Al Leong : biography
Albert "Al" Leong (born 30 September 1952), aka Al ‘Ka Bong’, is an American stuntman and actor. Characterised by impressive martial arts skills, long wavy hair, and a prominent Fu Manchu moustache, he has had a number of small but memorable roles as the token long-haired Asian henchman in popular action films, that usually ended in his character’s death. Among action movie fans Leong has a cult following.As of June 2007, the fan site campaigns for Al Leong receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award by Taurus World Stunt Awards and a ‘MTV – Lifetime Achievement Award’.
His credits include Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Joshua Tree, Big Trouble in Little China, The Scorpion King, and a recurring role on the first season of the TV series 24. He also portrayed an out-of-time Genghis Khan in the comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. In 2003, Leong lampooned himself as well as the Hollywood tradition of actor and director ‘reels’ by starring in screenwriter Dave Callaham’s "Writer’s Reel." . In the five-minute short film, Leong portrayed Callaham going through a typical day in the life of a writer. The ‘reel’ was accepted into a number of short film festivals.
As a stuntman, Leong was involved with the production of numerous films including The Golden Child, Last Action Hero, Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla, Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, and Daredevil. He also has made appearances on several television shows such as Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I., The Twilight Zone, T. J. Hooker, MacGyver, That ’70s Show, and HBO’s Deadwood. He directed the low-budget film Daddy Tell Me A Story….
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | The Scorpion King | Asian training master | |
1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 | Nameless | |
1998 | Godzilla | Fisherman | Also stunts |
1998 | The Replacement Killers | Thug | |
1996 | Escape from L.A. | A Shadow Warrior | Also stunts |
1994 | Beverly Hills Cop III | Nameless | Also stunts |
1994 | Deadly Target | Nameless | |
1994 | The Shadow | Nameless | |
1994 | Vanishing Son III | Nameless | |
1993 | Double Dragon | Lewis, villain’s right-hand man | Also stunts |
1993 | Hot Shots! Part Deux | Pit-fighting fan | Also stunts |
1993 | Last Action Hero | Thug | |
1993 | Joshua Tree | Chinese gunman #9 | |
1992 | Hard Hunted | Raven, henchman | |
1992 | Rapid Fire | Minh, Asian gangster’s right-hand man | |
1992 | Steel Justice | Guard #2 | |
1991 | The Perfect Weapon | Nameless | Also stunts |
1991 | Showdown in Little Tokyo | Thug | Also stunts |
1990 | Death Warrant | Bruce, thug | |
1990 | I Come in Peace | Luggage salesman | |
1989 | Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure | Genghis Khan | |
1989 | Black Rain | Nameless | |
1989 | Cage | “Tiger Joe” Lowell | Leong played a good guy, who lived on |
1989 | Savage Beach | Fu | |
1988 | Action Jackson | Dellaplane’s chauffeur | |
1988 | Die Hard | Uli, terrorist | |
1988 | She’s Having a Baby | Photographer | |
1988 | They Live | Resistance member | |
1987 | Lethal Weapon | Endo, villainous torturer/band director | |
1986 | Big Trouble in Little China | Wing Kong hatchet man | |
1984 | Protocol | Chef | |
1983 | Twilight Zone: The Movie | Nameless |
Television
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues: "The Warlord" (1994), also stunt coordinator
- The A-Team: "Asian Looking Thug" in episode Lease with an Option to Die (episode # 4.4) 1985-10-22, "Thug at boat" in episode The Maltese Falcon (episode # 2.13)1983-12-13
- The Equalizer: uncredited in episode China Rain (episode # 1.2)
- The Greatest American Hero: uncredited extra in episode Thirty Seconds Over Little Tokyo (episode # 39) 1983-02-03
- Hart to Hart: "Tai-Chi Man" in episode Year of the Dog (episode # 5.10) 1983-12-13
- MacGyver: "Wayne H. Lim" in episode Murderers’ Sky (episode # 3.20) 1988-05-09
- Renegade:
- T. J. Hooker: "Nabutsu Hood #1" (uncredited) in episode Blood Sport (episode # 5.88) 1986-05-21
- 24: "Neill" in four episodes of the first season
- That ’70s Show: "Kung-Fu Master/Ninja Warrior" in the episode Jackie Moves On (episode # 2.22) 2000-04-03