Pilot (22 Feb. 1972)

After avenging the death of his teacher, a Shaolin monk flees China to the American West and helps people while being pursued by bounty hunters.

Director:

Jerry Thorpe

Writers:

Ed Spielman (teleplay), Howard Friedlander (teleplay),

Stars:

David Carradine, Barry Sullivan, Albert Salmi

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
David Carradine	...	Caine
Barry Sullivan	...	Dillon
Albert Salmi	...	Raif
Wayne Maunder	...	McKay
Benson Fong	...	Han Fei
Richard Loo	...	Master Sun
Keye Luke	...	Master Po
Philip Ahn	...	Master Kan
Victor Sen Yung	...	Chuen
Robert Ito	...	Fong
James Hong	...	Hsiang
Radames Pera	...	Young Caine
Roy Jenson	...	Fuller
John Leoning	...	Master Teh
David Chow	...	Little Monk

Storyline

From the tiger, he learns tenacity and power. From the white crane, gracefulness. And the dragon teaches him to ride the wind. It could take a lifetime to master just one of the many Kung Fu disciplines. But young Kwai Chang Caine knows them all. He was educated in a Shaolin monastery around 1800 by the monks. Against all forms of violence he face his ultimate challenge when his preferred master was killed by the hands of the imperial forces. After avenging the death of his teacher, as a Shaolin monk, he flees China to the American West and helps people defending the weak and fighting against the evil while being pursued by Chinese bounty hunters.

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Plot Keywords:

shaolin | shaolin monk | kung fu | psychotronic | tv series pilot | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 February 1972 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 16, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Bruce Lee's wife Linda Lee Cadwell, the concept of the series was conceived by Bruce, and he met with the producers for countless hours to shape the show. However, the producers did not offer him the role since they did not feel that the American audience (at that time) would accept a Chinese actor as a lead, and eventually went with the Caucasion actor David Carradine.

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Quotes

Master Kan: Quickly as you can, snatch the pebble from my hand.
[Young Caine tries to do so and fails]
Master Kan: When you can take the pebble from my hand, it will be time for you to leave.

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Connections

Spoofed in 9 1/2 Ninjas! (1991)

User Reviews

Kung Fu

I watched the Kung Fu series regularly when it first aired and then I watched it again when I was much older and appreciated the philosophical statements, comments and guidance offered to the young Kwai Chang Caine from his Shao Lin masters. It led me to read the Tao De Ching for myself and my life was changed because of it. It is rare when a TV show changes someone's life. One of the quotes I have remembered almost verbatim for over thirty years is the following. Kwai Chang Caine asks Master Po, "Is it good to seek the past, Master Po? Does it not rob the present?" to which Master Po answers, "If a man dwells on the past, then he robs the present. But if a man ignores the past, he may rob the future. The seeds of our destiny are nurtured by the roots of our past." Is that quote just made up by the writers or is that a direct quote from the Tao De Ching by Lao Tse? Perhaps it was a quote from Confucius. Whatever the source of the quote, whether it is really from a Chinese philosophical origin or just a very creative Teleplay writer, could you let me know. I would be very interested to know where I could find the quote.

I read about Bruce Lee being cut out of the project that he proposed originally and for which he would have been perfect, though I understand the bigotry and market research that colored TV of the 1970s.

Daniel