Chen Kuan-tai (born 24 September 1945) is a martial artist and

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

film star A movie star (also known as a film star or cinema star) is an actor or actress who is famous for their starring, or leading, roles in movies. The term is used for performers who are marketable stars as they become popular household names and wh ...

Background

A former

fireman A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...

, he won a world's

kungfu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

Championship in 1969. He has primarily appeared in

Shaw Brothers Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd. () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, and operated from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shangh ...

productions, and was one of the first solid trained, martial arts stars employed by the company. One of his first roles in a Shaw work was in the 1969 film after high school ''

The Chinese Boxer ''The Chinese Boxer'' (龙虎斗; also known by its international title ''The Hammer of God'') is a 1970 Hong Kong action kung fu film written, directed by and starring Jimmy Wang Yu. Tong Gaai was the action director. ''The Chinese Boxer'' was a ...

'', along with

Jimmy Wang Yu Jimmy Wang Yu (; born Wang Zheng Quan; 28 March 1943 – 5 April 2022) was a Hong Kong-Taiwanese martial artist, actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. Initially a contract player for Shaw Brothers, he rose to fame for his starring ...

. Chen branched out as an actor with '' Boxer from Shantung'' a box-office smash in Hong Kong. His roles in '' The Tea House'' and its sequel ''

Big Brother Cheng Big Brother Cheng is a 1975 sequel to the Hong Kong hit crime drama '' The Teahouse'' directed by Kuei Chih-Hung Kuei Chih-Hung (桂治洪, aka Kwei Chi Hung, Gui Zhi-Hong, Gwai Chi-hung) (20 December 1937 – 1 October 1999) was a filmmak ...

'', both directed by Chih-hung Kwei increase His fame. These films gave Chen status as a "legitimate actor". After starring in the box office successes ''

Challenge of the Masters ''Challenge of the Masters'' () is a Hong Kong films of 1976, 1976 martial arts film, martial arts-Hong Kong action cinema, action film released in Hong Kong by Shaw Brothers, and directed by Lau Kar Leung. Plot After his father refuses to teac ...

'' and ''

Executioners from Shaolin ''Executioners from Shaolin'' or ''Hung Hsi Kuan'' is a 1977 Shaw Brothers kung fu film based on the life of Hung hsi Kuan directed by Lau Kar-leung. It is released as ''Shaolin Executioners'' outside of Hong Kong and as ''Executioners of Dea ...

'', both helmed by the legendary martial arts director

Lau Kar-leung Lau Kar-leung (28 July 1934 – 25 June 2013), was a Chinese actor, filmmaker, choreographer, and martial artist from Hong Kong. Lau is best known for the films he made in the 1970s and 1980s for the Shaw Brothers Studio. His most famous wor ...

, Chen left the Shaw Brothers Studio. While away from Shaw, Chen directed and starred in the 1977 film '' Iron Monkey''. Chen later returned to the Shaw Brothers in the films ''

Crippled Avengers ''Crippled Avengers'' is a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh and starring four members of the Venom Mob. It has been released in North America as ''Mortal Combat'' and ''The Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms''. The film follows a ...

'' (directed by

Chang Cheh Chang Cheh (; 10 February 1923 – 22 June 2002) was a Chinese people, Chinese filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist and producer active in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Chang Cheh directed more than 90 films in Greater China, the majority of them wi ...

), ''

Killer Constable ''Killer Constable'' (; aka ''Karate Exterminators'', ''Lightning Kung Fu'', ''Blood Brothers'', or ''Karate Warrior'' ) is a 1980 Hong Kong martial arts-action film directed by Chih-Hung Kwei, starring martial arts star Chen Kuan-tai. Th ...

'' (directed by Chih-hung Kwei), and '' 3 Evil Masters'' (co-starring

Yuen Tak Yuen is a Cantonese Chinese surname, which can refer to: 袁, 阮, 元, 源, 原 and 苑 *Yuan (surname), the Pinyin transliteration of the Han Chinese surnames 袁, 元, 源, 原 and 苑 *Ruan (surname), the Pinyin transliteration of the Han Chin ...

of the

Seven Little Fortunes The China Drama Academy () was a Peking opera school in Kowloon, Hong Kong, famous for being the childhood home of such famous actors as Jackie Chan (Yuen Lo), Sammo Hung (Yuen Lung), Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu and Corey Yuen (Yuen Kwai). It w ...

). To date Chen has starred in over 100 films, around 80 of which were with Shaw Brothers. He appeared in

Wilson Yip Wilson Yip Wai-Shun (; born 1964) is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and screenwriter. His films include '' Bio Zombie'', '' The White Dragon'', '' SPL: Sha Po Lang'', '' Dragon Tiger Gate'', ''Flash Point'' and the ''Ip Man'' series. Early caree ...

's 2006 martial arts-fantasy ''

Dragon Tiger Gate ''Dragon Tiger Gate'' is a 2006 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Wilson Yip and featuring fight choreography by Donnie Yen, who also stars in the film. The film is based on the manhua ''Oriental Heroes'', which bears the same Chines ...

'', and in the 2007 remake of the

King Hu Hu Jinquan (29 April 1932 – 14 January 1997), better known as King Hu, was a Chinese film director and actor based in Hong Kong and Taiwan. He is best known for directing various ''wuxia'' films in the 1960s and 1970s, which brought Cinema of ...

classic, '' The Valiant Ones New''. He recently played the role of Gold Lion in the Rza's directorial debut ''

The Man with the Iron Fists ''The Man with the Iron Fists'' is a 2012 American martial arts film directed by RZA and written by RZA and Eli Roth. The film stars RZA, Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, Dave Bautista, and Jamie Chung. Set in 19th cen ...

''.

Personal life

Chen married at least four times. In 1976, he married a fellow Shaw Brothers actress Cai Zhen-ni (蔡珍妮), better known under her stage name of Ying Ying (盈盈), and had a daughter, Chen Yong-xi (陈泳希), with her. Chen and Cai divorced in the following year. He later married a Taiwanese actress and singer Fong Yee-chun (方怡珍) and had a son, Chen Jun-xiang (陈骏祥), with her in 1978. Chen and Fong later divorced. In 1990, he married Zhao Ting-ting (赵婷婷) in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, but they divorced a few years later. In 2017, at the age of 73, Chen married a 43 year old Tang Liping (汤利萍).Currently Chen resides in Kolkata,India and is the owner of the reputed 'Jimmy's Kitchen'.

Filmography

Chen Kuan-tai at chinesemov.com
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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Kuan-Tai 1945 births Living people Shaw Brothers Studio Hong Kong male film actors Hong Kong male television actors Male actors from Guangdong 20th-century Hong Kong male actors 21st-century Hong Kong male actors