In director Yu Chi-wei's 1988 Taiwanese film Spirit Vs Zombi, Chen Huan-kun played the role of a disabled man who dresses in full clown make-up and sells chewing gum to passers by in the street. But he is not so much playing a character, as he is playing himself. He really was disabled and lived in Ximending, a neighbourhood and shopping district in the Wanhua District of Taipei, where the movie was filmed and set. He didn't want to let his disability hold him back, so he maintained his independence while making money by selling chewing gum.

His clown costume wasn't just for show though, as he went the extra mile compared to many other gum seller's in Taiwan, by putting on entertainment for his customers and spreading goodwill to all who came by. His story didn't go unnoticed by the media and he became a bit of a local celebrity.

He also caught the attention of film director Yu Chi-wei, who then invited him to come and be in the movie. Yu was so enamoured with Chen that he was given an important supporting role, despite never having any film experience. He played Uncle Crazy, a kind local street performer who acts as a father to orphaned Wa-wa and takes little vampire Chi-chi under his wing while he searches for his father.

[J.J. Hayden 03-Feb-2024]