"Kung Fu" (1972) TV series 1972-1975

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Directors:

Alex Beaton
Barry Crane
(more)

Writers:

Theodore Apstein (writer)
Bernard Bossick (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

14 October 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

The adventures of a Shaolin Monk as he wanders the American West armed only with his skill in Kung Fu.

Plot Keywords:

Kung Fu | Shaolin | Monk | Shaolin Kung Fu | Kung Fu Classic

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

David Carradine	...	Kwai Chang Caine (59 episodes, 1972-1975)
Radames Pera	...	Young Caine / ... (44 episodes, 1972-1975)
Keye Luke	...	Master Po / ... (44 episodes, 1972-1975)
Philip Ahn	...	Master Kan (37 episodes, 1972-1975)

(more)

Series Directed by
Richard Lang		(12 episodes, 1973-1974)
Jerry Thorpe		(6 episodes, 1972-1973)
John Llewellyn Moxey		(4 episodes, 1973-1974)
Robert Butler		(4 episodes, 1973)
Walter Doniger		(3 episodes, 1973)
Charles S. Dubin		(3 episodes, 1973)
David Carradine		(3 episodes, 1974)
Robert Totten		(2 episodes, 1973)
Alex Beaton		(unknown episodes)
Barry Crane		(unknown episodes)
Marc Daniels		(unknown episodes)
Harry Harris		(unknown episodes)
Gordon Hessler		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Herman Miller		(5 episodes, 1972-1975)
Katharyn Powers		(4 episodes, 1973-1974)
A. Martin Zweiback		(4 episodes, 1973)
Michael Michaelian		(2 episodes, 1973-1974)
William Kelley		(2 episodes, 1973)
Gerald Sanford		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Theodore Apstein		(unknown episodes)
Bernard Bossick		(unknown episodes)
Kittridge Buston		(unknown episodes)
Frank Dandridge		(unknown episodes)
Paul F. Edwards		(unknown episodes)
Larry H. Gibson		(unknown episodes)
Spooner Glass		(unknown episodes)
Elinor Karpf		(unknown episodes)
Steven Karpf		(unknown episodes)
Norman Katkov		(unknown episodes)
Charles McDaniel		(unknown episodes)
Simon Muntner		(unknown episodes)
Abe Polsky		(unknown episodes)
Eugene Price		(unknown episodes)
Del Reisman		(unknown episodes)
Lloyd Richards		(unknown episodes)
Robert Schlitt		(unknown episodes)
Robert Sherman		(unknown episodes)
Robert Specht		(unknown episodes)
Ed Spielman		(unknown episodes)
Daniel B. Ullman		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Jerry Thorpe	....	producer / executive producer (9 episodes, 1972-1973)
Alex Beaton	....	associate producer / co-producer / ... (5 episodes, 1973)
John Furia	....	producer (2 episodes, 1973)
Herman Miller	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Jim Helms		(1 episode, 1973)

Series Cinematography by
Richard L. Rawlings		(3 episodes, 1973)
Chuck Arnold		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Gary Griffin		(2 episodes, 1973)

Series Art Direction by
Eugène Lourié		(5 episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Set Decoration by
Antony Mondello		(3 episodes, 1973)

Series Makeup Department
Mary Skolnik	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1973)
Frank Westmore	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1973)

Series Production Management
Edward Haldeman	....	production manager (1 episode, 1973)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Ziesmer	....	assistant director (1 episode, 1973)
Morris R. Abrams	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Lou Watt	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
William Randall	....	supervising sound editor (1 episode, 1973)

Series Special Effects by
Joseph A. Unsinn	....	special effects (1 episode, 1973)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Jose Feliciano (1 episode, 1975)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Grady Walker	....	utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Greg Walker	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Henry Salley	....	costumer (1 episode, 1973)

Series Other crew
Kam Yuen	....	technical advisor (1 episode, 1975)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Television

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Television (1972-1975) (worldwide) (all media)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1972-1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Cuatro (2006) (Spain) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2005-) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005-) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes

Also Known As:

"The Warrior" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (60 episodes) | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

The only reason this show went off the air was because star David Carradine quit the series. He had sustained so many injuries, he felt he could not go on. The show got high ratings all three seasons it aired.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Una abuelita de antes de la guerra (1975)

Beautiful

Martial arts movies are full of great action and well choreographed fights, from the days of Bruce Lee to the stunning visuals we have with todays wire work and cgi. But Kung Fu is not a martial arts movie/series.....

Kung Fu is about a shaolin monk; Kwai Chang Caine. He travels around the wild west, seeking to help others and avoiding bounty hunters. The amazing thing about kung fu is that the flashbacks show Caine's past, we see that he has been trained to use kung fu, but he is a monk and would not harm a fly if it wasn't necessary. Caine chooses not to fight but when he has no other choice he proves that he can take anyone. The character is really brought to life by David Carradine, it would have been great to use Bruce Lee (Another of my idols) but I don't think the energetic Bruce would have been able to pull of the calmness of Caine.

I was expecting to see a martial arts series in the wild west but kung fu is its own genre. The teachings of Masters Po and Khan are wonderful and make you think about life. Apparently after seeing the series people seeked more information because they wanted to raise their children under the same morals.

It doesn't matter if you don't like martial arts or westerns, you need to see this. It has changed my life and the way I think about life.