Alan Tam Wing-lun was born in Hong Kong in 1950. Tam's father Tam Kong-pak is a renowned soccer player. Tam became passionate about music in his secondary school years, and formed a band called "Looser" with his friends Bennett Pang Kin-sun, Anthony Chan, Danny Yip Chi-keung, Nat Chan Pak-cheung and Chan Pak-sun. They subsequently entered an amateur singing contest and took the first prize, began a career in the entertainment industry, appearing in a number of TVB's variety shows. In 1971, Tam went to Singapore to pursue studies in Economics, and "Loosers" was disbanded. Tam retruned to Hong Kong and formed another band "Wynners" in 1974 with Kenny Bee, Bennett Pang, Danny Yip and Anthony Chan, and gained popularity in performing western hits.
Tam and the "Wynners" began to perform Cantonese songs in 1975, and the group is invited to appear in the films Let's Rock and Making It. He was also seen on television hosting the variety show The Wynners Show and in the television drama Over the Rainbow. Tam decided to pursue opportunities in Taiwan in 1980, and starred in renowned director Pai Ching-jui's A Girl Without Sorrow. He subsequently starred in more than ten films in Taiwan including The Funny Couple and Part Time Job. Tam was awarded Best Actor at the Golden Horse Awards for his role in If I Were For Real in 1981.
Tam returned to Hong Kong in 1982, and starred in numerous films including My Darling, My Goddess and 'Til Death Do We Scare, and appeared in director Ringo Lam Ling-tung's Espirit D'Amour which was a box office smash. Tam's film credits also include Play Catch, The Other Side Of Gentlemen, Kung Hei Fat Choy, Mummy Dearest, Affectionately Yours, The Story Behind the Concert, Lucky Stars Going Places, Rich And Famous, Love Soldier of Fortune, and The Dragon Family. These films were mostly productions of Cinema City Films Company.
Tam starred in Casino Raiders with Andy Lau Tak-wah in 1989, and began several collaborations with director Wong Jing. They include No Risk, No Gain: Casino Raiders: The Sequel, Panty Hose Hero, and The Last Blood. In 1991, he starred in director Peter Chan Ho-shun's Alan And Eric: Between Hello And Goodbye with Eric Tsang Chi-wai and Maggie Cheung Man-yuk. He also appeared in Lee Lik-chi's Once Upon a Time A Hero in China, Master Wong vs Master Wong, and Tigers: The Legend Of Canton. Tam has virtually retired from films since his performance in Age Of Miracles in 1996 and 97 Aces Going Places in 1997, but he keeps his singing career and held a ten-performances concert with Hacken Lee in 2003.
(hkfilmart November 28, 2005)
