Angela Mao
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Angela Mao (born 20 September 1950 in Taiwan) is a martial arts film actress best known for the string of kung fu films in which she starred during the 1970s. She is also known as Mao Ying, Angela Mao Ying, and Mao Fu Ying.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Angela was born in Taiwan in September 20, 1950. She is the daughter of Mao Yung Kang, Peking Opera star, he escaped China to Taiwan in 1949. 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 at an early age and other martial arts. This would later help her achieve success in martial art movies. When she was 17 Huang Feng (an action movie director known for his action movies and for discovering Sammo Hung and Carter Wong) discovered her. 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 other action movies in Golden Harvest productions including Hapkido, Lady Whirlwind, and The Fate of Lee Khan(directed by the late King Hu). She was also successful in other movies such as "The Association", "The Himalayans" and many others. Despite this her films were not been released in America and because of this she was unknown to the western movie audience. This would soon change in 1973.
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. Although she was not able to go to his funeral because she was in Taipei at the time, buying her parents a house.
Following the incredible success to her short-lived role in 1973s "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, Sammo, her real life teacher Whang In Sik and also Chi Hon Tsoi. Also working on "Hapkido" were an uncredited 'bootmaster' Leung Siu-Leung who was helping Sammo with the fight choreography and stuntman/actor who also work as stuntman in Enter the Dragon known today as Jackie Chan.
Angela Mao continued with string a of successful movies through the seventies. Angela along side with actor Carter Wong became a bit of a kung fu duo act in a series of kung fu classic movies. One of best movies made by them was "When Taekwondo Strikes" which apart from having possibly the best title of any kung fu film was also the only film ever made by Supreme Master Jhoon Rhee. Mao spent time training with Rhee during the making of this movie.
Mao married her long time boyfriend, Kelly Lau and soon retired from the movie industry afterwards.
Mao has been presented with an 'honorary' Second Degree Black Belt in Hapkido in recognition of her work in promoting Hapkido technique to the world and for being the art's most honorable, heroic and beautiful female representative.
[edit] Trivia
- Angela Mao is nicknamed Lady Whirlwind and Lady Kung Fu by her fans.
- Mao trained in Hapkido, Kung Fu, Taekwondo and other forms of martial arts during her film career to prepare for her movie roles.
- She was paid $100 dollars for her short role in the movie Enter the Dragon.
- Retired from films in 1982 to devote herself to her family.
[edit] Filmography
- Gui nu chuan (1970) .... Lan Feng
... Also Known as The Angry River
- Thunderbolt (1970)
- Tian long ba jiang (1971)
... Also Known as The Invincible Eight
- Hei lu (1972) .... Hei Lu
... Also Known as Deadly China Doll (International: English title) ... Also Known as Hak lui (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as The Opium Trail (International: English title)
- He qi dao (1972) .... Yu Ying
... Also Known as Hap kei do (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as Hapkido (Hong Kong: English title) ... Also Known as Lady Kung Fu (USA: dubbed version)
- Tie zhang xuan feng tui (1972) .... Miss Tien
... Also Known as Deep Thrust (USA) ... Also Known as Deep Thrust: The Hand of Death (USA: dubbed version) ... Also Known as Lady Whirlwind ... Also Known as Tit cheung suen fung tui (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
- Enter the Dragon (1973) (as Angela Mao Ying) .... Su Lin
... Also Known as Long zheng hu dou ... Also Known as Operation Dragon (Europe: English title)
- Ma lu xiao ying xiong (1973) .... Ying
... Also Known as Back Alley Princess
- Tai quan zhen jiu zhou (1973) .... Wan Ling-ching
... Also Known as Heuggwon (South Korea) ... Also Known as Kickmaster ... aka Sting of the Dragon Masters ... Also Known as Toi kuen jan gau chow (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as When Taekwondo Strikes
- The Two Great Cavaliers (1973)
... Also Known as Blade of Fury (International: English title)
- Ying chun ge zhi Fengbo (1973) (as Mao Ying)
... Also Known as The Fate of Lee Khan ... Also Known as Ying chung gok ji fung boh (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
- Chuo tou zhuang yuan (1974)
... Also Known as Cheuk tau chong yuen (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as Naughty! Naughty!
- Tie jin gang da po zi yang guan (1974) .... Angela Li Shou-Hua
... Also Known as A Man Called Stoner ... Also Known as Hong Kong Hitman ... Also Known as Stoner ... Also Known as The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (Hong Kong: English title) ... Also Known as Tit gam gong daai poh chi yeung goon (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
- Hong xi guan fang shi yu liu a cai (1974)
... Also Known as Dragon's Fatal Fist ... Also Known as Manchurian Massacre ... Also Known as The Invincible Kung Fu Trio (International: English title)
- Yan ku shen tan (1974) .... Fang Chu/Lui Ying
... Also Known as The Association (USA)
- Zhong tai quan tan sheng si zhan (1974)
... Also Known as Chung taai kuen taan sang sei chin (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as The Tournament
- Mi zong sheng shou (1975)
... Also Known as Mat chung sing sau (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as The Himalayan
- Shen quan da zhan kuai qiang shou (1975)
... Also Known as Invincible (USA) ... Also Known as Return of the Chinese Boxer (International: English title) ... Also Known as Samurei Terror (USA) ... Also Known as San kuen daai chin faai cheong sau (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as The Swift Shaolin Boxer (USA)
- E tan qun hing ying hui (1976) .... Queen of Cambodia
... Also Known as A Queen's Ransom ... Also Known as International Assassin (USA) ... Also Known as International Assassins
- Lady Karate (1976)
... Also Known as Lady Constable
- Jue bi tai yang ta (1977) .... Chu
... Also Known as Duel with the Devils (International: English title) ... Also Known as Killer Dragon Returns (International: English title)
- Invincible (1976)
... Also Known as Swift Shaolin Boxer
- Wu quan (1976) .... Fei Fei
... Also Known as Chuan lu (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as Dance of Death ... Also Known as Miu kuen (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as The Eternal Conflict
- Nu ma fei sha (1977)
... Also Known as Duels in the Desert (International: English title) ... Also Known as Flying Sand ... Also Known as Liu ma fei qui (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as Proud Horse in Flying Sand
- Po jie (1977) .... Lotus Lin
... Also Known as Broken Oath ... Also Known as Poh gaai (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
- Bo ming (1978)
... Also Known as Bandits, Prostitutes and Silver ... Also Known as Battle of Shaolin (USA: DVD title) ... Also Known as Bok meng (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as The Damned (International: English title) ... Also Known as Wu Tang Ho's Thugs and Scrillah (USA: video title)
- Lang tzu yi chao (1978) .... Chin Lun
... Also Known as A Fist Too Fast ... Also Known as Iron Maiden (USA: video title) ... Also Known as The Legendary Strike
- Scorching Sun, Fierce Wind, Wild Fire (1978)
... Also Known as Any Which Way You Punch ... Also Known as Dragon Connection
- Return of the Tiger (1979)
... Also Known as Silent Killer from Eternity
- She xing zui bu (1979) .... Brothel Madam
... Also Known as Sau ying chiu biu (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) ... Also Known as Snake Deadly Act
- Yi dai tian jiao (1979)
... Also Known as Flying Masters of Kung Fu (International: English title) ... Also Known as Revengeful Swordswoman (International: English title)
- Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion (1981)
... Also Known as Ten Fingers & Flying Sword
- Du wang qian wang qun ying hui (1982)
... Also Known as The Stunning Gambling
- Ninja, the Violent Sorcerer (1982) (uncredited) .... Anna
- Devil Dynamite (1987)
... Also Known as Devil's Dynamite (USA)
- Guo niang zi (1992)
... aka Ghost Bride (Hong Kong: English title)
