Gordon Liu (Chia Hui Liu)

1955.

Guangdong, China.

Gordon Liu is one of the most recognizable and popular stars of Old School, Shaolin-style martial arts movies, a mainstay for over a decade at Hong Kong's legendary Shaw Brothers studio. Liu's close-shaven image as a stalwart martial monk, defending the downtrodden from imperialistic Manchu oppressors, was firmly established in his brother Liu Chia-liang's international hit "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" (1978), known in its dubbed American version as "The Master Killer."

Born in China, Gordon Chia-hui was adopted as an infant into the fabled Liu Family of martial arts specialists. The Liu clan traces its pedigree in Hong Gar style Kung Fu all the way back to turn-of-century master Wong Fei-hong. Liu was educated at English schools in Hong Kong and worked as a file clerk before joining the movie industry in the 1960s.

Liu had his first major role in 1974 in Chang Cheh's "Shaolin Martial Arts," and when Liu Chia-liang left his post as Chang's fight choreographer to direct on his own, Gordon became his favorite leading man. Gordon Liu starred in such classic Liu Chia-liang films as "The Challenge of the Masters"(1976), and "Shaolin Challenges Ninja" (1978).

Gordon Liu is also a very deft and gifted comic actor, as witness his performances in Liu Chia-liang's Kung Fu comedies "Dirty Ho" (1979) and Return to the 36th Chamber (1980). He has also directed several films, including the "Shaolin and Wutang" (1984).

Liu has continued to work regularly in Hong Kong cinema. With his brother, Liu Chia-liang, Gordon Liu recently completed the first new period martial arts film to be produced by Shaw Brothers in over two decades, "Drunken Monkey." Liu also appears in "Kill Bill (Vol. 2)", in a larger role, as the legendary "white eyebrow" Kung Fu master Pei Mei, who trains The Bride in Shaolin-style Kung Fu