. I discovered the name unintentionally while reading Bey Logan's "Hong Kong Action Cinema". I recently bought the Banzai unauthorized release. It does drag in a lot of parts. The film that took me the longest time to find the title of was "Kung Fu Conspiracy" and only after the Chris Poggiali Drive-in Movie article was published online. The only reason why I wanted to remember that title was that it was the one film out of the Black Belt Theater package I did not like. I don't know why, but every time it came on I was bored to tears. I saw it again recently and it was not as bad as I remembered it.

I do think Golden Harvest handled much of their own tv syndication, and did a rather poor job of it. I always heard about YOUNG MASTER and DRAGON LORD playing on channels in the Northeast in the 80s. Never saw them on tv south of the Mason Dixon Line. Golden Harvest had an L.A. office back then, but they never seemed to do much other than signing a weird deal with Cinema Group Home Video.

They also released every Bruce Lee movie but "Game of Death II" on CBS/FOX home video. Another home video company released "Man From Hong Kong". And there were numerous legal releases of "Slaughter in San Fransisco" along with unauthorized releases under the title "Karate Cop". They also produced quite a few Hollywood films. The entire "Cannonball Run" franchise, the live action "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" franchise, "Megaforce", "High Road to China", "Lassiter" "The Boys in Company C", "Death Hunt" and a few others.

Cinema Group over produced "Jackie Chan's Police Force" and in the late 80s you could find legit copies from the overstock for sale at $10 in a lot of stores. I never heard of "Police Story" at the time and was half expecting another bad Jackie Chan film. At that time the market was flooded with a lot of his Lo Wei produced films for $10, and "Master With Cracked Fingers". I was so surprised to get such a great movie for such a low price that wasn't one of the bootlegs.

Philly 57 aired INVINCIBLE KUNG FU BROTHERS and DEADLY ANGELS in 1992. With World Northal logos. One presumes they possibly knew WN was gone and the tapes were in the public domain.

The tapes were never in the public domain. The deal that World Northal had with Shaw Brothers had an expiration date. World Northal would need to renew every few years for the movies they distributed to television. In turn the packages World Northal syndicated would have also had an expiration date. It is possible that there were a few Black Belt Theater packages that did no expire until after 1992. In New York City, the station that had the Black Belt Theater contract was WNEW-5, the movies which were moved to 12 midnight Saturday along with the Cinema Shares films. Somewhere around 1990 WNEW stopped airing martial arts movies altogether. Then around 1993 WNEW began airing the Cinema Shares films again around 3 in the morning including all the martial arts films they had not played in three years. If they still had the rights to Cinema Shares in 1993 then it is possible that the rights to air some of the Black Belt Theater packages extended into 1992.

Strange because both titles were scarce at the time among VHS traders. I had the only copy of DEADLY ANGELS, because the kung fu collectors didn't care about it!

"Incredible Kung Fu Brothers" was among the movies available on Shaw Brothers Video and the bootlegs that followed. The movie may not have been available where you live, but you could easily buy a copy wherever Shaw Brothers bootlegs were sold in NYC. I still have my copy that I purchased around 1989. Not all the Shaw Brothers films that aired on Black Belt Theater ended up as part of the Shaw Brothers Video releases. "Deadly Angels" was one of them.

This is getting off topic, so I am moving this discussion on the Shaw Brothers bootlegs to this thread....

http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/showthread.php?p=191098#post191098

WGN played THE KING BOXER, with Meng Fei.

Do you mean "The Prodigal Boxer"?

A couple of years ago Warner Brothers began releasing double feature martial arts movies. letterboxed and quality prints. The thing is, two of the volumes were films that were also part of the Fist of Fury Theater package. "Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion" and "The Bloody Fists" in one volume and "Amsterdam Connection" and "The Bloody Fight" in another. A third volume had "The Prodigal Boxer" and "Militant Eagle", neither which I remember airing during the New York City broadcast of Fist of Fury Theater. But that does not mean it was not part of the package and WPIX-11 simply did not air them. Do you remember any of the other movies that aired on WGN? Possibly "The Prodigal Boxer" was part of the Fist of Fury Theater package.

PS

Warner Brothers pulled the DVD with "The Amsterdam Connection" and "The Bloody Fight" with no explanation. I am assuming that maybe there was no proper clearing of rights? The other two volumes were later combined into a single four volume set. No other H.K. martial arts movies have been released by Warner Brothers since then.

I remember USA played Secret Executioners and Dreadnought Rivals.

Was that on the original Kung Fu Theater or later on when they briefly revived martial arts movies?

USA ran a lot of titles from Harmony Gold in 1989. NORTHERN KICKS AND SOUTHERN FISTS, HERO TATTOO WITH NINE DRAGONS and WANG YU KING OF BOXING. Just a few months after I wrote them asking to consider bringing back Kung Fu Theater. They wrote me back and said they were looking into it. Then those flicks started airing that summer.

Are you sure all these films were distributed by Harmony Gold and not a mix of different packages?

There is an issue of Martial Arts Movie Associates that lists every title in every BBT package, including the phantom "unsyndicated" 5th package(except for two titles that showed up on LA tv).. If I dig it up in the next month or so, I'll post the titles. But others may have it.

It would be nice to see that list.

[Jesse Smooth]

Do you mean "The Prodigal Boxer"?

A couple of years ago Warner Brothers began releasing double feature martial arts movies. letterboxed and quality prints. The thing is, two of the volumes were films that were also part of the Fist of Fury Theater package. "Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion" and "The Bloody Fists" in one volume and "Amsterdam Connection" and "The Bloody Fight" in another. A third volume had "The Prodigal Boxer" and "Militant Eagle", neither which I remember airing during the New York City broadcast of Fist of Fury Theater. But that does not mean it was not part of the package and WPIX-11 simply did not air them. Do you remember any of the other movies that aired on WGN? Possibly "The Prodigal Boxer" was part of the Fist of Fury Theater package.

PS

Warner Brothers pulled the DVD with "The Amsterdam Connection" and "The Bloody Fight" with no explanation. I am assuming that maybe there was no proper clearing of rights? The other two volumes were later combined into a single four volume set. No other H.K. martial arts movies have been released by Warner Brothers since then.

Was that on the original Kung Fu Theater or later on when they briefly revived martial arts movies?

Are you sure all these films were distributed by Harmony Gold and not a mix of different packages?

It would be nice to see that list.

THE KING BOXER was partially filmed in Thailand and featured a nice travelogue at the beginning. It also played on WKBD back in '95. Crash Cinema released a lwtterbixed version on VHS back in '99.

As for those films on USA, they aired in '90 and in '92.

Back in '89, WKBD aired BBT films, including DEADLY ANGELS. Odd I can remember this stuff when I was only 7, LOL.

[Jesse Smooth]

An odd bit of trivia, WXON had their segments filmed at a Chinese restaurant called Rikshaw Inn. A radio DJ named Jim Harper played a Fu Manchu type character named Chawli Lum. The segments were pulled after complaints by the local Asian community. The restaurant itself is now called Shangri-La (has good dim sum) and down the street from my parents' place.

[shaolinkng7]

THE KING BOXER was partially filmed in Thailand and featured a nice travelogue at the beginning. It also played on WKBD back in '95. Crash Cinema released a lwtterbixed version on VHS back in '99.

Very confusing.

As you know, "Five Fingers of Death", the otherwise forgettable potboiler from Shaw Brothers that introduced America to HK martial arts movies, was originally called "King Boxer" back in Hong Kong. "KIng Boxer" was released in 1972, the same year that "The King Boxer" with Meng Fei was released, in fact ten days before the Shaw Brothers movie. Until a few hours ago I did not even realize there was a second movie called "King Boxer", and according to the reviews I read of it, there is good reason why I did not know it existed. I probably saw the video box for this movie many times and always assumed it was "Five Fingers of Death". To make things even more confusing, "Prodigal Boxer" came out the same year.

[dionbrother]

"Are you sure all these films were distributed by Harmony Gold and not a mix of different packages?"

I seem to recall they all had HG logos, and were also released by Master Arts Video. Two companies bought the same package of films. If I run across my recording of NORTHERN KICKS SOUTHERN FISTS, I'll double check.

[AlbertV]

I remember sometimes on WPIX-11 during the 80's on weekday afternoons they occasionally played a kung fu film. I think one time I was sick so I stayed home from school and at 1pm, they gave INFRA-MAN, which was dubbed in English by Peter Fernandez.

I think they also had BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST DAYS & NIGHTS on that channel during the weekdays, maybe the late 80's.

[Black.Dragon]

WTXX in Connecticut Saturday mornings Black Belt theater aired " Instructors of Death " aka Martial Club. Still have it on VHS with 80's comercials and all. Also have some of USA's Capt. USA movies " Magnificent Fist" staring Carter Wong .

[AlbertV]

I just had another memory kick in...just after Channel 5 started airing the FOX channel programming, it did revert back to local programming for the first few years. I remember in 1992, I was looking at the TV-listings and I saw that they were airing Fists of Bruce Lee at 2:00am. You bet I stayed up just so I can see the film. What I found interesting is that the music in the version seen here is much different from the version that is available on DVD today.

The opening credits had more of TSOP-style music instead of Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces" and the scene at the hotel restaurant had a more upbeat funk sound played by the "band" and not Van McCoy's "Hey Girl, Come and Get It".

I don't know if this was a distribution thing at the time, but I thought I would bring that up considering I would watch these films on occasion on late night Fridays before the entire world of TV changed.

I still miss that old school feeling