Venom Mob
The Venom Mob is group of actors from the Shaw Brothers Studio, popular creators of martial arts films in the 1970s and 1980s. Most were friends since childhood and all attended the Peking Opera school in Taiwan before moving on to Shaw Bros.
They appeared in numerous Shaw films at younger ages but did not become a group in high demand until Five Deadly Venoms. They were the main choreographers in all of their films, highly skilled chinese weapon experts, excellent actors (for a martial arts film), and excellent acrobats. Most famous of them being Kuo Chui who always played the hero in their films.
As with most groups, time saw their talents being pulled in different directions, not to mention in-fighting for starring roles and production credits.
Pick Your Poison
This is the main 5 (though there are six, Chiang Sheng is actually the 5th Venom, not Wei Pai who only did 3 films with the others).
- Kuo Chui (郭追, the Lizard) aka Phillip Kwok - The hero, usually the last man standing save perhaps 1 or 2 films.
- Lu Feng (鹿峰, the Centipede) - Weapons expert and usually the villain, received very few hero roles.
- Chiang Sheng (江生) - Most acrobatic and provides comic relief. Usually a supporting hero with Kuo Chui.
- Lo Mang (羅莽, the Toad) - Most potential of the group but usually the first to get killed, usually a supporting hero with Kuo Chui, but a villain two or three times.
- Sun Chien (孫建, the Scorpion) - Best kicker of the group. Could be good or evil in Venom films depending on his role in the story, most fans find it hard to determine if he is good or evil until the end of the movie. Unlike the other performers, Sun Chien is Korean and does not speak Chinese. Because of this, he wasn't given as much screen time as the others.
- Wei Pai (韋白, the Snake) - Did not star in many films with the previous five.
2nd Tier Venoms
Those listed (males) usually were the supporting villains with Lu Feng, if Lu Feng had a rare hero role the lead villain was usually either Wang Lung-Wei or Wang Li. Lung Tung-Sheng was usually a questionable character in a film who ended up siding with the hero's in the end. Females listed were usually "eye-candy" and got little fighting time in Venom films.
- Johnny Wang Lung-Wei- The villain in Venom films and various others.
- Wang Li - Appeared in later Venom films, usually as a villain, great with weapons.
- Sun Shu-Pei - Usually the villain with no Kung Fu skills but very coniving and sneaky. Only hero role was as "Long Axe in Kid With The Golden Arms.
- Yang Hsuing - Better known as "Brass Head" in Kid with the Golden Arms.
- Lau Shi Kwong - The cowardly type, best known as the snitch in Five Deadly Venoms.
- Chu Ko - Appeared in later Venom films, usually as a villain. Best known as the #2 in Masked Avengers.
- Lung Tung-Sheng - Best known as "The Spearman" from Flag of Iron, usually some sort of anti-hero.
- Wen Hsueh-Erh - Lead female in "Sword Stained With Royal Blood" and "Ode To Gallantry". Usually plays some ones spoiled daughter.
- Yu Tai Ping – Usually a mid-tier villain in Venom films that eventually gets killed.
- Shirley Yu - Another female featured in Venom films.
- Pan Ping-Chang – Usually the lead female in Venom films.
- Chin Siu-Ho - Started out as a back-up character but gradually moved into leading roles in "2 Champions of Shaolin", "Legend of a Fox" and several other films.
Venom Films
- 2 Champions Of Shaolin
- 10 Tigers From Kwangtung
- Brave Archer
- Brave Archer 2
- Brave Archer 3 aka Blast Of The Iron Palm
- Brave Archer 4 aka Brave Archer and His Mate
- Chinatown Kid
- Crippled Avengers
- Five Deadly Venoms
- Flag Of Iron aka Spearman Of Death
- Heaven and Hell
- House Of Traps
- Invincible Shaolin
- Kid With The Golden Arm
- Killer Army
- Legend Of A Fox
- Life Gamble
- Magnificent Acrobats
- Magnificent Ruffians
- Masked Avengers
- Naval Commandos
- Ninja In A Deadly Trap
- Ode To Gallantry
- Shaolin Rescuers
- Shaolin Temple (1976)
- Sword Stained With Royal Blood (1981)