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Chang Yi


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This bio was written by a kung fu brother, and sent to me years ago for use on my site. I decided to post it here on the forum. These are unedited.

 

Chang Yi

 

Chang Yi was born in city of Huizhou located in South China province Guandong on February 24th, 1945 under the name Zhang Bo-Shen. Soon upon his birth his family emerged to Taiwan where he joined Peking Opera School and stayed there for eight years. Along side his classmates Angela Mao, Judy Lee, James Tien, Lee I Min and others, Chang studied gymnastics, acting and various martial arts. Chang preferred Tae Kwan Do which he mastered but he also attended weapon training class. After finishing school he began with acting and soon became one of Hong Kong’s brightest stars, best known for performing silver haired Kung Fu master villain that uses deadly Eagle Claw style

 

Upon leaving school, Chang Yi began with acting job. He made his film debut in 1965 Shaw Brothers melodrama Pink Tears where he had only small role. Two years after that in 1967 Chang made contract with Shaw Brothers studio and soon he began with acting in numerous Swordplay Classics with some of the top stars of that time, first movie with Chang in the leading roll was “The Thundering Sword” which was shot in the same year when Chang joined Shaw’s. After this Chang starred in several more Shaw Brothers projects including “Bells of Death” (1968) co-starring Ching Ping and Ku Feng and also famous classic “Brothers Five” (1970) with Cheng Pei-Pei and Lo Lieh in the leading role.

 

In 1970 Chang Yi left Shaw Brothers studio and began with acting in numerous Hong Kong and Taiwanese independent productions. First non Shaw film that he made was Japanese Golden Harvest-co production “Zatoichi and One-Armed Swordsman” starring Chan’s mate Jimmy Wang Yu. After this film Chang appeared in two more excellent films: “Lady Whirlwind”(1972) starring Angela Mao and “Bandits from Shantung”(1972) with Chang in the leading role. In the next year Chang for the first and last time directed film, production was called “Chinese Dragon” and it was shot in Taiwan. Later during ‘1970s Chang appeared in large numbers of films that were mostly shot in Taiwan, some of most notable are Magic Ring (1976), Spy Ring Kokuryukai (1976) and Lady Constables (1978) all three co-starring Chang’s classmate Judy Lee.

 

After big success in ‘70s Chang wasn’t so active in ‘1980s, some of his best known works from that period is Sammo Hung film “Victim” (1981) co-starring Meng Fei, Ku Feng and Ching Li. After this movie Chang went into the world of TV series and began with starring in many of them including 20 episodes long ATV series “The Underground Agents” (1984) and “Rise of the Great Wall”. Chang made his last film appearance in 1992 Sammo Hung project “Moon Warrior”. After that he emerged to Canada but his career didn’t stop.

 

Today Chang is still active on Taiwanese TV where he is still acting in numerous series like “Speech of Silence” from 2008 and most recent “Rosy Business”. In his career Chang starred in little less then 100 films and became on of the best known Asian actors. It is too bad for all his fans that his private life stayed pretty much unknown, but luckily he had enough qualities to make career without scandals and public life. Except his great acting skills, charisma and talent he was able to show his martial art skills that stayed watchable until this day.

 

 

-Marko G.

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Secret Executioner

One of his strangest parts must have been in the 1979 movie Monkey Fist, Floating Snake. I mean, his character keeps popping in and seems like he will fight but ALWAYS gets a way out. I mean, what the hell is the point of this guy ? :worried Otherwise, it's a fun movie with nice Fu and likeable charachters.

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One of his strangest parts must have been in the 1979 movie Monkey Fist, Floating Snake. I mean, his character keeps popping in and seems like he will fight but ALWAYS gets a way out. I mean, what the hell is the point of this guy ? :worried Otherwise, it's a fun movie with nice Fu and likeable charachters.

I vaguely recall a movie where a guy I think keeps saying how good of a fighter he is, or something like that, is on the verge of fighting many times, then doesn't. Wonder if it's the same movie? :thinking

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Secret Executioner

I vaguely recall a movie where a guy I think keeps saying how good of a fighter he is, or something like that, is on the verge of fighting many times, then doesn't. Wonder if it's the same movie? :thinking

I think this is it. Like he says he doesn't want to fight anymore cause the other guys aren't good enough or something.

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Blade vs caine, in a scene from Excelsior(1974), featuring actors Lung Fei and Chang Yi.

 

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Edited by DragonClaws
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I recently discovered that Chang Yi played in some ATV series : Gods of war, I accuse (action police series with Wong Chung) and he also acted in some TVB series.

If I have time enough, I'll try to list all the series he played in and I'm aware of...

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Thank you very much, ad for the pictures from Super Manchu too !!

The clip from the series Drunken fist is excellent !!

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DragonClaws
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There was actually a paperback novelization for Supermanchu, written by Sean Mei Sullivan, published in March 1974 by Ballantine Books, still listed on Amazon. 

51mizsN8DOL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

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Killer Meteor
On 3/31/2019 at 10:16 PM, DragonClaws said:

 

Was this VHS release a genuine WideScreen/Original language version of the film?.

 

Source- https://www.amazon.com/Shaolin-Traitorous-VHS-Carter-Wong/dp/6304557884

 

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A hate and anger ridden Tin Erh Keng(Chang Yi), in The Traitorous(1976)

ShaolinTraitorous.jpg

 

Eastern Heroes released a genuine widescreen subtitled transfer on a DVD with The Victim.

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DragonClaws
22 hours ago, Killer Meteor said:

Eastern Heroes released a genuine widescreen subtitled transfer on a DVD with The Victim.

 

Thanks for that @Killer Meteor, do you know if there a company bootlegging Eastern Heroes releases in the U.S?.

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