Reinvention in Real Time: The Many Lives of Dominic Lam 人生有戲不言悔•林嘉華
ENGLISH 英 : Samantha Ho • CHINESE 中 : 逸雲
With Edits From: Deirdre Kelly, Maggie Ho
Locations: Fairchild Radio Toronto AM1430 & Fête Chinoise Studio
Art Direction: Deborah Lau-Yu
Photography: Tim Chin • Videography: Fête Chinoise Team
Fashion Direction & Styling: Lisa Fang • MAKEUP & HAIR: Satine Yang
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Jumbo Lau
As Featured in Annual Book of Incredible People Edition No. 11: The next Chapter
Shirt and Shoes, cæterpillar. Alec Regular-fit Jeans, TIGER OF SWEDEN.
Dominic Lam once painted himself head-to-toe in red, transforming into the God of Spicy Food for a Toronto TV segment. The producers were nervous. Lam was a respected host and a veteran actor from Hong Kong. Was this really how he wanted to be seen? Lam didn’t hesitate. “If it makes people connect, I’ll do it,” he says. “That’s what matters.”
For more than 50 years, Lam has moved between professions and continents without hesitation. He’s been a police officer, television host, actor, radio personality and community builder, always learning as he goes and rarely choosing the obvious path.
「人生只有一次，但演戲卻有無限次人生，演每一個角色都像重新出發。」從影超過50年的林嘉華（嘉華哥），對演戲從不言倦，亦未曾放棄過。熱愛表演藝術的他，無論是角色扮演還是節目主持，都一絲不苟，令人敬佩。
嘉華哥入行之初最廣為人知是擔任《少年警訊》節目主持，原來他曾是貨真價實的警察。為何他會由威武不屈的警察，華麗轉身進入演藝行業，彷彿重啟人生道路？
「1973年暑假，原本我打算到美國升學，卻收到第一屆皇家香港少年警察訓練學校招募學員的廣告單張。因為爸爸也曾是警察，在媽媽鼓勵下，我沒多考慮就投考了。 」林嘉華娓娓道出當年的選擇。
That willingness to try something new began early. At 16, he spotted a recruitment ad for the Royal Hong Kong Police Cadet School and with his mother's encouragement he applied. The family had thought about sending him to California for school, but joining the cadets promised structure and independence closer to home. Lam agreed, not knowing what he was in for.
During his second year at the Police Cadet Academy, Lam was selected to host Junior Police Call, a youth television program that was widely well received. After completing two years of training at the Cadet Academy, he advanced to the Police Training School for an additional six months of intensive instruction.
Adley Forward Pointing Collar Shirt in White, Wayde Suit Waistcoat, Jerretts Slim-Fit Blazer, and Tenutas Straight‑Fit Wool Trousers, TIGER OF SWEDEN.
少壯年華
經過兩年的少警訓練，加上黃竹坑警察訓練學校為期六個月的基本訓練，林嘉華才正式成為警員。他坦言這些紀律訓練影響他的一生。當年班主任勸勉他們「百功不能補一過」，這句說話也成了他的座右銘。
嘉華哥在警校畢業時獲得銀笛獎。這榮譽得來不易，必須在法例、步操、紀律、行為及射擊五個學科都考獲第一名，表現及成績冠絕全班才成。法例科每兩星期考試一次，要求十分嚴謹，連標點符號也絕不能有錯漏，字體要端正，寫得潦草也算錯。為了避開宿舍監督巡查，他晚間躲在狹窄的清潔用品儲藏室裡，埋頭苦讀，背啃記誦的功夫就此建立。射擊科上，五位槍法最準的同學輪番比賽，最後由嘉華哥勇奪銀笛獎。「這銀笛是純銀製造，非常珍貴。不論被上級懲罰或是獎勵也需要佩戴著，是一種身份的提醒。亅他補充說。
就讀少警學校第二年期間，警務處試辦《少年警訊》，鼓勵青少年積極參與撲滅罪行。嘉華哥被選中擔任第一位主持，樹立健康正義的「大哥哥」警察形象。但後來因為拍攝工作影響其考試成績，和老師衡量利害後，他向校長請辭以專注學業。
Shortly after beginning his training, Lam chose to step away from his role on Junior Police Call to fully focus on his studies—ultimately earning the prestigious Silver Whistle, an honour awarded to the top-performing cadet across all disciplines: law, drills, discipline, conduct, and marksmanship. To receive it, one had to demonstrate academic excellence, physical prowess, and strong moral character—outperforming the entire cohort.
The standards were exceptionally rigorous: law exams were held biweekly, and even a misplaced punctuation mark or untidy handwriting could result in failure. Lam not only met these high expectations—he ranked among the top sharpshooters in the final marksmanship competition.
卸下戎裝
畢業後，嘉華哥曾被派駐旺角警署，不久被調職至警察公共關係科工作。原來他辭任《少年警訊》後，節目先後替換了四位主持，加上警訊會員的反應下降，他因此被召回，除了處理部門日常工作，週末則為《少年警訊》擔任主持及輪流與全香港十八區的會員見面，整整三年沒休假。
既然有警察這鐵飯碗前途一片光明，而且更成為眾多年青人心目中的偶像、父母眼中的榜樣，何以嘉華哥肯卸下制服換上彩衣呢？「麗的電視監製麥當雄與我分析：以我當時的薪金，需要努力多少年才能達到警司級別？再看他為我準備的兩年藝員合約，薪金比警司高，更為我度身訂做了一個電視劇的角色。對當年一個十八歲的小伙子來說，極具吸引力和說服力。與家人商量後，覺得機不可失，就算在演藝界一事無成，還可重新開始。這樣一做，便是五十多年了。」林嘉華憑藉首部電視劇《鱷魚淚》成功打進娛樂圈，成為一線男主角。
然而拍戲並非想像中容易，七十年代末香港電視台競爭激烈，工作時間長，日夜顛倒。嘉華哥拍第一部劇時，由清晨拍至凌晨，第一場戲便要從唐樓樓梯滾下， 踏進家門第一件事便問媽媽有沒有跌打酒。他憶起當年做一線演員平均每天睡眠時間只有大約四小時，然而他從來沒有後悔過，仍然熱愛演戲。
Adley Forward Pointing Collar Shirt in White, Wayde Suit Waistcoat, Jerretts Slim-Fit Blazer, and Tenutas Straight‑Fit Wool Trousers, TIGER OF SWEDEN.
After graduating from Police Training School, he was first assigned to the Mong Kok Police Station before being transferred to the Police Public Relations Branch. Following his departure from Junior Police Call, the program experienced a noticeable decline in audience engagement. He was invited to return as host—a decision that would unknowingly mark the beginning of an unexpected and lifelong career in the media industry.
Perhaps it was the confidence honed during cadet school talent shows that first revealed Lam’s potential in performance. Johnny Mak, a producer at Rediffusion Television, saw potential in Lam and offered him an acting contract. Lam considered the risk. “It was a two-year contract. If it didn’t work out, I’d be twenty—with plenty of time ahead of me. I could always go back to school.”
戲如人生
演出過無數電視劇及電影，正派、反派、什麼角色也飾演過，嘉華哥說作為演員不應抗拒任何角色。單是警察一角，他已飾演過十八次，每次用不同方式和角度去演繹。演出前，他會先聽故事大綱，瞭解角色在劇中所擔當的位置，再揣摩及消化角色應有的性格、身份位置，從人物的角度思考應有的反應，再用合適的方式去演繹。有時為了令角色更加立體及真實，他更會跟監製商討及修改劇本劇情。
其中嘉華哥印象最深刻的是電視劇《鐵馬尋橋》，他飾演的角色榮德是個奸角，在一個不得已的環境中掙扎求存，角色的難度在於如何令觀眾認同及同情榮德的行為。當時嘉華哥已經移居加拿大，偶爾回港拍戲。監製李添勝最初告訴他只有三數集的戲份，但是他接拍及研究劇本的時候，發現每一集他的角色都有出現，知道監製不斷為他加戲份，就更加用心揣摩角色。最後，榮德這角色廣獲好評，除了入選無線電視「萬千星輝頒獎典禮」之「最佳男配角」，同時獲馬來西亞華麗台「電視劇大獎」特別新增獎項「我最喜歡的奸人獎」。這獎項特別之處是所有的獎項都是由觀眾百分百投票選出，而嘉華哥與第二名的票數相差極遠 。華麗台的頒獎禮與無線電視「萬千星輝頒獎典禮」只相隔兩天，華麗台更特別將頒獎禮移師香港舉行。電視廣播（國際）有限公司的負責人認為機會難得，且嘉華哥得獎呼聲甚高，故此由香港打電話到加拿大游說他回港出席兩場頒獎禮。嘉華哥當然不負眾望，榮獲華麗台的「我最喜歡的奸人獎」，成為一時佳話。
Acting presented a new kind of challenge. In his very first scene, he was required to roll down a flight of stairs—leaving him sore and bruised. But thanks to his physical conditioning at the Police Cadet and Training Schools, Lam rose to the challenge.
Over the decades, he would go on to portray heroes, villains, fathers, and even women.
“You have to be thick-skinned,” he says. “Once you fall in love with the industry, you do what you must—for love.”
論到擔任節目主持，不得不提《體育世界》這個家傳戶曉的雜誌式體育節目。林嘉華坦言要做好節目主持，「執生」技術要高。尤其是直播體育節目，若人人靠外電搜集運動員的姓名、號碼，講述球賽便顯得平板無趣。因此，他特意到尖沙咀的辰衝書店（現已結業）訂閱體育雜誌，擴闊眼界，豐富自己的資料庫。一次他到上海工作，發現大量運動和體育的資料和書籍，頓覺如獲至寶，馬上搜羅了一整個行李箱的書籍回來。當年還沒有互聯網，所有資料都是靠搜集回來做筆記，遇到國際大賽更需要做足功課寫註釋。最經典的一次，是嘉華哥主持澳門賽車時遇上突發撞車事故，期間停賽數小時清理賽道。由於是現場直播賽事，就算不斷重播賽事精華及專家解說也填補不了空檔場面，嘉華哥平日所作的準備就大派用場，令觀眾及台前幕後都對他的博聞強記留下深刻印象，成為體壇賽事節目主持不二之選。
除了記憶力強，他也經常向製作組提出建議，例如一次端午節在户外進行龍舟直播時，傾盆大雨令講稿及賽事資料都濕透了，主持只能靠記憶繼續直播，非常狼狽。有見及此，他建議主持桌面上加上透明防水膠板及透明雨傘，擋雨之餘仍保持採光，無阻拍攝。 凡此種種都證明嘉華哥細心、處處計劃周詳。
Hong Kong’s entertainment scene in the late 1970s was fiercely competitive. Lam took every opportunity, including a stint as an announcer for Sports World. Most viewers cared only about soccer and basketball, but Lam broadened the show’s appeal by researching international sports and ordering magazines from abroad to expand his knowledge to make the shows interesting to viewers. In addition to being a host, Lam often introduces new ideas to make the filming process more efficient. He introduced clear umbrellas so announcers’ faces stayed visible in the rain, and plastic covers to keep notes dry. When the Macau Grand Prix was halted by a major crash, Lam’s meticulous preparation truly shone. Drawing from his deep well of knowledge and sharp memory, he kept the audience engaged and impressed both viewers and the production team. It was a defining moment that solidified his reputation as the go-to host for major sports broadcasts.
Covering international sports presented another challenge: translating English commentary and athlete names into Cantonese. The official translations were often just direct transliterations of English syllables – difficult for local viewers to remember or connect with. To bridge that gap, Lam began giving popular athletes memorable nicknames based on their actions or appearances, making it easier for audiences to follow along and recall their favourites.
家庭為重
一直以來，嘉華哥極度重視家庭，與妻子劉寶珍是香港藝壇的模範夫妻。夫婦的相識經過亦有段故：當年無綫電視以高薪將他從麗的挖角。為怕洩漏風聲，公司秘密地為他試造型，那是他首次與當時擔任服裝指導的劉寶珍見面。二人因工作認識，隨後相戀結婚，如影隨形。林嘉華笑說，保持婚姻的秘訣是永遠當太太是女朋友看待。
1988 年，嘉華哥在事業如日中天的時候，舉家移民加拿大多倫多，再一次經歷重新出發。「我是一個傳統中國男人，移民是為了家庭，為了讓小孩子能在更廣闊的環境學習和成長，開展他的眼界和觸覺。」
「家庭是最重要的。重新出發前，首先你要鎖定目標，然後向前行，不要後悔。也要問自己在全新的環境裏，你最想做的是什麼？然後學習生存。」嘉華哥分享他的移民心得，多次轉換人生跑道，從不後悔。
From there, Lam’s reputation for adaptability and innovation grew, earning him new opportunities in Hong Kong’s fast-moving entertainment industry. In the 1980s, while being fitted for a role at TVB – his contract with Rediffusion Television still in effect – Lam met Jumbo Lau, an image consultant and art director. Their professional relationship soon became personal, and Lau would become not only his creative collaborator, but also his wife.
Later that decade, Lam and Lau decided to move to Toronto. The city offered more space and a broader perspective for their son, who grew up with friends from every background. Lam and his wife made sure he stayed connected to his heritage, even as he learned from a wider community than Hong Kong could provide. “We wanted him to grow up with an open mind, but also to understand where he comes from,” Lam says.
Polo Shirt in Brown, TIGER OF SWEDEN.
In Toronto, Lam found new ways to stay involved in the media. He worked on a food program for Fairchild TV, Toronto’s leading Cantonese-language broadcaster, introducing viewers to a range of regional cuisines and the city’s growing roster of Asian restaurants each week. To keep things lively, he and his co-hosts staged skits, including one that featured him playing the scarlet-coloured God of Spicy Food – an unusually irreverent move for Cantonese-language television at the time. Lam was unfazed. “If people recognized me under the red makeup, so what?”
移居加國，離開熟悉的環境，走進陌生的國度，要轉變心態，適應當下的社會環境。他曾為慈善機構做活動司儀、賣花燈，也有為公益義賣收音機；主流機構製作公司選角，他也有去試鏡。當加拿大中文電台邀請他主持節目時，他渴望分享自己的移民經歷，節目命名為《林嘉華加連華（Dominic’s Carnival）》，寓意連繫加拿大華人，而英文節目名則有嘉年華會的另一重意思。電台節目雖經過改革多次，但他的節目由開台至今已播出逾二十八年，仍然廣受歡迎。內容主要解答聽眾日常生活問題。雖然話題不時重覆，嘉華哥也會耐心回應，因為聽眾不盡可能每集收聽，照顧聽眾需要是他的原則。
一向工作認真且創意無限的嘉華哥，早年為新時代電視主持飲食節目《為食無限番》時，為了令節目突出有別於平常由主持介紹佳肴美饌，建議用角色扮演的故事形式介紹美食，每集都要「度橋」 。例如他曾扮演「辣神」，由頭到腳一身紅色打扮，品嚐多倫多各式辛辣食品。另外，他更經常擔任大型節目主持，從沒離開娛樂圈。
Dominic Lam broadcasting live on air at Fairchild Radio Station, Markham.
“New beginnings may seem scary, but if you know your goal and keep at it, the obstacles start to look small.”
Lam’s appetite for connecting with audiences soon found a new outlet: radio. Lam Kar Wah Carnival, also known as Dominic’s Carnival, became a helpline for immigrants – a place to ask questions about daily life in Toronto, share worries and find community. “I wanted to do a show where Chinese people, immigrants like me, could connect and help each other. The name in English is Carnival, but in Cantonese, it means to connect.”
Dominic Lam reminiscing old CD collections.
That idea of connection has shaped every stage of Lam’s life. He’s taken chances, faced setbacks and found new directions, always moving forward with a sense of curiosity. These days, he splits his time between Hong Kong and Toronto. In Hong Kong, he throws himself back into acting, stepping onto familiar sets and working with old and new friends. In Toronto, life slows down—he enjoys meals with family, strolls through quiet neighbourhoods, and the freedom to just be himself.
Ask him about the future, and he’ll tell you he doesn’t spend much time worrying about what’s next. “New beginnings may seem scary,” Lam says, “but if you know your goal and keep at it, the obstacles start to look small.”
戲續人生
為陪伴兒子成長，嘉華哥十年沒有回香港拍戲。他表示要以身作則，教育兒子做人要有規矩和尊師重道；不但要認識中華傳統文化、重要節慶、食品，更必須會講廣東話。直至兒子升讀大學，嘉華哥才穿梭加港兩地，復出拍戲。如今兒子學有所成，從事時裝設計，將名牌時裝升級再造，以毛蟲蛻變的環保概念經營。談及兒子，嘉華哥言談間流露出滿足的笑意。
嘉華哥熱愛演戲，永不言休，至今惟獨未曾試過飾演智障人士或者行動不便的角色，他期望有朝能夠挑戰自我。閒時，他最喜愛看電影、電視劇，中外好壞都看，並揣摩戲裡的角色、演技、劇情等等，希望自己的演技更上一層樓。除了演戲，林嘉華對中華傳統藝術也非常熱愛和有考究，他很喜歡栽種盆景，也喜歡收藏文物、木刻與貢石等，不斷學習，從中領悟生活的靜好。
Shirt and Shoes, cæterpillar. Alec Regular-fit Jeans, TIGER OF SWEDEN.
Dominic Lam at the 69th BFI London Film Festival for High Wire, a 2025 UK film directed by Calif Chong. Image Provided by Dominic Lam.
More from Fête Chiniose
Dominic Lam once painted himself head-to-toe in red, transforming into the God of Spicy Food for a Toronto TV segment. The producers were nervous. Lam was a respected host and a veteran actor from Hong Kong. Was this really how he wanted to be seen? Lam didn’t hesitate. “If it makes people connect, I’ll do it,” he says. “That’s what matters.”
For more than 50 years, Lam has moved between professions and continents without hesitation. He’s been a police officer, television host, actor, radio personality and community builder, always learning as he goes and rarely choosing the obvious path.