1983 - Alexander Fu Sheng - 2008

[teako170]

Monday will mark the 25 year death anniversary of Fu Sheng.
One of the greats (IMO) of the Shaw Studios.
I had planned to do a lengthy article on his career with upwards of 100 scans but -
been spending too much time on the PC between work/home, so I had to discontinue my freelance writing for now.

In any event, I wanted to post these pix from Cinemart (August 1983).
I hoped to get 5 of the Shaw stars that worked with him to sign this copy - that is "if" the Euro event ever takes place.


Thanks for the memories Fu Sheng. You are not forgotten....

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25f.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25e.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25a.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25b.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25c.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25d.jpg

[Asmo]

Great scans.
It's hard to believe that it's been 25 years..

[teako170]

A few odds and ends...

My absolute favorite wedding pic of the dynamic duo:
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25h.jpg
...props to Carol


On the set of 5 Shaolin Masters: Chang Cheh directing Johnny Wang (with a lil help from Fu) :)
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25j.jpg


Another great photo of the duo. Fu sporting his "C-Kid" jacket
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25i.jpg
...props to Carol


Love this image (esp. the painting in the bg) though not sure which film its from. Anyone?
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25k.jpg

There's a collection of Jenny's TV & concert appearances up on YouTube. One of them is quite sad.
Jenny, in the midst of a love song for Fu, break down and begins to sob.
Not sure when the footage was shot but its really heartbreaking.

I'll have to find the link and most at a later time.

[thekfc]

He was one of my all time fav - no matter the genre.


Ti Lung & Jenny talking about Fu Sheng

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[thekfc]

Here is the performance of Jenny crying while singing "Love is Over" in 1984
Everytime I see that it brings tears to my eyes.

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[teako170]

He was one of my all time fav - no matter the genre.

You got that right KFC! And thanks for posting that YT link. :)

I wanted to interview Jenny for my piece but missed her up in N Falls.
Someday I do hope to meet with her and talk about Fu - he is truly the James Dean of Shaw Bros.

Couple photos of Fu with his "daddy." Daddy?? ...
Yes, CC said ... "The so-called god-sons were just rumors. I was godfather to no one. ... I had a very different relationship with AFS. He called me Daddy and I didn't stop him. We also poked fun at each other. It was natural as he was such a bright and mischievous young man. We communicated perfectly through jokes and laughs."

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25l.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25m.jpg

[HAZ]

One of the best.

[gorhama]

I've been into kung fu/martial arts movies my whole life, but in the last year I discovered Fu Sheng and he was once of the best. Great comedic timing and a great Shaw Brother's star.

Thanks for the scans.

[Chinatown Kid]

He will always be one of my faves with charisma like no other. May you rest in peace Fu Sheng, you are gone but not forgotten. Shame he left such a beautiful young wife behind, what a terrible grieving she must have had to go through...

Thanks for the scans, much appreciated.

[David Rees]

Fu Sheng was always my favourite , way before Jackie Chan he had comic charisma and cheekyness that made him stand out from the other Shaw stars.
He is still misssed after all these years.
Found this Southern Screen with him on the cover, going to bid for it later.... (many thanks for the great scans by the way!)

SOUTHERN SCREEN FU SHENG (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=4&campid=5335857173&toolid=10001&customid=KF+FORUM&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2F1976-Aug-Southern-Screen-CHEN-PING-NORA-MIAO-FU-SHENG_W0QQitemZ220252824789QQihZ012QQcategoryZ280Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

[SamuraiDana]

Thanks for the reminder, Teako. I think I'm gonna go home after work tonight and watch one of the few Fu Sheng films I own that I haven't yet watched. I have FRIENDS and POLICE FORCE on the to-view pile, so it'll be one of those. He was definitely one of the greatest. He was a fine actor as well as kung fu star. The more films of his I see the more I appreciate his immense talent. I still feel the loss.

Interestingly, I first heard of Fu Sheng when I read his obit in Variety the week after he died. And I noticed the date and the fact that it was ten years to the month after Bruce Lee died. So I resolved to try and watch something with Fu Sheng first chance I got. Which came later that year when some of his movies turned up on the old Black Belt Theater or Drive-in Theater program on WNEW/Channel 5 here in NYC, so I got to watch "Avenging Eagles" and "Bloody Avengers" (aka "Boxer Rebellion"), and was mightily impressed.

[Blutsbruder]

Great job teako, to remind the SB-Fans all over the world, that we lost one of the greatest SB-Stars 25 years ago !!

Fantastic pictures !! If you have more, let us die in peace :o)

Pic. with 'Drinking tigers in backround' is imo from "Shaolin Martial Arts".

I'll light a candle now and watch one of my favourite AFS movies "Disciples of Shaolin".

R.I.P. Alexander Fu Sheng

And thx to all the fans, who thought of him today.

[kingofkungfu2002]

Changed my avatar as a mark of respect....R.I.P Alexander Fu Sheng.

[Blutsbruder]

@Kingofkungfu

Wow, fantastic !! All my respect to you, I'm down on my knees !!

U are really a king !!

[Karlos]

Thanks for the pics, Teako!

What else can I add?

He's the reason I got into Shaws in the first place.

He was truly a great - funny, charismatic, intense, full of heart...

He is indeed missed.

RIP Fu Sheng

[Blutsbruder]

Karlos, wonderful words...

Thanks a lot !!

[Blutsbruder]

"The New Shaolin Boxers" was one of the best SB-Movies with AFS, in my opinion.

Wang Lung Wei - always a great "bad gay".

[venoms5]

The Fu Sheng pic teako asked about looks like it's from MARCO POLO as Fu is wearing the clothes he wore from the conclusion of that film and his hair style is the same. I have some items to post as well but I don't have time to do so at present.

[teako170]

Found this Southern Screen with him on the cover, going to bid for it later....

That's a nice cover. Hadn't seen that one before

I have some items to post as well but I don't have time to do so at present.
Looking forward to them V5.

Here's a promo piece for Na Cha. This is actually 2-side and fairly large (14X19).
This is just the one side of it....

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25n.jpg

And if some of you guys missed out, check out the Seven Man Army (http://kungfucinema.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5315) cast photo I posted a few months back.

[The Dragon]

Fu Sheng... One of my favorite all-time KF Film stars. :(

Hard to believe it's been so long ago. I remember watching films with him before I knew who he was and thinking, who is this charismatic kid? He seemed to be equally as talented as Ti Lung, David Chiang, and Chen Kuai Tai. I remember Sifu Liu Kar Liang saying he was a favorite pupil, and very agile, athletic.
Would have been BIGGER than JC had Shaws allowed him to go INTERNATIONAL.

R.I.P. Chang Fu Sheng... All-time great.

[Iron Boat]

25 years, wow, that's a long a time. I had watched Shaw Films as a youth in the late 70s and early 80s. I always remembered Fu Sheng's face but since Black Belt Theater went off the air I hadn't seen these films and could only remember certain scenes from back then. Fu Sheng's films were ones that I recalled easily like 5 Shaolin Masters and Shaolin Temple. I didn't start collecting or rewatching these movies until 2000, so I was sad to learn that Fu Sheng had passed in 83. That in actuality he had already passed at the time I was watching the films in the mid 80s. That indeed was a sad revelation. When I finally watched "Invincible One" (Disciples of Shaolin) I actually thought that film was a tribute to his true passing. For those who knew him, worked with him, and his fans, it must had been tough thing to accept.

[Tosh]

That is a great pic of him in front of that tiger painting, he looks so young, thanks for the reminder and the scans Teako, us few need to keep these guys memories alive.

[magicpoe]

First a hugh thank you to Teako170 for the scans. High quality/large scans like these are hard to come by.

I discovered Fu Sheng and Shaw Brothers films around 1986/1987 as a local independent TV channel in my area started showing Kung Fu films at midnight on Friday nights. There was no BLACK BELT THEATER opening or advertisment, just the WW Entertainment Logo and the film started. The logo said WW Entertainment but the music was the same as what was played with the World Northal logo. One night I just happened to be awake that late and was on that particular channel and decided to watch. I was 11 at the time and didn't know what the hell this was but I liked it. For a young kid who didn't have cable, lived out in the middle of nowhere, and had to go to school with a bunch of kids I couldn't stand, this late Friday night kung fu film show was one of the few things that made life tolerable.

The first film I watched was either The Flying Guillotine or Disciples of Shaolin, of course on TV it was called Invincible One. Disciples of Shaolin is still my favorite Fu Sheng film and it was shown probably 4 or 5 time during that time period.

[teako170]

First a hugh thank you to Teako170 for the scans. High quality/large scans like these are hard to come by.

Hey, no sweat. Just doing what little I can do for the cause :)

Now, anyone ever been able to spot Fu in 14 Amazons?
He's supposed to be an extra but I've never found him.

I've seen all Fu's flix minus these:
- Cat vs Rat
- Wits Of The Brats
- Fake Ghost Catchers
- Hong Kong Playboys

Any comments on his performance?

[5 Element Boxer]

He was such a skilled martial artist and actor. He was a natural. His demonstration of the Hung fist (Sp feature on SB/Celestial Shaolin Executioners DVD, I think it was) was excellent. And I can't think of one single bad performance he did.

R.I.P.

[teako170]

One more photo - a bit depressing I'm afraid

Wasn't sure if I should post this one as I hope we'll continue to celebrate his life -
and not dwell on the unfortunate circumstances of 25 years ago.

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25g.jpg

[thekfc]

Anyone managed to spot Fu Sheng in Four Riders?
He is the one playing the Jukebox in the club.

[magicpoe]

Thought I'd add these to go along with others contributions:


Flyers for the Fu Sheng Retrospective that Shaw Brothers issued in the month following his death.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/magicpoe/FuShengFuneralFlyerFuneralSide.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/magicpoe/FuShengFuneralFlyerMovieSide.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/magicpoe/TributetoFuShengMovieScheduleFlyer.jpg

Below are from Cinemart April 81

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/magicpoe/picture001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/magicpoe/picture002.jpg

Still from Marco Polo

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/magicpoe/FuShengAuto.jpg

[teako170]

Anyone managed to spot Fu Sheng in Four Riders?
He is the one playing the Jukebox in the club.

I have caps of his early appearances on my computer at home.
I'll try to post them this evening.

Nice pix Magic!

[Iron Boat]

I read recently that "The Proud Twins" was his biggest selling movie. Please tell me this isn't true. If this is indeed his biggest selling film then I have come to the conclusion that the moviegoers of the time have strange taste in film. With films like Disciples, 5 Masters, Shaolin Temple, Heroes Two, Avenging Eagle, its hard to believe that Proud Twins was his most successful.

[venoms5]

Here's what I have for Fu Sheng's movies for box office in HK dollars...

7 MAN ARMY
789,574

NAVAL COMMANDOS, THE
694,326

MAGNIFICENT WANDERERS, THE
813,186

CHINATOWN KID, THE
1,537,867

HEAVEN & HELL
556,912

LIFE GAMBLE
1,228,770

HEROES TWO
1,363,602

MEN FROM THE MONASTERY
822,329

SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS
1,283,178

5 SHAOLIN MASTERS
1,693,684

DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN
2,602,028

NEW SHAOLIN BOXERS
909,240

SHAOLIN AVENGERS
857,983

BOXER REBELLION
1,172,519

BRAVE ARCHER, THE
1,540,867

BRAVE ARCHER 2, THE
1,491,458

BRAVE ARCHER 3, THE
1,889,396

BRAVE ARCHER & HIS MATE
1,627,031

MARCO POLO
1,198,860

NA CHA, THE GREAT
516,604

POLICE FORCE
657,076

CAT VS. RAT
4,472,000

LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA
9,913,242

8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER
3,792,852

MY REBELLIOUS SON
2,884,408

DEADLY BREAKING SWORD, THE
2,716,494

RETURN OF THE SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN
4,302,930

PROUD TWINS, THE
4,009,486

TREASURE HUNTERS
1,396,271

FRIENDS
470,687

THE FAKE GHOST CATCHERS
3,622,743

HONG KONG PLAYBOYS
7,373,743

WITS OF THE BRATS
2,195,764

[SamuraiDana]

So LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA was his biggest hit (and he wasn't even the star) and HONG KONG PLAYBOYS was second.

His 11 biggest hits (those which made over $2 million) in order of sales receipts:

LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA
HONG KONG PLAYBOYS
CAT VS. RAT
RETURN OF THE SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN
THE PROUD TWINS
8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER
THE FAKE GHOST CATCHERS
MY REBELLIOUS SON
THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD
DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN
WITS OF THE BRATS

His comedies tended to do better than his martial arts classics. (That shouldn't be a surprise.) I still haven't seen five of the films on that list (the comedies, of course), although I do have the R3 DVDs. I started watching CAT VS. RAT recently but just wasn't in the mood.

How did AVENGING EAGLES do? It's not on that list.

[Iron Boat]

WoW, that is great information and it does seem that the taste for comedy proved more enticing at the box office. Maybe thats where targeting a younger audience (children perhaps) come into play. In addition to the box office reciepts, does anyone have any information on the details regarding Shaw Brothers actor Contracts. Once again, I read that Fu Sheng only made like 180 US dollars a month. I hope that is an exagerration. Also how was it that some of their stars could do independent productions but others couldn't?

[venoms5]

WoW, that is great information and it does seem that the taste for comedy proved more enticing at the box office. Maybe thats where targeting a younger audience (children perhaps) come into play. In addition to the box office reciepts, does anyone have any information on the details regarding Shaw Brothers actor Contracts. Once again, I read that Fu Sheng only made like 180 US dollars a month. I hope that is an exagerration. Also how was it that some of their stars could do independent productions but others couldn't?

I don't have the box office takings for AVENGING EAGLE.

I think Fu Sheng got the same treatment that David Chiang and Ti Lung got in that if the film was successful and they had a high workload, then they got an unspecified bonus which, according to Ti Lung, was sometimes enough for a house. Which may explain Fu moving into the home previously owned by Bruce Lee.

I am speculating here, but considering the large number of indy productions the Shaw's would obtain for distribution with many of these featuring there contract players, that these actors were allowed to star in these films because of that or possibly some other reason. Chang Cheh also mentions that LKL had left the Shaw's several times after becoming disgruntled with the company but would always return when things didn't work out. He never states whether LKL got out of his contract or what the stipulations were in that situation but I assume the above assessment might have applied here as well.

[teako170]

Contracts, dollars and stuff....

Fu Sheng signed a 5 year contract with the Shaws in October 1972. The dollar amount of this contract I could never find in my research. The only mention of it that I've even seen was the 1980 article by Daniel C. Lee in The Jade Screen. In this he mentions Fu's salary as HK$950 / US$190 per month. That contract expired in October 1980. (3 years he worked for Chang's and wasn't calculated towards his 60 month commitment to the SB.)

You guys might recall some of this info from the Fu Sheng's salary (Unbelievable) thread that ran in the old KFF back in August 2002.

Some months after Fu's 2nd Black September (Fall 79 / Winter 80), he and Jenny moved into a three-story Spanish style villa roughly a mile from Shaw's Movietown. I'm guessing this is the Bruce Lee home. (If anyone knows if this description fits BL's home I hope they can post confirmation).

Previously they had lived in a residential area in Hong Kong named Hang Hau. Hang Hau is part of the reclaimed land project better known as Tseung Kwan O New Town (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tseung_Kwan_O_New_Town).

Back to the villa .... cost a whopping $3.1 million HK dollars. It goes without saying that Jenny, who was making some hefty bank, probably put up a good amount of the payment. Of course what V5 mentioned about Ti Lung receiving big enough bonuses to buy a house are true so, by this time, Fu might have been getting the same type of deal.

There's some conflicting stories about Fu and his offers outside the Shaw lot. In March '77, there was a blurb in SS that Fu did not want to leave CC's banner and refused offers of $150,000 to $450,000 (all HK $) for starring in a single film by Indonesian and Thai film producers.

What conflicts is the tale of Fu and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow.
In one of Linn's last emails to me, he said the following....

..."He didn't turn it down, Yuen Woo Ping asked the Shaws if they would loan him out for the film. Fu Sheng wanted it, but Run Run said no. Yuen Woo Ping mentioned this in an interview a while back. I THINK it was in the old Eastern Heroes video magazine interview."

Now, to me, this seems to make a lot more sense. I find it hard to swallow that Fu would turn down those previous offers. So why would SS say that he did? You have to remember that it was a Shaw run publication and it certainly wasn't going to print anything negative about the Shaws. [Just my opinion.]

In any event, Fu did renegotiate his contract after it expired and received a much larger salary plus a hefty bonus (sorry no figures found).

[teako170]

Forgot about the photos.

Her's Fu in Four Riders. If you blink, you'll miss him:
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25p.jpg

He appeared in various scenes in Young People. Even got to throw down briefly:
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25q.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25r.jpg

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25s.jpg

Of course, Man of Iron. First dialogue??
http://www.teako170.com/fu_25t.jpg

Still would like to find him in 14 Amazons.


I read recently that "The Proud Twins" was his biggest selling movie. This one is for you Iron Boat ;)

Actually, V5's numbers are correct. In Daniel Lee's article he mentions Proud Twins as his most "successful" but its hard to say it he was speaking of box office revenue or not.
I'm guessing you read this info over at Ralph's site? He has this article reprinted (in full or not I'm uncertain).

[edit]
My goof - should have realized this earlier.

It is correct when the author said PT was Fu's most successful film (as of that writing - which was 1980).
As we know, Fu made films beyond that date and, as V5 showed, some did make more $$ at the box than PT.

http://www.teako170.com/fu_25o.jpg

[Blutsbruder]

Thanks a lot, teako, for this great informations !!

I watched "The 14 Amazones" three times, but never found AFS in it. Maybe, he is one of the warriors with a 'Santa Claus' hat on :D

I was told, that AFS bought the house of B.L.

BTW, a sad link... Have a look...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZe9g50X6Dc

[SamuraiDana]

I recently spotted him in a small speaking part in GENERATION GAP as Agnes Chan's cousin. I saw YOUNG PEOPLE recently, too, but didn't notice him. He gets an "Introducing" credit in POLICE FORCE, which is cited on the DVD case as Fu Sheng's debut film, although I'm assuming he did MAN OF IRON, 14 AMAZONS, YOUNG PEOPLE and GENERATION GAP first. Not the first time an actor was "introduced" in a film that wasn't his first.

[Yu_Xihong]

Lol, I never noticed him in 4 Riders.

[teako170]

I recently spotted him in a small speaking part in GENERATION GAP as Agnes Chan's cousin. I saw YOUNG PEOPLE recently, too, but didn't notice him. He gets an "Introducing" credit in POLICE FORCE, which is cited on the DVD case as Fu Sheng's debut film, although I'm assuming he did MAN OF IRON, 14 AMAZONS, YOUNG PEOPLE and GENERATION GAP first. Not the first time an actor was "introduced" in a film that wasn't his first.

Correct. PF was his first "real" role. The other films were just bit cameos (MOI, YP) or background noise (14A, 4R, and hey let's not forget The Thunderbolt Fist). Haven't seen that last one myself but according to HKCM, he's there.

GG is another story. He had a little more dialogue here - but still far from a main character. While GG was released two months before PF, I'm not sure which one was actually made first. Both films were showcased in the Mar '73 issue of Southern Screen. GG also appeared in the Jan '73 issue of HKMN.

[venom10463]

My first Fu Sheng’s movie was Heroes Two back in the early 90’s. I remember my dad brought home a box full of vhs tapes from my uncle’s house.
I started looking through the box and found a tape that said Death Duel of Kung Fu and Heroes Two. I popped it into the VCR and as soon as I noticed it was a kung fu movie I went absolutely crazy. I use to beg my dad all the time to enroll me in karate school and he would always tell me “when you turn 7, 8, 9, Etc.” I continued to watch the movie without blinking, fearing I would miss something. Sadly, my uncle ran out of room on the tape right around the last end fight. After the movie cut off I was speechless, even though I didn’t get to find out what happened in the end. I stilled enjoyed it. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched Heroes two, but it must have been alot for my tape to finally stop working. It wasn’t until 1996 I finally found another copy with the complete ending. I was so happy I rushed home as fast as I could.

Even though Fu Sheng is no longer alive, his movies will forever remain in all of our hearts.

[Iron Boat]

Contracts, dollars and stuff....

Fu Sheng signed a 5 year contract with the Shaws in October 1972. The dollar amount of this contract I could never find in my research. The only mention of it that I've even seen was the 1980 article by Daniel C. Lee in The Jade Screen. In this he mentions Fu's salary as HK$950 / US$190 per month. That contract expired in October 1980. (3 years he worked for Chang's and wasn't calculated towards his 60 month commitment to the SB.)

You guys might recall some of this info from the Fu Sheng's salary (Unbelievable) thread that ran in the old KFF back in August 2002.

Some months after Fu's 2nd Black September (Fall 79 / Winter 80), he and Jenny moved into a three-story Spanish style villa roughly a mile from Shaw's Movietown. I'm guessing this is the Bruce Lee home. (If anyone knows if this description fits BL's home I hope they can post confirmation).

Previously they had lived in a residential area in Hong Kong named Hang Hau. Hang Hau is part of the reclaimed land project better known as Tseung Kwan O New Town (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tseung_Kwan_O_New_Town).

Back to the villa .... cost a whopping $3.1 million HK dollars. It goes without saying that Jenny, who was making some hefty bank, probably put up a good amount of the payment. Of course what V5 mentioned about Ti Lung receiving big enough bonuses to buy a house are true so, by this time, Fu might have been getting the same type of deal.

There's some conflicting stories about Fu and his offers outside the Shaw lot. In March '77, there was a blurb in SS that Fu did not want to leave CC's banner and refused offers of $150,000 to $450,000 (all HK $) for starring in a single film by Indonesian and Thai film producers.

What conflicts is the tale of Fu and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow.
In one of Linn's last emails to me, he said the following....

..."He didn't turn it down, Yuen Woo Ping asked the Shaws if they would loan him out for the film. Fu Sheng wanted it, but Run Run said no. Yuen Woo Ping mentioned this in an interview a while back. I THINK it was in the old Eastern Heroes video magazine interview."

Now, to me, this seems to make a lot more sense. I find it hard to swallow that Fu would turn down those previous offers. So why would SS say that he did? You have to remember that it was a Shaw run publication and it certainly wasn't going to print anything negative about the Shaws. [Just my opinion.]

In any event, Fu did renegotiate his contract after it expired and received a much larger salary plus a hefty bonus (sorry no figures found).

Hey thanks for the info, your research is great. IN reading about Shaws, the actors, and the contracts, I was just starting to wonder if Shaws was the best and worse thing that could happen to an actor/actress. It sometimes seems that they were locked in so tight that the studio basically used and abused them. Almost a one sided relationship. I use to wonder how actors like Chen Kuan Tai, Ti Lung and David Chiang, Gordon Liu, could appear in non Shaw campy films like The Revenger, Hero of Shanghai, and Flaming Swords (Strife for Mastery), Raiders of the Buddhist Fist, now I know.....More Money on the Independent Circuit!! It would of been interesting to see what a non Shaw Fu Sheng Film would of looked like, but based on the independent films of the other stars, I imagine, not too great.

[Iron Boat]

IN watching many of Fu Sheng's films, it almost seems like their are two Fu Sheng's over the course of his career. Fortunately from reading these posts I now know that the difference were the result of an accident he suffered. IN his earlier films he is very energetic and always seemed eager to show off his kung fu. In the later films he is kind of chubby and more of a comedian than a martial artist. For some strange reason, to me, he seemed happier on film when he was chubby and not paired up with the ultra serious Chi Kuan Chun. Actually I always wondered how Fu Sheng could not feel embarassed fighting along side him. But nevertheless he held his own but I believe their was a lot of pressure put on him in those pure martial arts movies. In films like Treasure Hunters, Legendary Weapons, he seem's to be enjoying himself a lot more on camera.

[SamuraiDana]

Iron Boat, you should see the Shaw film, FRIENDS (1973), which has Fu Sheng in one of his earliest starring roles. He plays a rich kid in modern-day Hong Kong who hangs around with working-class painter David Chiang and his group of friends. Fu Sheng smiles a lot in it and definitely seems to be having a good time. And there's kung fu, too! :)

[tokaido]

Iron Boat, you should see the Shaw film, FRIENDS (1973), which has Fu Sheng in one of his earliest starring roles. He plays a rich kid in modern-day Hong Kong who hangs around with working-class painter David Chiang and his group of friends. Fu Sheng smiles a lot in it and definitely seems to be having a good time. And there's kung fu, too! :)

You should Iron, Samurai is right. Seems like Fu had a lot of fun in front of the camera in "Friends".
But it is told, that Chang Cheh used a little of Fu's private life for the story.
"Bored son of a millionaire, who wanted to find friends". In real life, Fu wanted to get a famous star like Ti and Chiang, i suppose.

[tokaido]

IN watching many of Fu Sheng's films, it almost seems like their are two Fu Sheng's over the course of his career. Fortunately from reading these posts I now know that the difference were the result of an accident he suffered. IN his earlier films he is very energetic and always seemed eager to show off his kung fu. In the later films he is kind of chubby and more of a comedian than a martial artist. For some strange reason, to me, he seemed happier on film when he was chubby and not paired up with the ultra serious Chi Kuan Chun. Actually I always wondered how Fu Sheng could not feel embarassed fighting along side him. But nevertheless he held his own but I believe their was a lot of pressure put on him in those pure martial arts movies. In films like Treasure Hunters, Legendary Weapons, he seem's to be enjoying himself a lot more on camera.

Me thinks, his wife Jenny, had a lot of influence in his "later years". She tried to align him into the comedy side of the action (because of the money). If Fu was happy with this, we never want to know.

I always loved him in his "Shaolin" movies, and of course in movies like "Disciples" and "The New". "Na Cha" wasn't that bad, too. A fresh young Fu!

[Iron Boat]

Iron Boat, you should see the Shaw film, FRIENDS (1973), which has Fu Sheng in one of his earliest starring roles. He plays a rich kid in modern-day Hong Kong who hangs around with working-class painter David Chiang and his group of friends. Fu Sheng smiles a lot in it and definitely seems to be having a good time. And there's kung fu, too! :)

I had actually ordered that from Poker Industries about a month ago only to be told that they were sold out a 3 weeks later....think I will still get around to purchasing it. Overall I couldn't find to much information online about that particular film

[noodle]

fu sheng was a great talent but i'm not happy he discovered his comedic side.
i feel his roles became more about comedy than kung fu.

after seeing the new shaolin boxers i was watering at the mouth at the thought of watching such an amazing talent in other films...yet what did i find..less well choreographed and intense fight scenes, but more slapstick comedy....i need to find more films with him doing no comedy at all.

to me it seems that when he was skinny his kung fu was of bruce lee standard,but after filling out it was all about the comedy and he looked less impressive.

[Blutsbruder]

fu sheng was a great talent but i'm not happy he discovered his comedic side.
i feel his roles became more about comedy than kung fu.

after seeing the new shaolin boxers i was watering at the mouth at the thought of watching such an amazing talent in other films...yet what did i find..less well choreographed and intense fight scenes, but more slapstick comedy....i need to find more films with him doing no comedy at all.

to me it seems that when he was skinny his kung fu was of bruce lee standard,but after filling out it was all about the comedy and he looked less impressive.

I'm with you, and your feelings and your estimates.
In "The New Shaolin Boxers", he is absolutely great. But in his comedy works, please don't mention it...

Great pics. with (a slim) Fu are for example:

- Men from the Monastery
- Heroes Two
- Shaolin Martial Arts

But I love him most in:

- Disciples of Shaolin
and
- The New Shaolin Boxers

Cause he playd more, than just a stupid kid, surrounded by experienced heroes (like Ti Lung and David Chiang).

Fu, himself, was the hero.

[Betty Pei Ti]

Happy Birthday, Alexander! :)

[sbfan4life]

Now, anyone ever been able to spot Fu in 14 Amazons?
He's supposed to be an extra but I've never found him.



Hey teako,

Came across this the other day (Hong Kong Movie News Magazine) ... can you spot Fu Sheng ???

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/9215/fushengxn4.jpg

Christine

[teako170]

Hey teako,

Came across this the other day (Hong Kong Movie News Magazine) ... can you spot Fu Sheng ???
Christine

Christine, in a word .... AWESOME! Love the photo. Thank you.
My "best guess" for each photo is below (circled in yellow).

I know 14A is the bottom photo, so I assume the top one is from Thunder Fist? Anyone??

http://www.teako170.com/14A.jpg

[Tosh]

Nice pictures Christine.

[venoms5]

It does look like him. In the September 1972 issue of SS, there's a pic of him receiving his actors training certificate among 45 other hopefuls on September 28th. Incidentally, cameras rolled on POLICE FORCE (THE INSPECTOR) on September 22nd.

14 AMAZONS had already been released by February of 1972 as there's pics of it in an earlier issue displaying floats for 14 AMAZONS, DEADLY DUO and OATH OF DEATH (THE ARROW & THE HEART).

I suppose they would allow some of the trainees to participate as extras as part of their training.

[teako170]

It does look like him. In the September 1972 issue of SS, there's a pic of him receiving his actors training certificate among 45 other hopefuls on September 28th.

Interesting! Any chance of hooking us up with a big ol' scan...? :D

[venoms5]

I'll see what I can do, T. I'm afraid I'll break the spines on these older issues when laying them down onto the scanner's surface.

[teako170]

I'll see what I can do, T. I'm afraid I'll break the spines on these older issues when laying them down onto the scanner's surface.

I have a full-proof method for that...

First, I use 2 mini-binders and slightly clasp the spine at the top and the bottom.
Then, pinch the spine with both hands as you press it down to the scanner glass.

This way you maintain the integrity of the spine while getting a flat, sharp scan.
This method also prevents "fanning" of previous pages.

[sbfan4life]

[QUOTE=teako170;74041]
My "best guess" for each photo is below (circled in yellow).

Yep ! You are correct teako ... that's Fu Sheng !


Christine