Karl Maka (born 29 February 1944) is a Hong Kong film producer, director, actor and presenter.

Karl Maka
Chinese: 麥嘉
Karl Maka in 2016
Karl Maka at The Wit and Wisdom of Cinema City event held at the Hong Kong Film Archive on 9 April 2016.
Born
Mak Kar-sheung (Chinese: 麥嘉尚)

(1944-02-29) 29 February 1944 (age 80)
Other namesCarl Mak, Mak Kar, Kar Mak, Kais Mak, Kar S. Mak, Mak Ka
Occupation(s)Film producer, director, actor, presenter
Years active1975–2016
Awards
Hong Kong Film AwardsBest Actor
1982 Aces Go Places

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese麥嘉
Simplified Chinese麦嘉
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinMài Jiā
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingmaak6 gaa1

Early life

edit

On 29 February 1944, Maka was born as Mak Kar-sheung in Taishan, China. In 1958, at age 14, Maka moved to Hong Kong, then under British rule.[1][2][3]

Education

edit

In 1969, Maka earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Maka attended New York Institute of Photography.[1]

Career

edit

Maka started his career as an engineer at a telephone company.[2]

In 1976, Maka started his career in Hong Kong Films. Maka first appeared as an assassin in The Good, the Bad and the Loser, a 1976 film written and directed by him. In 1978, Maka co-founded Gar Bo, a film production company. In 1980, Maka founded Cinema City Enterprises. Maka is credited with over 35 films as an actor, over 30 films as a producer, 7 films as a writer and 10 films as a director.[1][2][4][3]

One of Maka's most popular film roles is in the Aces Go Places film series (最佳拍檔), where he starred alongside Sam Hui.

Filmography

edit

Films

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1976 The Good, the Bad and the Loser writer / director
1977 Mian meng xin jing actor
He Has Nothing But Kung Fu Sheriff actor
Winner Takes All writer / director
1978 Hello, Late Homecomers Baldy actor
Dirty Kung Fu actor
Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog writer / director[5]
1979 Iron Fists actor / director
Knockabout Police Captain actor
Odd Couple Challenger cameo / producer
His Name Is Nobody Baldy actor / director
Xin tie cuo men shen actor
1980 Crazy Crooks Kong Koon Chat actor / director
The Victim Shaolin Abbot actor / producer
By Hook or by Crook Sheriff Butcher Wing actor / director
1981 Beware of Pickpockets Big Nose actor / producer
Bu zhun diao tou
All the Wrong Clues Capone actor / producer
Chasing Girls cameo / director / producer
Laughing Times Master Ting actor
1982 It Takes Two actor / director
Aces Go Places Albert Au actor / producer
Life After Life producer
1983 Aces Go Places 2 Albert Au actor
Wo ai Ye Laixiang Patriot (prologue) actor
Da zhui ji actor
Esprit d'amour producer
1984 Aces Go Places 3 Albert Au actor
Lifeline Express producer
Merry Christmas actor
The Occupant producer
1985 Gong xi fa cai Gold Grabber actor
For Your Heart Only producer
1986 Aces Go Places IV Albert Au actor / writer
Lucky Stars Go Places Albert actor
1987 City on Fire producer
Prison on Fire producer
The Thirty Million Dollar Rush Baldy actor / writer / director / producer
1988 The Eighth Happiness Audience Member cameo
School on Fire producer
Tiger on Beat producer
1989 Aces Go Places 5: The Terracotta Hit Albert Au 'Baldy' actor / producer
Triads: The Inside Story producer
1990 Chicken a La Queen producer
Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon Skinny Also as producer.[6]
Tiger on the Beat 2 producer
Undeclared War producer
1991 The Magnificent Scoundrels Master actor / producer
The Banquet Mak cameo
In the Lap of God producer
Prison on Fire 2 producer
2000 Winner Takes All Inspector Stupid actor
2003 Zen Master actor
2016 The Bodyguard Old Man cameo, (final film role)

Awards

edit

Personal life

edit

In 1963, Maka and his family emigrated to the United States and lived in New York City, New York. In 1973, Maka returned to Hong Kong.[1][2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "麥嘉尚 MAKA Karl". hkfilmdirectors.com. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Mr Karl Maka, 1944–". avenueofstars.com.hk. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Karl Maka". hkmdb.com. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  4. ^ "The HK Actor Index – Sammo Hung Kam-bo". brns.com. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog". fareastfilms.com. 1978. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  6. ^ "SHOU HU FEI LONG (1990)". bfi.org.hk. 1990. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
edit
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor
1982
for Aces Go Places
Succeeded by
Tony Leung Ka-fai
for Reign Behind the Curtain