Remembering Hong Kong actor Richard Ng: his best films

Richard Ng, a veteran Hong Kong actor-comedian also known as Richard Woo, died on April 9, 2023, at the age of 83.

Here, we look back and remember the laughter and joy he brought to audiences in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.

(Image: Golden Harvest)

Richard Ng was born into a wealthy Hong Kong family that owned the Kowloon Funeral Parlour and Kowloon Motor Bus brands, according to Dimsum Daily. Unfortunately, due to his mother's death, his father sent him to the United Kingdom for his studies when he was only 15 years old.

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Richard Ng began his acting career in the United Kingdom before graduating. From The Straits Times, he appeared in several BBC shows after, but decided to return to Hong Kong in the 1970s. There, he joined TVB shortly after and began working as an actor full-time.

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Did you know that Richard Ng's wife, Susan Ng, was also in the entertainment industry and worked as a hairstylist for martial arts star Bruce Lee in the 1970s?

The couple has four children, all of whom are well-known in the entertainment industry. While three of them are non-actors, Carl Ng followed in his father's footsteps and became an actor.

After returning to Hong Kong, Richard Ng got his first role with Michael Hui in the 1976 comedy film ‘The Private Eyes’. This helped pave the way for him to establish himself as a comedian, where he would often be paired with actor Sammo Hung for the next 30 years.

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Richard Ng went on to act in films such as ‘Money Crazy’, ‘It Takes Two’, and ‘Pom Pom’. He became most famous for his work with the 1983-1996 ‘Lucky Stars’ comedy movie series, where he starred alongside Sammo Hung and Eric Tsang.

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Despite his success in Hong Kong, Richard Ng returned to London in 1997, where he would take on more British projects while continuing to work on Hong Kong projects.

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Some of Richard Ng’s English works include BBC Scotland’s ‘River City’, Channel 4’s ‘The Great Wall of China’, and BBC Three’s ‘Phoo Action’.

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According to The Star, Richard Ng also starred opposite Angelina Jolie in the 2003 movie, ‘Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life’.

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From The Straits Times, Richard Ng has also went beyond acting in Hong Kong and the UK by starrting in Singaporean sitcoms such as ‘Under One Roof’ and ‘Brothers 4’!

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The Star reports that over the course of his career, Richard Ng appeared in 80 films and shared the screen with stars like Michelle Yeoh, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, and Jet Li.

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According to the same report from The Star, Richard Ng's health began to deteriorate in a 2019 interview, when he revealed that he was suffering from chronic kidney disease and hearing loss.

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Richard Ng revealed that his kidneys were only working 10% of the time and that he needed dialysis four times a day. Due to the severity of his medical treatment, the actor was forced to stop work to focus on his health.

On April 9, 2023, 'HongKong01' reported that Richard Ng died of cardiac arrest at the age of 83 while in intensive care. Family members confirmed the news, saying that doctors had told them to be ready to say their final goodbyes that day.

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Since the release of the tragic news, The Straits Times reports that fellow actors and colleagues have paid tribute to Richard Ng, remembering his professionalism, strong work ethic, and unique sense of humour.

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Richard Ng's comedic talent and dedication to his craft have left a lasting impression on audiences and fellow actors alike. His wife and four children survive him, and his legacy will live on through his work and influence in the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

(Image: Universe Entertainment)