Summary

• Bruce Lee's influence on martial arts films made them a global phenomenon and led to the rise of other big-screen martial artists.
• There are numerous other martial arts stars from the '70s and '80s whose work would be highly cherished by Bruce Lee fans.
• From David Chiang to Angela Mao, these martial arts stars have had extensive careers and continue to be recognized as legends in the industry.

Bruce Lee's greatest movies like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon are staples in the kung fu genre that remain influential to actors, directors, and filmmakers in the action genre. Despite only making five kung fu movies before unexpectedly and heartbreakingly ing away in 1973, Bruce Lee's legacy made martial arts films a global phenomenon, and led to the rise of other big-screen martial artists.

With the always robust martial arts movie industry in Asia and especially in Hong Kong, many martial artists rose to fame in the '70s and '80s during the kung fu craze kicked off by Bruce Lee's career in martial arts movies. A number of hero and villain-playing martial arts stars from this era have also had very extended careers and have continued working well into the 21st century. Whether they have similar fighting styles, a rival mastering of kung fu, or command the screen in the same compelling way, there are numerous other martial arts stars whose work would be highly cherished by Bruce Lee fans.

10 David Chiang

The career of Shaw Brothers veteran David Chiang stretches back to 1952 with The Closer The Better. Chiang later appeared in such '60s, '70s, and '80s kung fu hits as Golden Swallow, Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, Five Shaolin Masters, Shaolin Temple, Yes Madam, and Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars. Chiang also appeared alongside Jet Li in 1993's Once Upon A Time In China II, with his kung fu bonafides as present in the contemporary martial arts epic as his early career.

9 Carter Wong

As one of the best martial arts movie villain actors, Carter Wong is a rarity among Shaw Brothers stars with his biggest Western role arguably being his most known overall. Specifically, Wong is best recognized for his role as the villainous Thunder in John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China. However, Carter Wong's career in kung fu movies is very extensive, with his resume including 18 Bronzeman, Shaolin Traitorous, Heroes of the Eastern Skies, and many others. In both arenas, Carter Wong's on-screen intensity would put him right at home in a Bruce Lee movie.

8 Ti Lung

Like many old school kung fu stars, Ti Lung got his start at the Shaw Brothers studio, first appearing in 1969's Return of the One-Armed Swordsman. Ti Lung can also be seen in such martial arts films as The New One-Armed Swordsman, Five Shaolin Masters, Shaolin Temple, and The Avenging Eagle. Entering the '90s, Ti Lung even portrayed Wong Kei-ying, the father of Jackie Chan's hero Wong Fei-hung in Chan's most important martial arts masterpiece Drunken Master II.

7 Cheng Pei-Pei

Women are just as much a warrior presence in Hong Kong action movies as men, with Cheng Pei-pei first starting her career in martial arts films in the '60s. The actress most notably portrayed Golden Swallow in the 1966 Shaw Brothers movie Come Drink With Me. Cheng Pei-pei later reprised the role in the eponymous Golden Swallow, while she can also be seen in martial arts films like Brothers Five, Wing Chun, and as Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

6 Chen Kuan Tai

While many early Shaw Brothers stars were actors who learned martial arts at the studio, Chen Kuan Tai was among the first to already be a highly skilled martial artist when he began his career with the company. Chen's filmography includes kung fu movies like The Chinese Boxer, Vengeance, and Heroes Two and Executioners from Shaolin. Additionally, Chen Kuan Tai portrayed the protagonist Ma Yongzhen in The Boxer from Shangtung, and later returned as Baldy Bai in the 2014 remake Once Upon A Time in Shanghai (with Philip Ng portraying Ma Yongzhen).

5 Casanova Wong

Korean Tae Kwon Do master Casanova Wong is also known by the nickname of "The Human Tornado," thanks to his swift and powerful spinning kicks. It's also a skill that made him a kung fu movie legend in such films as Warriors Two, The Iron Fisted-Monk, Rivals of the Silver Fox, The Master Strikes, and Duel to the Death. In every fight scene in his career, Casanova Wong is indeed a human tornado whose spinning kicks are a sight to behold.

4 Tan Tao-Liang

One of the greatest kickers in martial arts movie history, Tan Tao-liang earned the nickname "Flash Legs" for his extraordinary skill at keeping one leg off the ground and chasing after his opponents with it. Tan Tao-liang's flashy Tae Kwon Do kicks can be seen in such martial arts films as John Woo's Hand of Death, Shaolin Deadly Kicks, Showdown at the Cotton Mill, and The Invincible Kung Fu Legs. Tan has also lent his skills behind the camera, notably as producer and writer on 1991's Breathing Fire, a remake of his own film The Flash Legs with Everything Everywhere All Once's future leading man Ke Huy Quan.

3 Yuen Biao

While the kung fu triumvirate of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao are well known to Hong Kong action fans, Yuen Biao has never gotten quite as much individual mainstream recognition in the West. Even still, Yuen Biao is a genuine martial arts movie legend, with such kung fu classics as Knockabout, The Prodigal Son, Righting Wrongs, and The Iceman Cometh to his name. Yuen Biao also appears alongside Jet Li in the original Once Upon A Time in China movie, while some of his best known movies with Chan and Hung include Wheels on Meals, Dragons Forever, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, and Project A.

2 Angela Mao

Bruce Lee fans would not only love the skills and screen persona of Angela Mao, they already do with Mao being one of many martial arts stars in Enter the Dragon. Mao notably portrays Lee's sister Su Lin in an unforgettable fight sequence in the Bruce Lee classic. The Taiwanese-born Hapkido exponent has a long career in martial arts films before and after her Enter the Dragon role, including movies like Lady Whirlwind, Hapkido, When Taekwondo Strikes, The Tournament, and Dance of Death. Indeed, Angela Mao's career in kung fu films is so prolific, it's a genuine shame that Bruce Lee's untimely ing prevented any further on-screen collaborations between the two.

1 Gordon Liu

Among old school kung fu movie stars, Gordon Liu is undeniably a legend. The Hung Ga kung fu exponent was a Shaw Brothers staple, frequently cast as Shaolin monks in movies like Shaolin and Wu Tang, Shaolin Mantis, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, and the 36th Chamber of Shaolin franchise, with Liu also headlining the kung fu comedy Heroes of the East. Liu gained wider recognition among modern audiences as Johnny Mo and Pai Mei in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies, and later in 2012's Kill 'Em All. As one of many kung fu stars Bruce Lee fans would love, many already do hold Liu in very high esteem.