Leung Sing Poh

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(1908 – 12 February 1981) was an actor, host and former

Cantonese opera Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...

performer from Hong Kong. Leung was a pioneer actor of TVB, and was also the former chairman of

Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong () is a non-profit association of Cantonese opera groups and artists in Hong Kong, established in the 1880s. In 1953, it registered as an organization in Hong Kong. It is a professional organisation for Can ...

from 1965 to 1970. He was nicknamed "Por Suk" or "Uncle Por", and was credited with over 440 films. He had a star at Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong.

Early life

Leung was born as Leung Guang Choy in Singapore in 1908. Leung was devoted to

Cantonese Opera Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...

ever since he was young. Leung loved the legendary Ma Sze Tsang and learnt the Ma style of singing Cantonese opera. His father Leong Yuet was a famous Cantonese opera performer in Singapore. Leong convinced his father to allow him to learn Cantonese opera from a Malaysian master, known as Dai Dam Kan (Big Brave Kan in Cantonese). Leung officially joined a

troupe at the age of 18. Leung started acting in Wusheng roles which made him very popular and one of the members of the Nanyang four kings of

Career

Leung was discovered by Ma Sze Tsang. In 1939, Ma Sze Tsang's Taiping troupe in Hong Kong needed actors, he invited Leung to join the Taiping troupe. In 1940, Leung became a

performer in Hong Kong. During the World War II, when the Japanese attacked Hong Kong, Leung brought his family to escape to

Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...

Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

then to

Guangxi Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...

At Guangxi, he formed a

troupe there and performed in various towns of Guangxi. After the world war, Leung started to gain weight, and was unsuitable for acting Wusheng anymore, and thus changed to Chousheng (clown) in which he portrayed villainous and also funny roles in cantonese opera, acting in several famous Cantonese Opera troupes, Leung thus gained the reputation of being "Chousheng Wang" or Clown King in Cantonese opera. In 1941, Leung crossed over as an actor in Hong Kong films. Leung first appeared in Chaos in the Universe, a 1941 comedy film directed by Cheung Oi-Man. Leung was known for his role as Silly Wong in Silly Wong Growing Rich, 1960 comedy film directed by Chu Kei. Leung's last film was The Hong Kong Tycoon, a 1979 Drama film directed by Cecille Tong. Leung is credited with over 440 films. Leung is one of the pioneer actors of

TVB Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and TVB ...

. Leung hosted the popular

Enjoy Yourself Tonight ''Enjoy Yourself Tonight'' or ''EYT'' is a popular variety show that was produced in British Hong Kong. It first aired on TVB Jade on 20 November 1967. The show lasted 27 years with its last broadcast on Friday, 7 October 1994.Chinanews.com.cn ...

show in Hong Kong for many years till his death.

Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong

From 1965 to 1970, Leung was the chairman of

, an association of Hong Kong Cantonese opera artists. Leung contributed greatly to the Hong Kong Cantonese opera industry.

Filmography

Films

This is a partial list of films. * 1950 Lust of a Grand Lady - Lau Kai * 1961 ''The Greatest Civil War on Earth'' *1962 '' The Greatest Wedding on Earth'' (''南北一家亲)'' * 1974 '' Naughty! Naughty!'' (綽頭狀元) * 1976 Princess Chang Ping (aka Dai Nui Fa) - Chou Chung / Chow Chung.

Television

* 1967 Enjoy Yourself Tonight

Awards

* 1977

for his artistic contributions towards Cantonese Opera. Presented by Governor

Murray MacLehose Crawford Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch, (; 16 October 1917 – 27 May 2000), was a British politician, diplomat and the 25th Governor of Hong Kong, from 1971 to 1982. He was the longest-serving governor of the colony, with four ...

. 13 April 1977. * Star. Avenue of Stars. Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Hong Kong.

Personal life

Leung's wife was Koo Man-kuen. They have seven children, four girls and three boys.Cheung, Tony (2018, July 21) Hong Kong’s late ‘King of Comedians’ Leung Sing-por’s optimism and values still inspire. South China Morning Post. Retrieved https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156255/optimism-and-traditional-values-hong-kongs-late-king Three of Leung's daughters became actresses. Leung Po-Ching is an actress known for portraying a housewife in EYT, Margaret Leung Po-man (Man Lan) - actress with movie opposite Bruce Lee, and Leung Po-Chu - another Cantonese opera performer. On 14 February 1981, Leung died of intestinal cancer. He was aged 73.

References

External links

*
Leung Sing-Bor at hkcinemagic.com

Leung Sing-Bo at dianyang.com

Leung Sing Bo at senscritique.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leung, Sing-Bor Members of the Order of the British Empire Hong Kong male Cantonese opera actors 1908 births 1981 deaths TVB actors 20th-century Hong Kong male singers 20th-century Singaporean male singers 20th-century Hong Kong male actors 20th-century Singaporean male actors Singaporean male film actors Singaporean male television actors Singaporean emigrants to Hong Kong Hong Kong male television actors Singaporean male musical theatre actors Singaporean born Hong Kong artists