Ozzie Yue

Austin J. "Ozzie" Yue (born 12 August 1947) is a British actor and musician of Chinese heritage. His television roles include appearances in ''Father Ted'', ''All Quiet on the Preston Front'' and '' Coronation Street'' and roles in films include '' Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'', ''Syriana'' and ''Nuns on the Run''. In the 1960s Yue was guitarist with Merseybeat group the Hideaways and later for the 1970s group Supercharge. He now has own band, "Yue Who", and in 2008 starred in the title role in '' Kensuke's Kingdom'', a theatre production which has toured the UK.

Early life and education

Yue was born in Liverpool, Lancashire. His father, Jack, was a restaurateur, court translator and point of contact between Liverpool's Chinese and English communities.
Ozzie went to junior schools in the Wirral and Skerry's School in Rodney Street, Liverpool. He then attended the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys as a contemporary of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, although junior to them. Yue has admitted that he did "flick pieces of paper" at McCartney during art classes.

Musical career

After a spell as an apprentice electrician, Yue joined the Hideaways as guitarist during the Merseybeat era; he played at the Cavern Club more often than the Beatles. In the 1970s, he joined funk, soul & RnB group Supercharge, which achieved some reputation and local success, but failed to make an impression on the UK charts. They did however have a number 1 single in Australia in 1976. In the late 1970s he played with Liverpool band "Joker". Today Yue has his own RnB group playing locally, "Yue Who".

Acting career

In his teens, Yue appeared in productions such as The King and I and South Pacific at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. However, acting took a back seat during his musical career until the 1980s, when he began to be cast in British film and television, usually in stereotypical Chinese roles such as waiters and minor villains. He was initially offered work by Granada TV as an extra, and of this he says, From the early 1990s onwards, Yue has appeared in numerous productions and in 2006 branched out into theatre, starring in '' Kensuke's Kingdom'' across the country and finally at London's Bloomsbury Theatre. In March/April 2015 he returned to the Liverpool stage playing the roles of Snug and Mustardseed in the Everyman Theatre production of '' A Midsummer Night's Dream''.

In 2013, he played "Taxi Driver" in the BBC comedy-drama ''Being Eileen''.

Selected appearances

Television

* 1990 ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' - Restaurant Manager
* 1990 '' London's Burning'' - Chinese Man
* 1992 '' Lovejoy'' - 'Flat Fee' Lee Chan
* 1992 ''To Be the Best'' - Bank President
* 1993 '' The Long Roads'' - Jimmy
* 1994 ''All Quiet on the Preston Front'' - Peter Wang
* 1994 ''The House of Windsor'' - Mr. Takasoni
* 1995 '' Porkpie'' - Mr Lu
* 1995 ''Harry'' - Tommy
* 1996 '' Porkpie'' - Mr Lu
* 1996 ''Thief Takers'' - Uncle Wong
* 1998 ''Father Ted'' - Sean Yin
* 1998 '' Dinnerladies'' - Malcolm
* 2004 '' Silent Witness'' - Micky Choo
* 2005 ''Meet the Magoons'' - Scouse Punter
* 2005
* 2005 ''Rocket Man'' - Mr. Xi
* 2011 '' Come Fly With Me'' - Chinese Man
* 2011 ''White Van Man'' - Mr. Chung
* 2012 '' Doctor Who'' - Foreman
* 2013 ''Being Eileen'' - "Taxi Driver"

Film

* 1990 ''Nuns on the Run'' - Ernie Wong
* 1998 ''Croupier'' - Mr Tchai
* 2001 '' Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' - Aged Buddhist Monk
* 2003 '' Out for a Kill'' - Fang 'The Barber' Lee
* 2005 ''Syriana'' - Chinese Oil Executive
* 2008 ''Act of Grace'' - Dai-Lo

References

External links

*

Ozzie Yue Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2019)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yue, Ozzie
1947 births
English male film actors
English male television actors
British male actors of Chinese descent
Living people
Male actors from Liverpool
Musicians from Liverpool
English people of Chinese descent