Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Heung dies of cancer

Film poster for God of Gamblers. [Photo/Mtime.com]

In the 1980s, The Heung brothers founded Win's Entertainment Ltd., the predecessor of a major production company, China Star Entertainment.

Steven Chow was just one of the stars he introduced to the world. Chow's films Flirting Scholar (1993), Fight Back to School (1991) and Hail the Judge (1994), which all performed great at the box office, solidified not only his status in showbiz but also that of Heung's.

Sharla Cheung, who dated Heung for a brief period of time, was also the protagonist in many of the films Heung produced, the most famous of them being God of Gamblers (1989), where she starred alongside superstar Chow Yun-fat.

Heung made his directorial debut with the 1989 film, Casino Raiders, which he co-directed alongside Wong Jing, with his brother Charles in a supporting role. The film was followed by a sequel, Casino Raiders 2, which was produced by Heung and directed by Johnnie To.

Family members are handling the necessary paperwork at the moment and funeral and memorial service will be held in Hong Kong soon, said Heung's wife.