Alexander Fu Sheng

Alexander Fu Sheng (20 October 1954 – 7 July 1983), born Cheung Fu-Sheng (張富聲),^[1] also known as Fu Sheng was a Hong Kong martial arts film star in the 1970s.

Life and career

Born as Cheung Fu-Sheng in Hong Kong, the son of a wealthy New Territories indigenous inhabitant businessman. As a child, his family lived in Hawaii for a few years and there he began training in judo and karate.

In 1971, he enrolled at Shaw Brothers Southern Drama School and instantly drew the attention of director Chang Cheh. Cheh had Fu Sheng train with Lau Kar-leung for 6 months. Fu Sheng made his film debut as an extra in the 1972 film The Fourteen Amazons. His first lead role was in Cheh's Police Force. Some of his other films include Heroes Two, Five Shaolin Masters, Shaolin Temple and the Brave Archer series. He eventually made a total of 23 films with Cheh.

In 1976, he married singer and actress Jenny Tseng, who had appeared with him in the film New Shaolin Boxers.^[2]

He suffered a series of injuries in 1978 and 1979. On the set of The Deadly Breaking Sword a wire suspending him snapped and he fell eight feet landing on his head. While working on Heroes Shed No Tears, he shattered bones in his right leg.

Fu Sheng was supposed to star in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow but was refused by Run Run Shaw; head of the Shaw Brothers Studio. Jackie Chan was eventually cast in the role.

Fu Sheng bought and lived in Bruce Lee's house in Kowloon. On 7 July 1983, Fu Sheng died as the result of an automobile accident.^[3] At the time, he was filming The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter in which he was to be the hero. The film was partially re-written and the remainder of the film was shot. In the finished film, Fu Sheng's character abruptly disappears and the focus was put on co-star Gordon Liu's character.^[3]

His funeral was organised by the Shaw Brothers committee. His remains were cremated.^[4]

Filmography

• Young People (1972)
• Four Riders aka Hellfighters of the East and Strike 4 Revenge (1972), GI at Jukebox
• Man of Iron aka Warrior of Steel (1972)
• Generation Gap (1973)
• Police Force (1973)
• Heroes Two aka Kung Fu Invaders (1974), Fang Shih Yu
• Three Styles of Hung School's Kung Fu – A Demonstration Film of the Chinese Kung Fu (1974), himself
• Na Cha The Great (1974), Na-Cha
• Men from the Monastery aka Disciples of Death and Dragon's Teeth (1974), Fang Shih Yu
• Friends (1974)
• Shaolin Martial Arts aka Five Fingers of Death (1974)
• 5 Shaolin Masters aka The 5 Masters of Death (1974), Ma Chao-Hsing
• Disciples of Shaolin aka The Invincible One (1975)
• Marco Polo aka The Four Assassins (1975)
• Boxer Rebellion aka The Bloody Avengers (1976)
• The Seven Man Army (1976)
• The Shaolin Avengers aka Invincible Kung Fu Brothers (1976), Fang Shih Yu
• New Shaolin Boxers aka Demon Fists of Kung Fu (1976)
• Shaolin Temple aka Death Chamber (1976), Fang Shih Yu
• Naval Commandos (1977)
• Magnificent Wanderers aka Magnificent Kung Fu Warriors (1977)
• The Brave Archer aka Kung Fu Warlords (1977), Kuo Tsing
• The Chinatown Kid (1977), Tang Tong
• The Brave Archer 2 aka Kung Fu Warlords Part II (1978), Kuo Tsing
• Avenging Eagle (1978)
• Life Gamble (1979)
• The Proud Twins (1979)
• The Deadly Breaking Sword (1979), Xiao Dao
• Heroes Shed No Tears (1980)
• Heaven and Hell aka Shaolin Hellgate (1980)
• Ten Tigers from Kwangtung (1980), Tam Ming
• Return of the Sentimental Swordsman (1981)
• The Brave Archer 3 aka Blast of the Iron Palm (1982), Kuo Tsing
• Legendary Weapons of China aka Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu (1982)
• The Brave Archer and His Mate aka Mysterious Island (1982), Yang Kuo
• The Fake Ghost Catchers (1982)
• Cat vs Rat (1982), the Rat Bai Yu Tong
• My Rebellious Son aka Raging Tiger (1982)
• Treasure Hunters aka Master of Disaster (1982), Chi Ta Po
• Hong Kong Playboys (1983)
• Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter aka The Invincible Pole Fighters (1983), 6th Yang
• Wits of the Brats (1984) released posthumously

References

External links

• Alexander Fu Sheng at the Internet Movie Database
• Alexander Fu Sheng at Hong Kong Cinemagic