As a recognized comedy giant, Wu Yaohan was once known as the "Three Masters of Comedy" together with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung , and the "Five Lucky Stars" series of movies he starred in deeply remained in the collective memory of people in the 80s.
He was paid as much as one million yuan that year, and he shot 11 films in two years, and the salary for each film was enough to buy a building.
Although his career is booming, Wu Yaohan's family life is not satisfactory. His son was divorced because his family was not as good as the woman, and his two daughters also encountered problems one after another.
Wu Yaohan was born in 1939 in a small and inconspicuous village in Chaozhou, Guangdong. His father, Wu Hailin, was one of the founders of a local funeral home. Although the family is well-off, because of the four aunts, the life of the big family has cast a shadow on Xiao Yaohan's childhood.
Wu Yaohan's mother died early, and his father was busy with business, which led to his lack of love and withdrawn personality since he was a child. He was often bullied by other children, and on one occasion, several bully kids pushed him into the river. Fortunately, he was rescued by a fisherman, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.
When he was 15 years old, his father sent him to study at a prestigious British drama school. However, apart from sending him money regularly, the father hardly had too many greetings.
Wu Yaohan spent his days in a foreign country, and he missed everything in his hometown. When he was in college, he had a crush on a beautiful and generous mixed-race girl, Mary, and the two had similar interests and their relationship quickly warmed up.
Wu Yaohan planned to marry Mary, but his father strongly opposed it, and not only that, but his living expenses were also suspended.
In order to pursue love, Yaohan can only continue to complete his studies while doing odd jobs. During this time, he had a very hard time, eating only one or two simple meals a day, and sometimes even drinking boiled water to satisfy his hunger.
Unfortunately, the marriage lasted only 6 months before it ended in divorce. At the same time, his father also died of illness, and the relationship between the two became estranged.
Wu Yaohan was so grief-stricken that he couldn't sleep day and night. He was full of remorse, thinking that if he had returned to China to visit his father earlier, perhaps the outcome would have been different.
After graduating, Wu Yaohan joined the TV station as a screenwriter and also participated in several TV dramas.
At one point, he even made a cameo in a small role in the last film directed by comedy master Chaplin.
His experience of getting up close and personal with his idols fueled his passion for comedy acting. In 1970, at the age of 31, he returned to Hong Kong and starred in the TV series "Stars Spectrum" and hosted the comedy show "Happy Tonight", which gradually became popular with his witty and humorous hosting style.
He co-founded Pioneer Films in 1975 with a few friends, and went on to write, direct and act in several low-budget films, the first of which was his personal investment in "Always Single".
However, due to a lack of experience, these films did not make as good box office receipts. The company soon fell into bankruptcy, leaving his father with little of the family property left.
This failure made Yaohan realize the cruel reality of the entertainment industry, but he was not discouraged by this, but cherished every opportunity to perform.
Through this series of twists and turns, Wu Yaohan deeply realized the importance of self-reliance. With his passion and dedication to acting, he eventually established his own niche in the Hong Kong comedy industry.
At first, Ng Yiu-han was just an obscure ordinary actor who played supporting roles in many Hong Kong films, but he was not too well-known.
Once, he participated in a talent show on TV and showed his talent for comedy. In 1976, Ng Yiu-han had the opportunity to join Golden Harvest Film Company with Sammo Hung, and since then he has officially embarked on his comedy career in the film industry.
When Ng first joined Golden Harvest, he collaborated with the Hui brothers on his first comedy film, "Half a Pound and Eight Taels", in which he played the image of a stupid and funny policeman, which marked the beginning of his gradual establishment as a comedy star.
In the following years, Ng Yiuhan collaborated with Sammo Hung and the Hui brothers in a number of satirical comedy films, gradually winning the recognition and support of the audience.
In 1983, in order to compete with competitors, Golden Harvest began to produce the "Five Lucky Stars" series of films, in which Wu Yaohan played the role of "Dead Monkey", which also became an important turning point in his acting career.
Wu Yaohan is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people with the funny and ridiculous image of "dead monkey", with amazing performance and fame, and then cooperated with Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, etc. to form a high-profile "Five Lucky Stars" gold medal lineup, and has been cooperating with Golden Harvest Company to shoot many comedy movies.
In 1985, Wu Yaohan's movie "Lucky Stars" not only became the first work in Hong Kong to exceed 30 million at the box office, but also made him nominated for Best Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Wu Yaohan boldly showed his naked body in the play, performed various witty and funny performances, and showed his fearless comedic talent, so he won the reputation of "comedy ambassador" in the hearts of the audience.
Wu Yaohan has become a household name comedy superstar, and after the 90s, he not only collaborated with Jackie Chan and others to shoot blockbuster comedies, but also began to experiment with different types of roles.
He has shown a new image by playing the lead role in several romance films, while also showing his comedic talent in several humorous and supernatural comedy films.
It can be said that Wu Yaohan, as an actor, has a changeable image, which can be bold and indulgent, but also restrained and affectionate.
After more than 30 years of hard work, Wu Yaohan has transformed from an unknown actor to a comedy superstar in the Hong Kong film industry.
He has deeply touched generations of audiences with his comedic charm, and at the same time created his own comedy legend, becoming one of the most important comedians in the history of Hong Kong cinema.
Despite being in his eighties, Ng Yiu-hon, a veteran of the Hong Kong comedy industry, still has a young comedy heart.
Wu Yaohan starred in many classic movies in the 90s of the 20th century, such as "The Banquet of the Giants", "Heaven and Dragon Slayer: The Demon Sect Master", etc., leaving the audience with all kinds of familiar screen images.
In his most glorious two years, he has quietly become the richest man in Hong Kong, and he can get at least one million Hong Kong dollars for each movie, take over 11 movies, and buy 11 villas.
After buying a property, he rents it out for income. This move made him a billionaire with a net worth of HK$3.5 billion. This wealth does not come from remuneration alone, but from Ng's clever investments.
Despite this, Wu Yaohan did not pass on his property to his son Wu Jialong. When he was 18 years old, Wu Yaohan stopped providing financial assistance to his son, expecting him to earn a living independently.
Although Wu Jialong entered the entertainment industry to make a living, his career has not been satisfactory. In 2017, he proposed to his girlfriend who had been in love for 5 years, but was rejected due to his family's poverty.
Wu Yaohan never helped his son because he firmly believed that his son should rely on his own efforts to cultivate his ability, and this concept was related to Wu Yaohan's own upbringing.
Wu Yaohan is in his 70s, still active in the film and television industry, and has no plans to retire. "For an actor, acting is a pure passion," he said. ”
He can always bring joy to the audience on stage, although he cannot be compared with the comedy master Chaplin, but Wu Yaohan inherited Chaplin's spiritual dedication to the comedy career, and can be described as the "laughing craftsman" in the Hong Kong comedy industry.
Ng has always regretted that he and Stephen Chow never had the opportunity to work together, although he greatly admired Stephen Chow's talent in comedy. This regret has always existed in Wu Yaohan's heart.
After years of hard work, Ng has now amassed a considerable fortune and owns several properties in Hong Kong. However, he did not choose to leave this wealth to his children, but hoped that they would succeed through their own struggles.