|
Although
Maria Yi
(aka Yi Yi) only made a few films in her short
career, she enjoyed top billing and wide publicity,
with her face gracing movie posters and film
and entertainment magazines such as Four Seas
Weekly and International Screen.
As a
teenager, Maria, whose Chinese name is Yi
Yi, debuted as a swordswoman opposite James
Tien in
Wong Tin Lam's
The Chase. Maria and Tien, the two leads in the film, were
then cast in Bruce Lee's breakout kung
fu
movie, The Big Boss.
Maria's part as a wholesome country girl
who befriends Lee made an impression. Maria again
worked with Bruce in his next film, Fist of
Fury, making her the second most frequently used
lady in his films after Nora Miao, although it
was James Tien with whom she appeared in all but one of
her films.
Maria went
on to co-star in two more Lo Wei films
with another superstar at the time, Jimmy Wang
Yu. She got married in June 1974, and Nora Miao
was one of the guests at her wedding. In 1976 she made
her last film, Tiger of
Northland, Golden
Harvest's co-production with Korea.
Maria Yi
Filmography
| 1971 |
The Chase |
|
| 1971 |
The Big
Boss |
[aka Fists of
Fury ] |
| 1972 |
Fist of
Fury |
[aka The Chinese
Connection
] |
| 1973 |
A Man Called
Tiger |
[aka The Man Called
Tiger ] |
| 1973 |
Seaman No.
7 |
|
| 1973 |
Story of Mother |
[TAIWAN]
|
| 1974 |
The Tournament
|
[guest star]
|
| 1976 |
Tiger of Northland
|
[HK-KOREA] |
|
