Stephen Tung Wai

Actor · Director · Writer

Shanghai, China

February 2, 1954

Biography

Stephen Tung Wai (traditional Chinese: 董瑋; simplified Chinese: 董玮) is a Hong Kong actor born in Mainland China as Tung Wen Wei. His family moved to Hong Kong when he was four years old. Four years later, he began to learn the opera of Beijing under the direction of the famous Ms. Fan Fok Fa. It was under his tutelage that he learned the martial arts of the north. He first appeared on the big screen in the 1965 film Squadron 77 (七七敢死隊). In 1978, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow hit the box office and the race for Jackie Chan's successor began. With his physical abilities displayed in movies such as The Mar's Villa (神腿), Golden Mask (紅衣冷血金面人) and Ten Brothers of Shaolin (十大弟子), one would have thought Tung Wai was a good candidate for success. He further got to show off his talents in the 1979 film The Incredible Kung Fu Master (醒目仔蛊惑招), but failed to become the next Kung Fu star. At the beginning of the 1980s, Stephen Tung took a four year break away from the big screens to devote himself to television. He works on several TV series from Kung Fu or other Wu Xia, accumulating experience in his new business. Finally, in 1984, he returns to the screens in the first roles with films like Hocus Pocus (人嚇鬼) and Journey of the Doomed (水兒武士). However, the films were not very successful, and did not allow him to impose himself as a foreground actor.