Kenneth Tsang
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Tsang Kong is a Hong Kong
actor. Tsang's career has spanned 50 years and included a variety of acting roles.
Tsang was born in Shanghai, China with family roots in Jida, Zhuhai, Guangdong
. He attended high school
in Wah Yan Hong Kong and then Wah Yan, Kowloon. He attended McMurry College, Abilene, Texas for his Freshmen year and transferred to University of California at Berkeley where he received a degree in architecture
. He returned to Hong Kong in the early 1960s as an architect but was bored by the work. His younger sister by 2 years, Jeanette Tsang Yee Jing (Lin Tsui) (林翠) was a film star at the time and provided Tsang with several connections in the industry which boosted his acting career. In the media, Lin Tsui was always presented as Tsang's younger sister instead as it was moreover uncommon for female stars to reveal their age. this statement is a complete misnomer.
Tsang's film debut was in the movie The Feud (1955), when he was just 16, which was followed by a role in Who Isn't Romantic? (1956). In the mid 1960s, Tsang starred in detective films and classic kung fu movies with (at the time) Hong Kong teen idols Connie Chan Po-chu
and Josephine Siao
. Tsang also appeared in a few Wong Fei-Hung movies in the late 1960s. In the 1986, Tsang worked as taxi cab owner, Ken, in John Woo's
A Better Tomorrow
. Subsequent collaborations with Woo included the role of Ken in A Better Tomorrow 2
in 1987, police officer Danny Lee's murdered partner in The Killer in 1989, and the strict adoptive father of Chow Yun-fat
, Leslie Cheung
and Cherie Chung
in Once a Thief
in 1991.
Tsang also filmed several Singaporean Chinese dramas during the 1990s, one of his most notable works there was the 1995 epic The Teochew Family
and The Unbeatables II
Up to this point, Tsang had played roles in mainly Hong Kong movies. His first Hollywood film was The Replacement Killers
(1998), also the Hollywood debut of co-star Chow Yun-fat
. Tsang appeared alongside Chow once again in Anna and the King
as well as Jackie Chan
in Rush Hour 2
. Tsang played General Moon in the James Bond
film Die Another Day
(2002), and he continues to appear in films from his native Hong Kong.
Tsang is currently married to Jiao Jiao (焦姣), a Chinese actress.
Hong Kong people
Hong Kong people refer to people who originate from Hong Kong. The term has no legal definition in Hong Kong. Rather, terms such as Hong Kong permanent resident and Hong Kong resident are used...
actor. Tsang's career has spanned 50 years and included a variety of acting roles.
Tsang was born in Shanghai, China with family roots in Jida, Zhuhai, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. He attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Wah Yan Hong Kong and then Wah Yan, Kowloon. He attended McMurry College, Abilene, Texas for his Freshmen year and transferred to University of California at Berkeley where he received a degree in architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. He returned to Hong Kong in the early 1960s as an architect but was bored by the work. His younger sister by 2 years, Jeanette Tsang Yee Jing (Lin Tsui) (林翠) was a film star at the time and provided Tsang with several connections in the industry which boosted his acting career. In the media, Lin Tsui was always presented as Tsang's younger sister instead as it was moreover uncommon for female stars to reveal their age. this statement is a complete misnomer.
Tsang's film debut was in the movie The Feud (1955), when he was just 16, which was followed by a role in Who Isn't Romantic? (1956). In the mid 1960s, Tsang starred in detective films and classic kung fu movies with (at the time) Hong Kong teen idols Connie Chan Po-chu
Connie Chan Po-chu
Connie Chan Po-chu was born in 1946 to impoverished parents, one of at least nine siblings, in Guangdong, China. To increase their children's chances of survival, Chan's birth parents gave away some of their youngest to other families. As a result, Chan was adopted by Chan Fei-nung and his wife,...
and Josephine Siao
Josephine Siao
Josephine Siao Fong-Fong MBE is a Hong Kong movie star who became popular as a child actress and continued her success as a mature actress, winning numerous awards including Best Actress at the 1995 Berlin Film Festival...
. Tsang also appeared in a few Wong Fei-Hung movies in the late 1960s. In the 1986, Tsang worked as taxi cab owner, Ken, in John Woo's
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow is a 1986 Hong Kong action film which had a profound influence on the Hong Kong film-making industry, and later on an international scale.Directed by John Woo, it stars Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung...
. Subsequent collaborations with Woo included the role of Ken in A Better Tomorrow 2
A Better Tomorrow 2
A Better Tomorrow 2 is a 1987 Hong Kong action and crime directed by John Woo and starring Chow Yun-fat, Dean Shek, Leslie Cheung, and Ti Lung.A follow-up to its popular predecessor, A Better Tomorrow...
in 1987, police officer Danny Lee's murdered partner in The Killer in 1989, and the strict adoptive father of Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
, Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
and Cherie Chung
Cherie Chung
Cherie Chung Chor-hung is a retired Hong Kong film actress.She is one of the top actresses in Hong Kong Film 1980s.InHakka descent, she participated in the Miss Hong Kong competition but won nothing...
in Once a Thief
Once a Thief (1991 film)
Once a Thief is a 1991 Hong Kong crime film written and directed by John Woo. It stars Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kenneth Tsang and Chu Kong in a lighthearted heist themed action-comedy routine....
in 1991.
Tsang also filmed several Singaporean Chinese dramas during the 1990s, one of his most notable works there was the 1995 epic The Teochew Family
The Teochew Family
The Teochew Family is a 1995 Singaporean Drama Series produced by Mediacorp and Fujian TV. Starring veteran Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang and Singaporean stars Zoe Tay, Chew Chor Meng and Zeng Huifen, this drama describes the trials and tribulations the teochew Cai Family under the patriarch Cai...
and The Unbeatables II
The Unbeatables II
-Cast:*Li Nanxing as Yan Fei*Zoe Tay as Luo Qifang/Long Jiajia/Huang Yuefang*Zhu Houren as Long Tingguang*Chen Shucheng as Yan Kun*He Weiming as Yan Xing*Liu Qianyi as Huang Wu*Kenneth Tsang as Ye Zhong*Chew Chor Meng as Ding Zhaohui...
Up to this point, Tsang had played roles in mainly Hong Kong movies. His first Hollywood film was The Replacement Killers
The Replacement Killers
The Replacement Killers is a 1998 American action film, directed by Antoine Fuqua in his directorial debut. It stars Chow Yun-fat and Mira Sorvino...
(1998), also the Hollywood debut of co-star Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
. Tsang appeared alongside Chow once again in Anna and the King
Anna and the King
Anna and the King is a 1999 biographical drama film loosely based on Anna and the King of Siam, the story of Anna Leonowens, who was an English schoolteacher in Siam, now Thailand, in the 19th century...
as well as Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
in Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 2 is a 2001 martial arts action comedy film. This is the second installment in the Rush Hour film series. A sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour, the film stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker who respectively reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Los Angeles police detective James Carter...
. Tsang played General Moon in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
(2002), and he continues to appear in films from his native Hong Kong.
Tsang is currently married to Jiao Jiao (焦姣), a Chinese actress.
Filmography
- The Feud (1955)
- The Big CircusThe Big CircusThe Big Circus is a 1959 film starring Victor Mature as a circus owner struggling with financial trouble and a murderous unknown saboteur.-Cast:*Victor Mature as Henry Jasper 'Hank' Whirling*Red Buttons as Randy Sherman*Rhonda Fleming as Helen Harrison...
(1964) - Tragedy in a Fishing Village (1967)
- Paragon of Sword and Knife (1967)
- The Tin Long Gang (1968) aka Dragon Fortress
- The Deadly Dragon Sword (1968)
- Wong Fei Hong Conquers the Plum-Blossom Piles (1968) aka Huang Fei-hong: The Invincible 'Lion Dancer'
- A Romantic Thief (1968)
- The Flower and the Sword (1968)
- Hotel Lavender (1968)
- The Great Duel (1968)
- The Frightening Sword (1968)
- Magic Bow (1968)
- Purple NightPurple NightPurple Night is a jazz album by free jazz pioneer Sun Ra.The album was the second in a short-term recording deal with major label A&M Records, who had a "Modern Masters Jazz Series" imprint going at the time...
(1968) - The Magnificent Five (1968)
- Three Encounters (1969)
- The Little Warrior (1969)
- The Legend of the Condor HeroesThe Legend of the Condor Heroes (1976 TV series)The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CTV in Hong Kong in 1976.-Cast:*Jason Pai as Kwok Ching*Michelle Yim as Wong Yung...
(1976) - The Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor Heroes (1976 TV series)The Return of the Condor Heroes is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It was first broadcast on CTV in 1976 in Hong Kong.-Cast:*Law Lok-lam as Yeung Kuo**Tsui Ka-lam as young Yeung Kuo...
(1976) - Demi-Gods and Semi-DevilsDemi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1982 TV series)Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a 1982 Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. The 50 episodes long series is divided into two parts, with their Chinese titles as 天龍八部之六脈神劍 and 天龍八部之虛竹傳奇 respectively.-Cast:*Bryan Leung...
(1982) - The Legend of the Condor HeroesThe Legend of the Condor Heroes (1982 TV Series)-Track list:-Production:According to the behind-the-scenes featurette on the DVD, the Mongolian scenes were filmed in Lantau Island, Hong Kong....
(1983) - The Duke of Mount DeerThe Duke of Mount Deer (1984 TV series)The Duke of Mount Deer is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Deer and the Cauldron. It was first aired on TVB in 1984.-Cast:*Tony Leung as Wai Siu-bo*Andy Lau as Hong-hei Emperor*Carina Lau as Fong Yee...
(1984) - Sword Stained with Royal BloodSword Stained with Royal Blood (1985 TV series)Sword Stained with Royal Blood is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1985.-Cast:*Felix Wong as Yun Sing-chi**Fung Chi-fung as young Yun Sing-chi...
(1985) - The Flying Fox of Snowy MountainThe Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (1985 TV series)The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novels Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain and Other Tales of the Flying Fox...
(1985) - New Heavenly Sword and Dragon SabreNew Heavenly Sword and Dragon SabreNew Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. The series was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1986.-Cast:*Tony Leung as Cheung Mo-kei...
(1986) - A Better TomorrowA Better TomorrowA Better Tomorrow is a 1986 Hong Kong action film which had a profound influence on the Hong Kong film-making industry, and later on an international scale.Directed by John Woo, it stars Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung...
(1986) - A Better Tomorrow 2A Better Tomorrow 2A Better Tomorrow 2 is a 1987 Hong Kong action and crime directed by John Woo and starring Chow Yun-fat, Dean Shek, Leslie Cheung, and Ti Lung.A follow-up to its popular predecessor, A Better Tomorrow...
(1987) - Return of the Lucky StarsReturn of the Lucky StarsReturn of the Lucky Stars is a 1989 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Stanley Fung. It is the fifth film out of the Lucky Stars series.-Plot:...
(1989) - The Killer (1989)
- Deadly SecretDeadly SecretDeadly Secret is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel A Deadly Secret. The series was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1989.-Cast:*Roger Kwok as Tik Wan*Kitty Lai as Chik Fong*Shallin Tse as Shui Sang...
(1989) - Bury Me High (1991)
- Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)
- The Teochew FamilyThe Teochew FamilyThe Teochew Family is a 1995 Singaporean Drama Series produced by Mediacorp and Fujian TV. Starring veteran Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang and Singaporean stars Zoe Tay, Chew Chor Meng and Zeng Huifen, this drama describes the trials and tribulations the teochew Cai Family under the patriarch Cai...
(1995) - The Replacement KillersThe Replacement KillersThe Replacement Killers is a 1998 American action film, directed by Antoine Fuqua in his directorial debut. It stars Chow Yun-fat and Mira Sorvino...
(1998) - Killer (2000)
- Rush Hour 2Rush Hour 2Rush Hour 2 is a 2001 martial arts action comedy film. This is the second installment in the Rush Hour film series. A sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour, the film stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker who respectively reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Los Angeles police detective James Carter...
(2001) - Funeral MarchFuneral marchA funeral march is a march, usually in a minor key, in a slow "simple duple" metre, imitating the solemn pace of a funeral procession. Some such marches are often considered appropriate for use during funerals and other sombre occasions, the most well-known being that of Chopin...
(2001) - The TouchThe TouchThe Touch is a 1971 film directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Elliot Gould, and Sheila Reid.-Plot:...
(2002) - Die Another DayDie Another DayDie Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
(2002) - Six Strong Guys (2004)
- ButterflyButterflyA butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
(2004) - Color Blossoms (2004)
- Memoirs of a GeishaMemoirs of a GeishaMemoirs of a Geisha is a novel by American author Arthur Golden, published in 1997. The novel, told in first person perspective, tells the fictional story of a geisha working in Kyoto, Japan, before and after World War II...
(2005) - The Tokyo Trial (2006)
- The DrummerThe Drummer (2007 film)The Drummer is a 2007 Hong Kong-Taiwanese film written and directed by Kenneth Bi. It is Kenneth Bi's second film as a director.The film was released in Hong Kong on October 11, 2007. It features the Chinese Zen drumming group U-Theatre...
(2007) - Kung Fu DunkKung Fu DunkKung Fu Dunk , also known by its former title Slam Dunk, is a 2008 Chinese-language live-action film. It was directed by Taiwanese director Chu Yin-Ping and filmed in Taiwan and mainland China...
(2008) - The Treasure HunterThe Treasure HunterThe Treasure Hunter is a 2009 Taiwanese action film. It is directed by Taiwanese director Chu Yin-Ping and stars Taiwanese actors Jay Chou and Lin Chi-ling...
(2009) - Motherland (2009)
- Formosa BetrayedFormosa BetrayedFormosa Betrayed is a 2009 American political thriller film directed by Adam Kane, written by Charlie Stratton, Yann Samuell, Brian Askew, Nathaniel Goodman, with story by Will Tiao and Katie Swain, and starring James Van Der Beek...
(2009) - Prince of TearsPrince of TearsPrince of Tears is a historical drama film by Yonfan. It was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 66th Venice International Film Festival. It tells the story of a family embroiled in the tragic "White Terror" suppression of political dissidents that was wrought during the 1950s by the Kuomintang...
(2009) - Blood TiesBlood Ties-Film:* Blood Ties , a 1964 film directed by Mikhail Yershov and starring Vija Artmane and Evgeniy Matveyev* Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann, a 1994 documentary film-Television:...
(2009) - Here Comes Fortune (2010)
- Who's the Hero (2010) (TV series)
- Overheard 2Overheard 2Overheard 2 is a 2011 Hong Kong crime thriller film produced by Derek Yee, written and directed by Alan Mak and Felix Chong and starring Louis Koo, Lau Ching Wan and Daniel Wu...
(2011) - ICAC Investigators 2011 (2011) (TV series)
- InseparableInseparable (film)Inseparable is an upcoming black comedy film written and directed by Dayyan Eng. The film stars two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and Chinese stars Daniel Wu and Gong Beibi...
(2011)