Leung Sing-por, born Leung Kwong-choi in Singapore in 1908 to a family of Cantonese-opera performers, studied opera from an early age and began performing professionally at seventeen. He became a leading young martial man and later, after putting on weight, switched to the clown role, earning the title 'King of the Clown' for his command of Ma Si-tsang's style. Invited by Ma Si-tsang, he came to Hong Kong in 1939 to join the Tai Ping troupe, and in 1941 joined the Po Ting troupe, appearing in such famous works as The Pearl of Po Ting. After the Japanese occupation he returned to the stage and became a pillar of the Sin Fung Ming and later the Chor Fung Ming companies, with signature roles in The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, The Reincarnation of the Red Plum Blossom and Butterfly and Red Pear Blossom. He entered film in 1950 with a leading role in Late Bloomer, and went on to appear in nearly four hundred films, including the series The Idiot's Wedding and comedies such as The White-Haired Girl's... He also co-starred in the popular North and South family comedies. From 1967 he was a mainstay of TVB's Enjoy Yourself Tonight for over a decade, and in 1977 was awarded the M.B.E., the first Hong Kong actor to receive it. He was five times president of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong. He died in Hong Kong in 1981, aged 73.
Turning from leading young martial man to clown, Leung Sing-por secured his standing as the 'King of the Clown' through opera classics such as The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, becoming a pillar of the Sin Fung Ming and Chor Fung Ming companies. He starred in nearly four hundred films and, from 1967, hosted Enjoy Yourself Tonight for more than a decade, carrying opera techniques into television variety. Awarded the M.B.E. in 1977 as the first Hong Kong actor so honoured, he also long united the Cantonese-opera world as president of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong.
Achievements
- 1950 · Entered the film industry properly, his first lead role being in Late Bloomer (1950).
- 1967 · Became a mainstay of TVB's Enjoy Yourself Tonight when the station launched.
- 1977 · Was awarded the M.B.E., the first Hong Kong actor to receive the honour.