Angela Mao

Angela Mao Ying (born Mao Fuching; September 20th, 1950) is a Taiwanese actress and martial artist who appeared in martial arts films in the 1970s. One of the most prominent martial artist actresses of her time, she is nicknamed "Lady Whirlwind" and "Lady Kung Fu". She was positioned as a female version of Bruce Lee.[1]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Mao.
Angela Mao
茅瑛
Born
Mao Fuching (茅復靜)

(1950-09-20) 20 September 1950
Taiwan
OccupationActress, martial artist
Years active1970s-1992
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1974; div. 1980)​
Children
  • Hsi Pui Sze (daughter), with Kelly Lai Chen
  • George King (son), with 2nd husband
Chinese name
Chinese茅瑛

Biography

Mao was born as Mao Fuching in 1950. She is the daughter of Mao Yung Kang, Peking Opera star, who moved from China to Taiwan in 1949. Her family was originally from Zhejiang province. Angela was originally a Chinese opera actress before becoming an action film actress; at a young age she attended ballet classes before joining The Fu Shing Peking Opera in 1958.

Mao trained in hapkido and other martial arts at an early age. This would later help her achieve success in martial art movies. When she was 17, she was discovered by Huang Feng, an action movie director known for discovering Sammo Hung and Carter Wong. Feng was looking for a young woman who knew martial arts to be the leading lady for his upcoming sword fight film, called Angry River.

With her experience in acting and martial arts, Angela quickly began taking leading roles in other action movies in Golden Harvest productions including Hapkido (Lady Kung-fu), Lady Whirlwind, and The Fate of Lee Khan (directed by King Hu). She was also successful in other movies such as The Association, The Himalayans and many others.

Internationally, she found fame for her role as the doomed sister of Bruce Lee's character in 1973's Enter the Dragon. Although Bruce Lee died shortly after the production of the movie, Mao was able to train and develop a friendship with Lee.

Following the incredible success to her short-lived role in 1973's Enter The Dragon, many of her films began to be released in the west. Hapkido was the first to gain this wider audience. The film also starred Carter Wong, Sammo Hung, her real life teacher Hwang In-Shik and also Ji Han Jae. Also working on Hapkido were an uncredited 'bootmaster' Leung Siu-Lung who was helping Sammo with the fight choreography and a stuntman named Jackie Chan.

Mao continued with a string of successful movies through the seventies. Angela alongside with actor Carter Wong became a bit of a kung fu duo act in a series of kung fu classic movies. One of most popular movies made by them was When Taekwondo Strikes which was also the only film made by Jhoon Rhee. Mao spent time training with Rhee during the making of this movie. After her Golden Harvest contract expired, she returned to Taiwan and for the next five years she continued to make kung fu movies.

Mao married Kelly Lai Chen in 1974 and gave birth to a daughter Hsi Pui Sze in 1976. They divorced in 1980. She later married to her second husband and had a son, George King, who was born in 1983. She retired from acting in 1992 to devote herself to her family. She moved to New York City in 1993, where she and her family run three restaurants.[2]

Filmography

References
  1. Vadukul, Alex (January 24, 2017). "Pilgrimages to Queens Restaurant to Honor Lady Kung Fu". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  2. Searching for Lady Kung Fu, ALEX VADUKUL, New York Times, NOV. 4, 2016
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