Ricky Hui

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Ricky Hui Kwun-ying
許冠英
Born	(1946-08-03)3 August 1946 Panyu, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Died	8 November 2011(2011-11-08) (aged 65) Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
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
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xǔ Guànyīng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Heoi2 Gun3jing1
Musical career
Genres	Cantopop
Instrument	Vocals
Musical artist

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

Hui was born in Panyu, Guangzhou. He and his family moved to Hong Kong in 1950.^[1]

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.^[2][3] His funeral was held at Po Fook Hill Memorial Hall in Sha Tin, and was attended by dozens of guests and relatives.^[4] 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

^{[5] [6]}

References

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