Lee Heung-kam

In this Chinese name, the family name is Lee (李).
Lee Heung-Kam
Chinese: 李香琴
Born
Lee Sui-Kam (李瑞琴)

(1932-01-13)13 January 1932
Shunde, China
Died4 January 2021(2021-01-04) (aged 88)
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong
Other namesLee Hong-kum
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1946 – 2012
AwardsTVB Anniversary Awards – Life Achievement Award
2011 Lifetime Achievement

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese李香琴
Simplified Chinese李香琴
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLǐ Xiāngqín
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingLei5 Hoeng1 Kam4
Musical career
Also known as琴姐，嫲嫲，二幫王，西宫琴
GenresCantonese Opera, Cantopop
LabelsWSM Music Group Ltd., TVB
Website[1]

Lee Heung-kam (13 January 1932 – 4 January 2021) was a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and TVB actress.

Career

She joined the entertainment industry when she was 14 years old. Since 1960, she became known for being an antagonist in many Cantonese operas, films and TV drama series. This lasted until the 80's when her roles were re-typecasted as a kind mother or a spiteful mother-in-law.

Over 70 years in the acting profession, Lee has played the roles of mother, mother-in-law and grandmother of many famous Chinese actors and actresses. Each role has different personality and emotion, demonstrating her superb acting skills.

Lee was also the god-mother of many celebrities, for example Chow Yun-fat, Carol Cheng, Cherie Chung, Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung etc.

In 1972, Lee joined TVB. Lee was known for Enjoy Yourself Tonight.[1]

In 1974, Lee and Tam Ping-man, an actor and on-screen partner, co-founded a production company. One of their most popular duets is Can You Come Back, which was featured in the comedy Rose Rose I Love You in 1993, they performed this song many times on stage together.[2]

Filmography

Aliases: Li Hsiang-Chun, Li Xiang-Jun

Films

Thus is a partial list of films.

TV series

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Hotel (1976 TV series) Ching Wong Mei-or (TVB)
1977 A House Is Not a Home Sze Li Mo-yung (TVB)[18]
1978 Conflict (TVB)
Below the Lion Rock (RTHK)
1979 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Fong Yeung Hing-wan (TVB)
1980 The Brothers So Sui-Fong (TVB)
1980 Five Easy Pieces (TVB)
1982 Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Queen (TVB)
1982 Love and Passion Yuen Dai-Neung (TVB)
1984 The New Adventures of Chor Lau-heung Kam Tai-kwan (TVB)
1985 The Yang's Saga To Dai-Neung (TVB)
1986 New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre Mit-Juet Si Tai (TVB)
The Return of Luk Siu Fung Mrs. Fa (TVB)
Heir to the Throne Is... Koon Chung-yuen's mother (TVB)
1987 The Grand Canal Empress Dugu (TVB)
1988 The Final Verdict (TVB)
1989 The Justice of Life Ho Mei-Lai (TVB)
1991 Days of Glory (ATV)
The Cops Affairs (ATV)
Who is the Winner (ATV)
1992 Shanghai Godfather (ATV)
Who is the Winner II (ATV)
1993 Silver Tycoon (ATV)
Shanghai Godfather II (ATV)
1994 Movie Tycoon (ATV)
Midnight Lovers II (ATV)
1996 The Little Vagrant Lady II (ATV)
The Little Vagrant Lady (ATV)
The Good Old Days Kam Fung-Chi (ATV)
1997 The Pride of Chao Zhou (ATV)
2004 Love in a Miracle Sun Gong Tsui-Fong (ATV)
2005 Happy Family Bak Suet (ATV)
2006 Walled Village Mui Tsui-tsui (ATV)
2008 Moonlight Resonance Sheh Kwan-lai Nominated – Best Supporting Actress (Top 5), (TVB)
2010 When Lanes Merge Lei Suk-jing (TVB)
Can't Buy Me Love Kam Tai Fu Yan Nominated – My Favourite Female Character (Top 15), (TVB)
2012 The Greatness of a Hero On Lau-mui (TVB)

Awards

  • 1997 ATV Anniversary Awards - Best Supporting Actress
  • 2011 TVB Lifetime Achievement Award.[2]

Personal life

In 1950, Lee married Siu Chung-kwan, a Cantonese opera singer. They had a daughter, Siu Ji-wan.[2][1]

Lee had been forced to retire from acting in 2011 due to Alzheimer's disease, her condition deteriorated in December 2020.

On 4 January 2021, Lee died in Hong Kong. Lee was 88 years old. 9 days before her 89th birthday, Lee fainted while having dinner, and was pronounced dead en route to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Star of TVB golden era passes away at 88". thestandard.com. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Remembering Lee Heung-kam, the veteran Hong Kong actress who mentored Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung, and appeared in dozens of TVB dramas". scmp.com. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Cantonese Opera Film Screenings - Lady Racketeer". westkowloon.hk. March 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Lady Racketeer". hkmdb.com. 16 March 1960. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Press Release - HK Film Archive to screen opera films by director Wong Hok-sing to celebrate Cantonese Opera Day 2013 (with photos)". info.gov.hk. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ^ "A Gifted Scholar and a Beautiful Maid". hkmdb.com. 31 May 1967. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  7. ^ "The Golden Swallow (1967)". senscritique.com. 16 August 1967. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  8. ^ "The Long Journey Home". hkmdb.com. 6 September 1967. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Madame Lee Sze-Sze". hkmdb.com. 10 May 1967. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Maiden Thief ,(1967)". senscritique.com. 1967. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Maiden Thief". hkmdb.com. 5 April 1967. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Making a Living in a Blind Way". hkmdb.com. 10 May 1967. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Terrors Over Nothing". hkmdb.com. 14 February 1967. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  14. ^ "The Leading Actress, Perfidious Concubine and Beloved Grandma – Lee Hong Kum's Artistic Career". hk.heritage.museum. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Uproar in Jade Hall". hkmdb.com. 8 February 1967. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Who Should Be the Commander-in-Chief?". hkmdb.com. 1 March 1967. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  17. ^ "The Young Girl Dares Not Homeward". hkmdb.com. 25 April 1970. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  18. ^ "A House Is Not a Home". spcnet.tv. 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2021.