John Cheng Yeow Nam or Ang Tai Mong (also credited as Zhong Yao Nan; known in entertainment circle as Ah Mong, Ah Nan or Ah Nam) (26 December 1961 – 22 January 2013) was a Singaporean actor and Getai compere who made his screen debut in Money No Enough and was most notable for his criminal figure roles in various media. Liang Po Po: The Movie was one of his most notable performances of a gangster figure.[1]
John Cheng Yeow Nam 钟耀南 | |||||||||||||||
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| Born | John Cheng Yeow Nam/Ang Tai Mong 26 December 1961 | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 22 January 2013 (aged 52) | ||||||||||||||
| Burial place | Mandai Crematorium | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Singaporean | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Actor, getai singer and compére | ||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1998 – 2013 | ||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Lung Yoke Ching | ||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 鍾耀南 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 钟耀南 | ||||||||||||||
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| Musical career | |||||||||||||||
| Also known as | 阿南, Ah Nan, Ah Nam, Zhong Yao Nan | ||||||||||||||
| Origin | Singapore | ||||||||||||||
| Genres | Getai | ||||||||||||||
| Instrument | Singing | ||||||||||||||
Career
editCheng's first screen appearance was in the 1998 film Money No Enough, and the following year he was cast in Liang Po Po: The Movie. Cheng was best known for portraying thuggish, brutal types prone to violence, as a homage to his alleged past career as a loan shark. I Not Stupid was a noticeable first reversal of this stereotypical role – he was cast in a minor role as a police officer tasked with rescuing hostages. Other stereotype role reversals included a minor role as a friend of the three men in That One No Enough (also his first on-screen appearance without his beard), his portrayal of an effeminate hairdresser in 2005's I Do, I Do, and his last film role as a medium in the 2013 film Judgement Day.
Cheng was more active in the getai scene as a compere, along with other part-time actors like Lin Ruping, Liu Lingling and Wang Lei.
Personal life
editIn a 1996 interview, Ah Nan opened up on his past as a hooligan.[2] As one of five children with two parents working to support the family, Ah Nan was neglected and turned to smoking, violence and acts of gangsterism, under the influence of friends. He later joined a loan-shark syndicate and became a runner. Ah Nan worked several menial jobs before entering showbiz in 1987.[3] He received his secondary education in Chai Chee Secondary School.[4]
Ah Nan was arrested on suspicions of supplying Ecstasy in 2006. He admitted consuming the drugs but not supplying them. He was jailed at the drug rehabilitation center for a year and on home probation for six months after his release.[5]
Ah Nan courted controversy when he shouted at journalists during Jack Neo's 2010 press conference on the latter's extramarital affairs.[6] Netizens were divided over his behaviour, with some rapping him for passing off Neo's affair as a norm.
Ah Nan married to Lung Yoke Ching twice and had three daughters.[3]
Death
editIn the early hours of 22 January 2013, Ah Nan collapsed backstage while performing at defunct Club Cleopatra, in Parklane Shopping Mall. He died shortly thereafter aged 52, apparently from a heart attack.[6]
Reports later emerged that Ah Nan had an unhealthy habit of guzzling 10 bottles of Coca-Cola daily, to sustain energy levels for his hectic working hours.[7] He was also suffering from high blood pressure, liver failure and high cholesterol levels, and was taking medication for these conditions. Before his death, Ah Nan last acted as a Taoist Medium in 2013 film Judgement Day.[8][9]
Filmography
edit- Money No Enough (1998)
- Hitman in the City (1998)
- Liang Po Po: The Movie (1999)
- The Mirror (1999)
- That One No Enough (1999)
- Return of the Condor Heroes (2001)
- I Not Stupid (2002)
- Homerun (2003)
- The Best Bet (2004)
- I Do, I Do (2005)
- Folks Jump Over The Wall (2008)
- Pulau Hantu (2008)
- Missing You (2008)
- Money No Enough 2 (2008)
- Where Got Ghost? (2009)
- The Ghosts Must Be Crazy (2011)
- Petaling Street Warriors (2011)
- It's a Great, Great World (2011)
- Dance Dance Dragon (2012)
- The Wedding Diary (2012)
- The Wedding Diary 2 (2013)
- Judgement Day (2013)
References
edit- ^ Tan, Kenneth Paul (2008). Cinema and television in Singapore : resistance in one dimension ([Online-Ausg.]. ed.). Leiden: Brill. pp. 160–. ISBN 9789004166431.
- ^ "Ah Nan's Criminal Past – Interview (1996)". YouTube. 9 August 2007.
- ^ a b Chong, Chee Kin (6 August 2006). "Popular getai compere Ah Nan arrested by CNB".
- ^ "钟耀南". www.facebook.com.
- ^ "He gets busted for Ecstasy after hosting getai in 2006". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Getai veteran Ah Nan has died, apparently from a heart attack". straitstimes.com. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ 温, 伟中; 黄, 志发; 王, 英敏; 梁, 淑晶 (22 January 2013). 每天灌10可乐 阿南累死 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 28 January 2013.
- ^ "S'poreans pay last respects to veteran getai actor 'Ah Nan'". sg.entertainment.yahoo.com. 22 January 2013.
- ^ Ah Nan joked about his heart problems during performance at Esplanade Archived 25 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine