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This Spectober, we pay tribute to one of the most prolific actors, stunt performers, and vampire hunters that Hong Kong ever produced: Lam Ching-ying.
Lam began his career as a stunt performer and martial arts coach for Shaw Brothers Studio before (as the story goes) a chance encounter with Bruce Lee– in which Lam challenged Lee to hit him as hard as he could, resulting in Lam being sent flying across the room– led to Lee hiring him as his personal assistant, and later a performer and co-choreographer on titles like FIST OF FURY, ENTER THE DRAGON, and GAME OF DEATH.
Following Lee’s passing, Lam joined up with Sammo Hung Stuntmen’s Association where his talents as a choreographer and martial artist were put to excellent use, resulting in more on-screen appearances and heftier roles, and culminating in Lam being hired as the lead role of the Taoist priest, Master Ko, in the Hung-produced MR. VAMPIRE (1985). MR. VAMPIRE became a sensation in Hong Kong and, combined with his appearances in several other box office heavyweights from that year including MY LUCKY STARS and HEART OF THE DRAGON, solidified Lam as a bona fide movie star.
In the years that followed, Lam built a cottage industry out of playing similar Taoist priest roles both within and beyond the MR. VAMPIRE sequels and spin-offs, often only appearing for a scene or two under a new moniker (Uncle Feng, Uncle Nine, Uncle Hua, Uncle Ying, Uncle Master, and sometimes just “Taoist priest”), but always donning the same trademark yellow robes, hat, and bagua insignia that became his signature look.
But Lam’s success was a double-edged sword, and he would eventually grow weary of the character and the typecasting that came with it. By the mid-90s, with the Hong Kong film industry already in decline, Lam had mostly pivoted to television roles and all but retired from feature film work upon completion of his passion project, a big screen adaptation of THE GREEN HORNET (1994) intended as a tribute to his close friend and mentor, Bruce Lee. Lam passed away in 1997 following an intense private battle with cancer, but his legacy in the Hong Kong film industry lived on, with his name and likeness still synonymous with Taoist ritual, tradition, and vampire busting of all kinds to this day.