Draft:Forest Chan
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Forest Chan | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 4, 1947 |
| Died | March 15, 2024 |
| Education | Primary school |
| Occupation | Actor |
Forest Chan Dick-Hark (Chinese: 陳狄克, 4 October 1947 - 15 March 2024[1]), was a Hong Kong veteran television artiste, he has worked for Shaw Brothers Film Company, Rediffusion Television and TVB as a martial artist, and is also a former TVB artiste with a basic artist contract. In 1976, Chan filmed a TV series called "The Chinese Killer King" for Rediffusion Television, in which he played the leading male role, "The Chinese Killer King" Charlie Zhao. He was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and was nicknamed "The Chinese Killer King" ever since.[2] He added TVB in 1979. As his most common roles were those of gangsters and his acting was excellent, he was awarded the "Alternative Drama King" award in the variety show "Sunday Stage Fight".
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Chan was born in a grassroots family in the 1940s. His ancestral home is Tiantangxu, Xinxing County, Yunfu City, Guangdong Province (Tiantang Town). He has one sister, one younger sister and two younger brothers. His father is a Kao and driver. Chan lived and grew up in Shatin (Hong Kong) in the New Territories and started school at the age of eight. At that time, his family lived in Pai Tau Village, Shatin, and he attended Pai Tau School near Po Fook Hill. But after studying for a month, Chan moved his family to Li Uk Village next to Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin. He enrolled in the first grade of Cihang Charity School (now Cihang School) located there. After graduating from elementary school, he originally wanted to become a policeman. However, because his father didn't want him to be a policeman, he gave up the idea. Before joining the TV station, Chan's father wanted him to be a gardener, but he had no intention of pursuing this career. In the 1960s, he worked as a porter in a small shop called "Xie Chang Long" in Sham Shui Po, responsible for carrying kerosene cans. After working for ten days, he saw that the supervisor treated the workers badly, so he left by resigned.
Career development
[edit]Around 1967 to 1968, since Chan had loved martial arts since he was a child, his family found a master to take him in as an apprentice. This move influenced his idea of joining Shaw Brothers Film Company as a martial arts strategist in the next two years. He met Lau Kar Leung on the set that year, and Lau asked him if he wanted to be a martial arts instructor. Chan learned from Lau that a martial artist could earn up to $75 a month in that era. Chan was also considered to be eye-catching in appearance, so from the age of 16 to 17 he worked with the Lau family and another martial artist, Tong Gai. In 1973, Chan joined Rediffusion Television as a martial arts director. At the same time, martial arts director Hon Yee Sang, who was active at the TV station, was asked by producer Chung Chan Chi to find an actor with both excellent skills and suitable appearance to play the male lead in the drama "The King of Killing in China". Chung Chan Chi was planning to make a TV series based on the novel of the same name from Red and Green Daily, so he invited Chan to play the leading role. With the sincere invitation of Zong and Han, Chan agreed to play the leading role. The play "Chinese Killer King" became the only opportunity for him to play the leading role in his acting career. Although the series was popular with the audience when it was broadcast, he has only played supporting roles or minor roles since then. Dick Chan himself actually didn't want to be the male lead in "The King of Chinese Murder", so he turned down Hon Yee Sang's phone invitations several times. The reason was that he was afraid of memorizing too many lines. And because he felt that acting was just for fun and to make a living, he was willing to play only minor supporting roles until his death.
After serving ATV for three years, Chan left the TV station in 1976 and followed Lau Kar Leung to Taiwan to make films for director Chang Cheh. He did not return to Hong Kong until 1978. Prior to this, he served as the stunt double for actor Lam Wai Kei in the 1976 ATV drama series Big Sister and the Madman. Soon in 1979, he was invited by Steve Lee Ka-Ding to join TVB as a martial arts director. In the 1980s, he faded out of behind-the-scenes work and became a full-time actor. During his time as a martial arts director for TVB, Forest Chan was the deputy martial arts director for the TVB drama series The Bund (1980 TV series). He was responsible for designing the action for the scene in which Xu Wenqiang, played by Chow Yun-fat, was shot to death outside a coffee shop. Chan later left TVB in 1985 and returned to TVB in 1987. He has been an artiste of TVB ever since, with only a few on-screen performances for a short period of time. Between 1990 and 1995, Chan worked as a taxi driver to make a living. Afterwards, he continued to perform in front of the camera, mostly playing supporting roles.
Death by sickness
[edit]On March 15, 2024, Chan was rushed to the hospital after feeling unwell at home and later died of pneumonia at the age of 76.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "76歲資深反派演員陳狄克逝世 曾於《上海灘》指導發哥演被亂槍射場口". 東張+. 2024-03-18.
- ^ "季卿叔走了珍惜眼前輩 甘草仲有好多寶". 《蘋果日報》. 7 December 2015. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "TVB綠葉王陳狄克逝世 終年76歲". 香港經濟日報. 2024-03-18. Archived from the original on 2024-04-19. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
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