Chan Kam-tong, born in Xiaolan, Zhongshan, Guangdong, on 7 August 1906, was known in the trade as 'First Brother'. He first studied under the xiaosheng San Pak, making him a fellow disciple of the Wong Fei-hung actor Kwan Tak-hing, and later joined the Kok Sin Sing troupe to learn from Sit Kok-sin, who became his godfather. He began at thirteen as an extra, became fourth junior warrior at seventeen and second junior warrior in the New Era troupe at eighteen, moving between the Tai Lo Tin and Kok Sin Sing companies before switching from martial roles to young-lead and man-mo-sang parts. He made his name playing the villain Wai Chiu-yan in The Fragrant Maiden, and his leading operas included Ten Years of the Sui Palace, Fourteen Years in the Burning Palace, the role of Tung Siu-wan and Ten Thousand Ages of Chang Yuqiao, several performed with Fong Yim-fun, and others with Hung Sin-nui; before the war he also led Copper Net Formation and Meeting of Five Dragons. Noted for martial roles, he was called the 'martial top scholar' and was famous both for fighting with real weapons and for his 'flying chair' stunt. In 1937 he founded the Kam Tim Fa troupe, whose repertoire included The Golden Dart and Three Thefts of the Nine Dragon Cups. He retired in 1973 after his final opera, opposite Lee Po-ying. He had entered films as early as 1934, when he appeared in Red Boat Saga (also known as The Virtuous Lady), shot in Shanghai, and took his first leading film part, in the martial-arts picture The Chivalrous Robber, in 1941. Between 1934 and 1968 he appeared in over a hundred films, from The Golden Dart (1948) and Tung Siu-wan (1950) to Rain and Wind Weeping for Ping-ji (1963), his last being The Last Emperor Li (1968). He died in Hong Kong on 30 December 1981, and his art was carried on by students such as Leung Yam-tong, Siu Chung-kwan and So Siu-tong.
Chan Kam-tong was famed for his martial roles and known as the 'martial top scholar', and his 'flying chair' stunt and real-weapon fights became landmarks of Cantonese-opera combat. Operas he created with Fong Yim-fun, such as Ten Years of the Sui Palace, entered the standard repertoire, while films like The Golden Dart and Tung Hsiao-wan carried his stage fighting to the screen; his students continued his art.
Achievements
- 1937 · Founded the Kam Tim Fa troupe, whose repertoire included The Golden Dart and Three Thefts of the Nine Dragon Cups.
- 1941 · Took the lead in his first starring film, The Chivalrous Robber.
- 1973 · Retired from the stage after performing his final Cantonese opera.