Philip Tan

Biography

Philip Tan is a Singapore-born stunt performer, fight choreographer, and second unit director who started as a gymnast and became British Youth Tumbling champion before earning a place on the British squad. After turning to martial arts, he was the Men's British Tae Kwon do Champion. His first film break came as an actor and fight choreographer on The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980), with Peter Sellers. He then spent a year on Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), acting and training Christopher Lambert. Steven Spielberg and Robert Watts hired him to train Jonathan Ke Quanin, the principal actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). In 1986 he was invited to join The British Stunt Register, launching his stunt career. He went on to work as a second unit director and stunt and fight coordinator on Hollywood productions.

66years old

Turns 67 on July 22in 282 days

Born July 22, 1960Singapore
Star sign: CancerLast day of the sign, on the Leo cusp

Movie Career

Films: 21
Career span: 35 years1983 to 2018

Genres

Action86%, 18 films
Adventure33%, 7 films
Comedy33%, 7 films
Crime29%, 6 films
Drama24%, 5 films

First and latest

Philip Tan movies on Netflix

Empire of the Sharks2018IMDb rating 2.9as Thelonious
Teleios2017IMDb rating 4.2as Crewman Dang
Awaken2015IMDb rating 3.4as Todd
Wake of Death2004IMDb rating 5.5as Han
Timecop: The Berlin Decision2003IMDb rating 4.7as Chinese Waiter
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist2002IMDb rating 6.2as Grilled Face Fighter
Big Momma's House2000IMDb rating 5.3as Kang
Bloodsport 21996IMDb rating 4.9as John
Deadly Target1994IMDb rating 5.1as Han
Surf Ninjas1993IMDb rating 5.1as Captain Ming
The Criminal Mind1993IMDb rating 3.8as Wing
The Three Musketeers1993IMDb rating 6.4as Parker
Mission of Justice1992IMDb rating 5.7as Drug Dealer #2
Showdown in Little Tokyo1991IMDb rating 6.1as Tanaka
Martial Law1990IMDb rating 4.9as Wu Han
Batman1989IMDb rating 7.5as Goon
Tango & Cash1989IMDb rating 6.4as Chinese Gunman
Shanghai Surprise1986IMDb rating 3.3as Ship's Officer
Underworld1985IMDb rating 4.0as Tung
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom1984IMDb rating 7.5as Chief Henchman
Privates on Parade1983IMDb rating 4.8as Lee

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom1984 Action, Adventureas Chief Henchman
IMDb rating 7.5574K votes
Tango & Cash1989 Action, Comedy, Crimeas Chinese Gunman
IMDb rating 6.4121K votes
Showdown in Little Tokyo1991as Tanaka
IMDb rating 6.123K votes
Wake of Death2004as Han
IMDb rating 5.511K votes
Bloodsport 21996as John
IMDb rating 4.94.5K votes
Batman1989as Goon
IMDb rating 7.5436K votes
Big Momma's House2000as Kang
IMDb rating 5.397K votes
The Three Musketeers1993as Parker
IMDb rating 6.465K votes

Most often with

Mark Atkins directed two of these films. Ten actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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James Hong

Jack Palance

Ron Yuan

James Lew

Professor Toru Tanaka

Simon RheeMark AtkinsDirector, 2 films

Films together

James Hong2 films together, 1989 to 1996
James Hong's page
- Bloodsport 21996IMDb rating 4.9Tan as JohnHong as Sun
- Tango & Cash1989IMDb rating 6.4Tan as Chinese GunmanHong as Quan
Jack Palance2 films together, 1989
Jack Palance's page
- Batman1989IMDb rating 7.5Tan as GoonPalance as Carl Grissom
- Tango & Cash1989IMDb rating 6.4Tan as Chinese GunmanPalance as Yves Perret
Ron Yuan2 films together, 1994 to 2003
Ron Yuan's page
- Timecop: The Berlin Decision2003IMDb rating 4.7Tan as Chinese WaiterYuan as Ling
- Deadly Target1994IMDb rating 5.1Tan as HanYuan as Lucky
James Lew2 films together, 1992 to 1994
James Lew's page
- Deadly Target1994IMDb rating 5.1Tan as HanLew as Guard #2
- Mission of Justice1992IMDb rating 5.7Tan as Drug Dealer #2Lew as Akiro
Professor Toru Tanaka2 films together, 1986 to 1990
Professor Toru Tanaka's page
- Martial Law1990IMDb rating 4.9Tan as Wu HanTanaka as Jimmy Kong
- Shanghai Surprise1986IMDb rating 3.3Tan as Ship's OfficerTanaka as Yamagani San
Simon Rhee2 films together, 1991 to 2002
Simon Rhee's page
- Kung Pow: Enter the Fist2002IMDb rating 6.2Tan as Grilled Face FighterRhee as Young Master Pain's Henchman
- Showdown in Little Tokyo1991IMDb rating 6.1Tan as TanakaRhee as Ito
Mark AtkinsDirector, 2 films, 2015 to 2018
All films by Mark Atkins
- Empire of the Sharks2018IMDb rating 2.9Tan as Thelonious
- Awaken2015IMDb rating 3.4Tan as Todd
Also two films together4 more actors
- Tad HorinoKung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) and Surf Ninjas (1993)
- Leo LeeKung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) and Deadly Target (1994)
- Chad StahelskiBloodsport 2 (1996) and Mission of Justice (1992)
- Jeff PruittTimecop: The Berlin Decision (2003) and Mission of Justice (1992)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Philip Tan's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$1.1 billion

11 of the 21 films have a worldwide figure.

11Worldwide figure
1Never in cinemas
9Figure not found

Top grosser

Batman1989Goon$411 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Batman1989as Goon
$411M36.7% of the total
2
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom1984as Chief Henchman
$333M29.7% of the total
3
Big Momma's House2000as Kang
$174M15.5% of the total
4
The Three Musketeers1993as Parker
$112M10.0% of the total
5
Tango & Cash1989as Chinese Gunman
$63M5.7% of the total
6
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist2002as Grilled Face Fighter
$17M1.5% of the total
7
Surf Ninjas1993as Captain Ming
$4.9M0.4% of the total
8
Shanghai Surprise1986as Ship's Officer
$2.3M0.2% of the total