It Takes A Thief (1979 TV series)

It Takes A Thief
Genre Wuxia
Written by Gu Long (original story)
Directed by Lee Wai-man
Siu Hin-fai
Starring Pat Poon
Kenneth Tsang
Paul Chun
Alex Man
Bonnie Ngai
Law Lok-lam
Mary Cheung
Man Man-yee
Wen Hsueh-erh
Yuen Pui-jan
Miu Kam-fung
Chan Yuen-mei
Yung Wai-man
Nancy Sit
Choi King-fai
Opening theme Hap Dou Fung Lau (俠盜風流) performed by Amy Chan
Ending theme Siu Wan Kei Sum Sing (簫韻寄心聲) performed by Nancy Sit
Composer(s) Michael Lai
Country of origin Hong Kong
Original language(s) Cantonese
No. of episodes 8
Production
Executive producer(s) Kong Lung
Producer(s) Johnny Mak
Tsui Hark
Location(s) Hong Kong
Running time 60 minutes per episode
Production company(s) RTV
Broadcast
Original channel RTV
First shown in 1 September 1979
It Takes A Thief
Traditional Chinese 俠盜風流
Simplified Chinese 侠盗风流

It Takes A Thief is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Gu Long's Chu Liuxiang Series. The series was first broadcast on RTV (now ATV) in Hong Kong in September 1979.

Changes in title and characters' names

The series' original Chinese title was 盜帥留香 (Dou Seoi Lau Heung; lit. "Bandit Chief Liuxiang"). It was released around the same time as Chor Lau-heung, a similar television series produced by TVB. RTV and TVB became involved in copyright lawsuits against each other because of similarities between It Takes A Thief and Chor Lau-heung. TVB won the lawsuits and eventually RTV had to change the Chinese title of It Takes A Thief from 盜帥留香 to 俠盜風流, and the names of characters in the television series. The name of the protagonist Chor Lau-heung (Cantonese for "Chu Liuxiang") was changed to "Dou Seoi" (盜帥; lit. "Bandit Chief"), one of Chu Liuxiang's nicknames in the novels. It Takes A Thief started airing on 1 September 1979, two days earlier than TVB's Chor Lau-heung.

Cast

Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.
Cast Role Original character
Pat Poon Dou Seoi Chor Lau-heung
Kenneth Tsang Kung Bing-ngan Kei Bing-ngan
Paul Chun Mo-tsan Mo-fa
Alex Man Nam-kung Yat Nam-kung Ling
Law Lok-lam Yat-dim-hung Chung-yuen Yat-dim-hung
Lau Kwok-sing Koo Tit-fa Wu Tit-fa
Bonnie Ngai To Hung-kuen So Yung-yung
Ma Man-yee Chor Seung-wan Shum Wai-san
Mary Cheung Kung Fei-yin Kung Nam-yin
Wen Hsueh-erh Hak Fu-pak Black Pearl
Yuen Pui-jan Yip Siu-sin Lei Hung-sau
Chan Yuen-mei Lau Ching-ching Sung Tim-yee
Miu Kam-fung Chau Hung-yip Chau Ling-so
Nancy Sit Princess Lung-siu Princess Pei-pa
Yung Wai-man Kuk Mo-sau Kuk Mo-yung
Kwan Suet-lai Kam Pou-sat Shek Koon-yam
Yik Kar Sheung-koon Ching Cheung-suen Hung
See Ming Sheung-koon Yin
Miu Kar-lai Princess Consort Imperial Consort of Lou-lan
Choi King-fai Lang Mou-mei Lau Mou-mei
Mannor Chan Sui-mou Tin-kei Sui-mou Yam-kei
Leung Tin Pik-yuk Mo-koi
Yip Tin-hang Tin-fung Sap-say-long
Wong Wai Ja-kam-yee Ja-mo-hup
Ling Man-hoi King of Yin-hap King of Lou-lan
Cheung Hoi-yiu To Fan To Wai
Cheng Lui General Man
Kui Ngok Hung Tung-kwok
Ma Tsung-tak Lau Fei-yin / Tsui Fung-muk
Ko Hung Sze-to Lau-sing
Lee Tin-ying Mak Chun-tin
Ng Wing-sum Green Beard
Mok Hing-chung Lung Kim-fei
Ng Tung Lee Koon-yu
Lee Gong Lei Suet-hang Lei Yuk-ham
Yuen Wai-hung Golden Monkey Monkey Suen
Cheung Hung-cheung Au-yeung Yuk
Tung Piu Ng Kuk-hin
Man Chin-sui Sheung-koon Seon
Lam Kam-tong Iron Ear Divine Constable
Nora Miao Ko Nga Ko Nga-nam

External links