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| Chung King Fai dedicated his life to the performing arts |
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| Chung King Fai and Wayne Lai play master and disciple in THE CONFIDANT |
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| Roger Kwok works with Chung King Fai on COME ON, COUSIN, praising his elder for being good at everything. |
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| Wong Cho Lam thanks his mentor for his lessons that enable him to excel in show business |
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Nancy Sit remembers working with Chung King Fai
courtesy of on.cc |
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| Angelina Lo and her mentor Chung King Fai play husband and wife in WELCOME TO THE HOUSE |
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| Louisa Lee says that meeting Chung King Fai is the greatest gain in her acting career |
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| King of Drama Chung King Fai passed away in his sleep at age 89 |
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| Chung King Fai (center)'s final drama was TVB's FINDING HER VOICE. Playing his granddaughter, Jacqueline Wong (left) feels incredibly honored to work with Chung. Owen Cheung (right) is also in the show |
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| Former TVB producer Amy Wong (left) misses her superior Chung King Fai |
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| Wayne Lai (left) says that he has benefited a lot from working with Chung King Fai |
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| Even Stephen Chan (right) has forgotten asking Chung King Fai (left) about the rumors regarding So Hang Shuen |
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Christine Ng praises Chung King Fai for patiently teaching the younger generations
courtesy of mingpao.com |
The Drama King Chung King Fai (King Sir) passed away in his
sleep yesterday at the age of 89. He has devoted more than half a
century to show business, dedicated his life to drama, dabbled in stage
dramas, television and film, served as the management of the television
station, and promoted drama education. From being the trailblazing
founder of the TVB artist training class to the founding director of
the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, he had countless students and
was the benefactor of many on and off camera. They included Chow Yun
Fat, who originally was not able to enter the artist training class.
Chung King Fai caught his potential and decided to accept him.
Angelina Lo Yuen Yen was a student of the 2nd TVB Training Class
student and a student of Chung King Fai. Originally she planned to
visit her mentor with other classmates, but she did not expect to
receive the news of King Sir's passing and hence regretted not being
able to see him for the last time. Louisa Lee Sze Kee has worked with
Chung King Fai on television and stage drama, praised her colleague as
a "true drama master". Meeting him was the greatest gain in her
performing art career.
In 2016 King Sir was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, his
health started to deteriorate so he rarely appeared in public. His
nephew Chung Chi Kuen announced the news of his passing. "It is with
great sorrow that I hereby announce to everyone that my uncle Chung
King Fai passed away peacefully in his sleep at home this morning.
Uncle dedicated his life to drama, with students everywhere. We
deeply understand everyone's respect and love for him. Thank you
everyone for your concern and company for him. Currently we as his
family is working on handling Uncle's funeral, of which once the
details are confirmed we would make an announcement to everyone!"
Chung King Fai was a Chinese Thai, his family originated
from Taishan, Guangdong. Never married, he was only linked in rumors
with So Hang Shuen. He started participating in school dramas since
his second year in secondary school. In 1958 he went to the U.S. to
study drama, after graduating from Yale University drama school with
master of art degree he returned to Hong Kong and once taught at the
Baptist University. In 1967 he started working at TVB, during which
he suggested starting an artist training class and cultivated a large
group of film and television talent including Chow Yun Fat and Ringo
Lam Lan Tung. Reportedly back then when Chow Yun Fat registered for
the artist training class he was not accepted, but Chung King Fai had
a sharp eye. "I felt Chow Yun Fat had a good look and potential, so
I gave him a chance." He was even the Academy of Performing Arts
drama school's founding director. In his 17 year term he was
connected to Gardner Tse Kwan Ho, Louisa So Yuk Wah, Poon Chan Leung,
Alice Lau Nga Lai, Power Chan Kwok Pong, Wong Cho Nam and other
students and had a lifetime full of students.
In addition to his efforts in education, Chung King Fai's solo
performance was just as well known. He directed and participated in
classic dramas like WEST SIDE STORY and THE DEATH OF A SALESMAN, even
in the film GOD OF GAMBLERS 3: THE EARLY STAGE played Ko Chun's master.
With an extreme eerie and mysterious smile, he perfectly interpreted
the so-called "smile that could send chills to your spine" and became
the villain classic in Hong Kong film history. He also narrated the
ATV classis program STORIES FROM AFAR, with his unique and magnetic
voice that remained collective memories today. Chung King Fai always
faced life and death openly. "I am not afraid of getting old. I feel
when a person keeps getting old, he is able to keep growing, keep
learning. A leaf is also waiting for the time for it to fall in order
to be able to release its most brilliant color. Life truly is very
beautiful, so I would use my limited time to do the most I can."
Once the news of Chung King Fai's passing spread, the entire
entertainment circle was rocked. One of his disciples Tse Kwan Ho
was rehearsing his new drama THE MAGIC HOUR at the Academy of
Performing Arts. He said, "1986 was my first year at (the Academy of)
Performing Arts, which was when I performed King Sir's CRYANO DE
BERGERAC on the same stage. It was also the first performing art
piece that I followed him in. Now getting the bad news in this old
place, I am full of emotions and pain. Without King Sir, there would
be no Academy of Performing Arts, and no Hong Kong show business
pattern of today." He felt deeply grateful that his mentor passed away
peacefully in his sleep and thought that it was the best ending, may
he rest in peace. He also promised to handle his mentor's funeral
later. So Yuk Wah also expressed her great sorrow. "When I learned
that you left us, I couldn't speak for a long time. It was like
falling into a time tunnel, with all the footage of the past appearing
in front of me one by one. Your story has always encouraged me,
inspired me -- to be uniformly focused, keep working hard, inject
passion and strictly follow the rules, these professional spirits have
always been a part of my performing art life." Ben Yuen Fu Wah
lamented, "He was a teacher I really respect and love, and he made many
contributions to the drama scene. I was fortune to be an actor in
several of his plays. He would complete the work with ease and full of
effort. In a play we played different characters in different
versions, he gave me a lot of advices and a lot of encouragement. I
have learned a lot from him."
Lo Yuen Yen yesterday in a telephone interview with the TVB
Entertainment News tearfully bid farewell o her mentor, revealing that
originally she and her classmates were to visit Chung King Fai in the
afternoon. "I admire King Sir the most, when I was in the training
class he taught us very well. He taught us acting all the way to
today. We respect him very much and felt that he really was very
talented. He was already studying at Yale University in the 1960s, a
master of drama with a doctorate degree and countless awards. I missed
the chance to see him. Originally I was thinking about visiting him,
but I didn't expect to receive this news. He and I have worked
together on the TVB series WELCOME TO THE HOUSE and several more.
After I heard the news I was numb."
Christine Ng Wing Mei also collaborated with Chung King Fai on
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE and the TVB drama THE STEW OF LIFE respectively,
playing her father-in-law and father. "WELCOME TO THE HOUSE has more
than 200 episodes, and I have the opportunity to get along with King
Sir for a long time. He was a great senior, gentle and cultured. I am
deeply honored to have the opportunity to work with and learn from this
elder on my show business journey. I am very saddened to learn of his
passing. The entertainment industry lost a respectable predecessor,
may he have a safe journey."
Lee Sze Kee and Chung King Fai performed in THE STEW OF LIFE
and the stage play ON GOLDEN POND. Lee Sze Kee said that her co-star
was the teacher she respected all her life. Chung King Fai focused on
and was serious about the work, patiently taught the next-generation
actors. She described him as a "true drama master", "the greatest
gain in my acting career is to be able to meet such a good teacher, I
will always miss and admire him." Lawrence Cheng Tan Shui said, "He
was my Baptist communication department teacher. We played father and
son in the drama WELCOME TO THE HOUSE. We were with each other day and
night for over a year and it was a very rare destiny. In my heart he
was a wise man. I would remember his kindness for the rest of my
life." Liza Wang Ming Chuen said, "He made great contributions to and
had great influence on the Hong Kong drama scene. Back then he and I
performed the play OUR TOWN, later we also had many contact
opportunities at TVB. With old age, really nothing could be done
(about passing), fortunately he passed peacefully in his sleep."
Former TVB producer Amy Wong Sum Wai revealed her deep
connection with Chung King Fai. When she graduated from secondary
school she registered for the TVB Training Class with classmates just
for fun, and the examiner was Chung King Fai. She asked him a very
silly question and left an impression with Chung King Fai. As she
continued her studies she joined RTV on a summer job. There was an
internal recruitment, Chung King Fai was a senior executive and
interviewed her again. Many people applied for 4 spots, and she
finally received the assistant director opportunity. Wong Sum Wai even
got choked up as she said, "King Sir saw my enthusiasm for performing
arts and gave the opportunity. King Sir was once my boss, he was
highly respected in this industry and well educated; but as an actor,
he didn't put on air, wouldn't exceed the position of the actor, very
respectful of the director and would communicate with each other. He
was very kind, he wouldn't mind the size of the role, everyone was very
happy during production."
Wong Sum Wai invited Chung King Fai to be the dramas she
produced, MY FAMILY and THE STEW OF LIFE. She remembered that when he
made MY FAMILY he was already up there in age. The series had a three
levels village house, during the shoot he had to go up and down
many times. "King Sir never said that he was tired. Everyone around
him noticed that repeatedly going up and down on the stairs was very
hard on him." When she found out yesterday that Chung King Fai passed
away, she missed him and was saddened.
Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung and Chung King Fai collaborated on TVB
dramas COME HOME LOVE: DINNER AT 8 and THE CONFIDANT. Chung King Fai
played his master in THE CONFIDANT, "King Sir's teaching on and off
screen has benefited me a lot."
Roger Kwok Chun On worked with him on COME ON, COUSIN and
was rather sentimental. "King Sir to me was a treasure of the
performing arts scene. Whether on or off camera he was full of
knowledge, he was even very attractive with behind the scene
narration. I was fortunate to have contact with him in COUSIN, during
the process I thought he was a very courteous, very elegant gentleman.
He was a teacher. If you ask, he would explain it to you." His co-
star on dramas WILL POWER and THE DANCE OF PASSION Moses Chan Ho said,
"King Sir's teaching and helping hand to the younger generation would
always deeply influenced every one of us actors."
Chung King Fai's last drama was TVB's FINDING HER VOICE that
premiered in 2019. Playing his granddaughter in the show, Jacqueline
Wong Sum Wing responded, "From when I was little and listened to his
warm voice in STORIES FROM AFAR, to growing up and working with him,
playing my grandfather, I felt extremely wonderful and honored. He
brought us all the warm memories. May King Sir leave the pain behind
and be happy, have a safe journey." Co-star Owen Cheung Chung Long
said, "King Sir back then made this series after recovering from major
illness. He was very energetic and very professional. Even when he
felt unwell, he still insisted on performing all of his scenes. He
was always on time, truly an exceptionally good great elder."
Chung King Fai was never married and had no children, and had
even less gossip. On Stephen Chan Chi Wan's 2009 TVB program BE MY
GUEST he interviewed Chung King Fai and mentioned that in 1977 he was
linked to So Hang Shuen in rumors, which Chung King Fai smiled and
denied as he praised So Hang Shuen as a character actor. Chan Chi Wan
said yesterday that he has already forgotten about asking Chung King
Fai about dating So Hang Shuen, because the topic of the interview was
Chung King Fai talking about drama. He also said that he has seen many
of his stage dramas. He revealed that after BE MY GUEST he once
recorded a radio interview with Chung King Fai, which was never
released. He was considering scheduling a broadcast, so that everyone
could relive the reasons why Chung King Fai was intoxicated in drama.
Nancy Sit Ka Yin attended the event yesterday and mentioned
that her relationship with Chung King Fai was as early as the RTV era
when he was a high-level executive. When she and Michael Lai Siu Tin
presided over "KA YIN AND SIU TIN", Chung King Fai also gave advice.
"King Sir contributed a lot in the show business, was a very
respected elder. He had a part in founding the Academy of Performing
Arts. Many graduates of the school are now also teaching in my music
center. He not only taught acting, but also taught everyone the
attitude and the principles of life they should have. He was a great
teacher. Back then we worked together on THE THREAT OF LOVE II, in
which we played a variety of roles, sometimes during filming even I
confused the characters. Fortunately I had King Sir's reminds and
everyone had fun working together." Sit Ka Yin said that although
she was saddened about Chung King Fai's passing and would miss him,
passing away peacefully in his sleep was a kind of blessing.
Wong Cho Nam and Power Chan Kwok Bong stated that their
mentor Chung King Fai had far reaching influence on them. Wong Cho
Nam posted on social network, "King Sir was well respected all his
life, with students galore. I was fortunate enough to enroll several
years before King Sir left his job (the Academy of Performing Arts)
and able to attend his classes. The artistic principles he firmly
held that have been useful for a lifetime have been more than I could
count. Later when I entered show business, I had the opportunity to
invite King Sir to participate in the drama COUSIN and FUK LUK SAU.
In order to support students he never turned anything down, performing
every aspect of life, both drama and comedy as students admired from
the sidelines. The drama education that King Sir established changed
each and every student's life tracks. May you on the stage in Heaven
continued to perform the roles you liked and continue to chase your
dreams!"
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