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 (pronounced "Young"), 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's martial arts films.
Bolo Yeung | |
|---|---|
 Bolo Yeung - Budo Gala 2010 | |
| Born | 3 July 1946 Guangzhou, Guangdong, China |
| Occupation | Actor, martial artist, bodybuilder |
| Years active | 1970–present |
Biography
Bolo began his martial arts training at the age of 10 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, where he studied 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 impressively 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.
Bolo 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, where he became known as "Bolo", the name of the character he portrayed. The two became close friends during the filming of Enter the Dragon, where Bruce and Bolo worked very closely on technique training. Bolo once stated in an interview, many years after Lee's death, "There will never be another Bruce Lee; and I am privileged to have had the honor of calling him friend."
During the 1970s and '80s, Bolo starred in numerous kung fu films, but his breakout film was Bloodsport. Shot on a $US 1.5 Million budget, it became a US box-office hit in the spring of 1988. Jean-Claude Van Damme had the leading role as Frank Dux, while Bolo Yeung played the role of Chong Li. A strong friendship formed between the two actors on the set of Bloodsport; and Van Damme wanted no one but Bolo to play opposite him in his film (Double Impact) set in East Asia.
Canadian action film actor, director and producer Jalal Merhi met Bolo in Hong Kong while shooting his first film Fearless Tiger, then again on the set of Double Impact. Jalal was impressed with his personality and ability, and decided to create a part specifically for Bolo.[3] Later Merhi worked with Yeung on more films such as Tiger Claws, TC 2000 and Tiger Claws 2.
In 2007, Bolo made a rare appearance as a protagonist in Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter. Jalal Merhi directed the first 60 minutes of the film that was shot in Toronto, but due to other commitments 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" in homage to Bolo Yueng's role in Bruce Lee's 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 main protagonist who also has many similarities to Lee).
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Diamond Cartel (Original title The Whole World at Our Feet)[4] | Bula |
| 2007 | Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter | Erik's Trainer |
| 1997 | Tiger Claws II | Chong |
| 1996 | Fists of Legends 2 Iron Bodyguards | Mongolian fighter |
| 1995 | Shootfighter 2 | Shingo |
| 1994 | Fearless Tiger | Master on mountain |
| 1993 | TC 2000 | Master Sumai |
| 1992 | The Magnificent Duo | Bolo |
| 1992 | Tiger Claws | Chong |
| 1992 | Ironheart | Ice |
| 1992 | Shootfighter: Fight to the Death | Shingo |
| 1992 | Mega Force from Highland | The Wu Tang Swordsman |
| 1991 | Double Impact | Moon |
| 1991 | Breathing Fire (as Bolo Young) | Thunder |
| 1989 | Bloodfight | Chang Lee - The Vietnamese Cobra |
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Chong Li |
| 1988 | One Husband Too Many | Dung Ken - Muscleman |
| 1987 | Killer's Nocturne (No-Evening Day) | ??? |
| 1987 | To Err is Humane (a.k.a. To Err is Human) | ??? |
| 1987 | Shanghai Express (a.k.a. Millionaire's Express, Wealthy Train, Nobles' Express) | ??? (cameo) |
| 1986 | Legacy of Rage | Thug |
| 1986 | Lucky Stars Go Places (a.k.a. Luckiest Stars) | Movie patron |
| 1994 | Seven Angels | Bar customer in green shirt |
| 1985 | Bruce Lee's Dragons Fight Back | ??? |
| 1985 | My Lucky Stars (a.k.a. Lucky Stars Superior Shine or Winners and Sinners 2) | Millionaire Chan |
| 1985 | Working Class (a.k.a. Hit Work Emperor) | Giant kickboxer |
| 1985 | Lucky Diamond (a.k.a. Wish You Good Luck) | ??? |
| 1984 | Silent Romance | ??? |
| 1983 | Just for Fun | ??? |
| 1983 | The Boxers Omen (a.k.a. Mo) | Mr Bu Bo - The Thai Boxer |
| 1982 | The Supergang | Big King |
| 1982 | The Ninja Strikes Back (aka Bruce Le Fights/Strikes Back or Eye of the Dragon) | ??? |
| 1981 | All the Wrong Clues (for the Right Solution) | ??? |
| 1980 | Way of the Dragon 2 (as Sze Yang) | ??? |
| 1980 | The 36 Deadly Styles | Cheungs Brother |
| 1980 | (Bruce) the King of Kung Fu (a.k.a. Revenge of the Dragon/s) | ??? |
| 1980 | Fearless Hyena 3 (as Yang Tze) (a.k.a. Fearless Master) | ??? |
| 1980 | Challenge of the Tiger (as Yang Sze) (a.k.a. Dragon Bruce Le or Gymkata Killer) | ??? |
| 1980 | Invincible (a.k.a. Fighting Dragon) | ??? |
| 1980 | Treasure of Bruce Lee (a.k.a. King Boxer 2) | ??? |
| 1979 | Bruce the Superhero (as Yang Sze) | Peter Sze The Bullkiller |
| 1979 | Ruthless Revenge (a.k.a. Invincible Kung Fu or The Two Tricky Kids) | ??? |
| 1979 | The Dragon, the Hero (a.k.a. Dragon on Fire) | ??? |
| 1979 | Enter Three Dragons (a.k.a. Three Avengers) | Bolo |
| 1979 | The Fists, the Kicks, and the Evil | Master Lung |
| 1979 | Snake Deadly Act | The Giant |
| 1979 | Writing Kung Fu (as Sze Yang) | Ah Yen |
| 1978 | Enter the Game of Death (a.k.a. The King of Kung Fu) | ??? |
| 1978 | Bruce Li in New Guinea | ??? |
| 1978 | Amsterdam Connection (as Yang Sze) | Big Louie |
| 1978 | Black Belt Jones 2 (a.k.a. Tattoo Connection) | - |
| 1978 | Drunken Master (as Yang Sze) | Gorilla |
| 1978 | The Image of Bruce Lee (a.k.a. Storming Attacks) | Kimura |
| 1977 | Kentucky Fried Movie | |
| 1977 | 10 Magnificent Killers (as Yang Szu) | Ling Chu |
| 1977 | Bolo the Brute (a.k.a. Bolo) | Bolo |
| 1977 | The Clones of Bruce Lee | Martial arts trainer |
| 1977 | Bruce and Shaolin Kung Fu (a.k.a. Bruce vs Black Dragon) | Lam Chi Chu |
| 1977 | Soul of Chiba (as Yang Sze) | Nepal |
| 1976 | A Queen's Ransom (a.k.a. International Assassin(s)) | Ram |
| 1975 | Hong Kong Superman (a.k.a. Bruce: Hong Kong Master) | ??? |
| 1975 | Seven 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) | ??? |
| 1975 | Kung Fu Massacre (as Yang Sze) | ??? |
| 1975 | G-Men '75 (TV series) | ??? |
| 1975 | He Loved Once Too Many (as Bolo Yeung Tze) | ??? |
| 1975 | The Fighting Dragon (TV series) (a.k.a. The Fighting Dragon) | Red Tiger |
| 1974 | Super Kung Fu Kid (as Sze Yang) | Tiger |
| 1973 | Chinese Hercules | Chinese Hercules |
| 1973 | Thunderkick | ??? |
| 1973 | Kung Fu's Hero (as Sze Yang) | ??? |
| 1973 | Enter the Dragon (as Yang Sze) | Bolo |
| 1973 | Freedom Strikes A Blow (as Yang Sze) | Chiang Tai |
| 1973 | Greatest Thai Boxing | ??? |
| 1973 | Tiger | ??? |
| 1973 | Ninja Killer (as Yang Sze) | Mr Yang |
| 1972 | Man of Iron (a.k.a. Iron Man or Warrior of Steel) | Jin Xi Fu |
| 1972 | Trilogy of Swordsmanship | ??? |
| 1972 | Young People | ??? |
| 1972 | King Boxer (a.k.a. 5 Fingers of Death, Invincible Boxer, Iron Palm, Hand of Death) | Pa Tu Er, Mongolian fighter |
| 1972 | The 14 Amazons | Western Xia wrestler |
| 1972 | Angry Guest (a.k.a. Kung Fu Killers) | Sze Yang |
| 1971 | The Rescue | Chief Cha Te |
| 1971 | The Lady Professional | Bald Killer |
| 1971 | The Oath of Death | Officer Shi |
| 1971 | The Deadly Duo | The River Dragon of Jin |
| 1970 | The Heroic Ones (a.k.a. Shaolin Masters, 13 Fighters, 13 Warlords) | General Meng Juehai |
| 1970 | The Wandering Swordsman | Unicorn Du Kuo Lung |
See also
- List of Cantonese-related topics
References
- Bolo Yeung reveals his real age at Budo Gala 2010 in Basel on YouTube
- Logan, Bey Hong Kong Action Cinema (Overlook Press, 1995)
- "Jalal Merhi Exclusive Interview". Budomate.com. June 5, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-01-22.
- 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
External links
(Wayback Machine copy)
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