IFD + Filmark Update Project random notes

[J.J.Hayden]

Here's a collection of different things I noted down during my research that are too small for their own post and don't feature the actors who I'll be doing individual posts for, some are very loosely connected to IFD + Filmark at all, just stuff like notes, questions, info on a variety of things. Please forgive the somewhat random order, I did group them into associated segments to some extent, but organizing them one by one was going to take too long for something which wasn't really necessary when it comes down to it. But there's definitely worth a look, lots of interesting little bits and bobs here.


Terry Lai (DOB 1948) founded (other) IFD on 11Nov1969 Intercontinental Film Distributors (H.K.) Ltd. 洲立影片發行（香港）有限公司 with Filipino producer Bobby A. Suárez (BAS Films). Her brother Joseph Lai worked there as a script writer and translator before forming his own company, also called IFD but standing for International Finance Development.

Joseph Lai is brother of Terry Lai

George Lai Chi-ping cousin of Terry and Joseph Lai

Are George Lai Chi-ping and George Lai Hing-lun the same person?
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=19601&display_set=eng
https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=7515&display_set=eng

Filmark International founded by Tomas Tang in 1974

Joseph Lai's wife Betty Chan, died of Covid in 2020.

Bobby A. Suarez, born in Manila 27Nov1942, died on 08Feb 2010 (aka Bobby A. Suárez / Roberto A Suarez)


There were a small number of instances where I did not see people that were credited on the HKMDB, maybe the names were copied from IMDB or something, anyway, I've removed them for now, but if anyone noticed a mistake, please let me know.

Paulo Tocha in Ninja Terminator

Edowan Bersmea in Nin Op 3 (different guy, unknown)

Sun Chien in Act Of Gangs / Fatal Command / Thunder Score

Chiang Tao in Act Of Gangs / Fatal Command / Ninja In The Killing Field

Danny Raisebeck in Ninja, Phantom Heros U.S.A.

Kenneth Smyth in Top Team Force


There are some names that appear in more than one film that could be real, but unfortunately, they feature several of the same actors in each film, so I can't determine which person it could be for. A great example is the case where there are 3 people that could be Jonathan Soper or Brian McClave but can't be sure who is who, watched through their scenes to get names and only a few got called, but none helped.


Robert King, there's just too many people in his films to be sure on an ID, or it could easily be fake or different people with same common name


Not sure about Marcus Egan ID, I couldn't see the same face in the only other 2 films he's credited on. --- Looking at this again, he's actually not credited on either of those other films, only on IMDB. It is the same case with Jonathan Woodhouse's Bionic Ninja credit, only on IMDB, not on film print.


Searched IFD site, HKMDB, IMDB and the films' credits for film dates and for names and dates of source films and/or countries of origin. I found Korean ones myself. Some had already had their source film identified, but had not yet created a hyperlink between the two, so I did it.


Didn't see Paco Yick Tin-hung as a Monk in Armour Of God (not even as a double), can anyone confirm this?


Kurt Roland Pettersson born in Luleå, Norrbottens län, Sweden. Studied Karate alongside Dolph Lundgren under the same instructor and were on the Swedish national team together. He was killed during a brawl in Barcelona, Spain.


Christiane Duhler (German, should be Christine Duhler, keep other as alias)


Jonathan Watts (aka Jonathan Wattis)


Jeff Falcon studied Wushu and traditional Kung Fu / trained with the Beijing Wushu Team

Chiu Chung-hing student of Robert Tai

Keith Vitali born on 24Dec1951 studied Karate and Taekwondo and was a number one ranked full-contact fighting champion.

Karen Sheperd November 12, 1961 Greeley, Colorado, U.S. / started out in Kempo Karate in her youth before branching out into other styles, particularly Wun Hop Kuen Do under system founder Al Dacascos and Malia Bernal.

Vincent Lyn Born June 6, 1959 British Royal Air Force Base, Aden, Yemen / aka Yong Sheng / Sir Vincent Raymond Percival Lyn / age 8 he learned Tai Chi from his uncle and later mastered his family style Ling Gar Kung Fu

Bey Logan 1st trained in Hung Gar under Mark Houghton, then Jim Uglo and Jesse Gooding.

Habby Heske kickboxing champion who started learning Judo at age 10, shortly followed by boxing and Karate, later studying Muay Thai and BJJ.

Paul Fonoroff Born 1954 Cleveland, Ohio, USA

John Wakefield from Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Stephen Chan Tak-gwong studied Wing Chun

Cheung Kwok-leung Taekwondo student of Dick Wei

Dick Wei was born in Zhutian, Pingtung County, Taiwan. He began studying martial arts in junior high school and won many competitions. He joined the Taiwanese army and became a captain and a martial arts instructor, with a strong focus on Taekwondo. He also gave martial arts instruction to the Taiwanese police force.

Richard Grosse Born December 26, 1949 USA, died April 12, 2003San Francisco, California, USA(liver failure).

Winston Ellis from Redding, England ,UK / studied Eagle Claw Kung Fu

Brian Banowetz (nickname “Bano”)

Steve Nation is Australian

Bey Logan ID'd an actor in the film Hong Kong 1941 as Wing Chun instructor Shaun Rawcliffe, but I believe he's mistaken, as I don't think he looks the same, but also Shawn was born in 1961, this guy does NOT look like he's in his 20's.

Yau Gin-gwok Wushu stylist

Nathan Chukueke (born 5th of August 1959 in Brooklyn, NY, USA / aka Nathan Mutanda Chukueke / started Karate in 1974, then studied several Northern and Southern traditional Kung Fu styles, his main focus being Northern Shaolin 7 Star Praying Mantis)


Royal Destiny is a cut+paste film, featuring scenes from Royal Angels 1+2 and Queen Of Phoenix, but it does have new scenes with German actors filmed over a few days.


remove Thomas Tang Wai-hung from producer credit on Lone Shaolin Avenger, add Tomas Tang Kaak-yan as presenter alongside Joseph Lai San-lun


Cheng Kang is father of Tony Ching + Ronny Ching Siu-lung (born 29Jul1954 in HK)


Mark Collins also appears in the film SFX Retaliator which was shot in the Philippines, but there's just too many unknowns in each film (and the quality is so low) I can't confidently match any.


Panna Rittikrai was the mentor of many fellow Thai action stars, including; Tony Jaa; Jeeja Yanin; and Dan Chupong


Seol Tae-ho (薛泰湖1923 SK) --- aka Seol Bong, 설봉, 薛峰, Sul Tai-ho, DOB 26May1923, born in Tanchon, North Korea


Dragon Claws [1983] was Filmark rather than IFD


Benny Urquidez - He did fight choreography on Street Fighter [1994] and had a small role, but he was also the trainer for many of the films stars, including: Byron Mann; Kylie Minogue; and Jay Tavare.


Wang Ho MA director on Sword Of Evil Power [1985]


Removed Kang Dae-jin from Tomas Tang aliases, it seems someone it was a pseudonym, whereas is more likely to be the Korean who worked on the original version of a cut & paste film.



I came across a photo taken of an old information sheet on some of the American Martial Arts stars who appear on the HKMDB, so I've added the data to their pages:
Bill Wallace – Undefeated Professional Karate Association Middleweight Champion.
George Chung – Five-time World Karate Champion 1979-1983. / Black Belt Hall Of Fame. / Member of USA Fighting Team for many years, starting in 1981.
Cynthia Rothrock - Five-time undefeated World Karate Champion 1981-1985, the only woman ever to be five-time champion. / Black Belt Hall Of Fame.
Yamashita Tadashi – Arguably the foremost Karate and weapons expert in the USA. / Head instructor of the American Karate Association.




Well that's that, I hope people find some of these bits and bobs useful, or at least interesting. All that's left now is the actor updates, which I plan to start posting next week, beginning with those who already had pages on the HKMDB, just for convenience. Enjoy.

Cheers