Wikipedia

Alan Chui Chung-San

Chui Chung-San (often known as Shu Zhong Xin, Hsu Zhong-Xin or Alan Hsu; 16 August 1952 – 2 November 2022)[1] was a Hong Kong actor, director, choreographer, martial artist and stuntman. He was known for being an action director and stuntman. Chui was known for films such as The Rebellious Reign, Kung Fu Vs. Yoga, Two Fists Against the Law and 7 Grandmasters as well as other various Hong Kong and Taiwanese television shows.

Alan Chui Chung-San
Born
Shu Zhong Xin
徐忠信

(1952-08-16)16 August 1952
Hong Kong
Died2 November 2022(2022-11-02) (aged 70)
Hong Kong
Other namesAlan Hsu
John Chui
Hsu Chung Sin
Tsui Chung San
Chui Jong-Shinn
Occupation(s)Actor
Stuntman
stunt coordinator
Years active1960–2022

Chui directed several wireless television series. He was critically acclaimed for choreographing and co-directing Ching Siu-tung's A Chinese Ghost Story.

Background

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While attending school, he would often be expelled for fighting with other students. At the age of ten, he was sent to Peking Opera school for acrobatic and stunt training. Soon after finishing his studies at Peking Opera, he joined the Shaw Brothers to continue with his career as an action director.

Throughout his career he made over 130 films including those with various stunt work and acting roles. Chui was also known for partaking in and directing Taiwanese action movies.

Early career

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In 1970, he became a stuntman for companies such as Golden Harvest and Shaw Brothers. As well as being an on-screen stuntman, he also worked on various TVB productions such as martial arts and Chinese historical dramas. He would also often appear as an extra role in films such as Hapkido, Enter the Dragon and When Taekwondo Strikes. Alongside Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Ching Siu-tung and others, Chui worked on various other roles throughout the 1970s.

Chui also worked in various independent movie studios and as minor roles in several Shaw Brothers productions, mostly under Chor Yuen's direction and would frequently appear as a supporting actor or extra until 1978.

Success and later career

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Later around 1979 and 1980, Chui became known for roles such as 7 Grandmasters (1978), Kung Fu Vs. Yoga (1979) and Two Fists Against the Law (1980), as well as being an action director for the first time in the movies such as Shaolin Ex Monk in 1978[2] and John Woo's Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1978).

Alan would also frequently be seen in Taiwanese productions through the later 1970s to early 1980s, such as Born Invincible (1978), Revenge of the Shaolin Master (1979), Zen Kwan Do Strikes Paris (1981), The Denouncement of Chu Liu Hsiang (1982) and others.

Chui also helped his long-time friend Ching Siu-tung for the choreography for two films from 1986 to 1987. He first collaborated with Tung to choreograph Witch from Nepal starring Chow Yun-fat and Emily Chu. Along with the collaborations with Tung, Philip Kwok, and Lau Chi Ho, he shared the award for the best action choreography. The second collaboration with Tung was A Chinese Ghost Story in 1987, mainly supervising the wiring action sequence and the stunt double for the early Leslie Cheung. Along with the previous action choreographer crew members (Tung, Kwok, Ho and Bobby Wu), he was nominated for the best choreographer of 1987. Alan would later help Wilson Yip for the choreography for the same wiring stunt sequence technique on the 2011 remake of A Chinese Ghost Story.

Chui would also direct his own low-budget action movies such as Tough Beauty and the Sloppy Slop (1995) starring Yuen Biao and Cynthia Khan and Bloody Secret (2000) starring Anthony Wong and Ray Lui.

Throughout 2005 and 2011, Alan would reunite with the director Johnnie To (Who previously worked in two films starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, The Royal Scoundrel (1991) and Tomorrow (1995)) and would work on some of the critically acclaimed films such as Breaking News, Election 2 and Life Without Principle. After the release of Life Without Principle in 2011, he took a break from film roles and began focusing on television series and wired stunts. He later returned to film work in Once Upon a Time in Macau - The Way of the Tiger in 2016.

Chui worked on various television shows in the years leading to his death. He played the role of a villain in the 2017 Hong Kong drama series Line Walker: The Prelude.

Personal life and death

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Chui was married to his Taiwanese wife. He died on 2 November 2022, at the age of 70. Chui was survived by two children: Chui Ea-Luen (son) and Chui Yik-Mei (daughter).

Filmography

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Filmography as an actor

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Filmography as an action director and assistant action director

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Filmography as director

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Television series

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Drama

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Variety shows

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Awards and nomination

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References

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  1. ^ 70岁“笑面虎”徐忠信因病身亡 曾说“李小龙比李连杰成龙能打” (in Chinese)
  2. ^ "Alan Hsu Filmography – hongkongmoviedatabase". hongkongmoviedatabase. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
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