Sam Hui facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Hui
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| Chinese: 許冠傑 | |||||||||||
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Sam Hui in 2024
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| Born | 6 September 1948 |
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| Other names | Hui Koon-kit, Samuel Hui | ||||||||||
| Education | The University of Hong Kong (BSocSc, 1971) | ||||||||||
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1967–1992 2003–present |
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| Spouse(s) |
Rebecca Hui
(m. 1971) |
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| Children | 2 | ||||||||||
| Relatives |
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| Awards | Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Original Film Song 1991 The Swordsman |
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| Musical career | |||||||||||
| Also known as | God of Songs (歌神), Brother Sam | ||||||||||
| Origin | Hong Kong | ||||||||||
| Genres | Cantopop, Hong Kong English pop | ||||||||||
| Instruments |
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| Labels | Diamond Records (1967) Polydor (1971–1983) Contec Sound (1983–1985) Cinepoly Records (1985–1990) PolyGram (1990–1992) IEC (2007–present) |
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| Associated acts | The Lotus | ||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 許冠傑 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 许冠杰 | ||||||||||
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Samuel Hui Koon-kit (born September 6, 1948) is a famous Hong Kong musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for making Cantopop music popular. He did this by mixing Western music styles with local Cantonese language in his songs. His lyrics often talked about everyday problems and feelings in Hong Kong. Many people call Sam Hui the "God of Song" because he was one of the first big superstars in Cantopop. As an actor, he is famous for playing "King Kong" in the Aces Go Places movie series.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sam Hui was born in Guangzhou, China, in 1948. His parents were both musicians. His father played traditional Chinese music, and his mother was a Chinese opera singer. In 1950, Sam and his three older brothers, Michael, Ricky, and Stanley, moved to Hong Kong with their parents. They lived in Diamond Hill as refugees.
Sam Hui went to Ying Wa College and St. Francis Xavier's College, Tai Kok Tsui. He later graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong in the early 1970s. In the early 1970s, Sam also worked with his brothers Michael and Ricky on several comedy projects.
Music Career
Becoming a Singer
Sam Hui started his singing career in the 1960s. In 1967, he joined Diamond Records. He also began working in television as a host for a youth music show on the TVB network. Sam and his brother Michael Hui became hosts of the Hui Brothers Show, which first aired in April 1971. Sam Hui was also the lead singer of a band called The Lotus.
In the 1970s, Sam Hui sang many popular English songs from Britain and the United States. He also started writing and performing Cantonese songs. His first big Cantonese hit was "Eiffel Tower Above the Clouds" (鐵塔凌雲). It was first played on the Hui Brothers Show in April 1972.
Sam Hui then signed with Polydor and released his first English single, "April Lady."
Cantopop Success
Sam Hui's first Cantonese album, Games Gamblers Play (Chinese: 鬼馬雙星), was part of the soundtrack for a movie directed by his brother Michael. This album became very popular, selling 200,000 copies. It was a major step in making Cantopop famous.
Sam Hui's music was loved by many, especially working-class people. This was because his songs were simple and the lyrics were easy to understand and relate to. He wrote many songs that humorously described or made fun of Hong Kong society and events.
In 1976, his singing and acting careers became even more successful after he released the album The Private Eyes. This album was the soundtrack to the 1976 film of the same name.
The album The Private Eyes humorously showed the challenges faced by people with middle and lower incomes in Hong Kong. Other songs, like "Song of Water Use" (制水歌), talked about real events, such as when Hong Kong had water rationing in the 1960s. Another song, "Could Not Care Less About 1997" (話知你97), encouraged people in Hong Kong to enjoy the present instead of worrying about the future. Some of his songs were lighthearted, while others had deeper meanings.
On June 17, 1979, Sam Hui became the first singer from Hong Kong to perform at the Tokyo Music Festival.
Film Career
Sam Hui signed a contract with Golden Harvest in 1971. He worked with his brothers Michael and Ricky on several films. In 1988, Sam Hui made a short appearance in Michael's film Chicken and Duck Talk. He also helped with the theme song. In 1990, all three brothers reunited in the film Front Page.
Sam Hui also worked with other popular singers like Leslie Cheung. They created the hit song Silence is Golden (沉默是金).
He starred in the Aces Go Places film series, which were action-comedies in the 1980s, alongside Karl Maka. The theme song for his 1986 movie Aces Go Places IV was "A Little TLC". This song won awards, including "Best Original Film Song" at the second Hong Kong Film Awards.
While filming The Legend of Wisely in Tibet, Sam Hui was seriously injured due to a lack of oxygen. This accident made him very ill.
Retirement and Comeback
In the late 1980s, Sam Hui's father suggested he retire to avoid stress from concerts. His mother also worried he might get hurt on stage.
A concert in Hong Kong in 1990 was supposed to be his early retirement show. However, Sam agreed to host a series of 42 concerts. During this time, his father passed away, but Sam continued to perform despite his sadness.
From 1991 to 1992, Sam Hui held many farewell concerts. He performed 14 shows in Hong Kong before his actual retirement. He also held shows in Canada, in Vancouver and Toronto, which he dedicated to his late father.
Even after saying he would retire, Sam Hui returned for a short role in the movie Winner Takes All in 2000. He said he couldn't ignore his desire to perform.
Sam Hui is widely known as the "God of Song" in Hong Kong. He decided to come out of retirement in 2004. He held many comeback concerts that were completely sold out. In these concerts, he honored his friends and colleagues, Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui, who had passed away in 2003. He said their deaths influenced his decision to return to performing. His 2004 comeback song was 04 Bless You ('04 祝福你).
He performed in a concert in Kuala Lumpur in February 2005 with his brother, Ricky Hui, and his sons. He also performed in Vancouver in December 2005 and in Singapore in March 2008. In 2007, Sam Hui signed with EC Music and released his first album in 17 years, called "Life is Good" (人生多麼好).
Personal Life
In December 1971, Sam Hui married Rebecca "Rebu" Fleming. They have two sons, Ryan Hui and Scott Hui. Sam Hui and his family live in Hong Kong. His son Ryan Hui is also a singer-songwriter, and his son Scott Hui is a film director.
Discography
Cantonese Albums
- 1974 Chinese: 鬼馬雙星
- 1975 The Last Message (Chinese: 天才與白痴)
- 1976 The Private Eyes Chinese: 半斤八兩
- 1978 Fortune God Comes (Chinese: 財神到)
- 1978 The Contract (Chinese: 賣身契)
- 1979 Chinese: 79夏日之歌集
- 1980 Chinese: 念奴嬌
- 1981 Security Unlimited (摩登保鑣)
- 1982 Chinese: 難忘您‧紙船
- 1983 Chinese: 最佳拍檔大顯神通
- 1983 Chinese: 新的開始
- 1984 Chinese: 最喜歡你
- 1985 Chinese: 最緊要好玩
- 1986 Chinese: 熱力之冠
- 1986 Chinese: 宇宙無限
- 1987 Band Chinese: 潮流興夾
- 1987 Chinese: 許冠傑新曲與精選
- 1988 Sam and Friends
- 1989 Chinese: 許冠傑 歌集
- 1990 Chinese: 香港情懷
- 1990 Chinese: 電影金曲精選
- 2004 Chinese: 歌神與您繼續微笑
- 2007 Chinese: 人生多麼好
English Albums
- 1971 Time of the Season
- 1974 Morning After
- 1975 Interlude
- 1977 Came Travelling
Filmography
Films
- 1973 Back Alley Princess (馬路小英雄)
- 1973 The Tattooed Dragon (龍虎金剛)
- 1974 Chinatown Capers (小英雄大鬧唐人街)
- 1974 Naughty! Naughty! (綽頭狀元) – Wu Te-chuan, a conman.
- 1974 Games Gamblers Play (鬼馬雙星)
- 1975 The Last Message (天才與白痴)
- 1976 The Private Eyes (半斤八兩)
- 1978 The Contract (賣身契)
- 1981 Security Unlimited (摩登保鑣)
- 1982 Aces Go Places (最佳拍檔)
- 1983 Aces Go Places 2 (最佳拍檔大顯神通)
- 1984 Aces Go Places 3 (最佳拍檔之女皇密令)
- 1984 A Family Affair (全家福)
- 1985 Working Class (打工皇帝)
- 1986 Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍檔千里救差婆)
- 1987 The Legend of Wisely (衛斯理傳奇) – as Producer.
- 1988 Chicken and Duck Talk (雞同鴨講) – Cameo
- 1989 Aces Go Places 5: The Terracotta Hit (新最佳拍檔)
- 1990 The Dragon from Russia (紅場飛龍)
- 1990 The Swordsman (笑傲江湖) – Ling Wu Chung
- 1990 Front Page (新半斤八兩)
- 1993 Laughter of the Water Margins (水滸笑傳)
- 1993 All's Well, Ends Well Too (花田囍事)
- 2000 Winner Takes All (大贏家)
See also
In Spanish: Samuel Hui para niños
- List of graduates of University of Hong Kong
