Lam Ching-ying (林 正英 real name: Lam Gun-bo 林根寶) (born: December 27, 1952 in Shanghai; died November 8, 1997 in Hong Kong) was a Chinese actor, action director and director. A graceful martial artist and one of the most physically-talented bodies to have graced the screens, Lam was best-known for playing the stoic taoist priest in Mr. Vampire (1985). Lam died in 1997 of liver cancer. December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (362nd in leap years). ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Shanghai (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Shanghainese: ), stuated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the largest city of the Peoples Republic of China. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Stage Combat is a specialized method of physical theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat for theatrical productions (or any form of dramatic production, including film and television). ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... Mr. ...

The early years

A young Lam Ching-Ying.

The third of seven children, Lam attended Shun Yi Association Elementary School in Hong Kong for two years before leaving school. In 1963/4, he joined the "other" Peking Opera School in Hong Kong: that of Madame Fan Fok-fa (Fun Guk-fa), the "rival" of Yu Jim Yuen where Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung were trained at around the same time. In actuality, the schools were friends and students from both schools often mingled. A year after joining, Lam made his first public appearance. Madame reported Lam as a disobedient student who was beyond her ability to handle. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Yu Jim Yuen (5 September 1905 – 8 September 1997) (于占元; pinyin Yu Zhanyuan) was the master of the Peking Opera School in Hong Kong from which Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Qiu and Corey Yuen received their training. ... Chan Kong-Sang known as Jackie Chan (born on April 7, 1954 in Hong Kong, China) is a Chinese martial artist, actor, director, producer, stuntman and singer. ... Sammo Hung (Chinese: 洪金寶; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Cantonese: Hung4 Gam1 Bou2) (born in Hong Kong on January 7, 1952) is a Kung Fu movies actor, producer and director. ...

At 17, Lam became a stuntman and martial arts coach at the Shaw Brothers Studio. Due to his slender build, he was often called upon to substitute female actors. He received $HK60 a day, $HK20 of which went to his master. The Shaw Studio (邵氏片場), owned by Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd. ...

At 19, he was hand-picked by Bruce Lee for the role as assistant action director on The Big Boss. After The Big Boss, Lam continued to work with Lee until Lee's death. Lam later joined Hung's stuntman association (known as the Hung Kar Pan). To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... The Big Boss (1971, 唐山大兄, also known as Fists of Fury in the U.S., not to be confused with Fist of Fury) was Bruce Lees first major film. ... The Big Boss (1971, 唐山大兄, also known as Fists of Fury in the U.S., not to be confused with Fist of Fury) was Bruce Lees first major film. ...

The 1980s

In 1982, Lam won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Direction, in the film Prodigal Son. Prodigal Son featured what is widely acknowledged as amongst the best Wing Chun caught on film, performed by Lam. He also underlined his acting talent by convincingly playing a frail, elderly Taoist priest in The Dead And The Deadly (1983). 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image:HKfilmawards award. ... The Return of the Prodigal Son (1773) by Pompeo Batoni The Prodigal Son, also known as The Lost Son is one of the best known parables of Jesus. ... The Return of the Prodigal Son (1773) by Pompeo Batoni The Prodigal Son, also known as The Lost Son is one of the best known parables of Jesus. ... Wing Chun[1] (咏春, literally spring chant) is a Chinese martial art that emphasizes short-range combat. ...

Lam's star did not rise until 1985, with the release of Mr. Vampire, the movie that fueled the hopping vampire genre. Lam was nominated for Best Actor for his role as the taoist priest. The character was an engaging mixture of naivety and stoic authority, and became a favourite for audiences. Lam was to reprise this role many times throughout his career. 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mr. ... In popular Chinese mythology, hopping corpses (Traditional Chinese: 僵屍 or 殭屍; Simplified Chinese: 僵尸; Pinyin: Jiāngshī; literally stiff corpses) are reanimated corpses that hop around, killing living creatures to absorb life essence (qi) from their victims. ...

Shortly after the release of Mr. Vampire, the Golden Harvest film company attempted to make an English version of the movie with Tanya Roberts (of Charlie's Angels) and Jack Scalia. Due to various difficulties, the film was never made and Lam did not make another attempt at the foreign market. Mr. ... Golden Harvest (Chinese: ) SEHK: 1132 is a film production, distribution and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. ... On the cover of Playboy, October 1982 Tanya Roberts, born Victoria Leigh Blum on October 15, 1954, is an American actress best known for her roles in Charlies Angels, The Beastmaster, A View to a Kill and That 70s Show. ... Charlies Angels was a television series broadcast from 1976 to 1981, about three women who work for a fictional private investigation agency, the Charles Townsend Agency. ... Jack Scalia (born 1950) is an actor from the 1970s and 1980s. ...

The 1990s

The success of Mr. Vampire eventually became burdensome on Lam, who found himself typecast in the role. As the hopping vampire genre began to lose its popularity, quality roles for Lam also began to dry, aside from small roles in Swordsman (1991) and a supporting role in Pom Pom and Hot Hot, most of his roles were in low-budget movies. Lam also briefly became a director in the film, Green Hornet (1994). Mr. ... A swordsman is one skilled in the use of swords. ... Green Hornet has several meanings: The Green Hornet character, created by George W. Trendle. ...

In 1995, Lam was offered the starring role in a television series called Vampire Expert. Shown on ATV, the series was a success and revived Lam's career. A second series aired in 1996, and in 1997, production on the third series began. The production was halted when Lam was informed he had liver cancer. Contrary to rumours that the cancer was caused by years of heavy drinking, the cancer was hereditary. Asia Television Limited (ATV) (亞洲電視有限公司; pinyin: Yàzhōu Diànshì Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī) was Hong Kongs first television station and was founded on May 29, 1957. ... Hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver (medical terms pertaining to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word for liver, hepar). ...

On November 8th, 1997, Lam died at St Theresa's Hospital in Hong Kong.

Related

• Sammo Hung
• Wu Ma

Sammo Hung (Chinese: 洪金寶; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Cantonese: Hung4 Gam1 Bou2) (born in Hong Kong on January 7, 1952) is a Kung Fu movies actor, producer and director. ... Wu Ma (TC: 午馬, SC: 午马, pinyin: Wǔ Mǎ real name: Féng Wǔ Mǎ, TC: 馮午馬, SC: 冯午马) (born: August 18, 1942, in Tianjin, China) is a Chinese actor, director, assistant director, producer and writer. ...

Select filmography

• Pom Pom and Hot Hot(1992) (Actor)
• Swordsman (1991) (Actor)
• Magic Cop (1989) (Actor)
• Painted Faces (1988) (Actor)
• Millionaire's Express (1986) (Actor)
• Mr. Vampire (1985) (Actor)
• Winners And Sinners (1983) (Actor/Action Director)
• The Dead And The Deadly (1983) (Actor/Stuntman/Action Director)
• The Prodigal Son (1982) (Actor)
• Enter The Dragon (1973) (Stuntman/Assistant Action Director)
• Fist of Fury (1972) (Stuntman)
• The Big Boss (1971) (Actor/Assistant Action Director)

A swordsman is one skilled in the use of swords. ... Millionaires Express aka. ... Mr. ... Winners and Sinners (1983) is the first of the Lucky Stars series of films- a highly succesful series in Hong Kong. ... The Prodigal Son is: a novel by Hall Caine; see The Prodigal Son (novel) a ballet by Sergei Prokofiev; see The Prodigal Son (Prokofiev) a church parable (something like a small opera) by Benjamin Britten; see The Prodigal Son (Britten) and a number of paintings by various artists. ... Enter the Dragon (《龍爭虎鬥》 aka. ... Fist of Fury (Simplified Chinese: 精武门; Traditional Chinese: 精武門; Pinyin: Jīng wǔ mén; known as The Chinese Connection in the U.S., not to be confused with Fists of Fury) was a 1972 film directed by Lo Wei. ... The Big Boss (1971, 唐山大兄, also known as Fists of Fury in the U.S., not to be confused with Fist of Fury) was Bruce Lees first major film. ...

External links and references

• Tribute to Lam Ching-Ying
• IMDB entry
• Lam Ching Ying: Original Vampire Slayer and Underrated Action Hero
• Lam Ching Ying, Master For All Seasons an Appreciation Site from Hungary
• Forum: Sifu Talk Lam Ching Ying Forum from Hungary