David Chiang

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David Chiang
姜大衛
Born	Chiang Wei-nien (姜偉年) (1947-06-29) 29 June 1947 (age 76) Shanghai, Republic of China
Other names	John Chiang
Occupation(s)	Actor, director, producer
Years active	1952–1963, 1967–2000, 2003–present
Spouse	Maggie Lee ​ (m. 1974)​
Children	3
Relatives	Paul Chun (brother) Derek Yee (half-brother) Raymond Cho (son-in-law)
Awards	Asia-Pacific Film Festival Best Actor 1970 Vengeance 1973 Blood Brothers
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	姜大衛
Simplified Chinese	姜大卫
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiāng Dàwèi Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Goeng1 Daai6-wai6
Chiang Wei-nien
Traditional Chinese	姜偉年
Simplified Chinese	姜伟年
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiāng Wěi Nián

David Chiang Tai-wai (born Chiang Wei-nien; 29 June 1947) is a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and martial artist. A well-known martial arts actor formerly from Shaw Brothers Studio in the 1970s, he has appeared in over 130 films and 30 television series.

Early life[edit]

Chiang was born in Shanghai, China on 29 June 1947. Chiang's mother Hung Wei (紅薇) (real name: Lo Chen 羅珍), and father Yan Fa (嚴化) (real name: Chiang Ko-chi) were popular Chinese movie stars who moved to Hong Kong in the late 1940s during the Chinese Civil War. He has an older brother Paul Chun and a half-brother Derek Yee.

Career[edit]

At age four, Chiang began his acting career as a child actor. In 1966, while working as a stuntman and fight instructor for the Shaw Brothers Studio, Chiang was spotted by director Chang Cheh, who immediately saw his potential and screen presence, and became his mentor. Chang gave him the stage name David Chiang, even though his real English name was John.

With Wang Yu's sudden departure in 1969, Run Run Shaw and his senior executives were looking for a new leading man and made Chiang an offer. In 1970, under Chang Cheh's guidance, Chiang won the Best Actor award at the 16th Asia-Pacific Film Festival for his role in Vengeance. In 1972, at the 18th Asia-Pacific Film Festival, he won the Best Actor for his role in Blood Brothers. In 1973, at the 19th Asia-Pacific Film Festival, he won the Most Contemporary award for his role in The Generation Gap.

In 1973 Chiang left Hong Kong with his mentor Chang Cheh and set up an independent production company called Chang's Scope Company. With the help of Run Run Shaw, their films continued to be distributed through Shaw's channels. At Chang's Scope Company, Chiang worked as a director, producer, and screenwriter. As the 1970s came to an end and the 1980s approached, Chiang continued acting, working with directors Lee Han Chiang, Hsueh Li Pao, Ho Meng-hua, and Chia-Liang Liu. In 1980 he made his television debut in The Green Dragon Conspiracy, followed by Princess Chang Ping and Dynasty. In the mid-1980s, Chiang worked with his brothers, Paul Chun and Derek Yee, directing, producing and acting in the comedy Legend of the Owl. Chiang also acted in other comedy movies such as The Challenger and The Loot, directed by Eric Tseng. In the late 1980s into the early 1990s Chiang directed the movies Heaven Can Help, Silent Love, The Wrong Couples, Mr. Handsome, Double Fattiness, My Dear Son, Will of Iron, and Mother of a Different Kind. Since 2000 he has continued to work in movies and TV series, including Election, Daisy, Revolving Doors of Vengeance, Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion, Land of Wealth, The Family Link and the 2007 television series The Gem of Life. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2006 for his role in the TVB series Revolving Doors of Vengeance.

In 2004, Chiang was inducted into The Avenue of Stars, which honours celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry. It is located along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong and modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Personal life[edit]

On 20 January 1974, Chiang married Maggie Lee Lam Lam (李琳琳), an actress. Chiang and his wife have three children: Elaine Chiang (b. 1974), who is married to actor Raymond Cho; Eve Chiang (b. 1983); and John Chiang, Jr. (b. 1995).

He currently^{[as of?]} lives in Vancouver, Canada with his family, but returns to Hong Kong to film movies and television dramas.

Filmography[edit]

Films[edit]

Film (as director)[edit]

• The Drug Addict (1974)
• A Mad World of Fools (1974)
• The One-Armed Swordsmen (1976)
• The Condemned (1976)
• Whirlwind Kick (1977)
• The Legend of the Owl (1981)
• Heaven Can Help (1984)
• Silent Love (1986)
• Mr. Handsome (1987)
• The Wrong Couples (1987)
• Double Fattiness (1988)
• My Dear Son (1989)
• When East Meets West (1990)
• Will of Iron (1991)
• Mother of a Different Kind (1995)

Television dramas[edit]

^{[4] [5]}

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• David Chiang at IMDb
• David Chiang Da-Wei at the Hong Kong Movie Database
• David Chiang Fan Site - DCFS
• John Chiang Vietnam Fan Club