Joseph Velasco timeline and filmography

Joseph Kong/Velasco (middle) in The Clones Of Bruce Lee (1980)

JOSEPH KONG/VELASCO: A Detective Story by Andrew Leavold

All known aliases: 江揚, Patrick Kong Yeung, Kong Yeung, Chiang Yang, Kenneth Kong, Kung Yeung, 江洪, Joseph Kong Hung, Kong Hung, Joseph Velasco, Chiang Sung, Joseph Velaco, Joseph Kong, Kong Yeung, Kiang Hung

One of the most elusive figures in the story of Filipino cinema, very few facts are known about writer, director and occasional producer Joseph Kong/Velasco/etc etc. Some sources say he was born in Taiwan; others claim him to be Chinese from Hong Kong, or Filipino. What IS known about Mr Kong is that he is of Chinese-Filipino heritage. His official filmography begins in Hong Kong in 1972; a recently-unearthed Mandarin-language newspaper article, however, dates his filmmaking career as "Patrick Kong Yeung" back to the mid-Fifties, during which his elder sister Kong Duen-Yee, known as Mui Yee (1923-1966) was a famous Cantonese actress. After a decade writing screenplays and directing for independent Hong Kong companies, he graduated to Chang Cheh's assistant director on The Knight Of Knights (1966) for Shaw Brothers. His daughter - believed to be Queenie Kong - was part of the very first class of the Shaw Brothers Actors Training Program; future Japanese screen villain Yukio Someno was one of her teachers. He continued to write scripts for the Shaw Brothers and even directed a feature, The Naughty Beauty (1972), with his protégée Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik in a minor role. 

He then broke with the Shaws and directed a kung fu feature for fellow Chinese-Filipino producer (and Shaw alumnus) Jimmy L. Pascual; Tough Guy aka Kung Fu The Head Crusher (1972) featured Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik in a leading actor alongside Chen Sing, and was one of Pascual's early international successes for his Empire Cinema Center company. For his new role outside the Shaws' protective umbrella, Patrick Kong adopted a new alias: Joseph Kong, sometimes listed as Kong Hung, Chiang Hung, Kong Hung and Joseph Velasco. With Chang Lee, Chen Sing, Lo Lieh, Bolo Yeung and later Bruce Lee-alike Bruce Le (who reportedly called Kong "sifu") as his stars, Kong/Velasco would become one of the major exponents of "Bruceploitation", an entire sub-industry capitalizing on the success and early demise of Bruce Lee, along with notorious figures such as Dick Randall (The Clones Of Bruce Lee), Joseph Lai and Tomas Tang (Bruce And The Shaolin Bronzemen). At the height of Kung Fu Mania (1974-1978), Kong/Velasco was writing and directing up to five films per year while working all over Asia - South Korea, Indonesia, New Guinea, Thailand, and of course the Philippines - for various pan-Asian companies, often in loose and shady co-production deals. He continued to work with Bruce Le into the early Nineties, when his career began to slow until his final credit in 2001. 

It's possible that Mr Kong/Velasco was born in Beijing along with his older sister - if anyone has any further biographical details, PLEASE message me. In the meantime, I'm still reeling over the fact that the writer of King Boxer/The Five Fingers Of Death and the director of The Clones Of Bruce Lee are one and the same (many thanks to Ryo Sato for the article) 

1955 - Love Trilogy (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")    

1956 - Fire (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")    

1956 - The King And The Beauty (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")    

1957 - Return On A Snowy Night (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")    

1959 - The Golden Beauty (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Great Wall Movie Enterprise Limited)  

1962 - Matrimonial Storm (co-writer/co-director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Lui Daat company)  

1962 - Story Of The Sword/The Mysterious Sword (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Wang Lee Film Enterprises Co)  

1962 - Or Gratitude And Revenge (director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")  

1963 - The Sword Couple (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")

1964 - A Deadly Night (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung") 

1964 - Man Bites Dog (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")

1964 - The Prince Of The Magic Sword (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")  

1965 - I Am Just Twenty (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")    

1965 - The Six-Fingered Lord Of The Lute Part 1 (co-writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Sin Hok Gong Luen company)  

1965 - The Six-Fingered Lord Of The Lute Part 3 (co-writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Sin Hok Gong Luen company)  

1966 - Master Cute And Da Fanshu (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Sin Hok Gong Luen company)    

1966 - How Master Cute Thrice Saved The Idiot Ming (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Sin Hok Gong Luen company)    

1966 - The Knight Of Knights (assistant director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers)

1968 - Hotel Blues (co-writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Sin Hok Gong Luen company)    

1968 - The Magnificent Gunfighter (co-writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Cathay)

1968 - Da Ci Ke Zhi Zi (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")  

1968 - Jin Long Jian (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")  

1969 - Bloody Mask (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Taiwanese production for the Asian Motion Picture Co)  

1971 - Ambush (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers)    

1971 - The Golden Lion (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers)    

1972 - King Boxer/The Five Fingers Of Death (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers)    

1972 - The Devil's Mirror (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers)    

1972 - The Gourd Fairy (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers)    

1972 - The Naughty Beauty (director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; final Hong Kong production for Shaw Brothers. Kong's protégée Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik has a bit role)

1972 - Tough Guy/Kung Fu The Head Crusher/Kung Fu Master - Bruce Lee Style/Tough Guys/Revenge Of The Dragon (first film as writer and director after leaving Shaw Brothers, credited as "Chiang Hung"; Hong Kong production for Jimmy L. Pascual's Empire Cinema Center. Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik makes his debut as a leading actor alongside Chan Sing)

1973 - A Tooth For A Tooth/Japanese Connection (writer/director, as "Kong Hung", and starring Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik; Hong Kong production for Alex Gouw's HK/Indonesian company Goldig Films [H.K.]) 

1973 - Superior Youngster/Karado The Hand Of Death/Hong Kong Cat Named Karado/Super Kung Fu Kid/Karado: The Kung Ku Flash/The Hong Kong Cat (writer/director, as "Kiang Hung", and starring Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik; Taiwanese production for Wu Chi-Ying's Hong Kong Alpha Motion Picture Co and You Li Film Co)

1973 - Kung Fu's Hero/Angry Dragon (writer/director, as "Kong Hung", and starring Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik; Hong Kong production for Chang Shu-Chin's Orient Film Productions, distributed by Goldig Films)

1973 - Kung-Fu King (co-writer/director, as "Chiang Hung"; Hong Kong production for Wu Chi-Ying's Filmline Enterprises)

1974 - The Big Risk/When Tough Guys Meet/Kung Fu Conspiracy (writer/director, as "Kong Hung", and starring Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik; Hong Kong production filmed in HK and Macau for Pau Ming's The Eternal Film Co) 

1975 - Tiger Force/Kill The Tiger (writer/co-director, as "Joseph Kong Hong", and starring Chen Sing and Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik; a Taiwanese/Filipino co-production filmed in the Philippines for Wong Cheuk-Hon's First Films and Kim Yong Lim's Kinavesa Enterprises)

1976 - Bruce's Fingers/Bruce's Deadly Fingers (co-producer/co-writer/director, as "Joseph Kong", and starring Bruce Le and Lo Lieh; Taiwanese production for Liu En-Ze's United Cine-Production Enterprises Hong Kong)

1976 - The Ming Patriots (co-writer, as "Kung Yeung"; Taiwanese production for First Films)  

1977 – Bruce And The Shaolin Bronzemen/King Boxer II/Enter The Game Of Shaolin Bronzemen/Kung Fu Streetfighter (director and possible writer, as "Joseph Kong"; Hong Kong/Filipino co-production filmed in the Philippines for Elite Productions and Joseph Lai's and Tomas Tang's Asso Asia Films) 

1977 - Cobra [possibly also known as Superfist] (director, as "Joseph Velasco", starring Steve Lee/Bruce Lei; Indonesian production for Robert Jeffrey's P.T. Insantra Films)

1977 - The White Stork Boxer/White Crane Fist/The Fierce Boxer/The Fierce Boxer And Bruce/The White Crane Fighter (co-director, and starring "George Rudy"; Indonesian production for Robert Jeffery's P.T. Isantra Films and P.T. Cinerama)

1977 - Bruce And Shaolin Kung Fu/Fist Of Fury Part 2/Ching Wa And Shaolin Kung Fu/Shadow Of The Snake Wizard/Bruce vs Black Dragon (co-writer, and starring Bruce Le and Chen Sing; filmed in South Korea for Robert Jeffrey's P.T. Insantra Film and Lee Jeon-Cheol's Nama-Jinheung Co)

1977 - Return Of Bruce/Return Of Fist Of Fury/Bruce's Return/Ninja vs Bruce Lee/The Dragon Returns/Return Of Fists Of Fury/Return Of Bruce Lee/Bruce's Revenge (writer/director as "Joseph Velaco", and starring Bruce Le and Meng Fei; shot in the Philippines for Robert Jeffery's P.T. Insantra Films and RJT)

1978 - Return Of Red Tiger/Fist Of Fury Part 3/Red Tiger Return (co-writer, as "Joseph Velasco";filmed in South Korea for Robert Jeffrey's P.T. Insantra Film and Lee Jeon-Cheol's Nama-Jinheung Co)

1978 - Bruce Lee In New Guinea/Bruce Li In Snake Island/Bruce Lee In Snake Island/Bruce Li In New Guinea/Big Boss In Borneo (executive director, and starring Bruce Li; filmed in New Guinea for Hon Wa and Keung Chung-Ping's Hai Hua Cinema Co)

1978 - Enter The Game Of Death/The King Of Kung Fu (uncredited co-director, and starring Bruce Le; South Korean production for Tai-Soo Kim's Taichang Entertainment and Robert Jeffery's P.T. Insantra Films)

1978 - My Name Called Bruce/The Dragon's Twin Brother (director, as "Joseph Velasco", and starring Bruce Le; South Korean production for Tai-Soo Kim's Taichang Entertainment and Robert Jeffery's P.T. Insantra Films)

1978 - The Dragon On Fire/Enter Three Dragons/Dragon The Hero/Dragon And The Hero (co-director as "Joseph Kong" with Godfrey Ho, and starring Dragon Lee, Bruce Li and Chang Lee/Nick Cheung Lik; Hong Kong production for Joseph Lai's and Tomas Tang's Asso Asia Films) 

1978 - Manhunt (director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; a Taiwanese/South Korean production for First Films and Gap Chun Film Co filmed in South Korea)

1979 - Suspect No. 1 (director, as "Joseph Velasco"; Filipino production for RTJ - possibly Robert Jeffery's spin-off company)  

1979 - Treasure Of Bruce Lee/Treasure Of Bruce Le (writer/director as "Chiang Sung" and starring Bruce Le and Chen Sing; South Korean production for Robert Jeffery's "Insan Film"/P.T. Insantra Films)

1980 - The Clones Of Bruce Lee/Cobra Warriors (co-director and actor, and starring Bruce Le and Dragon Lee; filmed in Hong Kong and Thailand for Chang Tsung Lung's and Han Sang-Hoon's Filmline Enterprises and Filmark International, and Dick Randall's Spectacular Films)

1981 - The Furious Killer/The Furious/Golden Killer (director, as "Joseph Velasco", and starring Lo Lieh; produced by Robert Jeffery's P.T. Insantra Films and China Films [HK])

1982 - Bruce Strikes Back/Eye Of The Dragon/Bruce Le Fights Back/The Ninja Strikes Back (co-director with Bruce Le and actor, as "Joseph Kong"; filmed in France, Italy, Macau and Hong Kong and co-produced by Dick Randall and Andre Koob for Bruce Le's Dragon Films Co)

1982 - Concorde Of Bruce/Ninja vs Bruce Lee (director, as "Joseph Velasco"; a cut-and-paste of two of Velasco's films, Return Of Bruce [1977] and My Name Called Bruce [1978], with a fight scene from a third, Enter The Game Of Death [1978], released by Robert Jeffrey's P.T. Insantra Film)

1982 - Unreal Dream (co-producer/writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")  

1984 - The Man From Holland/A Man From Holland/Magnum Thunderbolt/Bloody Triad (director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for the Wing Fat Film Production Co)

1986 - Bruce Secret Kung Fu/Bruce's Secret Kung Fu/Bruce's Ninja Secret (director, as "Joseph Kong"; a cut-and-paste of two of Velasco's films, Bruce's Fingers [1976] and Bruce And The Shaolin Bronzemen [1977], released by Joseph Lai's IFD)

1987 - The Thundering Ninja/Ninja Invasion (director, as "Joseph Kong"; Hong Kong cut-andpaste film using parts of Taiwanese flm The Criminal [1977] for Tomas Tang's Filmark International)

1987 - Jokers Playing Games (writer/director, as "Kong Yeung"; Hong Kong production for Taylor Film and Video Production Centre)

1988 - Curse/Cannibal Curse (director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung"; filmed in the Philippines)  

1990 - Fire On The Great Wall (planning director, and starring Bruce Le; filmed in China for Kim Ma Film Co)

1990 - Black Spot/Earth And Fire/Vicious Passageway (producer and planner, starring Bruce Le; filmed in China for Beijing Film Studio)  

1990 - Ghost Of The Fox/Way Of The Fox/Way Of Fox (planning, and starring Bruce Le; Taiwanese production for Bruce Le's Dragon Film Studio and Guangxi Film Studio)

1992 - Comfort Women (planning, and starring Bruce Le; filmed in China for ABC Production Ltd)

1993 - Sex For Sale (writer/director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")  

1994 - Net Of Heaven Action (director, as "Patrick Kong Yeung") 

2001 - Heroes In Love (writer, as "Patrick Kong Yeung")