Poon Cheuk (1921–2003), born Poon Yuen-cheuk in Shunde, Guangdong, was a screenwriter and Cantonese-opera lyricist. A secondary-school graduate of the provincial Shunde agricultural school, he moved to Hong Kong in 1949 and, through a nephew's connection, met Lo Ka-wong; his first piece, written for radio, was polished by the Cantonese music master Lo Ka-chi. He grew known enough to be commissioned by singing-hall artists, writing lyrics for such songs as Zhang Yue'er's Yu Sui Hun Xiao and Tsui Lau-sin's Zheng Chenggong. He wrote scripts for many opera troupes, among them Da Long Feng's Gai Shi Shuang Xiong Ba Chu Cheng (1966), Jia Bao's Lin Chong (1968), Qing Xin Sheng's Rong Ma Jin Ge Wan Li Qing (1970) and Kam Tim Fa's Feng Huo Qing Tian Zhu (1972). He began writing for films in 1956, his first being The Romantic Story of the West Chamber with the playwright Lee Yuen-man; their joint works include The Precious Lotus Lamp (1956) and The Princess's Messenger (1958). His first solo screenplay was A Fu Celebrates the New Year (1960). Between 1956 and 1968 he wrote scripts or lyrics for more than 170 films. He also scored many wuxia pictures, and in later life wrote religious Cantonese operas.
Working across radio, Cantonese opera and film, Poon wrote or set lyrics for more than 170 pictures between 1956 and 1968 and supplied scripts to many opera troupes. His words turned opera treasures into screen works and helped sustain the output of Cantonese opera films in the 1950s and 1960s.
Achievements
- 1956 · Co-wrote the screenplay and lyrics for The Romantic Story of the West Chamber, his film debut
- 1966 · Wrote Gai Shi Shuang Xiong Ba Chu Cheng for the Da Long Feng troupe
- 1968 · Wrote Heroine Fan Lei-fa, his last film screenplay