Nora Miao
(Miu Ho Sau, Miao Ker Hsiu, Miao Ke Xiu, Nora Chan)
Actress
Born: January 31st Languages: Chinese, English
During the 1970's Nora Miao was one of the decade's leading actresses. Appearing in
many of director Lo Wei's martial arts productions for Golden Harvest and his own movie
company, Nora acted opposite Bruce Lee in The Big Boss, Fist of Fury and
Way of the Dragon, for which she is best known worldwide.
Nora's leading men were some of the most prominent actors in Asia. Along with Bruce
Lee, she worked with stars such as Ko Chuen Hsiung, Chan Wai Man, Patrick Tse Yin
and Jackie Chan, with whom she appeared in three films. She had a special chemistry with
Taiwanese matinee star Ko Chuen Hsiung, starring with him in the Taiwanese romance
The Changing Clouds, Mistress, a Taiwan thriller, and the Hong Kong adventure
The Devil's Treasure.
Shuttling back and forth between her home in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Nora filmed
Taiwanese dramas back to back with Hong Kong swordplay and martial arts films. At one
point she considered emigrating to Canada, where many of her relatives lived.
Nora was contracted with Golden Harvest studios, and debuted in the 1971 hit swordplay
picture The Invincible Eight, followed closely by larger roles in the similarly themed The
Blade Spares None and The Comet Strikes, all helmed by Lo Wei. The same year, Nora
appeared with Bruce Lee for the first time in a small role as a Thai drinks vendor in The Big
Boss. In 1972, she played Bruce's love interest in the soon to be classic Fist of Fury (aka The
Chinese Connection). In Way of the Dragon, Miao plays a world-weary Chinese woman living
in Italy who is exasperated with Lee's shy, country bumpkin ways. Interestingly, Bruce and Nora
were already acquainted before they ever worked together. They knew each other growing up
as their families were mutual friends. In a 1984 documentary, Nora revealed that the character
of Bruce Lee on screen was very similar to the Bruce Lee she knew in real life.
Like Bruce, Nora was very popular in Japan. She visited the country in 1975, where she was
welcomed by Toei film studios president Shigeru Okada. Nora later made a film in Japan.
In 1977 Nora began a short lived stint at Shaw Brothers, co-starring in Chor Yuen's martial
arts mystery Clans of Intrigue and the Shanghai underworld drama To Kill a Jaguar.
She was a guest at the wedding of Shaw stars Alexander Fu Sheng and Jenny Tseng.
Nora's name in Cantonese is Miu Ho Sau; in Mandarin, it's Miao Ke Xiu. Yet her actual
family name is Chan.
Nora Miao's talents were not confined to acting alone. She used to lead a singing group
which toured Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Her constant acting engagements
eventually forced her to focus on the Singapore market exclusively, where she was
once popular.
Nora Miao has retired from movies, last showing up for a rare appearance in the 1996 all-star
comedy How To Meet the Lucky Stars. In 2002, she guest starred on ATV's television
series Mission in Trouble. She now resides in Canada where she co-hosts the afternoon
Chinese talk show "Coffee Break" for Toronto's CCBC radio.
Nora Miao biography © 2000-2005 Hong Kong Movie World All rights reserved. No plagiarism!
Nora
Miao Filmography
1971 |
The Big Boss (Fists of Fury) |
1971 | The Blade Spares None |
Bruce's Deadly Fingers | |
1974 | The Changing Clouds |
1977 | Clans of Intrigue |
1971 | The Comet Strikes |
1973 | The Devil's Treasure |
1979 | Dragon Fist |
1979 | The Dream Sword |
1972 | Fist of Fury (The Chinese Connection) |
The Great Slaughter | |
1979 | Handcuff |
1996 | How To Meet the Lucky Stars |
1972 | The Hurricane |
1971 | The Invincible Eight |
1977 | The Kung Fu Kid |
The Mask of Vengeance | |
1977 | Men of the Hour (The Heroic Figure) |
1975 | Mistress |
1975 | Money is Everything |
My Blade, My Life | |
1974 | Naughty! Naughty! |
1976 | New Fist of Fury |
The Obsessed | |
1980 | Sakyamuni Buddha |
1978 | Showdown at the Equator |
1974 | The Skyhawk |
1978 | Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin |
1973 | The Story of Daisy |
1977 | To Kill a Jaguar |
1972 | Way of the Dragon |
Nora Miao -Documentaries
1984 |
Bruce Lee- The Legend * |
* Nora Miao is interviewed in English in Golden Harvest's
1984 Bruce Lee documentary
Nora Miao -Television Credits
1987 | The Fatal Irony |
Laugh in the Sleeve | |
2002 | Mission in Trouble |
Reincarnated * |
* 1970's ATV martial arts drama with Tsui Siu Keung
Copyright © Hong Kong Movie World © 2000-2005 All rights reserved. No plagiarism!