On February 18, 2022, the Chinese-American actor, director, fight choreographer and martial artist died at the age of 93. Leo Fong.
Fong was born in Xinhui District, Jiangmen City, Guangzhou Province in 1928. His family subsequently immigrated to Seattle and took jobs at a restaurant owned by a relative of his mother.
Fong's childhood was not cloudless: he was Chinese in America, often fought on the basis of racial hostility, and in order to stand up for himself at the age of 15, he took up boxing.
After graduating from high school, Leo attends college, where he receives a bachelor's degree in physical education. There he earned a master's degree in divinity from Southern Methodist University and began a career as a Methodist minister. As a result, Fong remained in Northern California and continued his martial arts training, turning his attention to judo and jiu-jitsu, and then to Choi Fut. By practicing and combining different styles of martial arts, Fong develops his own style of Wei Kun Do.
In 1964 he came to California Bruce Lee and in the process of his own search and research into martial arts, he meets Fong, as a result of which they become friends. In addition to personal sympathies, Bruce was especially attracted by Fong's experience in the field of professional boxing.
As a result, Fong becomes a famous master, whose face appears on the cover of the 10th anniversary issue of the magazine Black Belt.
The first film in which Leo Fong starred was "Murder in the East" (1974). It was a Filipino martial arts movie starring Ron Marchini one of the most titled karatekas in the USA. A year later, Fong appears in the film "Bamboo Trap" along with famous Filipino actors, as well as Ron Van Cleef, a martial arts master, one of the famous popularizers of karate in the 70s in films of the “blaxploitation” genre.
Fong would go on to actively direct and act in martial arts films throughout the 70s and 80s. Of the notable films with a remarkable cast, for example, we can highlight “Fight to victory” (1987) or “Blood on the streets” (1988) с Richard Norton, Chuck Jeffries and by Cynthia Rothrock.
Last movie from Leo Fong - this is a picture of 2022 "Pact of Vengeance" director Lena Kabasinski.
Rest in peace, Master Leo.
He was a colorful guy, so powerful and energetic.
Ravenside,
And by the way, he’s not a handsome guy, but he often played positive roles.
Danil Chupakhin,
and about such people they say reliable, like, inspiring trust
The greats are leaving. And alas, they are very old.. :(