Gordon Liu Jia-hui (Lau Kar-fai in his native
Cantonese) is one of the most recognizable and popular stars of Old School,
Shaolin-style kung fu movies. He was a mainstay for over a decade at Hong
Kong's legendary Shaw Brothers studio, where he established his close-shaven
image as a populist martial monk from the legendary Shaolin Monastery,
defending the downtrodden from imperialistic Manchu oppressors and helping
to disseminate knowledge of the martial arts throughout China. He assumed
this role for the first time when his older 'godbrother' Liu Chia-liang
(Lau Kar-leung) cast him in the international hit The 36th Chamber
of Shaolin (1978), known in its dubbed American version as The Master
Killer.
Liu was born in Guangdong (Canton) China in
1955. His real name is Xian Qixi, which he Anglicizes as Louis Sin. When
his family moved to Hong Kong they lived for several years near the martial
arts school run by the legendary Hong Gar style kung fu instructor Lau
Charn, who traced his martial pedigree back to turn-of-century master (and
frequent film subject) Wong Fei-hong. The future star began studying with
Lau sifu at the age of seven, at first unbeknownst to his parents.
The actor has been incorrectly identified as either a blood relative or
the 'adopted son' of his teacher Lau Charn. In fact, Lau became his favorite
student's godfather in a private religious ceremony, and like many other
martial arts and Peking opera performers, the performer later adopted his
teacher's surname as his stage name. Gordon is thus both 'god brother'
and 'martial brother' to Lau Charn's biological offspring, director/choreographer
Lau Kar-leung and performers Lau Kar-wing and Lau Kar-ying.
The name he performs under has added to the
confusion: Although the Cantonese form of his name, Lau Kar-fai, is more
correct, Gordon has continued to use the Mandarin transliteration that
appeared in the credits of his most successful films: Liu Jia-hui. He acquired
the additional given name Gordon during his student days at English elementary
and high schools in Hong Kong in the 1960s.
After graduation from high school Liu worked
for a time in an office as a file clerk before following elder godbrother
Lau Kar-leung into the movie industry in the 1960s. He made his film debut
as a leading in 1973 in director Chang Cheh's Shaolin Martial Arts,
which enjoyed only limited success. He then spent several years playing
small roles and working behind the scenes for the quasi-independent production
company Chang Cheh had established in Taiwan under the Shaw Brothers banner.
Liu was re-introduced as a leading man in 1976 when Lau Kar-leung returned
to Hong Kong to launch his career as a director: Liu played the legendary
turn-of-the-century martial arts master Wong Fei-hong in Lau's Challenge
of the Masters (1976), and finally became a star when he shaved his
head to portray martial monk San Te in The 36th Chamber of
Shaolin (1978).
Gordon Liu appeared in such Old School classics
as Lau Kar-leung's Shaolin Challenges Ninja (1978) and Legendary
Weapons of China (1981). Liu is also a very deft and gifted comic actor,
as witness his performances in Lau's landmark kung fu comedies Dirty
Ho (1979) and Return to the 36th Chamber (1980).
He also directed the highly regarded Shaolin and Wutang (1984),
a revisionist look at one of the bitterest rivalries in all of martial
arts.
Liu has continued to work regularly in Hong Kong
cinema, in films such as Peacock King (1988), Tiger on the Beat (1988), Last
Hero in China (1993), Drunken Master III (1994), and Generation
Pendragon (1999). He has won a whole new generation of fans in Asia
in recent years for his comedy and action roles in several successful television
series, most recently in the 18-hour 2003 mini-series Shaolin Dizi (Shaolin
Disciples).
Gordon Liu appeared last year in the first new
period martial arts film produced by Shaw Brothers in over two decades, Drunken
Monkey, with 'big brother' Lau Kar-leung back in action behind the
camera. His Shaw Brothers classics are in the process of becoming widely
available again for the first time in decades, as re-mastered Hong Kong-market
DVDs.
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