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Poon Ka Tak (born October 13, 1948) is the longest-serving drama producer in Hong Kong television. He was formerly a TVB drama producer, stage director, and film director. He also made cameo appearances in films such as "Needing You" and "Love on a Diet". He is known for training many now-famous actors by having veteran performers guide new talent.

Background

Career Start

Poon Ka Tak was born in Xiamen, Fujian. He returned to Hong Kong shortly after birth and lived with three brothers and one sister. His father was a Chinese Filipino. At age 5, he settled with his family in Sai Wan, Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, and returned to Xiamen at age 7, where he completed primary grades 2 to 6 and part of secondary school. At age 11, he was supposed to reunite with his parents in the Philippines but stayed in Hong Kong due to political unrest.

He originally intended to attend a Mandarin-medium school, Soochow College, but eventually chose Hon Wah College for proximity. He developed interests in dancing, singing, and drama, writing and directing plays in Form 3. Actor Leung Ka Yan was his classmate. After graduating in 1967, he worked as a bank clerk for seven and a half years for job security and timely pay.

In 1974, he joined a musical stage play "The Legend of White Snake" produced by singer Rebecca Pan. While rehearsing, a friend signed him up for TVB's 4th acting class, where he was accepted. His classmates included Johnnie To, Lisa Wong, Felix Lok, and others. After graduating in 1975, he mainly played minor roles before switching to behind-the-scenes work.

He began assisting Chan Ka Ying in the TVB publicity department and followed King Hu in studying drama and scriptwriting. He worked in TVB’s promotions and later moved to directing segments of shows like "K-100".

In 1981, he joined the drama department and directed series like "Four Seasons", "Wind and Rain", and others. Between 1982–1984, he worked at Wong Jim’s advertising agency, directing commercials. He also worked in Taiwan with Johnnie To but declined permanent relocation offers to stay in Hong Kong.

He returned to TVB in 1984, directing commercials part-time while assisting directors like Leung Choi Yuen. By the end of 1986, he was promoted to producer.

TVB Producer Career

His most famous works include "Detective Investigation Files", "Forensic Heroes", "Triumph in the Skies", "La Femme Desperado", "On Call 36 Hours", and "Threesome".

Though shy about acting, he willingly accepted cameo offers without regard for pay. In 2020, he fulfilled a dream by producing the stage play "Tiger Tonight".

Departure and Return to TVB

In May 2018, after 44 years, he left TVB. He returned in September 2020 and signed a one-year producer contract. His final productions included "Good Days" (farewell drama), "Fraudstars" (2021), and co-produced "Youths in the Breeze" (2022). He is now freelance and works in Hong Kong and beyond in drama, film, and stage productions.

Filmography

Main article: Poon Ka Tak filmography