Kenny Bee

1.1. Childhood and Family Background

Born Chung Chun-to on February 23, 1953, in British Hong Kong, Kenny Bee spent his formative years in the bustling city. During his infancy, he briefly resided in Xinhui District, Jiangmen City, Guangdong, China. He comes from a large family, having a blood brother and six half-siblings. His autobiography, titled MacDonnell Road, is named after the Hong Kong street where he grew up, reflecting his early life experiences.

1.2. Debut as a Musician

Bee embarked on his journey in the entertainment industry in 1973 as a founding member of the iconic Hong Kong rock band, The Wynners (溫拿樂隊^Chinese). In the band, he performed as a vocalist, keyboardist, saxophonist, and occasionally a guitarist, sharing singing responsibilities with Alan Tam. Prior to joining The Wynners, he honed his skills as a vocalist and saxophonist on the Hong Kong nightclub circuit and briefly fronted a band known as 'the Sergeant Majors'.

1.3. Entry into Acting

As members of The Wynners pursued individual projects in 1978, Kenny Bee began a solo acting career in Taiwan. He quickly gained recognition for his leading roles in several romantic films, including The Story of a Small Town (1979) and Good Morning, Taipei (1979), both of which were critically acclaimed and earned Golden Horse Awards. Other notable early Taiwanese films include The Green, Green Grass of Home (1983). Upon his return to Hong Kong in the 1980s, Bee became a prolific actor, particularly known for his roles in a wide array of romantic comedies. His first film appearance was in the 1975 Hong Kong movie Let's Rock.

2.1. Music Activities

Following his solo music debut in 1979, Kenny Bee released over fifty studio and compilation albums throughout his career, encompassing Cantonese, Mandarin, and English languages. The 1980s represented a significant peak in his musical popularity in Hong Kong, with four of his studio albums achieving gold status and two reaching platinum.

He is renowned for several hit songs from this period, including 讓一切隨風_{Let Everything Be Gone With the Wind}^Chinese, 要是有緣_{If We Were Meant To Be}^Chinese, 紅葉斜落我心寂寞時_{Red Leaves Fell As I Feel Lonesome}^Chinese (a Cantonese cover of Richard Marx's Right Here Waiting), and 一段情_{A Romance}^Chinese. Bee is recognized for his distinctive, husky vocal quality and often penned his own hit songs. A multi-instrumentalist, he was frequently seen performing with keyboards or a saxophone in his early career, and in more recent performances, he typically accompanies himself on guitar.

In December 2006, Bee released his latest Cantonese solo album, 濤出新天_Escape^Chinese, which featured his new band, Black Tea. He has also collaborated with violin luthier Scott Cao to create their own line of classical guitars, named "Bonstar." In 2008, Bee held a series of successful solo concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum, as well as in Singapore and Macau. Beyond his solo endeavors, The Wynners have continued to embark on world tours. He is also widely recognized for his duet with Chelsia Chan on the song "One Summer Night."

2.2. Acting Activities

After establishing his acting career in Taiwan, Kenny Bee returned to the Hong Kong film industry in the 1980s, accumulating an extensive list of film credits. He became particularly known for his roles in romantic comedies, showcasing his comedic timing and versatility. His notable film appearances include Let's Make Laugh (1983), Shanghai Blues (1984), Fist of Fury 1991 (1991), The Chinese Feast (1995), and Initial D (2005).

Bee also appeared in a range of other genres, including action and wuxia films. He co-starred with Jackie Chan and Alan Tam in Armour of God (1986) and had a role in Project A Part II (1987). In the wuxia film The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), he played the role of 黃裳_{Wong Chung-Yeung}^Chinese, appearing alongside a star-studded cast including Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Joey Wong. Beyond acting, Bee also ventured into directing, helming the 1986 film 100 Ways to Murder Your Wife, in which he also starred alongside renowned actors Chow Yun-fat and Anita Mui.

His presence extends to television dramas as well. Notable television appearances include his role as Gongsun Zhi in The Return of the Condor Heroes (2006). More recently, he has appeared in series such as Finding Soul (2016), The Hunting Genius (2017), Douluo Continent (2021), One Boat One World (2021), Blossoms Shanghai (2023), and The Baking Challenge (2023). In 2024, he had a recurring role in the web series Detective Chinatown. He is also slated to appear in the upcoming series Mr Right.

5.1. Cantonese Albums

• 閃閃星辰 - 1980
• 不可以不想你 - 1981
• 說愛就愛 - 1983
• 要是有緣 - 1983
• 我行我素 - 1984.07
• 鍾鎮濤精選 (Collection) - 1984
• 痴心的一句 - 1985.01
• 鍾鎮濤(淚之旅) - 1985.09
• 鍾鎮濤(Trip Mix): 淚之旅/太多考驗 (12" Single Mix) - 1985
• 情變 - 1986.05
• 鍾鎮濤(Trip Mix II): 香腸、蚊帳、機關槍/原諒我 (12" Single Mix) - 1986
• 最佳鍾鎮濤 (New Song + Collection) - 1986
• 寂寞 - 1987.03
• 聽濤 - 1987.10
• 晴 - 1988.05
• 情有獨鍾 (New Songs + Collection) - 1988.10
• 人潮內... 我像獨行 - 1989.03
• 看星的日子 - 1989 (November 30 in some releases)
• B歌 (Collection, distributed in Singapore) - 1989
• 鍾鎮濤 (3" CD, Collection) - 1990
• 不死鳥 - 1990 (August in some releases)
• 仍是真心 - 1992 (August in some releases)
• 全部為你 - 1993 (January 1994 in some releases)
• 鍾鎮濤金曲精選 (2 Discs, Collection) - 1993.12
• 88極品音色系列: 鍾鎮濤 Kenny Bee (Collection) - 1997.07
• B計劃 (2 Discs, New Songs + Collection) - 1998.03
• B歌集 (2 Discs, Collection) - 1998.07
• 鍾鎮濤dCS聲選輯 (Collection) - 2000.02
• 俠骨仁心原聲專輯 - 2001.04.20
• 真經典鍾鎮濤 (Collection) - 2001.07.27
• 還有你 (2 Discs, Collection) - 2002.08.22
• 濤出新天 - 2006.12.29
• 佛誕吉祥 - 2009

5.2. Mandarin Albums

• 我的伙伴 - 1979.05.09
• 早安台北 - 1979.08.20
• 白衣少女 - 1980
• 鍾鎮濤專輯 (Collection) - 1981
• 鍾鎮濤(阿B) (Mandarin/Cantonese) - 1982
• 表錯七日情(國) (Mandarin/Cantonese) - 1983
• 哦！寶貝‧為甚麼 - 1983
• 詩人與情人 - 1989.02
• 捨不得•這樣的日子 - 1989
• 捨不得 - 1990
• 飄 - 1990.09
• 活出自己 - 1991.06
• 我的世界只有你最懂 - 1992.06
• 祝你健康快樂 - 1993.09
• 情人的眼睛 (Collection) - 1994.02
• 簡簡單單的生活 - 1994
• 《煙鎖重樓》 - 1994.11.22
• 情歌對唱集(寂寞) (with Teresa Cheung Siu-wai, Mandarin/Cantonese) - 1995.05
• 痴心愛你 - 1995.06
• 男人 - 2004.02.16

5.3. English Albums

• Why Worry - 1997

6.1. Achievements and Contributions

Kenny Bee has made substantial contributions to the Hong Kong entertainment industry over five decades. His early acting career in Taiwan saw him achieve critical success, including Golden Horse Awards for his performances in films like The Story of a Small Town and Good Morning, Taipei. In music, the 1980s marked a pinnacle of his popularity, with multiple gold and platinum-certified albums in Hong Kong. His distinctive husky voice, songwriting abilities, and proficiency across various instruments (keyboards, saxophone, guitar) underscore his versatility as a musician. As of 2023, his continuous activity in the industry for five decades highlights his remarkable resilience and lasting appeal across generations. His diverse roles as a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, and even a film director illustrate his significant impact on Cantopop and Hong Kong cinema.

6.2. Controversies and Challenges

Despite his artistic success, Kenny Bee's public image has been shaped by notable personal controversies and financial difficulties. His high-profile divorce from Teresa Cheung in 1999 garnered extensive tabloid attention, fueled by reports of alleged extramarital affairs and lavish spending habits that contributed to financial strain. Subsequently, he faced a severe financial crisis, culminating in his personal bankruptcy filing in 2002. This period of financial hardship, which lasted until 2006, was widely publicized and presented significant personal and professional challenges. However, Bee has demonstrably navigated these difficulties, publicly rebuilding his career and personal life, and continuing to be an active and respected figure in the entertainment world.