Al Leong
Albert Leong (born September 30, 1952), also known as Al "Ka Bong" Leong and by his nickname Mahomey Bruce, is an Chinese American stuntman and actor.[1] Characterized by his martial arts skills (including Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Kali, and Jujutsu), long wavy hair, and a prominent Fu Manchu moustache, he has had a number of small but memorable roles as a henchman in some of the most popular action films (which usually resulted in his character's death), including Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. He collaborated with director John Carpenter in Big Trouble in Little China and They Live. Such appearances in many action films have garnered him a cult following.[2][3] He is also notable for his role as Genghis Khan in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
Al Leong | |
|---|---|
| Born | Albert Leong September 30, 1952 |
| Other names | Al "Ka Bong" Leong |
| Occupation | Stuntman, actor |
Life
Leong was born in St. Louis, Missouri.[4][5] The youngest of three children born to Chinese American parents, he grew up behind the Chinese laundry that they owned. In 1962, when he was ten years old, they moved to Los Angeles. Leong attended Hollywood High School.[6]
The actor had brain cancer in 1993 and suffered a stroke in 2005.[7]
He has collected stuffed animals his entire life and has more than 150.[7]
Career
His credits include Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Joshua Tree, Big Trouble in Little China, The Scorpion King, and They Live.[1] and a recurring role on the first season of the TV series 24. He also portrayed an out-of-time Genghis Khan in the comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. In 2003, Leong lampooned himself as well as the Hollywood tradition of actor and director 'reels' by starring in screenwriter David Callaham's "Writer's Reel."[8] In the five-minute short film, Leong portrayed Callaham going through a typical day in the life of a writer. The 'reel' was accepted into a number of short film festivals.[9]
As a stuntman, Leong was involved with the production of numerous films including The Golden Child, Last Action Hero, Roland Emmerich's Godzilla, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, and Daredevil. He also has made appearances on several television shows such as Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I., The Twilight Zone, T. J. Hooker, MacGyver, That '70s Show, and HBO's Deadwood. He wrote and directed the low-budget film Daddy Tell Me a Story...
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Twilight Zone: The Movie | Vietnamese | (Segment #1) |
| 1983 | Off the Wall | Mt. Joy Cheerleader | |
| 1984 | Protocol | Chef | |
| 1985 | My Science Project | Vietnamese Soldier | Uncredited |
| 1986 | Big Trouble | Chinese laborer #2 | |
| 1986 | Big Trouble in Little China | Wing Kong Hatchet Man | |
| 1986 | Running Scared | Henchman | Uncredited |
| 1987 | Lethal Weapon | Endo | |
| 1987 | Steele Justice | Long Hair | |
| 1988 | She's Having a Baby | Photographer | |
| 1988 | Action Jackson | Dellaplane’s Chauffeur | |
| 1988 | Die Hard | Uli | |
| 1988 | They Live | Resistance Member | Uncredited |
| 1989 | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure | Genghis Khan | |
| 1989 | Cage | “Tiger Joe” Lowell | |
| 1989 | Black Rain | Yakuza Assassin | Uncredited |
| 1989 | Savage Beach | Fu | |
| 1990 | I Come in Peace | Luggage Salesman | |
| 1990 | Aftershock | Fighter | Uncredited |
| 1990 | Death Warrant | Bruce | |
| 1991 | The Perfect Weapon | Man in Croc-Pit Bar | Also stunts, Uncredited |
| 1991 | Showdown in Little Tokyo | Thug | Also stunts, Uncredited |
| 1992 | Steel Justice | Guard #2 | |
| 1992 | Rapid Fire | Minh | |
| 1992 | Hard Hunted | Raven | |
| 1993 | Joshua Tree | Chinese Gunman #9 | |
| 1993 | Last Action Hero | Thug | Uncredited |
| 1993 | Hot Shots! Part Deux | Pit-Fighting Fan | Also stunts |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills Cop III | Car Mechanic | Also stunts, Uncredited |
| 1994 | The Shadow | Tibetan Driver | |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son III | Triad Lieutenant #1 | |
| 1994 | Double Dragon | Lewis | Also stunts |
| 1994 | Deadly Target | Guard | |
| 1996 | Escape from L.A. | A Shadow Warrior | Also stunts |
| 1997 | Tuff Luk Klub | Cousin Ming | |
| 1998 | The Replacement Killers | Terence Wei Gunmen | Uncredited |
| 1998 | Godzilla | Fisherman | Also stunts, Uncredited |
| 1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 | Wah Sing Ku Triad Member | Uncredited |
| 1998 | Limo | Hack | |
| 2000 | Daddy Tell Me a Story... | Al Ka Bong | |
| 2001 | The Ghost | Wu's Thug No.2 | |
| 2002 | The Scorpion King | Asian Training Master | |
| 2005 | Confessions of an Action Star | Evil Doctor | |
| 2005 | Forbidden Warrior | Yang Sze | |
| 2014 | Awesome Asian Bad Guys | Al | (2013) |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Episode | Date | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The A-Team | Thug at Boat | The Maltese Falcon (episode # 2.13) | 1983-12-13 | |
| 1983 | The A-Team | Asian-Looking Thug | Lease with an Option to Die (episode # 4.4) | 1985-10-22 | |
| 1983 | The Greatest American Hero | Uncredited Extra | Thirty Seconds Over Little Tokyo (episode # 39) | 1983-02-03 | |
| 1983 | Hart to Hart | Tai-Chi Man | Year of the Dog (episode # 5.10) | 1983-12-13 | |
| 1985 | MacGyver | Wayne H. Lim | Murderers' Sky (episode # 3.20) | 1988-05-09 | |
| 1986 | Riptide | Mister Yeem | The Frankie Kahana Show (episode # 3.13) | 1986-02-11 | |
| 1986 | Renegade | ||||
| 1986 | T. J. Hooker | Nabutsu Hood #1" (uncredited) | Blood Sport (episode # 5.88) | 1986-05-21 | |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | China Rain (episode # 1.2) | |||
| 1994 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | The Warlord | Also stunt coordinator | ||
| 2000 | 24 | Neill | Four episodes of first season | ||
| 2000 | That '70s Show | Kung-Fu Master/Ninja Warrior | Jackie Moves On (episode # 2.22) | 2000-04-03 | |
Music videos
- Poppin' Them Thangs by G-Unit (2003)
Further reading
- Leong, Al (August 1, 2011). The Eight Lives of Al Ka-Bong Leong. Al Leong. ISBN 978-0-615-38499-3.[10]
References
- "Al Leong". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014.
- "Al Leong". Hey! It's That Guy!. Fametracker. August 8, 2001. Archived from the original on October 19, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2007.
- As of June 2007, the fan site Al Leong: Cinematic Legend Archived October 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine campaigns for Al Leong receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award by Taurus World Stunt Awards and a 'MTV - Lifetime Achievement Award'.
- An Exclusive Interview with Al Leong Archived April 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, World Wide Dojo
- A chat with AL LEONG – martial artist & stuntman extraordinaire — Chiller Theatre, Planetchocko.com
- Taylor, Trey (October 30, 2013). "Al Leong: death becomes him". Dazed. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
- McNeil, Jason William (November 1, 2015). "8 Things You Didn't Know About Al Leong". Black Belt.
- "David Callaham: Writer Reel (2004)". IMDb.
- "4th Bearded Child Film Festival". Bearded Child Film Festival.
- Leong, Al (August 1, 2011). The Eight Lives of Al Ka-Bong Leong. Al Leong. ISBN 978-0-615-38499-3.
External links
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