Chan Man was a Hong Kong-born director and producer whose family came from Haifeng, Guangdong. Poor in childhood, he left school after primary level and worked for an import-export firm. During the Japanese occupation he met the director Tso Kea while acting in plays. In 1948 he followed Tso to Sida Film Company as a continuity man and production assistant, then joined Hong Kong's Nanguo Film Company as a production manager and was promoted to producer in 1951. In 1952 he helped found Union Film Enterprise, serving as producer and distribution chief, and in the same year helped establish Sun Ngee Film Company as producer of its first film, The Prodigal Son (1952); he also produced Union titles such as Bright Spring in a Dangerous Building (1953) and Tian Chang Di Jiu (1955). When Kong Ngee was formed in 1955 with Chun Kim as general manager, Chan became deputy manager, and that year he founded Ho Wah Film Company with Cheung Wood-yau and directed its first film, Resurrection (1955). In 1961 he formed Brothers Film Company with Patrick Tse and Patsy Kar Ling, directing its opening film Shan Meng Hai Shi, followed by the martial-arts film Shen Tou Qing Zei (1962, two parts). In 1965 he organised Lian Yi Film Company on his own money, directing Hai Tang Hong (1965) and Chu Gui Xin Bao (1968); after directing Qi Cai Nan Xiong Nan Di (1968) he became a producer at Sil-Metropole, and in 1980 directed his last film, Shi Bu Liang Li. Chan directed more than forty films, mostly Cantonese, among them Brothers (1956), Tangshan Sister-in-law (1957), Lian Li Zhi (1960), Conscience (1961), Jin Shi Meng (1963) and Tie Dan (1966); he also directed several Chaozhou opera films for Kong Ngee's sister company Chiu Ngai, including Chai Tou Feng (1962) and Hong Mei Ji (1963). He died in Hong Kong on 23 August 2012.
Chan worked as producer and manager for studios such as Union, Sun Ngee and Kong Ngee and directed more than forty Cantonese films. He was a representative figure of 1950s–60s Cantonese cinema who combined production and creative roles, spanning realist dramas and Chaozhou opera films.
Achievements
- 1952 · Helped found Union Film Enterprise and produced The Prodigal Son, the opening film of Sun Ngee Film Company.
- 1955 · Founded Ho Wah Film Company with Cheung Wood-yau and directed its opening film, Resurrection.
- 1980 · Directed his last film, Shi Bu Liang Li.