Simon Yam Tat-Wah (Chinese: 任達華) was born 19 March, 1955, is a veteran Hong Kong-based actor and film producer. He started off as a supermodel before becoming an actor in the mid 1970s. He then signed with the Hong Kong television network TVB, starring and co-starring in a number of television series prior to "apply his trades" in the film industry in 1987. His elder brother is Yam Tak-wing, a retired former Deputy Commissioner of Hong Kong Police In 1989, he starred in the Japanese-Hong Kong co-production of Fainaru Faito - Saigo no Ichigeki (1989). This was the first of its kind in which English was spoken throughout the entire film. In 1992, Yam gained critical acclaim for his role as the maniacal Judge in the crime film Hap do Ko Fei (1992), where he faced off in a bloody battle against Chow Yun-Fat's character. In 1993, he starred as "Dhalsim" in the action-comedy film Chiu Kap Hok Hau Ba Wong (1993), a parody of Street Fighter directed by Jing Wong. In 1996, Yam began his role as Chiang Tin-Sung, the leader of the Hung Hing triads in the first three installments of the Goo Wak Chai: Yan Joi Gong Woo (1996) film series. In 2000, Yam starred as Cheung-sun, the progenitor of all vampires, in the television series Ngo Wo Geun See Yau Gor Yue Wui II (2000), produced by ATV. In 2003, Yam made his Hollywood film debut in Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle of Life (2003) as Shaolin crime lord.
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