Weng Weng - Later Career

Later Career

Weng Weng also starred in the 1982 western D'Wild Wild Weng, playing a character called "Mr. Weng". In the film, he and sidekick Gordon (Max ZUMA Laurel) are sent to the countryside to investigate the murder of Santa Monica’s mayor. The town is now overrun by the corrupt governor Sebastian (played by Romy Diaz) and his army of banditos, all dressed up to look like Mexican revolutionaries. The ending has Weng cranking a Gatling gun - on the back of a jeep - mowing down wave after wave of sombreros, while a tribe of dwarf Indians launch a counterattack with bows and arrows.

D’Wild Wild Weng shares much of the cast from both For Y’ur Height Only, and The Impossible Kid: Yehlen Catral (Lola in For Y’ur Height Only) plays Elsa the barmaid, Max (For Y’ur Height Only’s tartan-clad villain in shades and cloth cap) Alvarado takes a turn at playing a sympathetic character as the mute Lupo, and Nina Sara (later in The Impossible Kid) is Weng’s love interest Clara.

In the Philippines, Weng Weng became a household name and he was constantly in demand for appearances on TV chat shows, shopping centre appearances and the occasional political rally. In 1990 he was awarded a special citation for services to the Filipino film industry from former first lady Imelda Marcos, and joined her at the presentation in a special karaoke "duet" version of "My Way". An unauthorized recording of their performance was later released on bootleg cassette and sold 200,000 copies.

Weng Weng demonstrated martial artistry in his films. It is said that he trained in many disciplines including Jeet Kune Do under fellow Filipino Dan Inosanto and the hybrid martial style Ju Gran Chaud which he was taught by Ju Gran Chaud's founder Laurent Painchaud who travelled through Southeast Asia preaching the discipline.

By the late 1980s, film and television roles had dried up, and according to some sources Weng Weng had begun drinking heavily. Weng Weng died in Pasay City, Philippines in 1992 of a heart attack, at age 34.