Tough Guys Files #5: Sho Kosugi

"The ninja--his mind, his art, everything--is very pure; that is, unclouded by emotion. Certainly, some were seen as evil because they would accomplish their tasks no matter what--without any feeling. It was always emptiness, similar to the concept of zen." -- Sho Kosugi, Star Warriors, October, 1986.

The 1980s was the most boisterous, over the top period for action film Tough Guys. There had been numerous war hero types, vigilantes, and wise-cracking cowboy lawmen throughout the decade, but there hadn't been an Asian action star since Bruce Lee; at least not one with any staying power. However, one Asian actor managed to break into Hollywood in surprisingly fast fashion, and with little acting experience to his name. Even Bruce Lee took approximately seven years to hit it big in the United States (only to die shortly thereafter). Synonymous with the word 'ninja' in the 1980s, that man is martial arts superstar, Sho Kosugi.

COMING TO AMERICA

Sho Kosugi started his martial arts training at the age of five. Coming from a poor family and calling himself a very weak child because of a hole in his lung, Sho's parents pushed him to take up Karate to strengthen his mind and body. Beginning with the Karate style Shindo Jinen Ryu, he then moved on to Ninjutsu at age seven under the private guidance of a neighbor Kosugi referred to only as Uncle Yamamoto. The aspiring martial artist amassed black belts in both Kendo and Judo, and accentuated his training regimen with Kobudo and Aikido. Naturally, the performing arts were on Sho's mind, having taken acting classes at a very young age; only to be kicked out for a lack of patience. Training in the fighting arts was the discipline that led the All Japan Karate Champion on his path to stardom in America.

After failing to get into a Japanese university, Sho fell into depression and attempted suicide. Pushed at a young age to attain martial enlightenment, Kosugi was now pushed by his sister to persevere at achieving his goals. In 1968 he would leave Tokyo for the USA. Calling Los Angeles his new home, Kosugi enrolled in college with the intention of obtaining a business degree. He later opened two Karate schools, accumulated some 663 trophies from tournament competitions, married, had two sons and a daughter, and found time for roles in a few Taiwan and Korean films; one of which was as a Japanese swordsman (see insert photo) who battles the hero in BRUCE LEE FIGHTS BACK FROM THE GRAVE (1976), aka STRANGER IN AMERICA.

ENTER THE NINJA

"Ninjitsu itself is a very secret process. There are no big fancy movements. They are very small and the art is viewed as espionage; you've got to kill your opponent no matter what. Just kill and complete the task, that's all that's important. Now ninjitsu is coming out with books, TV coverage, and everything. It used to be, however, that ninjitsu was low class and nobody wanted to know anything about it."--Sho Kosugi interview, Fighting Stars Magazine, October 1981.

Those sneaky, invisible assassins of numerous Japanese samurai films had a spotty track record in American made action pictures prior to the 1980s. Cannon's mediocre, yet highly successful Philippine lensed ENTER THE NINJA (1981) formally introduced not only the mysterious style of ninjitsu, but Sho Kosugi to the masses. Karate champion Mike Stone had written a treatment for the film and taken it to the producers at Cannon Films. He would also come aboard as the main ninja. He didn't stay on long, nor did original director Emmett Alston. The footage shot was deemed disastrous, so Menahem Golan took over for Alston (who would later return to ruin a Sho Kosugi production), but Stone remained as choreographer and stunt coordinator. Sho Kosugi was among those chosen as fighting extras. Once Franco Nero was brought aboard to replace Mike Stone, Sho's initially small role grew into a much bigger one after producers liked what they'd seen of him; ultimately giving him the role of Hasegawa, Franco Nero's nemesis. Sho likewise did double duty playing some of the other ninjas in the film, and reportedly doubled for Franco Nero for some scenes.

"Only a ninja can stop a ninja!"

With this films success around the world, Sho was tapped to headline the $90,000 gore spectacle, REVENGE OF THE NINJA (1983); the benchmark of ninja cinema in the USA, and a superior film to its predecessor in every way. It is particularly special in that this was the first movie to feature Kosugi as a leading man in an American production. This was a gamble on Cannon's part, having liked the actor enough to expand his role on ENTER, to now finance an entire picture built around him. Possibly if it had been another studio, Kosugi wouldn't have gotten a lead, and likely not so quickly. As much negativity that's directed at Cannon, Menahem, like Roger Corman, wasn't hesitant about taking chances on fresh faces. He gambled on Kosugi, and it paid off. Anticipation was high for ENTER, and the sequel, REVENGE, was planned right after, but didn't appear till 1983. As it was described in magazine articles in 1981, the original script was different. In it, Kosugi is a restaurant owner whose wife, father, and child are killed by ninjas hired by mobsters. He shows up to find his other son the sole survivor. The two set out to avenge their deaths. Some of this survived in the opening sequence of REVENGE, but the plot takes a different trajectory. Sho's popularity really exploded with this movie, and Sam Firstenberg garnered a healthy directorial career in action cinema for the next ten years.

 
NINJA III: THE DOMINATION (1984) didn't fare as well theatrically, but this story of ninja demonic possession remains a cult favorite. It has none of the splattery gore of the previous outing, but it does have a stunningly over the top opening sequence and a bizarre exorcism scene. Kosugi wasn't pleased with the picture, but he does look menacing wearing an eyepatch. 

With the rising (ninja) star on the horizon, Kosugi next got the role of Okasa on NBC's THE MASTER television series starring Lee Van Cleef and Timothy Van Patten. On this series, Sho was the antagonist who chased after John Peter McAllister, an aging WW2 vet turned ninja master who has left Japan for America in search of a daughter he didn't know he had. Feeling he has broken the code, Okasa makes it his mission to assassinate his former master. The series attracted an astonishing number of name stars, but remained in the shadows after a very brief run of 13 episodes. Kosugi not only choreographed the action, but doubled for Van Cleef by wearing a skullcap in those scenes. Having been dubbed in his previous movies, THE MASTER was the first time Sho's real voice was used. Remarkably, Sho's voice was similar to the one used for his Cannon films, the only difference being an obviously thicker accent. Finding working in television more difficult than making movies, Kosugi had little time to breathe while shooting cult favorite NINJA III: THE DOMINATION (1984) at the same time. THE MASTER series was shot in Los Angeles while the second NINJA sequel was being made in Arizona. According to Kosugi, he flew back and forth between states a total of 13 times.

1984 was truly the year of the ninja. Kosugi had about as many offers as he had weapons hidden in his ninja suit. Unfortunately, the one he signed on to star in immediately after the last episode of THE MASTER was the beginning of the end for the popular film star. A dispute over both the NINJA III script and his contract compelled Kosugi to say 'sayonara' to Cannon and seek his fortune elsewhere. 

Till then, Sho was literally EVERYWHERE. He was on the cover of every martial arts magazine in the country--many of which were solely about the art of ninjutsu. Sho's likeness--particularly his famous leaping sidekick--was plastered all over any number of toys, comic books, video games, and anything else that could be marketed to the young boy demographic. Cannon Films even recycled the classic pose to market future productions even after the actor had already left the company. Sho even got his own ninja fan club.

That same year in '84 Sho was back in the Philippines again, but this time shooting what is likely the worst movie of his career -- 9 DEATHS OF THE NINJA (1985). While a certain contingent of filmdom would say anyone working for Cannon was a misstep, Sho's decision to accept this offer from executive producer Robert Friedman and exploitation producer Ashok Amritraj was anything but progress. Whereas Emmett Alston wasn't allowed to wreck the already bad ENTER THE NINJA, he did get his chance to thoroughly sabotage a Sho Kosugi movie with this one. Originally titled AMERICAN NINJA (it was changed to avoid being confused with Cannon's film of the same name, but retained that title in foreign territories), 9 DEATHS could have been titled 9 WAYS TO KILL YOUR CAREER. Marketed as a ninja James Bond, Kosugi carried a variety of gadget-like weapons strapped to his person; and among his weapons of death was an attachment of.... lollipops?! Kosugi seemingly enjoyed working on the project (till he saw the finished product), even designing some of the weapons he uses. The result is anything but good.

Following this misfire that combined sloppily photographed Rambo theatrics with ninjas and rampaging midgets, Sho had another picture lined up to have been shot in Texas. Titled DARK WARRIOR, this futuristic actioner for producer Richard L. Albert (advertising agency president who worked with a lot of major and independent companies) was hyped as crossbreeding ninjutsu theatrics with Mad Max. Lance Kerwin was co-starring and Robert Clouse (ENTER THE DRAGON, FORCE: FIVE) was directing. Futuristic ninjas sound interesting, but it's probably for the best that this ambitious film never took shape. Sho's next motion picture did--a NY based thriller that was self-referential and arguably the most violent action movie he'd made up to that point, garnering an X rating in the process prompting some cuts.

"Stay away from the Saito family... they don't know anything about the Van Atta Necklace... if you don't, I promise you... you will pray for DEATH!"

PRAY FOR DEATH (1986) was his first production for Trans World Entertainment, a then new video company started by Moshe Diamant and Eduard Sarlui that specialized in videocassette rentals and sales; and also, like other similar companies like Vestron Video, branched out into film production. PRAY FOR DEATH was the actors most highly publicized movie to date, garnering coverage in virtually every martial arts magazine from Black Belt, to Inside Kung Fu, to Ninja (which debuted in 1983), and others. Reportedly the first of Sho's catalog to be shown in Japan, it was basically a ninja version of DEATH WISH (1974) in which Sho, at the behest of his wife (Donna Kei Benz of THE CHALLENGE [1982]), moves his family to America only to immediately get into trouble with mobsters.

PRAY FOR DEATH was successful, so a sequel was proposed (AKIRA: PRAY FOR DEATH 2), yet like DARK WARRIOR, this too never came to fruition. Still, ninja mania remained hot and Trans World took advantage of it.

"Hi, I am Sho Kosugi... welcome to The Ninja Theater!"

Kung Fu Theater was a popular small screen attraction for fans desiring a HK kung fu fix; and with the booming videocassette industry an indomitable revenue stream, Trans World did their own version, crowning it 'Ninja Theater: Hosted By Sho Kosugi'. Over a dozen titles of Hong Kong and Taiwan made martial arts films were acquired ranging from SHAOLIN DRUNK FIGHTER (1983), WOLFEN NINJA (WOLF DEVIL WOMAN[1981]), VENUS THE NINJA (MATCHING ESCORT[1982]), PHOENIX THE NINJA (MIRACULOUS FLOWER[1984]), FISTS OF DRAGONS (1977), NINJA TERMINATOR (1985), YOUNG HERO (1980), NINJA CHAMPION (1986), and on and on. Ninja Theater not only had Sho hosting an intro before the movie, but he'd showcase a particular ninja weapon and demonstrate its use against a handful of attackers in shot-on-video segments. Going a step further with the 'horror host' tradition, this was a unique approach to the marketing of kung fu films on videotape.

Like Elvira at Thriller Video, Sybil Danning did a similar thing for USA Home Video's Adventure Video line; only she didn't partake in choreographed action, but did hosting duties at the beginning and also at the end of each picture where her bountiful assets were the major selling points.

TWILIGHT OF THE NINJA

With the 80s past the halfway mark, Sho's star would begin to wind down to a degree. He was still a viable merchandising commodity, though. Honda used him to help sell their Honda Hurricane motorcycle in 1986; and USA Home Video and Trans World Entertainment released MASTER CLASS, a Sho and Kane Kosugi martial arts instructional video in April of '86. This 60 minute martial arts crash course did double duty as a promotional tool for PRAY FOR DEATH, which had opened in LA in February of that year. It was the last truly good movie he would headline. From here on out, his remaining filmography as a leading man would be very different in style from his previous works. Kosugi was also attached to a few productions that, like DARK WARRIOR, never got off the ground, or were altered in some way.

RAGE OF HONOR (1987) was the man's next Trans World picture. Announced as WAY OF THE NINJA in 1985, the film was advertised as pairing Kosugi with Telly Savalas(!) and directed by Oscar winning makeup artist Robert Short. By the time it went into production late in '86, neither Short nor Savalas were attached. One of the actors least discussed works, it's an underrated little movie with a lot of over the top craziness and stunning location shooting to recommend it. It's the first movie where Kosugi uses guns in addition to his ninja arsenal; and an early example of a soon to be classic Action Hero staple--the slow-motion shot of the hero running away from a stream of explosions going off behind him.

Another unmade Sho flick was something called THE DEVIL'S ODDS: AMERICAN TRINITY. It would have paired Kosugi with Paul L. Smith in a Terence Hill-Bud Spencer style team-up with writer John Crowther listed as director. Taking the problems Smith had with Edward L. Montoro over the use of his name on CONVOY BUDDIES (1975/1978), it seems logical this one didn't get passed the planning stages; not to mention the poster art had the look and feel of repeating the NINE DEATHS fiasco.

Sho's last lead of the decade came with the unremarkable BLACK EAGLE in 1988. From producer Sunil R. Shah (who produced Sho's Trans World actioners) and released on video through the then newly formed Imperial Entertainment, the best thing to be said about BLACK EAGLE is that it co-starred Jean Claude Van Damme as the main villain. It also offered a few fights between him and Kosugi in his last heroic, and first official non-ninja role in an American feature. A flood of no-budget ninja flicks (many of which were released by Imperial) contributed to the banishment of the cinematic ninja to video store shelves. Ninja was old hat and kickboxing had supplanted it as the "in thing"; ironically it was Jean Claude Van Damme who was responsible for this transition. Director Eric Karson (of THE OCTAGON) delivers a moderately entertaining, if mostly disappointing action-intrigue-spy picture, but a far cry from any of Sho's earlier and better works.

"You have to take advantage of something like this while you can. This may not last more than a couple more years. And I've made more money in the past year than in the ten years before!"--Sho Kosugi, The Best of Martial Arts Movies, January 1985.

Sho had a very small role in Phillip Noyce's BLIND FURY (1989), a modern day, North American remake of ZATOICHI CHALLENGED (1967). Listed in the opening credits as 'Special Appearance By Sho Kosugi', the once stoic leading ninja was now playing a sword-slinging villain hired to combat Rutger Hauer's blind swordsman during the finale of that picture.

Prior to BLIND FURY, another Sho picture was announced titled SHOGUN MAYEDA (see insert). He was once more to be directed by Gordon Hessler. A few years went by and the film did get made as JOURNEY OF HONOR (1991); yet this period set US-UK-Japan co-pro went unreleased theatrically in America.

In 1986, Sho was asked in an interview if he'd ever return to Japan. His response was that it was doubtful as he had so much opportunity in America. His intent was, by the close of the decade, to produce his own movies. Things didn't quite work out that way (he did co-produce JOURNEY INTO HONOR), and Sho did indeed return to Japan where he directed for the first time, opened up some Karate schools, and released a peculiar exercise video built around using nothing more than a towel. He returned to his ninja roots in 1998 by doing motion capture on the hit Playstation game TENCHU: STEALTH ASSASSINS. After a couple false starts with rejuvenating ninja mania in the mid to late 2000s, 80s ninja fans rejoiced in 2009 when Sho Kosugi landed a prominent role in NINJA ASSASSIN playing the lead heavy.

OTHER ASIAN STARS IN AMERICA

To further put Sho Kosugi's career into perspective, there have been other Asian actors that have come to America, but their road was a bit more difficult to travel. 

HK superstar Jackie Chan tried two different times to break into the American market--once in 1980 with the bland THE BIG BRAWL, and again in 1985 with the DIRTY HARRYish THE PROTECTOR. Neither film made a dent, nor made Chan a breakout star. The consensus was that if Chan had been allowed to do his own thing, he would have broken big. Kosugi was allowed to present the ninja to American audiences through Cannon, and he became a star right out of the gate; Chan had been a big star in Asia since 1978 and took nearly 20 years to find favor in the USA. To theorize, nobody else was doing ninja movies in America so it stood out. However, even when Chan did get his desired US intro in 1996, it couldn't have been a worse picture in RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (1995). With all the ballyhoo, it grossed over $32 million. One of his earlier movies (1992s POLICE STORY 3) and a newer one (1996s FIRST STRIKE) were released in edited form with new music and increasingly lesser box office.

In the same year, Jet Li was introduced to American audiences with BLACK MASK (1996), another film tampered with by the releasing studio. With an even more tepid debut to Chan's (over $12 million), Li was then cast as the main villain in LETHAL WEAPON 4 (1998). With that films success, Li's acceptance was obvious since he went on to headline a few action films; unlike Chan who was cast in a string of buddy movies as opposed to solo ventures. Chan has been the more successful of the two, but it's interesting to compare Chan and Li's US debuts with that of Kosugi from the 1980s. A combination of right place, right time, and a company who (somewhat) understood the product. Additionally, the martial arts was huge at that time what with Bruce Lee, Shaw Brothers productions, and now Sho Kosugi bringing ninja to America.

Not an Asian, but the son of the legendary Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee could have been the next big action star to fill the martial arts void left open by Kosugi. With his pedigree, he was well on his way to becoming one before an accident on the set of THE CROW (1994) ended his career and his life. He only starred in a few films and roles on television, but RAPID FIRE (1992) remains a curious window with which to see what he might of brought to the action-martial arts genre had he lived.

In recent years, Thailand's major action star Tony Jaa has tried to break into the American market, and had a promising debut with the stunt-heavy ONG BAK (2003). Nonsensical scripts, troubled productions, and outright ridiculous movies have kept him from attaining mainstream recognition outside of the international spectrum; but that may change since Jaa, ten years after the stateside release of ONG BAK, has made his US debut in the ensemble actioner, FURIOUS 7 (2013).

THE RISING SUN SETS

Throughout his career, Sho Kosugi always spread a positive message in martial arts, discipline, and even in child rearing. He was very family oriented, and founded SKI (Sho Kosugi Institute) in 1998. This was a similar venture to Sonny Chiba's JAC (Japan Action Club); the focus wasn't just on creating potential film stars, but instilling respect and discipline into young minds. Schools were opened in the United States, Nagoya and Toyko. His son Shane was the primary instructor at the Nagoya facility. The schools closed down in September of 2012, the reason given being due to a lack of available instructors. Sho Kosugi Productions, Inc. is still around, though; and so is its charismatic founder.

His star might not of shone as bright as Norris, Schwarzenegger, or Stallone, but Sho Kosugi did what hadn't been done since the early 70s. Whereas Bruce Lee was largely responsible for the longevity of the kung fu craze, Sho Kosugi was solely responsible for bringing ninja out of the shadows, and into the mainstream.

William Smith: Jack of All Trades & Master of Everything

"Probably the toughest guy in the world in the 70s. He could eat nails, eat glass and could ride a motorcycle upside down. Good actor, good friend, very gentle person--a gentleman." -- Fred Williamson on William Smith

For William Smith, his film career was often art imitating life. In his vast catalog of roles, a little bit of him was in many of the characters he was playing--and he played A LOT OF THEM. The good guys and the bad guys--he's essayed them in movies big and small with such astonishing precision, it's bewildering the big man has never gotten wider recognition for any number of his 300+ performances. That he possessed such a massive frame appears to be one reason he's been seemingly overlooked, or underrated for many years; yet the man has enough accomplishments for a dozen lifetimes and quite a sizable legion of fans who remember all he's given to the world and to the world of entertainment.

"People [out here] seem to have the idea that if you have 18-inch arms, you're a dummy or something, y'know? And I got my Masters cum laude from UCLA, so I think that makes it sort of irrelevant." -- William Smith, Shock Cinema interview, #12, 1998

The old saying, "Jack of All Trades, Master of None" is a contradiction in the life of Big Bill Smith. He's been a UCLA teacher, learned five languages, and fought wildfires as a volunteer fireman. He was also a Russian interrogator and intelligence expert in the Korean War, and a champion bodybuilder--amassing major macho credits with his participation in a variety of sporting events, competitions (like doing 5,100 situps over a five hour period and reverse curling 163lbs), and appearing on covers of various weightlifting magazines. 

There's also that time Smith trained with the 1st Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott; being mentored by Tough Guy Jock Mahoney; or that stage of his career when he was a stuntman; or when he turned down the role of Tarzan; or when he was made an honorary member of the Stuntmen's Association; or his time as an amateur boxer in the military; or an eight year stint training in San Soo Kung Fu with Jimmy Woo and Kempo with Ed Parker; his years as an arm wrestling champion.... the list goes on. If you want to talk living legends, William Smith is a good place to start.

The following article is a companion piece to the Tough Guys Files #1 on William Smith. It contains selected highlights from his career and things in between that demonstrate why he is the greatest Tough Guy that has ever lived.

HIGHLIGHTS OF BIG BILL SMITH: THE GOOD GUYS....

An avid motorcycle enthusiast and rider, William Smith was ostensibly the life force of that genres popularity. His star turn in RUN, ANGEL, RUN (1969) was an extremely successful independent effort from Drive-in specialist, Jack Starrett. From riding horses to hogs, this was the first of five biker movies Smith starred in during the genres heyday. RUN, ANGEL, RUN was different from the rest of the pack in that its title hogmaster (named Angel) just wanted to be free with his lady and live his life. Unfortunately, his former gang-mates have no intentions of allowing Angel to do that. A biker love story with rape and humiliation added to the mix, if all you've seen of Smith is as a bad guy, you're in for a treat.

 
"My mother found it difficult to tell me that I wasn't like other children. I could never share life with whole human beings. I slowly learned that the thing that raped my mother and fathered me was no living, feeling man, but a malignant force, a cancer that refused to be destroyed.... I've tracked him from country to country to the colleges and universities where he finds the fresh young blood he craves.... Soon I'll meet my father face to face. Soon I'll have him where I want him." -- An abbreviated passage of Smith's monologue.

Nobody would mistake GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE (1972) as a great movie, but for a film made for $75,000, it is among the most unusual vampire movies ever made; and is a unique lead role for Smith playing the bloodsucker offspring seeking out his father to put an end to his lust for plasma. Easily one of the quirkiest flicks on his resume.

As government agent Neil Agar, William Smith, along with Playboy Playmate Victoria Vetri, tried to prevent the INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS (1973) led by PRICE IS RIGHT model Anitra Ford. One of the best 'B' movies of all time, it was truly a total package of 70s Drive-in greatness. Much like his vampire movie lead role, BEE GIRLS was a distinctive film on Smith's resume.
 
One of Bill's most fascinating movies he starred in is HOLLYWOOD MAN (1976); a film about William Smith as a director making a William Smith film (well, the type of film he would make). Jammed packed with in-jokes and violence, lots of stunt guys and pals of Smith are in it. Coincidentally it's an extreme case of art imitating life in that, much like the movie Bill is financing onscreen, was financed by gangsters offscreen!

"You know what a wrestling champion is? He's a People's Champion.... If you make it to the top don't forget those people that are sittin' out there watchin' ya'.... cuz' you owe'em."--Dan giving Jim 'Jungle Boy' Davenport the rules of the ropes.

In BLOOD AND GUTS (1978), Smith is "Dandy" Dan O'Neil, "The Wild Irish Rose", a wrestler past his prime, heavy on the drinking side, who's trying to whip a young babyface into shape. Still a hard bastard, Smith has some run-ins with bar bullies, his girlfriends crazy ex-husband, and ruthless promoters. Not a straightforward action, nor wrestling film, but a drama about the dark side of the wrestling industry. One of, if not Bill Smith's best acting role in terms of the range he gives in this one. Words to live by: If you see Bill in a bar, the last thing you want to do is shove him and say, "Come on, faggot."

"You're fast and you like pain. You eat it like candy. I seen a few cases like that in my time. Ya' know, the more they get hurt, the more dangerous they become... but ya' gotta be durable, too... real durable... most ain't!"--Wilson espousing macho talk with Beddoe.

ANY WHICH WAY YOU CAN (1980) is arguably Smith's last great role of substance and one of the single greatest examples of male bonding between two macho combatants ever seen on film. He did over a hundred others after it--many of which were supporting roles and bad guys, but few (mind you, I haven't seen them all) were of the caliber of Jack Wilson (also the name of Jack Palance's character in SHANE [1953]), the bone-breaking, bare-knuckle brawler who has a samurai level appreciation for Beddoe. This is also one of the rare occasions of a powerfully believable protagonist for Smith to tangle with in Clint's powerhouse boxer. Wilson isn't technically a good guy, nor totally a bad guy. He's just the sort of guy you'd want on your side. The scrapfest that caps ANY WHICH WAY is one of the greatest fist to fist exchanges you're ever likely to see. No doubles. Just Bill and Clint.

MACHO MINUTIAE 

1. Arguably one of the greatest Tough Guy stories is one involving Bill and another Tough Guy heavyweight. As it goes, back in the late 1960s when he was working on LAREDO, William Smith had a run-in with Charles Bronson. Surprised at Bronson's short stature, the famously leather-faced actor noticed Smith staring at him, walked over to him and asked what he was looking at. Bill's response was "I'm looking at nothing!", to which Bronson walked away, avoiding a potential Clash of the Titans.  Back in the day when machismo was a respected way of life, Tough Guys were full of piss and vinegar both on and off screen, so occurrences like this were commonplace. Despite this altercation, Smith was said to have a great deal of respect for Bronson, the popular Tough Guy not known for being overly talkative or friendly.

2. During the making of RUN, ANGEL, RUN (1969), Smith spoke in an interview about he and one of his co-stars getting into a brawl with members of a real band of bikers called Satan's Slaves. To quote Smith in the interview, "They weren't as tough as they thought."

3. Before David Carradine became Caine in KUNG FU, Smith had shot (along with director Jack Starrett) an audition for the part, but supposedly his size was considered too imposing and menacing looking. One wonders the trajectory his career would have taken had he gotten this role that is now part of the American lexicon. He did appear in the season two episode, 'The Chalice'.

4. Smith was originally intended to play Roper in ENTER THE DRAGON (1973), but work on THE LAST AMERICAN HERO (1973) prevented him from appearing so John Saxon was chosen instead. One rumor for ENTER is that Rockne Tarkington was to have played the Williams role that eventually went to Jim Kelly (who was an unknown at that time). Tarkington was BLACK SAMSON (1974) co-starring Smith as the heavy.

5. Not only did Bill teach Conan everything he knows, but prior to instilling Crom-ology into everyone's favorite Cimmerian, he also trained another barbarian, the man who speaks to animals and sees what they see--THE BEASTMASTER (1982), (a very young) Marc Singer, in 'The Gladiators' episode of the short-lived PLANET OF THE APES (1974) TV series.

6. Prior to the start of production on CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), Smith arm-wrestled bodybuilding colleague and then future superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger and beat him. Arnold walked away, reportedly not very pleased with himself. 

7. Sometimes nice guys do finish last.... William Smith has been a part of a handful of cultural phenomenons in their twilight years. Big Bill was Adonis, the muscle-bound henchman cum massage therapist to Minerva (Zsa Zsa Gabor) on the last episode of BATMAN (1966-1968); even better, he co-starred opposite Jack Lord on the last season of HAWAII FIVE-O (1968-1980) as Detective James 'Kimo' Carew, the replacement to James "Danno" MacArthur; and was the last Marlboro Man before cigarette commercials became extinct.

8. Whether playing good guys or bad guys, Smith had a signature way of conveying his emotional state onscreen--particularly anger articulated through this routine he does with his face. He cocks his head to one side; his eyes begin to wander; and his face becomes a total blank, momentarily drained of emotion. This almost always precedes a conspicuously evil grin followed by trauma to the head or other body part. Depending on how bad you pissed him off would determine your chances of seeing the sun rise the next day. Then there's that piercing, icy stare when Smith is simply focusing on the conversation at hand. As for communicating unease in everyone within range, William Smith could have trademarked his steely visage; which came in very handy in a lot of cases....

HIGHLIGHTS OF BIG BILL SMITH: .... AND THE BAD GUYS

To document the best of Smith's bad guy roles is like choosing which food to start with at a buffet. Everything looks good. You just have to dig in and cover every inch of your plate till you can go back and start all over again. Smith had a certain something about him that allowed him to stand out from other actors. He was so imposing, so intimidating, it was nearly impossible for any filmmaker to depict him being plausibly defeated by the protagonist.

If you thought that was a fight between Sean Connery and Robert Shaw in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963), forget all about that one and focus on the titanic tussle between William Smith and fellow Tough Guy and heavy duty scrapper Rod Taylor in DARKER THAN AMBER (1970). The intensity of this fight is something you can't really describe in words, you just have to experience it. These two combatants were so impassioned in their exchange of blows, Smith suffered three broken ribs and Rod walked away with a broken nose. Taylor was legendary for being a brawler and Smith takes him to task.

"Don't think! You are not paid to think. You are PAID to TALK. And another thing you fuckin' WOOORRRM... my name is MISTER Nappa, MISTER NAPPA! Don't you forget it!!"--Boss Nappa to one of his staff.

When the black action boom was in full swing, William Smith lent his talents to that genre in five entries, two of which were with Tough Guy Fred Williamson. The one he did with Rockne Tarkington, the aforementioned BLACK SAMSON (1974), is arguably his best performance out of the lot of them. Smith is the personification of demented in this movie playing the thoroughly, and frighteningly unpredictable Johnny Nappa. The film itself isn't all that well known or discussed among black action enthusiasts, but Smith's performance all by itself carries the picture. He's so sadistic, it borders on parody; yet as purely evil as Nappa is, the viewer is anxious to see what nasty bit of business he'll do next in between scenes. Tarkington comes off as a believable foil, and the villains comeuppance is satisfying.

"I'll kill him! I'll rip his town to pieces... burn it to the ground. Till their ain't nothin' left but hot dirt, smoke and nails!"--GUNSMOKE season 18, episode 13 'Hostage!', 1972

Bill played Indians on occasion, too. Well, to say occasionally in Smith's film and TV resume can be fairly often. His lead role as Riley, the half-breed Indian/Texas Ranger on THE VIRGINIAN spin-off LAREDO (1965-1967) is among his most memorable roles. He turned up as a guest star on other western shows as Indians like WAGON TRAIN and GUNSMOKE; the latter series is of particular interest. Everybody knows the name of lawman Matt Dillon. Only Bill Smith could turn Matt Dillon into a vengeance seeking Marshall; like that one time he nearly killed Miss Kitty sending Matt into such a frenzy that he tore his badge from his shirt to hunt him down. After his younger brother is sentenced to hang for murder, Jude "I kill folks for a livin'!" Bonner rides into Dodge City with his Dog Soldiers to bust him out of jail. When he learns his brother has been moved elsewhere, Bonner threatens to kill Miss Kitty if his brother isn't released. She's beaten and raped (implied) by Bonner and his boys, and then Jude shoots her in the back!

"Whaddaya think you are, some kinda' hard guy, or somethin'?... Don't turn yer' back on me when I'm talkin' to ya'... punk."--Falconetti being unsociable with Tom Jordache (Nick Nolte).

Out of everything he's done, Smith will most likely be forever associated with the role of deranged hitman, rapist, and murderer Falconetti on the TV smash RICH MAN, POOR MAN (1976). You can always tell when an actor really succeeds in making an audience buy into his character. Smith did too good a job as Falconetti. On a few occasions, angry fans took Smith's role a bit too seriously by trying to kill him for things he did on the TV series. He's only in four episodes of the twelve in BOOK I, so his role--the highlight of the entirety of the series'--was even bigger in RICH MAN, POOR MAN BOOK II (1976-1977) giving inexorable, impulsive fans even more to be mad about. 

If there was a guy who needed a Paul Bunyon style series of memes a la Chuck Norris, it's William Smith. The epitome of the Tough Guy persona--an intellectual, learned man of the world, and even an accomplished writer of poetry, the Macho mold was broken with William Smith, the Alpha and Omega (the A to Z) of Tough Guys.

Tough Guys Files #4: Michael Chan Wai Man Part 2

OF KNIVES AND MEN: THE FURY OF GANGSTERS AND GODFATHERS

By the late 1970s, Chan Wai Man had found a good degree of success in show business. Already notorious for his gangster background, this didn't stop fans from seeing his movies; if anything, it made moviegoers curious to seek them out. 

The steady flow of Triad influence on the Hong Kong film industry was soon to become a major problem; and the industry would reflect this, although not necessarily in a negative way. Kung fu movies were still being made in abundance and righteous swordsmen were still flying across the screen with rapidity. Societal issues were always present in HK cinema, but a change in how these issues were explored, and the way Chinese movies were made in general was on the horizon. Of course, this would be Chan's second wind; and possibly a more comfortable transition to the changing cinema style of the 1980s that would soon find him in numerous roles tailor made for his prior life as a gangster in Hong Kong. The dawn of the new decade would also bring about an independent feature that was an autobiographical endeavor and an influence on similar films that followed.


6. TEN FROM CHEN: THE HEROES (1980)



The plot is a bit of a stretch, but it makes for a highly entertaining movie. This is Wu Ma's version of one of his mentors Shaolin cycle of movies; and made on a much smaller budget. Still, Wu Ma does a fine job of making his own movie while showing the influence of Chang Cheh. Ti Lung plays a traitorous Chinese who is actually only pretending to have sold out his country. He secretly trains a motley clutch of Shaolin captives and plots the evil emperors (Chen) demise. One of Chen's favorite roles, he does very little fighting till the end; he settles mostly for presiding over the torture of his captives.

Directed by then newcomer Kirk Wong, and written with Chan Wai Man specifically in mind, THE CLUB (1981) was reportedly based on real events in Chan's life. An independent feature financed by Bang! Bang! Films, Chop! Chop! Films would have been more appropriate. There's no gunplay, but there's a handful of chopper action with various bladed implements including two outboard boat motors zeroing in on their fleshy targets. Chan himself called it the first real Hong Kong gangster movie. While it's certainly an innovative production for the many similar pictures that followed, it wasn't technically the first of its type.

Movies about gangsters and the Triads had been around at least since the early 1970s. Chang Cheh touched on their old world origins in FIVE SHAOLIN MASTERS (1974); and featured them in a handful of his Early Republic movies like THE DUEL (1971) and THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972). In these movies, the gangs were not so much glorified as the violence they perpetrated, and that brought onto them by the hero(es). These early depictions were virtually night and day when compared with their flashier 'blood and bullets' counterparts of the late 80s and 1990s. Kuei Chi Hung's critically lauded THE TEAHOUSE (1974) and its sequel are among the earliest examples to tackle the subject of criminal organizations seriously without focusing on bloody action. Hua Shan's ultra violent BROTHERHOOD (1976) is another, but favors sleaze and fights over dramatic exposition. 

Aside from the bloody mark THE CLUB (1981) left on the Chinese gangster movie, an extremely rare earlier example mined similar territory. It, too, starred Chan and is discussed elsewhere in this article.

7. TEN FROM CHEN: THE CLUB (1981)



Kirk Wong's first feature is a groundbreaking modern day gangster drama. It's significant mainly because it's supposedly written specifically for Chan Wai Man in simulating some of his prior, real life gangland activities. The movie is gritty, bloody and has a high amount of nudity. The gangsters don't use guns here, but love swinging their choppers around. In fact, chopper movies would seem to be trying to outdo one another from here on out. Chopper mania reached an apex with the Shaw's HONG KONG GODFATHER (1985) -- a film that proved hard to beat where geysers of blood and knife wounds were concerned. THE CLUB takes a while to get going, but if you're a Chan Fan (not that Jackie guy), you'll want to add it to your collection.

Chen Hui Min takes on Eddie Ko in THE INVINCIBLE KILLER (1978)

DEADLY CHASE FOR JUSTICE (1977)

It was around this time in the late 1970s and into the 1980s that Triad Societies began infiltrating the Hong Kong film industry at an alarming rate. There's been a long standing rumor that the Shaw Brothers were largely responsible for this infiltration; but it should be noted that many HK stars that worked for Shaw's asked to freelance and do movies for outside companies with more lucrative offers. The Shaw's forced no one to do this as a result of their alleged slave wages. Considering most of their actors were under tight contracts akin to the old Hollywood studio system, they were allowed to do outside film work after proving their box office worth. Other actors and actresses were allowed to freelance from the start.

Promotional ad for FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (1982)

 
By the early 1990s, organized crime within filmic circles had gotten so severe, that in 1992, some 200 actors and filmmakers took to the streets in protest. Granted, you had what was considered good and bad Triads -- those who were reasonable businessmen, and those who were not. Chan was the latter, of course. During the mid 80s and throughout the 90s, movies about Triads had become extremely profitable thanks to John Woo's A BETTER TOMORROW (1986). A flood of similar underworld movies followed and made Chow Yun Fat a superstar.

Chen (right) is not IN THE LINE OF DUTY (1986)

In his later career, Michael Chan's background as a Triad would be exemplified in a number of modern action pictures and gangster thrillers. Much of the time, these would be cameos or supporting roles; often playing gang leaders or mob bosses in parts that were no doubt second nature to Chan. His sole directorial credit, GANGLAND ODYSSEY from 1990, is among these. IN THE LINE OF DUTY from 1986 is another. Chan is in the film near the beginning playing a crime boss who escapes his bonds aboard a plane and ends up battling both Michelle Yeoh and Hiroyuki Sanada. 

Chen (left) and Lo Lieh (right) in SHAOLIN HANDLOCK (1978)

In the 70s, he had starred in numerous similar movies, such as the awful MARTIAL ARTS aka CHINESE MACK (1974) -- an impoverished version of Chang Cheh's THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972). These earlier gangster pictures glorified their "dark heroes"; but unlike the later, modern day interpretations, these kung fu fighting hoodlums eventually saw the error of their ways via a redemptively violent death. Those films accentuated the martial arts action while masquerading as morality plays. As the 70s progressed, this style of action film evolved further away from the kung fu movie conventions. One such picture came from director Sun Chung.

In 1978, Chan Wai Man starred in this Sun Chung film -- a Shaw co-production with an independent company from producer-actor Chung Kuo-jen titled GODFATHER'S FURY.

Promotional materials for the rare GODFATHER'S FURY (1978)

 
Originally titled 489, it was the first of a series of gangster-crime-action-dramas that utilized numerical codes for its title. '489' was, as relayed by its producer, code for the leader of a criminal syndicate.

This particular movie is among the most rare HK films, and one that deals with Triad Society. It has yet to surface on any format, and may possibly be a lost motion picture. 

At the time, Shaw Brothers were heavily promoting both Chan and the movie. Chan Wai Man (this was during his more prominent period listed under his Mandarin name of Chen Hui Min) and director Sun Chung had a bit of success with 1977s JUDGMENT OF AN ASSASSIN; which saw Chan essay the freakishly scary main villain, The Bloody Devil. You can see the make up artists preparing Chen for his facial appliance for that movie in the insert photo.

8. TEN FROM CHEN: FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (1982)



Chang Cheh's most ornately gory martial arts picture is this wildly colorful, bloody comic book come to life. The plot is of the basic revenge school of kung fu -- lone student avenges the death of his teacher and friends at the hands of invading ninjas with eyes on total control of the martial world. Chen Hui Min plays calculating villainy to the hilt here. He explodes when he fights, but the rest of the time he's calm; yet the piercingly sinister visage is always present on his face. Chan and the other actors pull out all the bloody stops for the extended finale. Cheng Tien Chi and Chu Ko made Chen look great in the fight scenes; arguably his finest hour in a martial arts role. A classic of epically heroic proportions.

THE TRIAD WITH WHITE HAIR: BLOOD AND TATTOOS

Ti Lung (left) fights his old nemesis Chen Hui Min (right) in THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD (1979)

JUDGMENT OF AN ASSASSIN was one of a few times where Chan played a white-haired villain. Liu Chia Liang's EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN (1977) popularized the bringer of death adorned with a milky colored scalp by way of Lo Lieh's portrayal of Pai Mei. Chan played such characters in Sun Chung's exemplary THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD (1979). In it, his hair color changes towards the end -- a side-effect of the medicine given to him by 'The Evil Doctor' played by Ku Feng. The color white represents death in China, and in Chan's case, his hair changing color signifies an increase in strength; Chan's bad guy in THE HEROES (1980) has a thick white streak running down the middle of his hair as you can see in the insert photo. This was one of the actors favorite roles.

Chen Hui Min with Chang Cheh (left) and Sun Chung (right) in 1977

Part of the promotion of GODFATHER'S FURY was hyping Chan the man -- with special attention paid towards his ornate tattoos covering various parts of his body. Possessing this body art since he was younger, Chan had the designs made in Japan, but had them applied back in Hong Kong by a Chinese tattoo artist. Tattoos on the body at that time most often denoted an individuals ties to gangs. Nowadays they're common. Among the several designs adorning Chen's figure are an enormous dragon engulfed in smoke and flame that covers his back; and eagles are displayed on his arms and chest. Upon closer inspection in some of his later movies, he seems to have added to these tattoos. He also has assorted designs on his legs.



While Chen was much ballyhooed in Shaw's publicity department in 1977, this wasn't the actors first time at Shaw's. In 1972, he had a small role as Two Spears Tung Ping in Chang Cheh's gore-laden epic, ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS (released in 1975). His tattoos are briefly on display in this movie, and most especially in the second Chang Cheh movie Chan starred in, the spectacular FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS from 1982. Chan's tats are glorified in many more of his movies. In 1979s underrated HANDCUFFS, Chan has some fake tattoos added to his already existing ones for the film.

9. TEN FROM CHEN: PROFILE IN ANGER (1984)



Another of those wacky, chaotic HK films with a troubled production history -- the type that could turn sloppiness into an art form. Popular actor Liang Chia Jen (Leung Kar Yan) directs for the first time and packs an incredible amount of energy into his movie even if the scenario seems to take place in some alternate universe. Chan's role here is minimal; and he's another psycho killer. The scene where he stalks Liang's wife in their home while a thunderstorm beats down on the house is a major highlight. He's also prone to mercilessly torturing his victims, smacking around kids and running over pregnant women.

"YOUR KUNG FU'S GOOD" BUT "YOU MUST BE TIRED OF LIVING!"

Chen (left) has a great fight with Yasuaki Kurata (right) in V.I.P. aka THE MAD, THE MEAN & THE DEADLY (1978)

Having starred, co-starred, guest-starred in some 200 movies, Chan Wai Man was very much in demand back in the day. He's slowed down since the mid 90s, but even pushing 70 years of age, he still does movies even now. At his peak, he worked with virtually every big name. Some actors like Chen Sing, Ti Lung, Lo Lieh, Lu Chuan (Shikamura Ito), Ko Fei and David Chiang, Chan has worked with on more than a few occasions. 

There were some he never worked with for one reason or the other. According to the man himself, he and Sammo didn't get along. A fight between the two at a public disco led to both HK movie titans never officially working together. Jackie Chan allegedly didn't want to be upstaged by the revered Tough Guy, so extensive scenes of Chan from both DRAGON LORD (1982) and PROJECT A II (1987) were cut out. That trick he does in the latter Jackie Chan movie by flipping a couch over with a single foot was impressive. Even more so in that there were no wires and he did it on the single take.

Chen Hui Min administers a shot of bullets in MERCENARIES FROM HONG KONG (1982)

Trouble and confrontation wasn't necessarily resigned to the movies where Chan Wai Man was concerned. In the wild and wooly 1970s, he would often be challenged in the street by eager, if careless souls ignorant of his capabilities and wishing to try him out. The challenging of a rival school was also a regular occurrence at this time. Considering the hundreds of similar scenarios that played out in countless kung fu movies, these were cases of the art imitating life.

Chan (right) battles it out in a junk yard with his kung fu brother Cheng Kei Ying (left) in THE INVINCIBLE KILLER (1978)

Carter Wong (left) is a ring man for Chan at boxing event

On another occasion, Chan wasn't in the fight, but was to have been the referee! Chan's frequent collaborator and younger kung fu brother, Cheng Kei Ying had challenged Korean bootmaster Hwang Jang Lee to a deathmatch after the feared Korean kicker had allegedly made some comments about Chinese kung fu men being incapable of successfully combating his Taekwondo. Someone notified the police and the fight never took place. This altercation may have been one of the reasons Hwang Jang Lee returned to Korea and made movies there.

10. TEN FROM CHEN: THE MASTER STRIKES BACK (1985)



Chan's last Shaw Brothers movie, and one of the last Shaw movies period is this dramatic quasi-action picture starring Ti Lung as a roughhouse instructor assigned to a remote military outpost. He's to whip the men into shape, but the corrupt local official (Chan Wai Man) would prefer the soldiers stayed drunk and in the whorehouse. It's a stunning film with only one real fight at the end. The dramatic elements that build up to it make the final confrontation all the more satisfying. Chan is incredibly cruel here as the devilish Jin Bu Huan. One of Sun Chung's best, most under appreciated movies.

THE MAD, THE MEAN & THE COMEDY

With all this volcanic miasma of masculinity erupting all over Hong Kong between the Tough Guys of Asian cinema, Chan Wai Man did tap into his lighter side by doing comedy in some of his movies. Some of these include an early example of the rambunctiously zany side of Wong Jing's filmmaking imagination with WINNER TAKES ALL (1982). There's lots of crazy special effects, robots, ninjas, and enough nuttiness for a couple more movies -- nuttiness being a recurring staple of Wong Jing's future productions. He soon became one of HK's most successful filmmakers. Shaw's was cognizant of his talents and they promoted him heavily in the early 1980s.



Wong Jing (Wong Tsing) was one of the youngest directors at Shaw's at that time. He showed a great deal of promise and brought an energy to the studios output that matched the New Wave approach being embraced by other studios around Hong Kong. This was especially evident in Wong's exciting and violently over the top action comedy MERCENARIES FROM HONG KONG (1982). You can see both Chen and Ko Fei goofing around between takes on that film in the above insert photo. 

Sadly, the Shaw's were not able to keep up with the slew of innovations emitting from filmmakers outside their doors. Even so, Chen Hui Min seemed to enjoy poking fun of his image in some of his modern day pictures at Shaw's.

Chen (right) is in awe of Hui Ying Hung's penis in THREE STOOGES GO UNDERCOVER (1984)

Lan Nai Tsai's (Lam Nai Choi) THREE STOOGES GO UNDERCOVER (1984) features Chan appearing during the last half hour playing the head stooge to a big boss counterfeiter played by Shek Kin. Kara Hui Ying Hung is the hard ass cop prone to excessive force. A classic scene has her disguised as a young man (again?!) while Chan attempts to get her to use the stand up urinal in the men's room. The result is actually really funny.

GALLANTS (2010)

Other comedy movies followed such as the non-Shaw POM POM STRIKES BACK! (1986) which had Chan playing yet another Triad killer; but this time in a comedy setting. Most recently, Chan co-starred with a few other of his old school kung fu colleagues in the action-comedy hit GALLANTS (2010).

Chen in BROKEN OATH (1977)

In his heyday, Michael Chan Wai Man enjoyed a steady twenty years of popularity with numerous lead roles. He's lived that rare life where much of his film career mirrored and reflected his past experiences. He also stands out among his colleagues as the real deal where fighting was concerned. He lived and breathed action (even having champion dogs for fighting as well as bears and chickens!). He was the extreme archetype of machismo. Chen Hui Min is, and was a fighter, father, martial arts champion and instructor. Whether you can look past the man's shadowy past or not, Hong Kong cinema is forever tattooed with many memorable roles from one of the most brutally refined examples of masculinity to ever punch, kick and slash its way across a movie screen.

***Sources for this article include an interview with Michael Chan by Bey Logan and numerous articles from assorted Hong Kong film magazines***