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Jimmy Wang Yu

Jimmy Wang Yu

Actor and director, also producer and writer · Died April 5, 2022, aged 78 · Wuxi, China

Wang Zhengquan, better known as Jimmy Wang Yu and Wong Yu-lung, (born March 8, 1944 - died April 5, 2022) was a Chinese actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Wang rose to fame in 1967 with his starring role in The One-Armed Swordsman, a martial arts film produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio. The Chinese Boxer (1969), another film he acted in, is credited as the first Hong Kong action film that kickstarted the unarmed combat genre that took Asia by storm in the 1970s.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 28, 1944
Died
April 5, 2022 (aged 78)
From
Wuxi, China
Works as
Actor and director, also producer and writer
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 90 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 18% in 30 days

What are Jimmy Wang Yu's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
44%
Survival
21%
Self
11%
Power
10%
Bonds
8%
Society
5%
Revenge11 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 8 · Dark 11

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 9

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 8 · Intense 15

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 9

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 11 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 17 of 18 analyzed roles.

Hero
17 of 18
Shadow
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Thrilling
14
Melancholic
9
Absurd
5
Manic
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jimmy Wang Yu's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jimmy Wang Yu's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

90 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Soul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Chuan's Father

  • The Guillotines(2012)

    as Gonge

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Let's Go!(2011)

    as Mr Hon Yu

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Dragon(2011)

    as The Master

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Eighteen Springs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Producer

  • Stand Behind the Yellow Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Producer

  • Dark Society in the East (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Requital (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Wai's hired assassin

  • Shogun and Little Kitchen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Mr Lin Chong Yun

  • The Tantana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Producer

  • The Beheaded 1000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Producer · as Executioner Ren De-Tie

  • Island of Fire(1991)

    Executive Producer · as Kui / Lucas

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Thundering Ninja(1987)

    as David Wong (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Dangerfreaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Millionaires' Express(1986)

    as Master Wong

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Heart of Dragon(1985)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Clash of the Professionals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Shanghai 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Black Hat

  • Fantasy Mission Force(1983)

    as Captain Don Wen

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Battle of Ku-Ning-Tou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Actor

  • Boxer, Lover, Lawyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Zhenghan

  • Big Leap Forward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Return of the Chinese Boxer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director · Producer · as Sau Bai-Lung

  • The Criminal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Hung Ta Hao

  • The Deadly Silver Spear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • Return of the Tiger(1977)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • One Arm Chivalry Fights Against One Arm Chivalry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • Revenge Of Kung Fu Mao (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Mayor

  • The Lantern Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • The Private Eyes(1976)

    as Actor in Theatre Movie

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • A Queen's Ransom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Jimmy

  • The Killer Meteors(1976)

    as Killer Meteor Mei Sin Her

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Master of the Flying Guillotine(1976)

    Director · Writer · as Liu Ti Lung / The One-Armed Boxer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The One Armed Swordsmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · as Fong Ping / One-armed Swordsman

  • One-Armed Swordsman vs. Nine Killers(1976)

    Producer · Writer · as Liu Ching Wu/Liu Yi Su

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Savage Killers(1976)

    Director · as Ching Sing Chang

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Double Double Cross (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Black suit

  • The Man from Hong Kong(1975)

    Director · Second Unit Director · as Fang

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • My Wacky, Wacky World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Fake villager

  • A Cookbook of Birth Control (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Actor

  • The Great Hunter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Captain Wu

  • Four Real Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · as Hsiao Pao

  • My Father, My Husband, My Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • The Tattooed Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Tattooed Dragon

  • Queen of Fist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Ma Yung-Chen

  • The Screaming Tiger(1972)

    as Ma Tai Yung

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Black Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Chen Ah Kwang

  • Fast Fists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Hong Ching-Pau/Red Lantern

  • The Two Cavaliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • Beach of the War Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · Writer · as Hsiao Feng

  • Seven Magnificent Fights(1973)

    as Wang Hai-Lung

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Knight Errant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Lin Hao-Shan

  • A Man Called Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Chin Fu

  • The Iron Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • A Kiss to Remember (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Jimmy

  • The Gallant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as The Gallant

  • One-Armed Boxer(1972)

    Director · Writer · as Yu Tien-Lung

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Iron Fist Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • The Invincible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • The Lion's Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • The Rebel Boxer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Showdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Furious Slaughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Ma Yung Shen

  • Boxers of Loyalty and Righteousness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Fury of King Boxer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Rage of the Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Tiger Wong

  • Blood of the Dragon(1971)

    as Lung Ti / The White Dragon

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Sword (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director · Martial Arts Choreographer · Actor

  • The Magnificent Chivalry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • The Professional Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Lu He-Gang

  • The Gallant Duo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Yi Chun

  • The Brave and the Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director · Writer · as Bai Sifeng

  • Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman(1971)

    as Wang Kang

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Invincible Sword (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Ling Yu Fong

  • The Hammer of God(1970)

    Director · Screenplay · as Lei Ming

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • My Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Yang Kuo-Liang

  • Return of the One-Armed Swordsman(1969)

    as Fang Gang

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Sword of Swords(1968)

    as Lin Jenshiau

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Golden Swallow(1968)

    as Silver Roc Xiao Pang

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Assassin(1967)

    as Nie Zheng

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • One-Armed Swordsman(1967)

    as Fang Kang

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Asia-Pol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Yang Ming Xuan

  • The Sword and the Lute (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Gui Wu

  • The Trail of the Broken Blade(1967)

    as Li Yue / Jiang Qi

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Auntie Lan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as He You-Wen

  • The Magnificent Trio(1966)

    as Lu Fang

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Tiger Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Lei Hu (Tiger Boy)

  • The Twin Swords (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Gui Wu

  • Temple of the Red Lotus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Gui Wu

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 90 titles from 1965 to 2013; peak year 1975.

Biggest box office

Dragon (2011)

$29M worldwide

Highest rated

One-Armed Swordsman (1967)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Dragon (2011)

Film career

19652013

Peak 1975 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting85 of 90: 71 only acting, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndDirecting10 of 90: 0 only directing, 10 with another roleWriting6 of 90: 0 only writing, 6 with another roleProducing8 of 90: 4 only producing, 4 with another roleOther crew3 of 90: 1 only other crew, 2 with another role

90 titles, 14 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 10 of them.

By decade

1960s13 · acting1970s56 · 55 acting · 13 crew1980s8 · 7 acting · 1 crew1990s8 · 5 acting · 5 crew2000s1 · acting2010s4 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 60% of 15 roles
677282

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jimmy Wang Yu's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 28 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Let's Go! (2011)

77th percentile spread · 63% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

One-Armed Swordsman (1967)

Midcredits 88th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 40. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Jimmy Wang Yu work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jimmy Wang Yu's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Feng Tien shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers