Lu Qi
Lui Kei, born Tong Kok-man, was born in Taishan, Guangdong. A Cantonese film actor, screenwriter, and director in Hong Kong. From the 1960s to 1980s, Lui Kei acted in nearly 100 films, including many erotic films. He was also the first Hong Kong director to shoot a Category III film with explicit frontal nudity.
Life
In 1939, Lui Kei was born in Taishan, Guangdong, to a family of legal professionals. He moved to Hong Kong in 1949 and graduated from Form 5 at Wellington English Secondary School.
In 1959, he joined the actors' training class of Chung Luen Film Company. In July the following year, together with his younger sister Lee Man (born 1941), he joined Shaw Brothers' Cantonese film division. His debut was The Case of the Nine Lives[1] (1960). That same year, he starred in Sleeping Beauty and Love and Chastity. The Case of the Nine Lives was his first leading role.
Before Shaw Brothers ended its Cantonese film division in 1964, director Ko Fung founded Ocean Films and cast Lui Kei as the lead in The Romantic Scholar (1965). After seven years in the film industry, he rose to fame and earned the nickname "The Romantic Gentleman." He then starred in Tears of a Lover (1966), for which he also wrote the screenplay.
After his contract with Shaw Brothers expired in 1965, Lui Kei formed his own company, 21st Century Film Company. Initially he wrote screenplays and later became a director. He wrote and starred in Tears of a Lover (1966), the comedy Smart Aleck (1966), Forget Not Tonight (1966), Strange Flower in the Sea of People (1967), and Unforgettable First Love (1967), directed by Wong Yiu. Other films included Princess for the Fans (1966), Girls Are Like Flowers at Eighteen (1966), Charming Birdie (1967), Blessings for the Jade Girl (1968), The Misty Beauty (1968), I Love Violets (1966), Jade Girl and the Thief (1967), and One-Armed Nun (1969). During this period, he often co-starred with actress Connie Chan, forming a classic on-screen couple and peaking in popularity. The two were briefly romantically involved.[2]
In 1969, he made his directorial debut with Mandy, Mandy I Love You, which he also wrote and starred in. He went on to direct about 30 more films, with only a few such as Love of the Nyonya (1969), Heart Thief (1969), and Like Spring Breeze (1969) achieving recognition. Most were explicit erotic films.
[...continued due to length limit — would you like the rest of the translation to continue from here? It includes the acid attack, 1970s-1980s work, family, filmography, and legacy.] In June 1969, Lui Kei was attacked with acid in his residence on Nathan Road, Kowloon. He suffered second-degree burns on his waist and buttocks and required skin graft surgery. After hospitalization and treatment, he recovered and returned to the film industry.
During the 1970s, Lui Kei continued acting, writing, and directing films. He was involved in romance and erotic films such as The Danish Girl (1970), Women's Perspectives (1970), Passion Among the Blossoms (1971), The Bible of Depravity (1971), and Male Prostitutes and Female Call Girls (1972). In the 1980s, as the Hong Kong film market shifted toward Mandarin and foreign-language productions, and erotic films gained popularity, Lui Kei directed and acted in several Category III films, including Rich Men, Famous Beauties, and Star Moms (1986). He also introduced his wife Ling Tai into the industry.
In 1987, Lui Kei retired from acting and moved to Taipei, Taiwan, with his wife Ling Tai and two younger sons. He lived a low-profile life there.
On 14 April 2024, his family announced that Lui Kei had passed away in Taipei at the age of 85. His death was mourned by fans and peers in the film industry.
Personal life
In 1960, Lui Kei married Cantonese opera singer Kwan Wai-shan. They had one son, Tong Chun-yat. The couple divorced in 1973. In 1987, Lui Kei married actress Ling Tai. They had two sons together, Jinny and Patrick. Ling Tai and their sons survived him.
His younger sister, Lee Man (born 1941), was also a Cantonese film actress who often co-starred with him in the 1960s. She later emigrated overseas.
Selected filmography
- The Case of the Nine Lives (1960)
- Sleeping Beauty (1960)
- The Romantic Scholar (1965)
- Tears of a Lover (1966)
- Forget Not Tonight (1966)
- Smart Aleck (1966)
- Princess for the Fans (1966)
- Charming Birdie (1967)
- Strange Flower in the Sea of People (1967)
- One-Armed Nun (1969)
- Mandy, Mandy I Love You (1969) – Director and screenwriter
- The Danish Girl (1970)
- Women's Perspectives (1970)
- Passion Among the Blossoms (1971)
- The Bible of Depravity (1971)
- Male Prostitutes and Female Call Girls (1972)
- Rich Men, Famous Beauties, and Star Moms (1986)
Awards
- 1968, 1970: Overseas Chinese Daily Ten Star Awards – Cantonese Top Ten Movie Stars