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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Henry Winkler to Paul Zaza
John Woo Biography (1948?-)
Real name, Wu Yusen; born September 22, 1948 (some sources say May 1, 1946),in Guangzhou, China; raised in Hong Kong; father, a teacher, mother, a construction worker; married Ann Woo Chun-lung, 1976; children: two daughters, oneson. Addresses: Agent: Endeavor, 9701 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills,CA 90212.; Contact: Garth Productions, 450 North Roxbury Dr., 8th Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; c/o Lion Rock Productions, MGM Studios, 2500 Broadway,Building F, Suite 370, Santa Monica, CA 90404.
- Nationality
- Chinese
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Director, editor, producer, screenwriter
- Birth Details
- September 22, 1948?
- Guangzhou, China
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Director
- (Codirector; as Chen Ng Yu) Sijie (also known as Dead Knot), 1968
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Ouran (also known as Accidentally), 1968
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The Young Dragons (also known as Tie han rou qing and Ninja Kids), 1973
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The Dragon Tamers (also known as Nu zi tai quan qun ying hui and Belles of Taekwondo), 1974
- (As Wu Yusen) Princess Chang Ping (also known as Di nue hua), 1975
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Shao Lin men (also known as Countdown in Kung Fu,
Hand of Death,
Shaolin Men, and Strike of Death), Golden Harvest,1975
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Follow the Star (also known as Da sha xing yu xiao mei tou), 1977
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Money Crazy (also known as Fa qian han and The Pilferer's Progress), 1977
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Last Hurrah for Chivalry (also known as Last Hurray for Chivalry and Hao xia), Golden Harvest, 1978
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Ha luo, ye gui ren (also known as Hello, Late Homecomers),1978
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From Riches to Rags (also known as Quan zuo guai and Money Talk), 1979
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To Hell with the Devil (also known as Mo deng tian shi), 1981
- (As Wu Hsiang-fei) Laughing Times (also known as Hua ji shi dai), 1981
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Plain Jane to the Rescue (also known as Ba cai Lin Ya Zhenand Lam Au Chun No. 3), 1982
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The Sunset Warrior (also known as Heroes Shed No Tears andYing xiong wei lei), Paragon Films, 1983
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The Time You Need a Friend (also known as Xiao jiang), 1984
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Run, Tiger, Run (also known as Liang zhi lao hu), 1985
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A Better Tomorrow (also known as Yingxiong bense,
Ying huang book sik,
The Color of a Hero,
Gangland Boss, and True Colors of a Hero), Golden Princess, 1986
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A Better Tomorrow II (also known as The Color of a Hero IIand Yinghung bunski II), 1986
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Yi dan qun ying (also known as Just Heroes and Tragic Heroes), 1987
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The Killer (also known as Die xue shuang xiong), Circle Releasing, 1989
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Bullet in the Head (also known as Die xue jie tou) Film Workshop, 1990
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Once a Thief (also known as Zongsheng sihai), Milestone Pictures, 1991
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Hard-Boiled (also known as Lashou shentan,
Hot-Handed God of Cops, and Ruthless Super-Cop), Rim Film Distributors, 1992
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Hard Target, Universal, 1993
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Broken Arrow, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1995
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The Peace Hotel (also known as Heping fandian), 1995
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Somebody Up There Likes Me (also known as Lang man feng bao), 1996
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Face/Off, Buena Vista, 1997
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The Replacement Killers, Columbia, 1998
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Hong Kong Face-Off, 1998
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The Big Hit, TriStar, 1998
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King's Ransom, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1999
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Mission: Impossible 2, Paramount, 1999
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Windalkers, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2002
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Land of Destiny, Propaganda, 2003
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Paycheck, Paramount, 2003
- Also director, The Hire: Hostage, part of a series of short filmsproduced by BMW.
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Film Producer
- (Coproducer) Ha luo, ye gui ren (also known as Hello, Late Homecomers), 1978
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Liang zhi lao ju (also known as Run Tiger Run), 1985
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A Better Tomorrow (also known as Yingxiong bense,
Ying huang book sik,
The Color of a Hero,
Gangland Boss, and True Colors of a Hero), Golden Princess, 1986
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A Better Tomorrow III (also known as Yinghung bunsik III and A Better tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon), 1989
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Bullet in the Head (also known as Die xue jie tou) Film Workshop, 1990
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The Peace Hotel (also known as Heping fandian), 1995
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Face/Off, Buena Vista, 1997
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The Last Word, 1999
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King's Ransom, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1999
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Mission Impossible: 2, Paramount, 1999
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Devil in a Bathrobe, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2000
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Windalkers, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2002
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Bulletproof Monk, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2003
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Paycheck, Paramount, 2003
- Also produced Longman Fungbou; worked on Countdown in Kung Fu, Shaw Brothers; and Just Heroes.
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Film Executive Producer
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Somebody Up There Likes Me (also known as Lang man feng bao), 1996
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The Replacement Killers, Columbia, 1998
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The Big Hit, TriStar, 1998
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Film Editor
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Mo deng tian shi (also known as To Hell with the Devil), 1981
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Bullet in the Head (also known as Die xue jie tou) Film Workshop, 1990
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Lashou shentan (also known as God of Guns,
Hard-boiled,
Hot-Handed God of Cops and Ruthless Super-Cop), 1992
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Film Appearances
- Young artist, Sijie (also known as Dead Knot), 1968
- Young man, Ouran (also known as Accidentally), 1968
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The Young Dragons (also known as Tie han rou qing and Ninja Kids), 1973
- Scholar Cheng, Shao Lin men (also known as Countdown in Kung Fu,
Hand of Death,
Shaolin Men, and Strike of Death),Golden Harvest, 1975
- Miss Chen's father, Follow the Star (also known as Da sha xingyu xiao mei tou), 1977
- Drunken master, From Riches to Rags (also known as Quan zuo guai and Money Talk), 1979
- John Wu, Plain Jane to the Rescue (also known as Ba cai Lin YaZhen and Lam Au Chun No. 3), 1982
- Man in bed, Heng cai san qian wan (also known as Thirty MillionDollar Rush and The Thirty Million Rush), 1985
- Inspector Wu, A Better Tomorrow (also known as Yingxiong bense,
Ying huang book sik,
The Color of a Hero,
Gangland Boss, and True Colors of a Hero), Golden Princess, 1986
- Father Fan, Starry Is the Night (also known as Gam ye sing gwong chaan laan), 1988
- Kwong, Yong chuang tian xia (also known as Rebel from China), 1990
- Police inspector, Bullet in the Head (also known as Die xue jietou and Bloodshed in the Streets), Film Workshop, 1990
- Stanley Wu, Once a Thief (also known as Zongsheng sihai), Milestone Pictures, 1991
- Man on stairs, Haomen yeyan (also known as The Banquet,
Ho moon ye yin, and Party of a Wealthy Family), 1991
- (As John Wu) Priest, Shuang long hui (also known as Brother v.Brother,
Double Dragon,
Duel of Dragons,
The Twin Dragons, and When Dragons Collide), 1992
- Mr. Woo, a night club owner, Hard-Boiled (also known as Lashoushentan,
Hot-Handed God of Cops, and Ruthless Super-Cop), Rim Film Distributors, 1992
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Cinema of Vengeance (documentary), Eastern Heroes Video, 1994
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Yang + Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema, 1996
- Police chief, Yit huet jui keung (also known as Re xue zui qiang and Task Force), 1997
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Jackie Chan: My Story, 1998
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Television Work
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Movies
- Producer and director, John Woo's Once a Thief (also known as John Woo's Violent Tradition and Once a Thief), Fox, 1996
- Executive producer and director, John Woo's Blackjack, USA Network, 1998
- Executive producer, John Woo's Once a Thief: Brother against Brother, TMC, 1998
- Executive producer, John Woo's Once a Thief: Family Business, TMC,1998
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Series
- Executive producer, Once a Thief (also known as John Woo's Oncea Thief), 1997
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Pilots
- Executive producer, Red Skies, USA Network, 2002
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Television Appearances
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Specials
- Interviewee, Kurosawa: The Last Emperor (documentary), IndependentFilm Channel, 2000
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2000 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2000
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Mission: Improbable (also known as Being Tom Cruise), 2000
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World Stunt Awards, ABC, 2001
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Hollywood Salutes Nicolas Cage: An American Cinematheque Tribute,TNT, 2002
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WRITINGS
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Screenplays
- (As Ng Yu Chen) Sijie (also known as Dead Knot), 1968
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The Young Dragons (also known as Tie han rou qing and Ninja Kids), 1973
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The Dragon Tamers (also known as Nu zi tai quan qun ying hui and Belles of Taekwondo), 1974
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Shao Lin men (also known as Countdown in Kung Fu,
Hand of Death,
Shaolin Men, and Strike of Death), Golden Harvest,1975
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Princess Chang Ping (also known as Di nue hua), 1975
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Follow the Star (also known as Da sha xing yu xiao mei tou), 1977
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Money Crazy (also known as Fa qian han and The Pilferer's Progress), 1977
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From Riches to Rags (also known as Quan zuo guai and Money Talk), 1979
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Last Hurrah for Chivalry (also known as Last Hurray for Chivalry and Hao xia), Golden Harvest, 1978
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Ha luo, ye gui shi (also known as Hello, Late Homecomers),1978
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Mo deng tian shi (also known as To Hell with the Devil), 1981
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Hua ji shi dai (also known as Laughing Times), 1981
- (Also story) Ba cai Lin Ya Zhen (also known as Lam Au Chun No.3 and The Sunset Warrior), 1982
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The Sunset Warrior (also known as Heroes Shed No Tears andYing xiong wei lei), Paragon Films, 1983
- (Uncredited; with Chan Hing-kai and Leung Suk-wah) A Better Tomorrow (also known as Yingxiong bense,
Ying huang book sik,
TheColor of a Hero,
Gangland Boss, and True Colors of a Hero),Golden Princess, 1986
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A Better Tomorrow II (also known as The Color of a Hero IIand Yinghung bunski II), Cinema City, 1986
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The Killer (also known as Die xue shuang xiong), Circle Releasing, 1989
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Bullet in the Head (also known as Die xue jie tou), Film Workshop, 1990
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Once a Thief (also known as Zongsheng sihai), Milestone Pictures, 1991
- Story only, Hard-Boiled (also known as Lashou shentan,
Hot-Handed God of Cops, and Ruthless Super-Cop), Rim Film Distributors, 1992
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Television Movies
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John Woo's Once a Thief (also known as John Woo's Violent Tradition and Once a Thief), Fox, 1996
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John Woo's Once a Thief: Brother against Brother, TMC, 1998
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John Woo's Once a Thief: Family Business, TMC, 1998
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
- Bliss, Between the Bullets: The Spiritual Cinema of John Woo, Scarecrow Press, 2002
- Hall, Kenneth E., John Woo: The Films, McFarland & Company, 1999
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International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 2: Directors, St. James Press, 1996
Periodicals
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Empire, 1993, pp. 64-65
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Entertainment Weekly, March 8, 1996; July 18, 1997, p. 88
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Film Quarterly, summer, 1996, p. 23
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Maclean's, August 11, 1997, p. 43
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New York Times Biographical Service, February, 1996, pp. 318-319
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People Weekly, June 30, 1997, p. 20
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Playboy, July, 2002, pp. 104, 148-151
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Premiere, June, 2000, pp. 92-95, 105
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Reason, November, 1994
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Time, February 26, 1996
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