Lee's Dragon co-star dies at 96

Kien began his film career in 1939 as a make-up man in Hong Kong

Veteran actor Shih Kien, who played Bruce Lee's archrival in the movie Enter the Dragon, has died aged 96.

Shih made his film debut in 1940 and went on to star in around 350 films.

He is best known by western audiences as the one-handed criminal mastermind Han in the film which launched martial artist Lee to stardom in 1973.

Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So said Hong Kong had lost an "outstanding performing arts talent".

50-year-career

On Enter the Dragon, Shih - who did not speak English - simply mouthed the lines as best he could. They were dubbed in post-production.

In a career spanning 50 years, Shih worked with most of Hong Kong best-known actors including Hard Boiled and Pirates of the Caribbean star Chow Yun Fat.

He also made more than 80 films about about Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hong.

Shih died on Wednesday at a Hong Kong hospital with his children by his side, the Ming Pao Daily News reported.

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