Dick Wei (, born Tu Jilong 涂吉龍; born April 15, 1953) is a Taiwanese actor, director and writer who specializes in martial arts and action films.
Early life and career
Dick Wei was born Tu Jilong in the town of Pingtung in southern Taiwan.Encyclopedia of Asian Stars He is of Hakka ancestry. He began studying martial arts in Junior High School, going on to win numerous competitions.Japanese Dick Wei fan website He later served in the Taiwanese army, attaining the rank of captain, and was an instructor in unarmed combat, especially Tae Kwon Do.Article in "The Best of Eastern Heroes" by John Brennan Prior his movie career, he also worked as a combat instructor for the Taiwanese police force. His first films were made while he was still in the army; most were low budget Taiwanese productions. His earlier movie appearances tended to be quite brief and he often played supporting or tertiary roles.
Discovery
While operating a martial arts studio in Taipei, he was spotted by Chang Cheh who persuaded him to have a screen test which was shown to Sir Run Run Shaw. Impressed with the footage, Shaw signed him with the Shaw Brothers and he relocated to Hong Kong in 1977. Under the stage name "Tu Lung", he made several martial arts films with the studio including Five Deadly Venoms (1978), The Avenging Eagle (1978), Kid with the Golden Arm (1979), and The Kid With a Tattoo (1980).
In the early 1980s, he moved to Golden Harvest where he joined Sammo Hung's team of actors and stuntmen. Starring in films many of which were helmed by Hung, Dick Wei became known for playing villainous roles such as Suen in The Prodigal Son (1981), pirate king Lor Sam Pau in Project A (1983), and mountain bandit number 6 in Millionaires Express (1986). He also trained actresses Joyce Godenzi for her role in Eastern Condors, and Michelle Yeoh when the latter first began making martial arts movies.
Later roles and directing In 1989, Wei starred in and was action director for the film Dragon Fight. In 1991, he made his directional debut with the action film Visa to Hell and then, in 1994, directed the crime film, A Killing Order. He starred in and choreographed both projects.
Dissatisfied that he was constantly typecast as villains by Hong Kong film companies and directors, Dick Wei eventually returned to Taiwan where he turned his hand to directing and producing. He continued to work in Taiwanese television and starred in a number of movies, including some made-for-television. The early to mid-2000s saw a rapid decline in his film appearances and eventually, a complete stop altogether. It would not be until 2013 that he would star in another major film project, Hung Yan-yan's 7 Assassins, appearing alongside several veteran actors from the Golden Generation of Hong Kong cinema such as Felix Wong. The following years saw Dick Wei's steady return to filmmaking in which he starred primarily in action or martial arts films from Taiwan and mainland China, some of which were exclusively streamed via online platforms. He would also return to directing; in 2016, he directed and starred alongside Tony Liu and Chen Kuan-tai in a loose reboot of the 1980 film Encounters of the Spooky Kind. As of 2023, his most recent appearance was in the 2020 martial arts film, Chinese People The Soul of Wushu.
Filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1973Tiger Boxer1974The Assignment1976The One-armed SwordsmenAssistant Martial Arts Director1977Money CrazyThe Brave Archer Yang Tieh-hsinChinatown Kid Kung Fu Student1978Life Gamble Jin BaThe Brave Archer 2 Beggar Sect Elder JianShaolin Handlock Li PaiFive Deadly Venoms MasterThe Avenging Eagle Han SungHeaven Sword and Dragon SabreInvincible ShaolinSouth Shaolin teacher #1Crippled AvengersTien Nan Tiger of the Southern Sky #11979The Best Hustler Wins The Kung Fu Instructor Meng Clan's FighterKid with the Golden Arm Sand Palm FighterTo Kill A Mastermind Yang security agent1980Shaolin Hellgate Jin ChaIron Chain Assassin Killer Constable Suen-HengKid with a TattooCaptain FangSwift Sword Leng family fighterA Deadly Secret Wan GuiTen Tigers from Kwangtung Wang Teng KoLightning Kung Fu1981Family of Lust Cheng PeiThe Prodigal Son SuenA Bride's Nightmare 1982Carry On Pickpocket Chou Meng-Sheng's Henchmen #51983Winners and SinnersTar's Top HenchmanZu Warriors from the Magic MountainBlue Army CommanderThe ChampionsSoccer King GamProject A Lor Sam Pau1984Pom Pom ScarmanThe Owl vs Bombo Au Gung's Henchman1985My Lucky Stars Gang MemberMismatched Couples Fight championTwinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars Warehouse Thug #3Heart of Dragon Kim's Man #1Yes, Madam WillieNight Caller Allan LeeEastern Kung Fu God 1986Millionaires Express Mountain Bandit #6Witch from Nepal The WarriorRosa Thug in SuitKung Fu Kids II Gam/Golden Yama Wong Er LungThe Seventh Curse Huh LungA Heroic Fight WaiBloody Revenge 1987Code of Honor Mak Chi-ChiehEastern Condors Elite Vietnamese soldierProject A Part II Lor Sam PauUncreditedReturn of the Demon The DemonReturn of the Kickfighter Bad Brother1988Paper Marriage Thug in white SuitShy Spirit LamaDragons Forever Thug LeaderCriminal Hunter Into the Night Walk on Fire WaiIn the Line of Duty III Diamonds' FenceCity Warriors Lok Han1989Bloody BrotherhoodFat Hoi's Vietnamese henchman and hitmanPedicab Driver WaiProud and Confident PopeyeFinal Run BullClose EscapeChiu Ying-KauDragon Fight Wong WaiAction directorUnderground Warfare Who Cares Yeung WaiAngel Enforcers Ah-WaiAngel's Mission Jerry1990Never Say Regret HsiungFamily Honor WaiNo Way Back KoengFortune Chasers Gang BossBullet for Hire DickYellow Rain Brother HoThe Wolf of Revenge 1991Retreat Of The Godfather Godfather's Daughter Mafia Blues TungStone Age Warriors First GuideVisa to Hell Black PantherDirector, action directorThe VengeanceGhost's Love Kung-Fu Kid The Drug Hunt Police ChiefTV film1992Come From China TankMy Pretty Companion Angel Terminators SamaMidnight Lover Megaforce From Highland Erotic China Dolls Queen Of Gambler A Dancing Boy in Underworld Street Lady Killer Behind the Curtain Wonderful Killer Desperate Duo Attention Lover The Last Thief of the Dynasty Huh Lung1993Erotic Journey Big Brother ChungSnake Fist TV filmThe Widow Police WomenWong Yun LungSupercop 2 Ah-ShuenOn Parole YinSexual Harasser Bloody BrothersChang Tung-PinThe Case of the Spirit of BananaKao Tien-Yun1994A Killing Order Detective Yun DuanDirector, action directorTwo Gambling Men Guardian AngelUrban Cop Law KitTV film1995Mr. X Inspector of King TV filmCountryside Hero Xue NiangXia San HuTV seriesSeries of Murder Files Ao Men Zhui XiongThe Righteous GuardsDuan Chang HongTV seriesThe Righteous Guards IIDuan Chang HongTV series1996Horrible High Heels Police ChiefFinal FugitiveNo.13 Command Police ChiefTV film1997Iron Sister SuenLast Target To Kill Police ChiefTV filmStay Behind the Yellow Line ArgentinaCrazy Mission The First Professional Killer 1999To Nail the Killer with All Efforts TV filmStunt Couple Hung SingTV filmSword Knight-errant The Wanted ConvictKiller of Lover TV filmThe Good and the BadTV film2000Crazy Badboy Police Chief LaiTV filmGuard Soldier Tang Po ShenTV filmThe Died Body2001Kill the Unforgiven TV film2004Life Taken Call-In Police ChiefTV film20137 Assassins Adjutant2014Long's Story Ming2016New Encounters of the Spooky KindMaster TiDirector, online film2017Fast Hands Hung BoxerHuh LungOnline filmAn Idiot Lost in XiangxiKungfu King2018The Angel Eyes Village LeaderReturn of Heroes Duke HanOnline filmDiexue Dadao HuiThe Knight in the White NightZhu Gu ShengOnline film2019Return of Heroes IIDuke HanOnline film2020Chinese People The Soul of Wushu Lai Hoi ChunOnline film
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