John Shum | |
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Background information | |
Chinese name | 岑建勳 (traditional) |
Chinese name | 岑建勋 (simplified) |
Pinyin | Cén Jiànxūn (Mandarin) |
Jyutping | sam4 gin3 fan1 (Cantonese) |
Born | 1952 (age 64–65) Hong Kong |
Other name(s) | John Sham Sham Kein Curly |
Occupation | actor, producer |
Years active | 1980 - present |
Spouse(s) | Au Yim-cheung (m. 1970–75) Tina Lau (m. 1984–88) Shallin Tse (m. 1991–2005) |
Ancestry | Enping, Guangdong |
Awards
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John Shum Kin-Fun (born 1952) is a Hong Kong actor and film producer. His English name is sometimes written as John Sham. Whilst known primarily for his comedic acting roles in Hong Kong cinema, he also spent time as a political activist.
Shum graduated from the University of Hong Kong, and subsequently undertook further study in the UK and US. Upon his return to Hong Kong, he co-founded "City Magazine" with John Chan, and worked as its editor. At the same time, he began working in television and radio.
He was also a student activist in the 1970s back in his youth and was a member of a Trotskyist vanguard party the Revolutionary Marxist League.
In 1983, he set up the film production company D&B Films, along with Sammo Hung and Dickson Poon. He later founded another film company with John Chan, Maverick Films Ltd.
Shum's most prolific period working as an actor was during the 1980s. Of the 45 films he has appeared in, 33 were during this period. Notable appearances include Sammo Hung's Lucky Stars films Winners and Sinners (1983) and Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985), and starring roles alongside comedy partner Richard Ng in the Pom Pom series (1984–1986).
Shum is credited as a producer on over 20 films including Hong Kong 1941 (1984), Legacy of Rage (1986) and The Banquet (1991). He worked as assistant director on the 1987 Michelle Yeoh film Magnificent Warriors and also has credits on a number of other films, with roles such as planning, executive production and presentation.