Shih Kien (石堅 pinyin shi2 jian1, sometimes credited as Shek Kin or Kien Shih in the Western order), born January 1, 1913, is a veteran actor of Cantonese wuxia movies in Hong Kong. His name has become synonymous with villain, as he tended to play evil characters. In Hong Kong, there is a slang expression that compares people's evil deeds with Shih Kien's, despite the fact these deeds were committed by the evil characters he played, not the actor. He is actually well-respected within the Hong Kong motion picture industry and recognized as a very kind and passionate man.
His work dates back to the black and white wuxia era. He played a villain of almost all the wuxia classics of the time, such as 1964's Ru Lai Shen Zhang (如來神掌) and 1965's Liu Zhi Qin Mo (六指琴魔). Later in his acting career, he took on a comedic role with Jackie Chan in The Young Master. He also acted in dramatic roles in such non-wuxia films as Hong Kong 1941.
He is best known to Western audiences as the villainous Han in Bruce Lee's 1973 martial arts classic Enter the Dragon. Shih Kien is a highly respected martial arts master who trained at the legendary Chin Woo Association in Shanghai and received instructor certification in a number of styles, including Eagle Claw and Choy Lay Fut. Among his students is Lee Koon Hung, Grandmaster of Choy Lay Fut.
Shih Kien was rumored to have died in 1999, but appeared in the 2003 documentary Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong at the age of 90.
Began film career in 1939 as a makeup man in Hong Kong. Expert at Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. Appeared in most of the 99 original "Wong Fei Hung" films made from 1949 to 1970. Has appeared in several hundred films. Does not speak English, so his lines were overdubbed by Chinese-American actor Keye Luke.
