Dean Shek

Dean Shek
Dean Shek
Chinese name 石天 (Traditional)
Chinese name 石天 (Simplified)
Pinyin Shí Tiān (Mandarin)
Jyutping Shek6 Tin1 (Cantonese)
Birth name Liu Wei Cheng
Ancestry Tianjin, China
Born October 17, 1950 (1950-10-17) (age 61)
Beijing, China
Other name(s) Charlie Shek
Years active 1968-1992

Dean Shek (sometimes written Shek Tien) aka Dean Shek Tien (born 17 October 1950) is a veteran Hong Kong feature film actor and film producer with over 92 films acting credits to his name. Shek is perhaps best known as Professor Kai Hsien in 1978 film Drunken Master and Snooker in 1990 film Dragon from Russia.

Contents

History and early career

Movies

Shek began his career as a contracted actor at Shaw Brothers Studio in 1968,[1] making his first brief appearance in the film Twin Blades of Doom (1969). He received more substantial roles at Shaws, in musicals such as The Singing Killer, romantic films including A Time For Love (1970), comedies such as The Human Goddess (1972) and martial arts films such as The Fists of Vengeance (1972).

Shek left Shaw Brothers in 1973. The same year, he appeared in Master with Cracked Fingers, the first film to feature Jackie Chan in a starring role. He made his directorial debut in 1975 with The Monk, and worked as assistant director on Black Alice (1975), A Queen's Ransom (1976), Iron Fisted Monk (1977).

Throughout the late 1970s, Shek continued to work with the likes of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung on period kung fu films including Broken Oath (1977), Warriors Two (1978), Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978), Drunken Master (1978), Odd Couple (1979) and Dance of the Drunk Mantis (1979).

Shek is credited as producer on 22 films, most of which were for the production company Cinema City & Films Co., which he co founded with Karl Maka and Raymond Wong in 1980.[2] Throughout the 1980s, he appeared in action crime and comedies including the first 2 films were Aces Go Places and John Woo's A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987). He also directed 4 films were - The Perfect Wife (1983), A Family Affair (1984), Kung Hei Fat Choy (1985) and The Family Strikes Back (1986).

Final film and retired from acting

Shek played his final role as Snooker in the 1990 film Dragon from Russia.

In 1992, Shek retired at the age of 42 after working as a producer in the 1992 fantasy horror film Angel Hunter.

Filmography

Movies

  • Young Lovers (1970)
  • A Time for Love (1970)
  • The Singing Killer (1970)
  • My Son (1970)
  • Guess Who Killed by Twelve Lovers (1970)
  • The Long Years (1971)
  • Master with Cracked Fingers (1971)
  • Pursuit (1972)
  • Intrigue in Nylons (1972)
  • The Human Goddess (1972)
  • The Fugitive (1972)
  • The Fists of Vengeance (1972)
  • The Black Tavern (1972)
  • The Young Tiger (1973)
  • Tales of Larceny (1973)
  • The Pirates (1973)
  • The Iron Bodyguard (1973)
  • Illicit Desire (1973)
  • The Generation Gap (1973)
  • The Delinquent (1973)
  • Breakout from Oppression (1973)
  • Ambush (1973)
  • Young Lovers on Flying Wheels (1974)
  • Naughty! Naughty! (1974)
  • A Mad World of Fools (1974)
  • Golden Lotus (1974)
  • Games Gamblers Play (1974)
  • Blood Reincarnation (1974)
  • The Big Risk (1974)
  • The Young Dragons (1975)
  • Shantung Man in Hong Kong (1975)
  • The Seven Coffins (1975)
  • The Protectors (1975)
  • My Wacky, Wacky World (1975)
  • The Monk (1975)
  • Lady of the Law (1975)
  • Hong Kong Superman (1975)
  • Chinese Superior Kung Fu (1975)
  • The Bedevilled (1975)
  • Bald-Headed Betty (1975)
  • All in the Family (1975)
  • A Queen’s Ransom (1976)
  • My Funny Intern (1976)
  • I Want More... (1976)
  • The Girlie Bar (1976)
  • Mantis Fists and Tiger Claws of Shaolin (1977)

References

  1. ^ "Dean Shek Tin". Short Biographies. HKFilm.net. http://www.hkfilm.net/shortbios/page3/default.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  2. ^ "Sammo Hung (洪金宝)". biography. Jongo. http://knows.jongo.com/res/article/14749. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 

External links