John Ching Tung (born 18 February 1961), originally named Ching Hin-tung and with family roots in Shanwei, Guangdong, is a Hong Kong film actor, producer and director. Drawn to cinema, he came from Guangzhou to Hong Kong in 1978 and worked behind the scenes at RTV as a continuity man, props handler and production manager; after the station was bought by Deacon Chiu and renamed Asia Television he moved into film production while remaining under contract until 1987. He then produced for independent distributors, and a year later accepted an invitation from the producer Charles Heung to co-star in and produce a film, making the shift to full-time acting. In 1990 he became a familiar face through the prison drama Behind Bars and the gambling comedy God of Gamblers as the one-eyed henchman Tai Kwan; God of Gamblers took over forty million Hong Kong dollars, only the second local film to reach that mark at the time. He worked repeatedly with Stephen Chow, including in God of Gamblers II, and played the villain in Tricky Brains and a household servant in Hail the Judge, as well as appearing in television series about the supernatural. When the market shrank during the financial crisis and SARS he opened an advertising company and drifted from the screen, but returned in 2009 as the industry recovered, directing the 2011 kung fu film Choi Lee Fut, and has since worked mainly on the mainland, where he also opened a studio.
As the one-eyed henchman Tai Kwan, Ching Tung became a signature supporting player in Stephen Chow's gambling comedies, creating several memorable villains across the God of Gamblers series and Tricky Brains. He later turned to directing and producing and moved to the mainland, carrying on a two-track career in front of and behind the camera.
Achievements
- 1978 · Came from Guangzhou to Hong Kong and worked behind the scenes at RTV
- 1990 · Played roles in Behind Bars and as the one-eyed henchman in God of Gamblers
- 2011 · Directed the film Choi Lee Fut