Ricky Hui Kwun-ying (3 August 1946 – 8 November 2011) was a
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
actor and singer. He along with his brothers,
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...
and
Sam
Sam, SAM or variants may refer to:
Places
* Sam, Benin
* Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Iran
* Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place
People and fictional c ...
, made several comedy blockbusters in the 1970s and 1980s.
Biography
Ricky Hui Kun-ying was born 3 August 1946 in
Panyu
Panyu, alternately romanized as Punyu, is one of 11 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, China. It was a separate county-level city before its incorporation into modern Guangzhou in 20 ...
,
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020 ...
,
China. He had four siblings, Samuel, Michael, Stanley and Judy. The Hui family migrated from mainland China to
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
in 1950 and settled in the then poor area of
Diamond Hill
Diamond Hill is a hill in the east of Kowloon, Hong Kong. The name also refers to the area on or adjacent to the hill. It is surrounded by Ngau Chi Wan, San Po Kong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. Its northeast is limited by the ridge. It i ...
. His father worked hard and undertook any work available to be able to support his family. In the Hui family Arts played a very significant role. Ricky's father played the violin and his mother loved
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of ...
.
Films
Ricky worked as a correspondent for the
French Press Agency
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
in Hong Kong. He also frequently appeared in
Shaw Brothers
Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd. () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, and operated from 1925 to 2011.
In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shangh ...
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
''Games Gamblers Play'' () is a 1974 Hong Kong comedy film directed by and starring Michael Hui, with action direction by Sammo Hung. The film also co-stars Sam Hui, who also served as one of the film's music composers.
Although very successful ...
'' (1974) as a card player followed by ''
The Last Message
''The Last Message'' (Chinese: 天才與白痴) is a 1975 Hong Kong comedy film directed by and starring Michael Hui, and co-starring Samuel Hui, with a cameo appearance by Ricky Hui. This is the second film of the Hui Brothers.
Plot
Tim (Mic ...
'' (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
The cinema of Hong Kong ( zh, t=香港電影) is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China and the cinema of Taiwan. As a former British colony, Hong Kong had a greater degree of p ...
started. The Hui brothers' comedy films were an influential part of Hong Kong cinema. Their films were packed with visual gags and unique
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
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
Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd. () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, and operated from 1925 to 2011.
In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shangh ...
. 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
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (; born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong filmmaker, known as a highly-influential figure in the action film genre. He was a pioneer of heroic bloodshed films (a crime action film genre involving Chinese triads) and the gu ...
's ''Money Crazy'' as well as ''
From Riches to Rags
From Riches to Rags () is a 1980 Hong Kong comedy film written and directed by John Woo starring Ricky Hui and Johnny Koo.
Plot
After buying a winning lottery ticket, factory workers Ah Ying and Fatso become millionaires overnight. However, a ...
''. In 1979 ''
Games Gamblers Play
''Games Gamblers Play'' () is a 1974 Hong Kong comedy film directed by and starring Michael Hui, with action direction by Sammo Hung. The film also co-stars Sam Hui, who also served as one of the film's music composers.
Although very successful ...
'' 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
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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
''Security Unlimited'' (Chinese: 摩登保鑣) is a 1981 Hong Kong comedy film directed by and starring Michael Hui and co-starring his brothers Samuel Hui and Ricky Hui, who are known as the Hui Brothers. Michael Hui was awarded Best Actor at ...
'' (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
''Chicken and Duck Talk'' () is a 1988 comedy film starring and co-written by Michael Hui. It is directed and co-written by Clifton Ko. The film deals with the conflict that ensues between the proprietor of an old-fashioned roast duck restaurant ...
'' (1988), ''
Front Page
Front Page or The Front Page may also refer to:
Periodicals
* ''Frontpage'' (techno magazine), a German magazine for electronic music
* '' FrontPage Africa'', a Liberian daily newspaper
* '' FrontPage Magazine'', an online political magazine s ...
'' (1990), ''
The Magic Touch'' (1992). In 1985 Sammo Hung produced one of the biggest cult films ''
Mr. Vampire
''Mr. Vampire'' (Chinese: 殭屍先生) is a 1985 Hong Kong comedy horror film directed by Ricky Lau and produced by Sammo Hung. The film's box office success led to the creation of a ''Mr. Vampire'' franchise, with the release of four sequels di ...
'' where Ricky Hui played Man Choi, a memorable role on the side of the unforgettable (
Lam Ching-ying
Lam Ching-ying (; born Lam Gun-bo (); 27 December 1947 – 8 November 1997) was a Hong Kong stuntman, actor, and action director. As a practitioner of martial arts Lam starred in a number of notable films that found recognition outside Hong Kong ...
).
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.
Music
Hui has also released seven albums, most of them on vinyl in the 1970s and 1980s. There are three Ricky albums on vinyl: 發錢寒 (1977), 夏之戀 (1978), 錢作怪 (1980). In 1993 '93 急流? was released, which featured new songs by
Sam Hui
Samuel Hui Koon-kit (born 6 September 1948), usually known as Sam Hui, is a Hong Kong musician, singer, songwriter and actor. He is credited with popularising Cantopop both via the infusion of Western-style music and his usage of vernacular Cantone ...
and guest vocals from
Michael Hui
Michael Hui Koon-man (born ; 3 September 1942) (also known as Mr Boo!) is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, scriptwriter and director. He is the eldest of the four Hui brothers (together with Ricky, Sam, and Stanley) who were prominent figures in ...
. The second album in 1993 was 一生渴望 (Lifelong Desire) a 2-CD set that featured one CD of hits from the 1970s and 1980s, and brand-new
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
recordings of songs from '93 急流?. It also paved the way for Ricky's 2 shows at the
Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum, commonly known as the Hung Hom Coliseum, is a multi-purpose indoor arena, in Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. It is in Yau Tsim Mong District.
It was built by the Urban Council and inaugurated on 2 ...
(produced by Sam Hui). The third CD was released in 2001, called The Classical Songs of Universal. It is the re-released version of the album from 1980 with a few extra songs. The last, Greatest Hits album (2CDs), 十足斤兩, was released ony 26 July 2006.
Ricky also wrote some songs for his brother Sam: On Sam Hui's debut
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
album, Ricky wrote 3 complete songs (music and lyrics): Track 3 (甜蜜伴侶), track 4 (無情夜冷風), and track 11 (夜雨聲). On Sam's 2nd Cantonese album, Ricky contributed 2 songs: track 5 (情人離別去), track 10 (歡樂桃源), and track 11 (故苑懷舊). On Sam's 3rd Cantonese album, Ricky has one contribution: track 12 (流水恨). He also wrote a song that can only be heard on his own debut album in 1977: 月影.
In 2000 Ricky had a stage play called
Ha Luk Hei Ban (蝦碌戲班). In the same year he appeared in five episodes of the ATV series ''Heung Gong Yat Ka Chun''. In 2001 a DVD was released of a variety show about the development of Hong Kong entertainment, called Laughing Kaleidoscope which featured Ricky among various artists on stage. In the same year he participated with three songs in the La Fai Palace Jubilee concert. In 2003 Ricky appeared in a concert commemorating the 8th anniversary of the death of
Teresa Teng
Teng Li-Chun (; 29 January 1953 – 8 May 1995), commonly known as Teresa Teng, was a Taiwanese singer, actress, musician and philanthropist. Referred to by some as " Asia's eternal queen of pop," Teng became a cultural icon for her contributio ...
and also celebrating her 50th birthday. Ricky participated with three songs in Sing Along Golden Hits Encore Concert in 2004 among other stars. He appeared in the Rosanne in Starry Night Concert in March, 2006.
Ricky was also a returning guest on Sam Hui's concerts singing a few songs on his own or duets with his brother. He often participated in television game shows as well.
On 30 July 2006, Ricky appeared on concert in Jockey Club Auditorium, at
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is a public university, public research university located in Hung Hom, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. The University is one of the eight University Grants Committee (Hong Kong), government-funded ...
.
Death
Ricky Hui died of a heart attack at home on 8 November 2011 at the age of 65. His funeral was held at Po Fook Hill Memorial Hall in
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelt Shatin, is a neighbourhood along Shing Mun River in the eastern New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District. Sha Tin is one of the neighbourhoods of the Sha Tin New Town project.
The ...
, and was attended by dozens of guests and relatives.
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
Lam Ching-ying (; born Lam Gun-bo (); 27 December 1947 – 8 November 1997) was a Hong Kong stuntman, actor, and action director. As a practitioner of martial arts Lam starred in a number of notable films that found recognition outside Hong Kong ...
, who was Ricky Hui's partner in "Mr Vampire".
Filmography
References
External links
*
Ricky Huian Appreciation Site from
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...
Ricky Huion
Hong Kong Cinemagic
Hong Kong Cinemagic, sometimes referred to as HKCinemagic, is a bilingual (French and English) website providing a repository for information about Chinese language films from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, and the people who created them. The webs ...
Ricky Hui Forumof
Hong Kong Cinemagic
Hong Kong Cinemagic, sometimes referred to as HKCinemagic, is a bilingual (French and English) website providing a repository for information about Chinese language films from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, and the people who created them. The webs ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hui, Ricky
1946 births
Hong Kong male film actors
Hong Kong male comedians
2011 deaths
People from Panyu District
Male actors from Guangzhou
20th-century Hong Kong male actors
21st-century Hong Kong male actors
Hong Kong male singers
Cantopop singers