CHUNG King-fai
2011 Honorary Doctorate
Citation
Dr Chung King-fai is a veteran stage actor and director in Hong Kong, as well as an educator in drama, TV producer, actor and programme host.
Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama from Oklahoma Baptist University and a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Yale University, Dr Chung had been a lecturer with Hong Kong Baptist University for 23 years, while working in Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), Rediffusion Television and Asia Television Limited in production, acting and administration for 16 years. He also served as the founding Dean of the School of Drama in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, where he worked for 18 years.
Dr Chung received many accolades and awards in the course of his career. Among them are the Ten-Year Outstanding Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies, Stage Director of the Year Award from the Hong Kong Artists’ Guild, the Drama Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, an Honorary Fellowship from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Bronze Bauhinia Star from the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Most Outstanding Television Actor Award from Mingpao Weekly, Life-time Actor Star Award from TVB, the World Outstanding Chinese Award, the Most Outstanding Performing Artiste in Television of 2006 in the 1st Gold Baton Awards organized by the Hong Kong Performing Artists Guild, the Leader of the Year Award (Education/ Culture) in 2009 and Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts from Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2010. He was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from Armstrong University in California in the US and a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from the Open University of Hong Kong.
Dr Chung is a pioneer in staging Cantonese versions of dramas from the theatre of the Absurd, and Broadway musicals. He is an eight-time Best Actor winner and has won Best Director four times in the Hong Kong Drama Awards. He is also the founder of the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies and has been its chairman ever since. Dr Chung has directed a number of plays. The most notable are West Side Story, Noises Off , A Sentimental Journey, Only You, The End Of The Long River and The Shadow Box. His major stage appearances include, Death of A Salesman, Amadeus, On Golden Pond, The Dresser, Don’t Dress for Dinner, Inherit The Wind, The Unexpected Man, Tuesdays With Morrie, Sleuth, Richard III, The Club and The Sunshine Boys. After his retirement from teaching in 2001, Dr Chung has continued to serve as an advisor to the School of Drama in the Academy, and providing invaluable advice to the development of the Academy.
In respect of TV production, Dr Chung is a narrator of Chinese Stories from Afar, a TV documentary series known among Chinese communities around the globe, and host a number of programmes on Chinese history. As an actor, he appeared in roles in The Threat of Love 2, My Family, Welcome to the House, The Dance of Passion, Land of Wealth, At Home with Love, Word Twisters’ Adventures, The Building Blocks of Life, The Stew of Life, A Fistful of Stances, A Great Way to Care and Only You. Apart from the stage and TV, Dr Chung is an occasional film actor and his film appearances include Passion, Hu Du Men, The Source of Love, Tristar, God Of Gamblers 3 – The Early Stage, Lawyer and Black Mask.
Currently, Dr Chung is Chairperson of Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies, Artistic Advisor of Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Executive Director of the Chinese Theatrical Arts Society, Advisor to the presidium of the Chinese Dramatists Association, and a Member of Hong Kong Home Affairs Bureau’s Committee on Performing Arts and Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Art Form Panels. He is also the Chairman of Exploration Theatre and Arts Advisor (Drama) of Hong Kong Arts Development Council.
Dr Chung is listed in Encyclopedia of China, Chinese and Foreign Celebrities Dictonary, Chinese Experts Dictionary, Who’s Who in the World (New Century Volume), Xianggang Mingren Lu (Hong Kong Celebrities), Who’s Who in the HKSAR, China Qualified Personnel Congratulatory Message for New Century, Dictionary of International Biography, Men of Achievement, Reference Asia and Who’s Who in Contemporary World Theatre.