Al Leong
| Al Leong | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Albert Leong September 30, 1952 St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Other names | Al 'Ka Bong' |
| Occupation | Stuntman, actor |
Albert "Al" Leong (born September 30, 1952), aka Al "Ka Bong", is an American stuntman and actor.[1] Characterized by his impressive martial arts skills (including Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Kali,& 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 also 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 known for his role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, as Genghis Khan.
Early life
Leong was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Los Angeles, California.[4][5]
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."[6] 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.[7]
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 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 | |
| 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
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues: "The Warlord" (1994), also stunt coordinator
- The A-Team: "Asian-Looking Thug" in episode Lease with an Option to Die (episode # 4.4) 1985-10-22, "Thug at boat" in episode The Maltese Falcon (episode # 2.13)1983-12-13
- The Equalizer: uncredited in episode China Rain (episode # 1.2)
- The Greatest American Hero: uncredited extra in episode Thirty Seconds Over Little Tokyo (episode # 39) 1983-02-03
- Hart to Hart: "Tai-Chi Man" in episode Year of the Dog (episode # 5.10) 1983-12-13
- Riptide: "Mister Yeem" in episode The Frankie Kahana Show (episode # 3.13) 1986-02-11
- MacGyver: "Wayne H. Lim" in episode Murderers' Sky (episode # 3.20) 1988-05-09
- Renegade:
- T. J. Hooker: "Nabutsu Hood #1" (uncredited) in episode Blood Sport (episode # 5.88) 1986-05-21
- 24: "Neill" in four episodes of the first season
- That '70s Show: "Kung-Fu Master/Ninja Warrior" in the episode Jackie Moves On (episode # 2.22) 2000-04-03
References
- 1 2 "Al Leong". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Al Leong". Hey! It's That Guy!. Fametracker. August 8, 2001. Retrieved June 19, 2007.
- ↑ As of June 2007, the fan site Al Leong: Cinematic Legend 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, World Wide Dojo
- ↑ A chat with AL LEONG – martial artist & stuntman extraordinaire — Chiller Theatre, Planetchocko.com
- ↑ "David Callaham: Writer Reel (2004)". IMDb.
- ↑ "4th Bearded Child Film Festival". Bearded Child Film Festival.