Actor-director Yeh Yung-tsu, professionally known as Teddy Yip Wing-cho, embarked on his career as a contract director for Shaw Brothers during the late 1960s, a time when nepotism was a common practice in the industry.
Born into a family of filmmakers, Teddy was the son of legendary screenwriter Yeh Yi-Fang, also known as Yip Yat-Fong. He began his apprenticeship under renowned directors Ho Meng Hua and Lo Wei, laying the foundation for his future success in Hong Kong cinema.
Teddy's early directing credits included two of his father's scripts, the Mandarin-era wuxia swordplay classics "The Girl of the Ghost Valley" and "Black Tavern", which gained popularity among nocturnal moviegoers after dark.
Working under the shadows of industry giants such as Lo Wei, Shen Chiang, Chu Yuan, and Chang Cheh, critics took notice of Teddy's unique approach to traditional material, injecting a fresh and offbeat spin into his early works. His revisionist take on the action genre was particularly welcome, as it sought new directions and breathed life into a tired and stagnant format.
After the passing of the Mandarin old-guard, Teddy flourished during the resurgence of Cantonese cinema, spending the majority of his later career in front of the camera. His iconic mustached face and portly presence became synonymous with police and gangster thrillers, slapstick and romantic comedies, cementing his status as a beloved figure in Hong Kong cinema.
