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Sam Hui

Sam Hui

Actor and composer, also writer and producer · Born September 6, 1948 (78) · Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

Samuel Hui Koon-kit (許冠傑) is a Hong Kong musician, singer, songwriter and actor born on September 6, 1948 in Guangzhou, China. His family moved to Hong Kong as refugees in 1950. He is credited with popularizing Cantopop both via the infusion of Western-style music and his usage of vernacular Cantonese rather than written vernacular Chinese in biting lyrics that addressed contemporary problems and concerns. Hui is considered by some to be the first major superstar of Cantopop, known as the God of Song. As an actor, he is well-known for portraying the main character "King Kong" in five installments of Aces Go Places film series.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 6, 1948 (78)
From
Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
Works as
Actor and composer, also writer and producer
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 40 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 19% in 30 days

What are Sam Hui's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
51%
Morality
30%
Survival
8%
Power
8%
Self
4%
Friendship8 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 1

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 8

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 6

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 8 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 11 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 11
Ally
2 of 11
Trickster
1 of 11
Shadow
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
7
Thrilling
7
Absurd
7
Tense
2
Warm
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Fun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sam Hui's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sam Hui's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

40 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • J Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • In Memory Of Leslie Cheung (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • 许冠杰 - 此时此处演唱会 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Walker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Theme Song Performance

  • Fantasia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Songs

  • Winner Takes All(2000)

    as 黄大千

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Conman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Lyricist · Main Title Theme Composer

  • A Queer Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Songs

  • How to Meet the Lucky Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Songs

  • Laughter Of Water Margins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Wu Sung

  • All's Well, Ends Well Too(1993)

    as Chow Tung

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • 許冠傑光榮引退匯群星 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • The Banquet(1991)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Front Page (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Mad Bill Lee

  • The Dragon from Russia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer · as Freeman Yao Lung

  • Swordsman(1990)

    as Ling Wu Chung

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • All About Ah-Long(1989)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Mad Mission V: The Terracotta Hit(1989)

    Main Title Theme Composer · Theme Song Performance · as King Kong

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Thirty Million Dollar Rush(1987)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Legend of Wisely(1987)

    Producer · as Wisely

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Mad Mission 4: You Never Die Twice(1986)

    as King Kong

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Working Class (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Main Title Theme Composer · Theme Song Performance · as Yam

  • A Family Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Chan Wing Cheong

  • The Return of Pom Pom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Songs

  • Mad Mission 3: Our Man from Bond Street(1984)

    as Sam Hong Kong

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Wife?! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Songs

  • Mad Mission Part 2: Aces Go Places(1983)

    as King Kong

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Chan Is Missing(1982)

    Additional Music

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Mad Mission(1982)

    Composer · as King Kong

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Security Unlimited(1981)

    Composer · Story · Writer · as Lieutenant Sam

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • From Riches to Rags (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Composer

  • The Contract (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer · as Chu Sai Kit

  • The Private Eyes(1976)

    Composer · as Lee Kwok-kit

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Last Message (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Composer · as Lee

  • Games Gamblers Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer · as Kit

  • Naughty! Naughty! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Wu Te-Chuan

  • Chinatown Capers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Embroidered Pillow

  • The Tattooed Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Koon-Kit

  • Back Alley Princess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Embroidered Pillow

  • The Hui Brothers Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 52 episodes · as Host

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1971 to 2023; peak year 1983.

Highest rated

The Private Eyes (1976)

Midcredits 82nd

Most popular right now

Swordsman (1990)

Film career

19712023

Peak 1983 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1976Screen debut· The Private Eyes
  • 1982First top-billed film· Aces Go Places
  • 1990Career best· Swordsman

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting29 of 40: 19 only acting, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stWriting2 of 40: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 40: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleMusic12 of 40: 2 only music, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score79thOther crew10 of 40: 8 only other crew, 2 with another role

40 titles, 11 with more than one role — acting and music overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1970s9 · 9 acting · 4 crew1980s15 · 9 acting · 11 crew1990s10 · 7 acting · 4 crew2000s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew2010s1 · crew2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 67% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Sam Hui's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 15; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 15 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · actor

Winner Takes All (2000)

73rd percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Chan Is Missing (1982)

Midcredits 85th · 71% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Sam Hui work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sam Hui's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Karl Maka shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles