Yuen Siu Tien

Yuen Siu Tien (Chinese: 袁小田) (1912–1979) (also known as Yuan Xiao Tian, Simon Yuen, Sam Seed or "Ol' Dirty") was a kung fu movie star in the 1970s. He starred in films with actors like Jackie Chan and under the direction of his son Yuen Woo-ping. He died of a heart attack in 1979.

Success in old age

Yuen Siu Tien trained in traditional Peking opera role of Wu-Shen. He began his acting career in the first Wong Fei Hung film to star Kwan Tak Hing, Story of Huang Feihong (1949), at the age of 37, though his film appearances were rare until the late 1950s. He is most well known for portraying mentors and Kung Fu masters. One of his most internationally well-known films came late in his career, Drunken Master (1978), in which he played Su Hua Chi (aka The Beggar So), an old hermit who had mastered the art of Drunken Boxing, aiding a young Wong Fei Hung, played by Jackie Chan. The role was a reprisal (in all but name) of the one he had played in another of Chan's films, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978). At the time, Drunken Master proved to be the most successful film to feature Jackie Chan. The film portrayed Wong Fei Hung as a young and mischievous rascal as opposed to the venerable, confucian master of kung fu as played in many films by Kwan Tak Hing. The movie was a surprise international hit, and greatly helped to boost the career of the then 66 year old actor.

Yuen featured in almost 150 films throughout his career. He reprised the role of The Beggar So for three further films, Dance Of The Drunk Mantis, Story Of Drunken Master and a cameo in World Of The Drunken Master. He was cast to play the role again, in Magnificent Butcher with Sammo Hung, but died part way through filming. On the previews for the film they had promised a return of the Drunken Master but he was actually replaced by another actor, Fan Mei Sheng. Filming continued with Fan's Drunken Master character, including re-shooting some of Yuen's scenes. However, Fan's character is never referred to by the names Su Hua Chi or Beggar So in the film.

Ol' Dirty

The rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard took his name from one of Yuen Siu Tien's movies Ol' Dirty & The Bastard. ODB was a member of the Wu-Tang Clan rap group until his death in 2004. His lyrics were often inspired by 1970s Kung Fu films.

Filmography

Movies

• The Thundering Mantis (1984) (Mandarin title: Dian tang lang)
• Wild Bunch of Kung Fu (1982) (aka Against Rascals with Kung Fu)
• An Old Kung Fu Master (1980) (aka Ol' Dirty & the Bastard) - Master Shing
• Drunken Fist Boxing (1979) - Beggar So
• Drunken Master (1978) - Su Hua Chi/Sam Seed
• Peculiar Boxing Tricks and Master (1978) (aka Old Dirty Strikes Back)- Tung
• The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) (aka The Master Killer; Mandarin title: Shao Lin san shi liu fang) - Teacher
• Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978)
• Heroes of the East (1978)
• Bons baisers de Hong Kong (From Hong Kong with Love) (1975)
• Little Tiger of Canton (1971) (credited as Hsao Ten Juan)
• 55 Days at Peking (1963) (uncredited)

Personal life

Yuen Siu Tien was the father of 11 children, 6 of whom have worked (or still work) in the Hong Kong film industry. The 5 eldest sons were known collectively as the "Yuen Clan" and often worked in combinations on many films:

• Yuen Woo-ping - director and action director
• Yuen Cheung Yan - actor and action director
• Yuen Shun Yi aka Sunny Yuen - actor and action director
• Yuen Yat Chor - actor
• Yuen Chun Yeung aka Brandy Yuen - actor, stuntman and action director

The 6th son, who has worked as an actor in a small number of films is Yuen Lung Chu.

In addition, Yuen had two further sons and three daughters.^[1]

Death

In 1979, he died of a heart attack at the age of 67. His long time friend Jackie Chan plays Lu Yan the Drunken Immortal in 2008 film The Forbidden Kingdom.

Trivia

Yuen Siu Tien's likeness was used for the character Chin Gentsai in the SNK series, The King of Fighters as well as for the character Shun Di from the Virtua Fighter series (taken from the role of Su Hai from Drunken Master).

References

External links

• IMDb entry