Alexander Fu Sheng (born 张富声, Cheung Fu-sheng, October 20th, 1954 — July 7, 1983) was an actor, stuntman, martial artist and former alumni of Shaw Brothers.
The ninth child of Hong Kong businessman and politician Benton Cheung Yan-lung, Fu-sheng joined Shaw Brothers' Southern Drama School as a trainee at age 15, after failing in school and deciding not to pursue his family's involvement in politics. Under the tutelage of famed director Chang Cheh, Fu-sheng trained under Shaw Brothers' leading martial arts choreographer, Lau Kar-leung, excelling himself as one of the studio's first graduates. Due to Fu-sheng's hyperactive persona, easy-going personality, natural talents at a young age and versatility in various roles, he was even taken in as director Chang Cheh's fourth godson after Ti Lung, David Chiang, and Danny Lee. More often than not, due to his age, Fu-sheng was cast as The Runt at the End as the younger brother, sidekick, or protégé in movies.
Fu-sheng made 43 films throughout his career from age 17 to 28, 23 of these which were Shaw Brothers productions including classics like The Avenging Eagle, Legendary Weapons of China, The Brave Archer trilogy, My Rebellious Son, Chinatown Kid and several other films. Fu's snarky, semi-comedic persona in the roles he portray would inspire future icons like Jackie Chan as a template to follow during the kung fu comedy boom of the late 1970s.
Much like in his movies, Fu-sheng in real life was a friendly, easygoing fellow, despite his upbringing in a rich family, being the favoured pupil of one of Hong Kong's top directors, and achieving fame at young age.
Tragically, Fu-sheng would die in a car accident on July 7, 1983 at age 28, while filming The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter. note Fu-sheng's daughter with his widow, Jenny Tseng, was born posthumously via in-vitro fertilization.
In 2018, Fu-sheng's biography, Alexander Fu Sheng: Biography of the Chinatown Kid
was published by critic Terrence J. Brady.
Fu-sheng's niece, Jena Pang, has a special blog dedicated to her uncle, which can be seen here.
Notable films starring Alexander Fu:
- The 14 Amazons - Extra
- Four Riders - Extra
- The Brave Archer trilogy
- The Generation Gap
- Chinatown Kid
- Man of Iron (1972)
- Na Cha - only for the first movie, Na Cha The Great.
- Friends
- Marco Polo
- The New Shaolin Boxers
- The Shaolin Avengers
- Heroes Two
- The Shaolin Temple (1976)
- Five Shaolin Masters
- Disciples of Shaolin
- Ten Tigers From Kwangtung
- Men From The Monastery
- The Proud Twins
- The Avenging Eagle
- Life Gamble
- The Naval Commandos
- The Sentimental Swordsman - appears in Return of the Sentimental Swordsman
- 7 Man Army
- Boxer Rebellion
- My Rebellious Son
- Marco Polo
- Legendary Weapons of China
- The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter - sadly he Died During Production so his character became The Mouse
