Bolo Yeung

Yang Sze (simplified Chinese: 杨斯; traditional Chinese: 楊斯; pinyin: Yáng Sī; Jyutping: Yeung4 Si1; born 3 July 1946[1]), better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Chinese former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist 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 (starring Bruce Lee), as Chong Li in Bloodsport (starring Jean-Claude Van Damme), Chang Lee in Bloodfight (starring Yasuaki Kurata and Simon Yam) and for his numerous appearances and long career in Hong Kong martial arts films.

Bolo Yeung
Bolo Yeung - Budo Gala 2010
Born (1946-07-03) 3 July 1946
OccupationActor, martial artist, bodybuilder
Years active1970present

Biography

Yeung began his martial arts training at the age of 10 in. Guangzhou, Guangdong, where he trained 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 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.

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

During the 1970s and 1980s, Yeung starred in numerous martial arts films, but his breakout film was Bloodsport. Shot on a 1.5 million USD budget, it became a box office hit in the spring of 1988. Jean-Claude Van Damme had the leading role as Frank Dux, while Yeung played the role of Chong Li. A strong friendship formed between the two actors on the set of Bloodsport, and Van Damme invited Yeung to appear in his subsequent film Double Impact.

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

In 2007, Yeung made a rare appearance in Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter. Merhi directed the first 60 minutes of the film that was shot in Toronto. Due to other commitments, he could not complete the remaining part of the film in Russia. Producer Erken Ialgashev directed the remainder of the film.

In the 2019 Cinemax series Warrior, Rich Ting portrays a Hong enforcer named "Bolo" to pay homage to Yeung's character in Enter the Dragon. Warrior was developed from Bruce Lee's initial writings for the series and features the fictional Bolo as a rival to Ah Sahm, the protagonist who bears many similarities to Lee.

Filmography

YearFilmRole
2017Diamond Cartel (Original title The Whole World at Our Feet)[4]Bula
2007Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate FighterErik's Trainer
1997Tiger Claws IIChong
1996Fists of Legends 2 Iron BodyguardsMongolian fighter
1995Shootfighter 2Shingo
1994Fearless TigerMaster on mountain
1993TC 2000Master Sumai
1992The Magnificent DuoBolo
1992Tiger ClawsChong
1992IronheartIce
1992Shootfighter: Fight to the DeathShingo
1992Mega Force from HighlandThe Wu Tang Swordsman
1991Double ImpactMoon
1991Breathing Fire (as Bolo Young)Thunder
1989BloodfightChang Lee - The Vietnamese Cobra
1988BloodsportChong Li
1988One Husband Too ManyDung Ken - Muscleman
1987Killer's Nocturne (No-Evening Day)???
1987To Err is Humane (a.k.a. To Err is Human)???
1987Shanghai Express (a.k.a. Millionaire's Express, Wealthy Train, Nobles' Express)??? (cameo)
1986Legacy of RageThug
1986Lucky Stars Go Places (a.k.a. Luckiest Stars)Movie patron
1994Seven AngelsBar customer in green shirt
1985Bruce Lee's Dragons Fight Back???
1985My Lucky Stars (a.k.a. Lucky Stars Superior Shine or Winners and Sinners 2)Millionaire Chan
1985Working Class (a.k.a. Hit Work Emperor)Giant kickboxer
1985Lucky Diamond (a.k.a. Wish You Good Luck)???
1984Silent Romance???
1983Just for Fun???
1983The Boxers Omen (a.k.a. Mo)Mr Bu Bo - The Thai Boxer
1982The SupergangBig King
1982The Ninja Strikes Back (aka Bruce Le Fights/Strikes Back or Eye of the Dragon)???
1981All the Wrong Clues (for the Right Solution)???
1980Way of the Dragon 2 (as Sze Yang)???
1980The 36 Deadly StylesCheungs Brother
1980(Bruce) the King of Kung Fu (a.k.a. Revenge of the Dragon/s)???
1980Fearless Hyena 3 (as Yang Tze) (a.k.a. Fearless Master)???
1980Challenge of the Tiger (as Yang Sze) (a.k.a. Dragon Bruce Le or Gymkata Killer)???
1980Invincible (a.k.a. Fighting Dragon)???
1980Treasure of Bruce Lee (a.k.a. King Boxer 2)???
1979Bruce the Superhero (as Yang Sze)Peter Sze The Bullkiller
1979Ruthless Revenge (a.k.a. Invincible Kung Fu or The Two Tricky Kids)???
1979The Dragon, the Hero (a.k.a. Dragon on Fire)???
1979Enter Three Dragons (a.k.a. Three Avengers)Bolo
1979The Fists, the Kicks, and the EvilMaster Lung
1979Snake Deadly ActThe Giant
1979Writing Kung Fu (as Sze Yang)Ah Yen
1978Enter the Game of Death (a.k.a. The King of Kung Fu)???
1978Bruce Li in New Guinea???
1978Amsterdam Connection (as Yang Sze)Big Louie
1978Black Belt Jones 2 (a.k.a. Tattoo Connection)-
1978The Image of Bruce Lee (a.k.a. Storming Attacks)Kimura
1977Kentucky Fried Movie
197710 Magnificent Killers (as Yang Szu)Ling Chu
1977Bolo the Brute (a.k.a. Bolo)Bolo
1977The Clones of Bruce LeeMartial arts trainer
1977Bruce and Shaolin Kung Fu (a.k.a. Bruce vs Black Dragon)Lam Chi Chu
1977Soul of Chiba (as Yang Sze)Nepal
1976A Queen's Ransom (a.k.a. International Assassin(s))Ram
1975Hong Kong Superman (a.k.a. Bruce: Hong Kong Master)???
1975Seven Blows of the Dragon 2 (a.k.a. 108 Heroes, 7 Soldiers of Kung Fu, All Men are Brothers 2, 7 Kung Fu Assassins, Turbulent Invade Record)???
1975Kung Fu Massacre (as Yang Sze)???
1975G-Men '75 (TV series)???
1975He Loved Once Too Many (as Bolo Yeung Tze)???
1975The Fighting Dragon (TV series) (a.k.a. The Fighting Dragon)Red Tiger
1974Super Kung Fu Kid (as Sze Yang)Tiger
1973Chinese HerculesChinese Hercules
1973Thunderkick???
1973Kung Fu's Hero (as Sze Yang)???
1973Enter the Dragon (as Yang Sze)Bolo
1973Freedom Strikes A Blow (as Yang Sze)Chiang Tai
1973Greatest Thai Boxing???
1973Tiger???
1973Ninja Killer (as Yang Sze)Mr Yang
1972Man of Iron (a.k.a. Iron Man or Warrior of Steel)Jin Xi Fu
1972Trilogy of Swordsmanship???
1972Young People???
1972King Boxer (a.k.a. 5 Fingers of Death, Invincible Boxer, Iron Palm, Hand of Death)Pa Tu Er, Mongolian fighter
1972The 14 AmazonsWestern Xia wrestler
1972Angry Guest (a.k.a. Kung Fu Killers)Sze Yang
1971The RescueChief Cha Te
1971The Lady ProfessionalBald Killer
1971The Oath of DeathOfficer Shi
1971The Deadly DuoThe River Dragon of Jin
1970The Heroic Ones (a.k.a. Shaolin Masters, 13 Fighters, 13 Warlords)General Meng Juehai
1970The Wandering SwordsmanUnicorn Du Kuo Lung

See also

References

  1. Bolo Yeung reveals his real age at Budo Gala 2010 in Basel on YouTube
  2. Logan, Bey Hong Kong Action Cinema (Overlook Press, 1995)
  3. "Jalal Merhi Exclusive Interview". Budomate.com. June 5, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-01-22.
  4. JJ Bona (April 27, 2017). "Diamond Cartel - DVD (Cleopatra Entertainment)". cityonfire.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

Further reading

  • Hong Kong Action Cinema by Bey Logan (21 Sep 1995)
  • Martial Arts Illustrated (UK), 1990 September, Vol 3, Num 4
  • Inside Kung Fu, 1991 September, Vol 18, Num 9
  • Inside Kung Fu, 1992 June, Vol 19, Num 6
  • Martial Arts Illustrated (UK), 1992 November, Vol 5, Num 6
  • Inside Karate, 1993 January, Vol 14, Num 1
  • Masters of Kung Fu, 1993 December, Vol 1, Num 7
  • Inside Karate, 1994 March, Vol 15, Num 3

(Wayback Machine copy)

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