Ricky Hui
Ricky Hui Kwun-ying | |||||||||||
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許冠英 | |||||||||||
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Born | |||||||||||
Died | 8 November 2011 | (aged 65)||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Actor, singer | ||||||||||
Years active | 1972–2011 | ||||||||||
Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 許冠英 | ||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 许冠英 | ||||||||||
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Musical career | |||||||||||
Genres | Cantopop | ||||||||||
Instrument | Vocals | ||||||||||
Ricky Hui Kwun-ying (3 August 1946 – 8 November 2011) was a Hong Kong actor and singer. He along with his brothers, Michael and Sam, made several comedy blockbusters in the 1970s and 1980s.
Biography
Films
Ricky worked as a correspondent for the Agence France-Presse in Hong Kong. He also frequently appeared in Shaw Brothers films between 1972 and 1976, such as The Lizard (1972), The 14 Amazons (1972), The Sugar Daddies (1973), The Generation Gap (1973), Rivals of Kung Fu (1974), Hong Kong 73 (1974) etc. For him the big break came when he joined his brothers on screen.
Hui's first major role was in Games Gamblers Play (1974) as a card player followed by The Last Message (1975) with a short appearance as a waiter. Ricky had a larger role in The Private Eyes (1976) and with that film a new era of the Hong Kong Cinema started. The Hui brothers' comedy films were an influential part of Hong Kong cinema. Their films were packed with visual gags and unique Cantonese humor. Although Ricky had only a small role in The Private Eyes, it remained one of the all time favorites among fans. According to Michael Hui, Ricky had only brief appearance in this film because at that time he had a contract with the Shaw Brothers. Reportedly, his contract with the Shaw Brothers ended around 1976, because the last Shaw Brothers film he appeared in was Challenge of the Masters that year. The following year found Ricky at Golden Harvest with a leading role in John Woo's Money Crazy as well as From Riches to Rags. In 1979 Games Gamblers Play was released in the Japanese market. For this edition Michael shot a new scene, a fight between Ricky and Sam on the beach, and replaced the original Sammo Hung vs Sam Hui fight with it. The next Hui brothers production where Ricky teamed up with his brothers again was The Contract in 1978, followed by Security Unlimited (1981), one of the most successful films featuring the Hui brothers; Security Unlimited was full of gags and included the Huis' trademark Cantonese humor. In the late 1970s and early 1980s Ricky played leading roles in John Woo films like From Riches To Rags (1979), To Hell with the Devil (1982) or Plain Jane To The Rescue (1982).
Michael became a producer in 1987 and Ricky appeared in his films: Chicken and Duck Talk (1988), Front Page (1990), The Magic Touch (1992). In 1985 Sammo Hung produced one of the biggest cult films Mr. Vampire where Ricky Hui played Man Choi, a memorable role on the side of the unforgettable (Lam Ching-ying).
Ricky was most active in his film career in the 1970s and 1980s. In the late 1990s he appeared in only one film, in First Love Unlimited (1997). He later rejoined his brother Sam in Winner Takes All (2000). The last films Ricky Hui appeared in were Super Model and Forever Yours, both from 2004.
Death
Ricky Hui died of a heart attack at home on 8 November 2011 at the age of 65.[1][2] His funeral was held at Po Fook Hill Memorial Hall in Sha Tin, and was attended by dozens of guests and relatives.[3] His family followed his wishes to put his ashes to sea in Sai Kung. 8th November also is the death day of Lam Ching-ying, who was Ricky Hui's partner in "Mr Vampire".
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | A Girl Fighter | ||
The 14 Amazons | |||
The Lizard | |||
Man of Iron | |||
Thunderbolt Fist | |||
1973 | The Delinquent | Kung fu student | Uncredited |
The Generation Gap | |||
Kiss of Death | |||
The Mandarin | |||
Illicit Desire | |||
The House of 72 Tenants | |||
The Sugar Daddies | Hsiao Sun | ||
The Iron Bodyguard | Thief | ||
1974 | The Ghost Lovers | ||
Wu yi | |||
Shao Lin zi di | |||
Hong Kong 73 | |||
Sex, Love and Hate | |||
Rivals of Kung Fu | |||
Sinful Confession | Hentai voyeur | ||
Games Gamblers Play | Gambler at Beach | ||
Kidnap | Casino Assistant | ||
1975 | The Flying Guillotine | Cheng Ziping | |
E ba | |||
The Last Message | Waiter on Skates | ||
1976 | Challenge of the Masters | Lung | |
Gui cai Lun Wen Xu | Lao Tzu | ||
Bao biao | |||
The Private Eyes | Pighead | ||
1977 | Money Crazy | Poison | |
1978 | Gou yao gou gu | (Guest star) | |
The Contract | Frog | ||
Da lin ba | (Guest star) | ||
1980 | From Riches to Rags | Ricky | |
1981 | Security Unlimited | Bruce Tang | |
1982 | To Hell with the Devil | Bruce | |
Plain Jane to the Rescue | Fang | ||
1983 | The Trail | Ying | |
1984 | Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street | Puffer Fish | |
1985 | Infatuation | ||
Mr. Vampire | Man Choi | ||
1986 | Happy Ding Dong | Butcher's Son | |
Naughty Boys | Cab Driver | (Guest star) | |
Chocolate Inspector | Egg-Tart | ||
1987 | Project A Part II | Homely Cop | |
The Haunted Cop Shop | Man-Chill | ||
1988 | Who Is the Craftiest | ||
The Inspector Wears Skirts | Cook | ||
The Haunted Cop Shop 2 | Man-Chill | ||
Chicken and Duck Talk | Cuttlefish | ||
Stumbling Cops | |||
Operation Pink Squad | Dumb Ying | ||
1989 | Mr. Coconut | Lime | |
The Inspector Wears Skirts 2 | Cook | ||
Miracles | Lady Rose's Friend | ||
Forever Young | |||
How to Be a Millionaire... Without Really Trying | Charles | ||
1990 | Front Page | Fly | |
1991 | Ghost For Sales | ||
1992 | The Magic Touch | Fat | |
Mr. Vampire 1992 | Man Choi | ||
1993 | All's Well, Ends Well Too | Lady Chow | |
Laughter of the Water Margins | Hsimen Kuan | ||
1997 | First Love Unlimited | Uncle Wing | |
2000 | Winner Takes All | Swindler Wong's brother | |
2004 | Super Model | Model King | |
Forever Yours | Leo | ||
2005 | Divergence | Yiu's Bodyguard | (final film role) |
References
- ^ 許冠英心臟病逝世 享年65歲. iHKtv (in Chinese). 8 November 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ "HK comedian Ricky Hui dies at 65". AsiaOne. 9 November 2011. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "Film tribute at funeral of Ricky Hui". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
- ^ "Ricky Hui". imdb.com. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "Ricky Hui". chinesemov.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
External links
- Ricky Hui at IMDb
- Ricky Hui an Appreciation Site from Hungary
- Ricky Hui on Hong Kong Cinemagic
- Ricky Hui Forum
- Special topic on the English board of Hong Kong Cinemagic
- [1]