Age 76, Chinese native Bolo Yeung Sze was born in 1946. Despite playing mostly villains, Bolo won the hearts of his audience as the villian. At the tender age of 10, he started taking classes in Canton and quickly became interested in martial arts and bodybuilding. He left communist China for Hong Kong in the mid-1960s and changed careers a few time starting instructing at a gym.
His first film was Shaw Brothers’ The Wandering Swordsman from 1970.
The major studios took notice of him because of his imposing physique, brusque appearance, and incredible martial arts ability.
He then went on to win the Mr. Hong Kong bodybuilding competition, a title he held for a whopping nine years running. The aspiring actor left Shaw Brothers after appearing as a villain in sixteen films, including The Heroic Ones (1970), The Deadly Duo (1971), and Five Fingers of Death (1972). Bolo’s breakthrough came when he met Bruce Lee on the set of Enter the Dragon (1973), in which he portrayed Bolo and ultimately adopted the name for himself. After appearing in dozens of films throughout the 1970s and 1980s, his big break came with 1988’s Bloodsport.
Shootfighter II (1996), TC 2000 (1993), and Fearless Tiger (1989) are the films in which Bolo plays a protagonistic role (1991). Yahoo! asked its users in 2006 who they thought was the best Kung Fu film actor, and Bolo finished in second place, behind only Bruce Lee.
In addition to his 92 film roles, Bolo has directed four major martial arts films. Bolo currently holds the positions of chairman of the Hong Kong Gym Business Association and team manager for the international bodybuilders squad based out of Taipei. In addition, he hosts master classes, stakeouts, and autograph signings with celebrities. Bolo moved to California in 2018 and has been there ever since.