This was my first and favourite Bruce Lee film I saw as a kid. My parents had taped it off the TV and it was in Chinese with English subs, I'm not sure what channel it was, Channel 4 maybe? I used to recreate the fight scenes using my Playmobil toys
It holds a special place in my heart.In these update posts I've included the previous cast list at the top, so people can see where the changes were made. Then the updated cast list along with new portraits for each cast member (one per role). Followed by any notes about things that have been updated.
PREVIOUS HKMDB CAST LIST
Bruce Lee Siu-Lung ... Cheng Chiu On
Maria Yi Yi ... Chiao Mei
James Tin Chuen ... Hsu Chien
Nora Miao Ke-Hsiu ... Ice drinks hawker
Lee Kwan ... Ah Kun
Han Ying-Chieh ... Boss Mi
Lau Wing ... Boss Mi's son
Kam Shan (2) ... Ah Shan
Chan Chue ... Factory manager
Malalin Bonnak ... Wu Man
Billy Chan Wui-Ngai ... Ah Pei
Lam Ching-Ying ... Ah Yen
Chik Yiu-Cheong ... Ah Chang
Li Hua-Sze ... Ah Chai
Tu Chia-Cheng ... Third Uncle
Peter Chan Lung ... one of Mi's men
Ma Man-Chun ... Ma
UPDATED HKMDB CAST LIST
#1 --- Bruce Lee Siu-lung as Cheng Chiu On
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=1919&display_set=eng
#2 --- Maria Yi as Chiao Mei
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=3817&display_set=eng
#3 --- James Tin Chuen as Hsu Chien
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=3818&display_set=eng
#4 --- Lee Kwan as Ah Kun
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=2932&display_set=eng
#5 --- Han Ying-chieh as Boss Mi
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=3826&display_set=eng
#6 --- Lau Wing as Boss Mi's son
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4008&display_set=eng
#7 --- Kam Shan (2) as Ah Shan
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=675&display_set=eng
#8 --- Lam Ching-ying as Ah Yen / Factory worker [NEW ID+role]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4767&display_set=eng
#9 --- Billy Chan Wui-ngai as Ah Pei / Factory worker [NEW ID+role]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=6059&display_set=eng
#10 --- Chan Chue as Factory manager
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4094&display_set=eng
#11 --- Malalin Bonnak as Wu Man
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=13475&display_set=eng
#12 --- Chik Yiu-cheong as Ah Chang
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=3897&display_set=eng
#13 --- Li Hua-sze as Ah Chai
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=26193&display_set=eng
#14 --- Tu Chia-cheng as 3rd Uncle
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=18600&display_set=eng
#15 --- Ma Man-chun as Ma
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=15133&display_set=eng
#16 --- Nora Miao as Ice drinks hawker
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=3771&display_set=eng
#17 --- Chom as Factory thug [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137490&display_set=eng
#18 --- Seree as Factory thug [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137489&display_set=eng
#19 --- Peter Chan Lung as Mi's thug / Factory worker [NEW ID+role]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4768&display_set=eng
#20 --- Choi Seux-sing as Mi's thug [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137491&display_set=eng
#21 --- Phas Jeendaeng as Mi's thug [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137492&display_set=eng
#22 --- Wung Talat as Mi's thug [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137493&display_set=eng
#23 --- Yoon Saena as Mi's thug [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137494&display_set=eng
#24 --- Ches Sawhor as Factory worker [NEW ID]
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137495&display_set=eng
I got the name's of the Thai actors back in 2022 thanks to bruceleeclones from KFF. I had spotted that some of the actors from The Big Boss also appeared in the film Bruce Lee - True Story, I published my findings but asked if anyone knew the names of them. BLC was nice enough to respond, informed me of the names, as they were in the book Mandarin Superstar by Steve Kerridge, he even gave me a link to his own Bruce Lee Clones fan site that had exerts from that book.
The Big Boss 唐山大兄 (1971) – The Clones of Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee – True Story 李小龍傳奇 (1976) – The Clones of Bruce Lee
https://www.clonesofbrucelee.com/the-big-boss/
Unfortunately, his site seems to have become inactive over the last year or more when I've checked up on it, and the last time I checked it, pretty much none of the pages would load up and I've not seen him on the KFF for a very long time.
The name Rhoma Irama I'm not convinced on. I do remember him being credited that way on BLC's site but I don't remember seeing that in the book and since I can't view the web page I can't double check. Wikipedia (yes, I know!) credits Indonesian singer Rhoma Irama as being in The Big Boss, and while it's possible it's the same guy (as he did train in martial arts), I'm highly sceptical. Why would this Indonesian guy be in a low budget HK film shot in Thailand. On top of that, I've looked at some pictures of him (including around that time period) and I'm not seeing it, I think this might be a mistake. I got some pics of him anyway, so if more solid evidence comes in, it's ready and waiting.
- edit since the time of writing the previous statement, it appears that Wikipedia has removed his credit for the film.
I also spotted Lam Ching-ying and the Chan brothers playing secondary roles in the Factory brawl. Peter was difficult to get a non-blurred shot of, but if you watch the scene yourself, it's clear he's one of the factory workers before teleporting and switching sides when the Mi's thugs join the fray
I've also added three Thai's to Bruce Lee - True Story [1976] and got thei IDs too.
https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=5744&complete_credits=1&display_set=eng
Chom as THE BIG BOSS crew member
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137490&display_set=eng
Seree as Thai boxing coach
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137489&display_set=eng
Choi Seunx-sing as Thai boxer
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=137491&display_set=eng
and also got Chan Chue ID while I was at it.
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4094&display_set=eng
EDIT - it seems he'd already been ID'd and I missed it somehow, oh well
Cheers
