Chinese name: Yen Chi-Tan (also written as Yen Ji-Dan)
born in Boston
son of Tai Chi instructor Bow Sim-Mark and noted writer and musician Klysler
Yen
--> training in kung fu and music from earliest age (Wu Shu and classical
piano)
studied Wu Shu in Beijing at the same institue as Jet
Lee
Inside Kung Fu magazine cover appearances
Movie Facts
discovered by Yuen Woo-Ping who wanted
to repeat the success he had with Jackie Chan
in creating a new talent
worked as a stunt double for Yuen Woo-Ping's brother Simon Yuen Jnr on
Miracle Fighters 2 (1983)
starring debut in Drunken Tai Chi (1984) with 19 years
--> shot in Taiwan, flopped (right film at the wrong time)
after his bad box office acceptance in Drunken Tai Chi and Mismatched
Couples he returned to Boston only to make his comeback in TV
success in a supporting role in D & B Film's Tiger Cage led
to co-starring status in In the Line of Duty 4
he doubled Tiger Cage star Jackie Cheung for some fights
in Tiger Cage, Tiger Cage 2, In the Line of Duty 4
and Crystal Hunt he fought against Boston buddy Michael Woods (together
with Stephan Berwick (Tiger Cage) and John Salvitti (Tiger Cage
2, In the Line of Duty 4, Crystal Hunt)
because his character in Tiger Cage 2 acted outside the law without
being killed or arrested re-shoots were required for some Asian territories
(featuring Cynthia Khan in the showdown), which led to two versions of
this movie
Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his role
in Once Upon a Time in China 2
though a great film and cult favorite, Iron Monkey flopped at the
box office and was followed by a bad sequel (Iron Monkey 2)
he turned down a role eventually played by Chin Siu-Ho opposite Jet Lee
in Tai Chi Master
he turned down the part played by Ho Sung-Pak in Drunken Master 2
worked as (co-)choreographer on Hero of Heroes and Wing Chun
cameo in Wong Jing's Saint of Gamblers 2
cameo in Black Rose
Fist of Fury was the most successful series in ATV history and the
most profitable Hong Kong TV series ever when distributed through the rest
of Asia
his directorial debut Legend of the Wolf (aka New Big Boss)
which he cut himself and which had a HK $4 million budget brought him international
attention (Francis Ford Coppola's newly formed Chrome Dragon offered him
a chance to develop a film for them)
second directorial feature Ballistic Kiss for his own Bullet Films
