Angela Mao is famous and well known as martial arts movie actrice. You can compare her fame in Asia with the greatness of Cynthia Rothrock in the west.
Born: 20-09-1950
Birth Name: Mao Lin Ying
Country: Taiwan
Occupation: Actress
Nicknames: Lady Whirlwind/Lady Kung Fu
Her family roots comes originaly from Nanjing in China. Her mother is the Chinese Peking Opera star Mao Yung Kang who escaped to Taiwan in 1949. She married with Kelly Lui in 1974 and the pair have one child.
She follows lessons at the Opera School in Taiwan. Some of her classmates were Judy Lee, Charlie Chin and James Tien. She also studied at the Fu Shing Peking Opera in 1958.
She started with ballet and gymnastics classes on young age. She also started with hapkido, wushu, taekwondo and other forms of martial arts. She has a second degree black belt in Hapkido.
She was originally a Chinese opera actress before becoming an action film actress. Her martial arts background would later help to become successful in martial arts movies.
She was unknown in her beginning years because her movies were not released in the west. She made her worldwide breakthrough and gained international fame in ''Enter the Dragon'' (1973). She had the honor to train with Bruce Lee and developed a friendship with him. Bruce Lee died short after the movie release. Lady Kung Fu a.k.a. "Hapkido" was the first movie that reached the west after her success with "Enter the Eagles". She played in almost all movies alongside asian action movie actor Carter Wong who a big name is in the asian action genre on that moment. They both act as kung fu duo in several martial arts movies.
She was discovered by action movie director Feng Huang (discoverer of Sammo Hung and Carter Wong) when she was seventeen years old. He was looking for a young woman with martial arts skills for his new upcoming sword fight movie "Angry River" (1971). She signed an contract at movie production company Golden Harvest based in Hong Kong. He found with Angela a shot in the rose. Her appearance in martial arts movies was a sort of break through in the film industry on that moment because only men were fighting in movies. She retired as actress in 1982 to devote herself to her family.
Action Movie Career
She plays one of the eight heros in her second ''Golden Harvest'' action movie ''The Invincible Eight'' (1971). The eight legendary warriors fight for justice and kill every one who crosses their path.
She plays Miss Tien Li-Chun in this stoy where Japanese mobster Ling Shih-hua (played by Yi Chang) responsible is for the suicide of her sister in ''Lady Whirlwind'' (1972). She comes to town in order to avenge the death of her sister.
She plays martial arts expert Kao Yu Ying, whose Chinese martial arts school gets troubles with a Japanese martial arts school in their own neighbourhood in "Lady Kung Fu'' (1972). An war starts between both schools and this movie is a must for all Angela Mao fans.
She plays martial arts expert Kao Yu Ying, whose Chinese martial arts school gets troubles with a Japanese martial arts school in their own neighbourhood in "Lady Kung Fu'' (1972). An war starts between both schools and this movie is a must for all Angela Mao fans.
She plays Hsiao Ying next to Lingfeng Shangguan who plays orphan Polly from Hong kong in ''Back Alley Princess'' (1973). This movie is her first box-office success in Hong Kong. Polly helps her poor family who has adopted her, whenever the daughter of the family is kidnapped by triads. Hsiao Ying helps Polly to infiltrate in the organization in order to free the daughter. Both women have the plan to sell themself to the gangsters when they sneak into the fortress of the lecherous villain Boss Han (played by Han Ying Chieh).
She plays Hei Lu who helps stranger Pai Chien (played by Carter Wong) to settle an old score with nefarious local hoodlum Scarface Wu Hsu (played by James Nam) in ''Deadly China Doll'' (1973). He is leader of an opium smuggling operation in a small village. She sets her sights on the group of opium smugglers.
She plays Su Lin who is the sister of martial arts expert Lee (played by Bruce Lee) in ''Enter the Dragon'' (1973). Lee looks for the narcotics dealer, whose gang responsible is for his sister's death.
She plays Wan Ling-ching in this story about the leader of the Korean resistance Lee Chung Tung (played by Jhoon Rhee) who is captured during the rescue action of an priest, who is kidnapped and tortured by Japanese people in a church during World War II in ''When Taekwondo Strikes'' (1973). Lee Chung Tung is an friend of Wan Ling-ching who tries to save him, together with Jin Zheng Zhi (played by Carter Wong) and Mary (played by Anne Winton).
She plays martial artist Lung Chu in the Golden Harvest film ''Thunderbolt'' (1973). Lung Chu and her brother Cheng Yen Chieh (played by James Tien) have the plan to find a treasure map that is tattooed on the skin of four diffrent people. They get trouble with an member of the dragon clan named Hung Wei (played by Ying) during their journey. Lung works hard to master the deadly Thunderbolt palm, in order to fight against Hung Wei and his men.
She plays resistance fighter Hai Mu-tan of the Chinese underground in ''The Fate of Lee Khan'' (1973). She wants to stop Lee Khan (played by Feng Tien) with obtaining an important map in order to restore the Han rule in her fight against Lee Khan and his villains.
She's one of the three kung fu masters who fight against the oppressive Chings and the evil Abbot of Wutang in ''The Invincible Kung Fu Trio'' (1974).
She plays alongside George Lazenby who plays Australian cop Joseph Stoner in the action movie ''Stoner'' (1974). He investigates the spread of a mysterious addictive drug who is dangerous for people who take it.
She plays a small role as Ying alongside Nora Miao and Sam Hui in the martial arts movie ''Naughty Naughty'' (1974).
She plays the daughter of a martial arts teacher in "The Tournament" (1974). Her father commits suicide of shame, after his son Hong has lost the championship fight between Hong Kong and Thailand at an boxing tournament in Bangkok. Hong wants to restore the honor of the school with help of his sister at a tournament. She fights alone against dozens of men in several action scenes.
She plays Fang Chu who asks help of police officer Wong (played by Byong Yu) in order to avenge her parent's death in "The Association" (1975). The duo goes on a journey in order to find the perpetrators with help of detective Tiger (played by Sammo Hung).
She plays Fei Fei who is on the run after her kung fu school is attacked by an evil rival school in ''Dance of Death'' (1976). She meets two elderly kung fu masters on her path and asks them to teach their fight styles to her. The old guys cannot resist her request in order to prepare her for battle to avenge her kung fu school.
She plays a supporting role as Tseng Ching Lan in this story where Kao Chu (played by Sing Chen) competes against his half brother Kow Li Fan (played by Lung Chan) in a kung fu battle in ''The Himalayan'' (1976). The winner may marry with Tseng Ching Lan who the daughter is of an wealthy man. Two honest people are teaming up to foil the plans, to prevent that Tseng Ching Lan marries with one of them.
She plays the exiled Queen of Cambodia who is abducted by terrorists in this story, where an group of international terrorists try to kill Queen Elizabeth II during her visit in Hong Kong in ''A Queen's Ransom'' 1976. They demand an huge ransom of the Hong Kong and English government, with the promise that they won't kill the queen. The sister of an Hong Kong mobster investigates the plan of her own brother and works together with the authorities.
She plays Chu Sau-Yin who promises to her teacher that she finds his missing brother in ''Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion'' (1977). She also tries to discover the identity of the person, who killed her parents during her search. Chu encounters many people on her way to uncovering the truth and goes through a web of lies and deceptions.
She plays Chu next to Big Ox (played by Cheng Fu-Heng) who helps Ling Yueh-Hsuing (played by Ling) with his fight against the Japanese army in ''Duel with the Devils (1977). His village is raided by Japanese soldiers who have wiped out his family. His wife is kidnapped by an sadistic Japanese soldier when he comes to rescue her.
She plays the lead role as Lotus Lin in the ''Golden Harvest Company'' action movie ''Broken Oath'' (1977). Lotus is raised by an pickpocket who keeps his promise to her late mother. She is taken over by a Shaolin monastery for women in hope to break the cycle of violence. She hears the truth about her parents when she is older and starts an systematic hunt for the men who have killed her family. She teams up with government agents in order to find the perpetrators when she uses her deadly scorpions and kung fu skills.
She plays the Bandit Queen in this story where she hunts on an man who has robbed silver in order to buy the brothel of a prostitute out for $120 in ''Battle Of Shaolin'' (1977).
She plays Sherrif Ti Yung Hing next to Judy Lee who plays Tang Lin in ''The Lady Constables'' (1978). The men of the Black Wind Fortress steal a set of pearls better known as the five shining pearls after butchering an escort. Ti Yung Hing and Tang Lin, the niece of the killed escort leader investigate the pearls theft. Tang Lin is looking for vengeance for the murdered escorts in a personal vendetta. They go to the black wind fortress in order to destroy the chief and the rest of his gang.
She plays an small role as female fighter Chin Lun in this story where several Korean and Japanese agents are looking for an pearl which is stolen from a shaolin temple in ''the legendary strike'' 1978.
She plays an short role in the martial arts movie "Flying Masters of Kung Fu" (1978). Ling Chia plays the lead role as martial arts expert Hsiang Ying who avenge her father's death.
She plays Chang Hun who challenges an whole martial arts school of male fighters in "Return of the Tiger" (1979). Sze (played by Phillip Ko) and his redoubtable female partner Chang Hun devise an elaborate plan in order to stop the nefarious drugs boss Kwoon Hung Lee (played by Goon-Hung Lee) and his gang.
She plays an Brothel Madam next to Fung Hark-on who plays the role of Yueh I in ''Snake Deadly Act'' (1980). Kuo Chung (played Ng Kun-lung) is the straight-laced son of a adored local leader who gives the poor free food, but who also has a gruesome past. He hunts on his sworn enemy Yueh I who has cheated him.
She plays Violet who is the daughter of warlord Tung Ta-Chou who fights evil and works to unite the rebels in "Any Which Way You Punch" (1980). She is also a masked avenger named Zorro with the result that her father sends psycho enforcer Master Wu (played by Yi Chang) to track her down, without the knowledge that she is his daughter.
She plays Anna in this story about a murderer who fights against the ghost of a dead gambling lord's wife and the gambling lord's living brother with help of Chinese vampires in ''Ninja, the Violent Sorceror'' (1982).
She plays former moll Mary in the action movie ''Devil Dynamite'' (1987). Martial-arts expert Alex (played by Richard Phillips) also known as the fearless "Shadow Warrior" battles an army of blood thirsty vampires to stop a huge smuggling ring.
Action Movie Documentary
She appears in the martial arts documentary ''Kung Fu Killers'' (1973) which is presented by Grant Page. This documentary is made after the death of Bruce Lee. The show examines with humour the cultural phenomenon that Asian martial arts is become in the West. Grant looks to the booming kung fu movie scene in Hong Kong and speaks with actors Stuart Whitman, Lawrence Lee, Stuart Whitman and Australian former Bond actor George Lazenby, who played in Hong Kong movies in that time. The show goes behind the scenes and shows short action scenes from several kung fu movies. You see also notably familiar footage from Bruce Lee who's ofcourse not forgotten.
She appears next to Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Peter Archer in filmmaker Sandy Oliveri's documentary ''Bruce Lee and Kung Fu Mania'' (1992). Take a trip back to the time when martial arts master Bruce Lee ruled the silver screen in this insightful documentary. This show highlights some of the best in Chinese martial arts cinema from the 1970s and '80s and offcourse the legendary Shaw Brothers era passes.
She appears alongside many legendary action heros in the documentary ''Best of the Martial Arts Films'' (1992). This show contains short clips from several movies with John Saxon who narrates between the film clips. There are clips of Sammo Hung, Joyce Godenzi, Jackie Chan, Sibelle Hu, Cynthia Rothrock, Michiko Nishikawa, Sho Kosugi, Richard Norton, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Lee and many others.
Her action movie character is portrayed in the documentary ''Top Fighter II: Deadly China Dolls'' (1996). This documentary is a sequel of the documentary "Top Fighter" (1995) and portrays the biggest action heroines ever. The show goes behind the scenes with TV footage and interviews with several heroines in short clips. The documentary shows how the path goes from upcoming action heroine till real action movie superstar. The most beautiful and wellknown female fighters are playing in this documentary and is a voyage by the times.
Top Fighter II: Deadly China Dolls Cast
Cheng Pei Pei
Chia Ling
Sophia Crawford
Hsu Feng
Cynthia Khan Lai Ching
Moon Lee Choi Fong
Elaine Lui Siu Ling
Angela Mao Ying
Michiko Nishiwaki
Yukari Oshima
Cynthia Rothrock
Polly Shang-Kwan Ling Feng
Shih Szu
Michelle Yeoh
Sharon Yeung Pan Pan
Amy Yip Chi May
She appears in the ''Warner Home Video'' documentary ''Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey'' (2000). The show goes about Bruce his life, career, untimely death and shows exclusive rare behind-the-scenes footage. This documentary is considered as the best made of his life and the show emphasizes his philosophy, his way of life and thinking. The people see also an rare recently discovered film shot of the ''Game of Death''. This was his last project where he was working on till his death.
She appears next to legendary action heros Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Brett Ratner, Bruce Lee, Michelle Yeoh, Roselyn Sánchez in the documentary ''Jackie Chan: Fast, Funny and Furious'' (2002). Jackie Chan has become an sensational international superstar of mayhem and merriment. This show goes about his career and shows his amazing acrobatic artistry in combination with brilliant comic ability.
Action Movie Filmography
- Ghost Bride (1992)
- Devil Dynamite (1987)
- Ninja, the Violent Sorceror (1982)
- The Great Cheat (1981)
- Any Which Way You Punch (1980)
- Snake Deadly Act (1980)
- Moon Night Cutter (1980)
- Return of the Tiger (1979)
- Flying Masters of Kung Fu (1979)
- The Legendary Strike (1978)
- Blade of Fury (1978)
- The Lady Constables (1978)
- Battle of Shaolin (1977)
- Broken Oath (1977)
- Duel with the Devils (1977)
- Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion (1977)
- Duel in the Desert (1977)
- A Queen's Ransom (1976)
- The Himalayan (1976)
- Swift Shaolin Boxer (1976)
- Dance of Death (1976)
- The Association (1975)
- The Tournament (1974)
- Naughty! Naughty! (1974)
- Stoner (1994)
- The Invincible Kung Fu Trio (1974)
- Kung Fu Killers (1974)
- The Fate of Lee Khan (1973)
- Thunderbolt (1973)
- When Taekwondo Strikes (1973)
- Enter the Dragon (1973)
- Deadly China Doll (1973)
- Back Alley Princess (1973)
- Lady Kung Fu (1972)
- Lady Whirlwind (1972)
- The Invincible Eight (1971)
- The Angry River (1971)
Action Documentary
- Jackie Chan: Fast, Funny and Furious (2002)
- Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey (2000)
- Top Fighter 2: Deadly Dolls (1996)
- The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1992)
- Bruce Lee and Kung Fu Mania (1992)
- Kung Fu Killers (1974)
