Lau Kar-leung dies in Hong Kong at age 76
Legendary kung fu master Lau Kar-leung passed away today at the age of 76. He is best known for his work as a choreographer, actor and director, and in 2010 he was granted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards for his contribution to Hong Kong cinema.
Lau comes from an illustrious family of martial artists, and has trained with his father—himself an apprentice of the revolutionary kung fu master Wong Fei-hung—since the age of eight.
From his beginnings as an extra and stuntman when he first entered the film industry in 1950, Lau has since worked on hundreds of films—most notably as a choreographer and director for Shaw Brothers Studio productions throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These include the seminal “36th Chamber of Shaolin” in 1978 and “Invincible Pole Fighter” in 1984, which was nominated for a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography. In later years, he also worked with Jackie Chan on “The Legend of Drunken Master” in 1994. Most recently, he appeared in “Seven Swords” in 2007 alongside Donnie Yen.
Lau’s passing came after years of suffering from leukemia. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
(Originally published on Jun 25, 2013)