Member Kung-Fu Scholar Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Just learned that Kung-fu cinema original comedic kung-fu kid Wong Yu passed away recently. It's his brother in law Ching Siu Tong that announced the news and fixed the funeral arragement. Reportedly he died from some sort of viral infection and was just 53 years old. A graduate from Shaw Brother actor school, he started out around 72-73, in troubled puppy-eyed teager role (as in The TEAHOUSE) but he was really revealed as a kung-fu comedic leading man in Lau Kar Leung directorial debut SPIRITUAL BOXER. Although latter on called Shaw's Studio answer to Jackie Can he predated him by many years. Actually both a them took a bit after the original kung-fu kid Fu Sheng. Besides KLau Kar Leung Wong Yu worked initially with such director Lau KAr Wing and Li Han Hsiang playing the comic foil to such actors as Gordon Lliu and Anthony Lau. After an initial string of kung-fu comedy he extended his range in wuxipian movies, gambling movie, period comedie etc. Besides the Lau Brothers he also became later on a regular for Wong Jing and Sung Chung movies. Although of limited charisma and kung-fu skills, Wong Yu main assets were his comedic flair and his likeable underdogish trickster persona. One of his best role (if not the best outright) is as the titular lead rogue DIRTY HO by Lau Kar Leung. Wong Yu career declined at the same time as Shaw Brothers studio fortunes were also webbing at the start of the eighties. He was reported to have some drug and alcool problems. He was also involved in the car crash that killed Fu Sheng. Following Shaw studio closure he could only find bit parts in movies. He was luckier on TV at least for a time where he work as a supporting actor for ATV station. Eventually he left the movies business altoghter, and found work instead in an assurence company, then became a vendor on H-K Temple street. In short he became a where are they now from star to has been casualty. He clean up his acted in later years and according to Ching Siu Tong, while he was'nt rich he wasn't completly destitude either. I wrote a bio entry on him years ago on Brian Naas's Hong Kong View from the Brooklyn Bridge, while some areas of his carreer are overlook, it's still give a good overviews of it overall. Kung-Fu Scholar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Yakuza954 Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Even though the opinions of him are love/hate on this board, he was undeniably a part of many great martial arts films. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member chingli Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Oh geez, that's sad and shocking. I'm so sorry to hear that, I thought he was hilarious in alot of the shaw bros comedy from the 80s. Too sad for words, RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Tragic news. His best films for me were his performances as the young, greenhorn assassin in FLYING GUILLOTINE, the sarcastic kung fu expert with the trick umbrella in RENDEZVOUS WITH DEATH, his turn as a young fighting punk in KID WITH A TATTOO, the arrogant con man in LION VS LION and his kung fu hero role battling it out with Hwang Jang Lee in KID FROM KWANG TUNG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Asmo Posted May 17, 2008 Moderator Share Posted May 17, 2008 Rest in Peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Winfred Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 He was one of my favourites. I will mourn for him. This weekend will be a sad one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member thehangman Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Thats ashame he always seemed to be abit overlooked,i always enjoyed his rolls in films. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venom10463 Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 How sad. He was my favorite kung fu comedic actor. He'll be missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Winfred Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 In 2006, he made a will before undergoing a brain operation. He said the reporters can open and publish it if he does not survive. Susan Shaw Yin Yin who saw him recently said he had lost a lot of weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ironfistedmonk Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Very sad news, I always liked the guy and he made some great movies. That second picture you put up looks more like Jimmy Wang Yu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member thundered mantis Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 He was too young, only 53 I preferred the other more kung fu savvy stars, but I have only recently discovered Kid from Kwantung and Young Avenger, and got new respect for Wong Yu´s kung. I reccomend those films to everyone. I´ll try to watch them along the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Monk Sante Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Very sad news. Wong Yu also made a few independent films, The Young Avenger being one of them. My fav films with Wong: Dirty Ho Spiritual boxer Kid from Kwungtung KID with a Tattoo Kung Fu Instructor Executioners from shaolin and many more................RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Winfred Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 His ashes will be flown to Canada. In the Chinese papers, there are rumours of suicide although his family refused to answer the reporters' questions. Hospital staff are tightlipped too. Wang Yue leaves behind a father, an ex-wife and a 13 year old daughter. What is the proper spelling of his name? Celestial Pictures spells it Wang Yu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member HAZ Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 RIP. Spiritual Boxer is a favorite of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Mark Pollard Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Sad news. It's reported that he died on May 5th. Thanks for posting Kung-Fu Scholar. I use the spelling "Wang Yu" which is how it's listed at the HK Film Archive. Anyone have some decent pics of Wang in his prime? I'm working on a profile and article about his death. I should be able to dig up a few pics but I haven't looked yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Mark Pollard Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 This was previously posted elsewhere on the forums by shaolindogma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Endsang Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Mark, I googled some and found this picture which I think is very decent. I don't know, you might need permission to use it. Although I've never been a fan, it was sad to hear. It's too bad how most of the movie stars from the 60s, 70s and early 80s simply slip into obscurity until something like this happens. You don't usually hear about them until something bad happens, like this and the whole Lo Meng story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Mark Pollard Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 The stuff I'm reading in Chinese media suggests the Wang was having a lot of personal issues. If true, I'm glad we haven't heard about him more. I'd rather celebrate the high points of actors' lives, even if they happened 25 years ago. Endsang, your pic isn't loading for me. I may just use some screen caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Markgway Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 RIP, mate. Very sad news. I won't lie and say I was his biggest fan, but he was a Shaw legend all the same. His contribution to films like The Spiritual Boxer and Dirty Ho will be remembered. You can see how ill he looks in those photos, especially the second one where he looks more like 83 than 53. Damn shame. Wang Yu is his Mandarin name. Wong Yue his Cantonese name. I use the latter for two reasons: 1. To avoid confusion with the other Wang Yu. 2. Most of his starring films were Cantonese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Mark Pollard Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Using Wong Yue makes more sense. http://www.kungfufilms.nl/Wong_Yue_biografie.htm http://www.hkcinemagic.com/fr/people.asp?id=715 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Yue YOUNG AVENGER clip - Wong Yue vs. Wilson Tong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOasSWOigSE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Ugh - not the way I wanted to start the weekend. As Markgway said, WY wasn't one of my personal faves but he certainly grew on me and I enjoyed several of his films. I hate to see any of our Shaw family pass on. Its a sad reminder that these individuals are not eternal and someday they too will fall. However thanks to these films, they do in a way cheat death -- so long as we continue to watch and enjoy their films. RIP Wong Yu. Thanks for the memories.... Couple scans I made from Southern Screen (July 1982) this morning to honor his memory. Published around the time he was making "Lady Is the Boss." Another scan from a different mag... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Endsang Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 The stuff I'm reading in Chinese media suggests the Wang was having a lot of personal issues. If true, I'm glad we haven't heard about him more. I'd rather celebrate the high points of actors' lives, even if they happened 25 years ago. Endsang, your pic isn't loading for me. I may just use some screen caps. I agree. I know I prefer seeing them as the legends on screen rather than hearing about the ups and downs of their personal lives. I found the picture here, by the way. Link should work. Also has a relatively new picture of him where he looks quite good and healthy. http://www.mtime.com/person/1059050/ Edit: Teako, who's the guy with the orange pants on the last picture? Are the others Hsiao Ho, Lo Meng, Gordon Liu and Kara Hui? Looked like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Never a favourite of mine. But im saddened, just the same. He had his moments. R I P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member oldeschool17 Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 thats unfortunate. I recently watched an interview of him(i forget what dvd). RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Mark Pollard Posted May 17, 2008 Member Share Posted May 17, 2008 Thanks Endsang and teako. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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