Kenneth Tsang

Kenneth Tsang Kong
曾江
Born	Tsang Koon-yat (曾貫一) (1935-09-02) 2 September 1935 Shanghai, Republic of China
Nationality	Chinese
Citizenship	Singaporean
Alma mater	Wah Yan College, Hong Kong Wah Yan College, Kowloon McMurry College University of California, Berkeley
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1955–present
Spouse(s)	Lan Di ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1979)​ Barbara Tang ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1990)​ Chiao Chiao ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	1 son, with Lan Musette Tsang (daughter), with Tang
Chinese name
Chinese	曾江
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin zēng jiāng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping zang1 gong1

In this Chinese name, the family name is Tsang.

Kenneth Tsang's star on Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong.

Kenneth Tsang Kong (Chinese: 曾江; Sidney Lau: Jang¹ Kong¹; born 2 September 1935) is a Hong Kong actor. Tsang's career has spanned 50 years and included a variety of acting roles. Tsang won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 34th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2015. He left Mediacorp to continue to appear in films from his native Hong Kong.

Early life and education

Tsang Koon-yat was born in Shanghai with family roots in Jida, Zhuhai, Guangdong.

Tsang attended high school in Wah Yan College, Hong Kong and then Wah Yan College, Kowloon. He attended McMurry College, Abilene, Texas for his freshman year and transferred to University of California, Berkeley, where he received a degree in architecture.

Career

Tsang returned to Hong Kong in the early 1960s as an architect but was bored by the work. His younger sister by 2 years, Jeanette Lin (林翠), was a film star at the time and provided Tsang with several connections in the industry which boosted his acting career.

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 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 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, notably the 1995 epic The Teochew Family and The Unbeatables II in 1996.

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.

Personal life

Tsang was married three times, he first married a Malaysian Chinese and member of circus troupe Lan Di in 1969 and have a son. They divorced ten years later in 1979 and his son left to live with his mother. They have since resided in Vancouver, Canada.

Tsang married columnist and model Barbara Tang in 1980, they have a daughter Musette Tsang Mo-suet. Tsang and Tang divorced in 1990.

In 1994 Tsang married Chiao Chiao (焦姣), a Chinese-born Taiwanese actress.

Filmography

• The Feud (1955) as Liang Zuyi
• Na ge bu duo qing xu ji (1962)
• The Big Circus (1964) as Han Ying-jie
• Hu tu nu zhen tan (1965)
• Jin ding you long (1966)
• Shao nu qing (1967) as Lee Dai-Wai
• Bi yan mo nu (1967) as Sikung Kei
• Da shi jie (1967) as Lui Ho-yin
• Mao yan nu lang (1967)
• Na ge shao nu bu duo qing (1967) as Lau Mung Lung
• Yugang enqiu (1967)
• Huang Fei Hong hu zhao hui qan ying (1967) as Ling Wan Kai
• Sha shou fen hong zuan (1967)
• Tian jian jue dao Shang ji (1967)
• Jiao qi (1967)
• Yu nu de mi mi (1967)
• Suo zhe de xin niang (1968) as Kong Hoi Fung
• Qing chun ge hou (1968) as Lee Wai Hon
• Huang Fei Hong wei zhen wu yang cheng (1968)
• Tian jian jue dao Da jie ju (1968)
• Du long dao (1968)
• Ru lai shen zhang zai xian shen wei (1968)
• Huang Fei Hong xing shi du ba mei hua zhuang (1968) (aka Huang Fei-hong: The Invincible 'Lion Dancer') as Ling Wan Gai
• Duo qing miao zei (1968)
• Hong hua xue jian (1968)
• Lan se jiu dian (1968)
• Wu lin da jue dou (1968)
• Huang Fei Hong zui da ba jin gang (1968) as Ling Wun Gai
• Duo ming dao (1968)
• Ge nu Bai Lan Hua (1968)
• Shen bian xia (1968)
• Shen gong (1968)
• Zi se feng yu ye (1968)
• Huang Fei Hong rou bo hei ba wang (1968) as Ling Wan Gai
• Xiao wu yi da po tong wang zhen (1968)
• Huang Fei Hong quan wang zheng ba (1968) as Ling Wan Gai
• Tian lang zhai (1968) (aka Dragon Fortress) as Lung
• Duo ming ci xiong jian (1969)
• Qi cai tian tang (1969)
• Leng nuan qing chun (1969)
• Huang Fei Hong qiao duo sha yu qing (1969)
• Fei zei bai ju hua (1969)
• Cong ming tai tai ben zhang fu (1969)
• Fei nu zheng zhuan (1969) as Rector Do
• Tian long bao (1969)
• Huang Fei Hong shen wei fu san sha (1969) as Ling Wan Gai
• Xue luo jin (1969)
• Qi cai hong nan lu nu (1969) as Joey So
• Sam chiu liu (1969)
• E Mei ba dao (1969)
• Lang zi (1969) as Chan Oilun
• Huang Fei Hong yu xie liu huang gu (1969) as Ling Wan Gai
• Ming jian Tian Jiao (1969)
• Xiang si tian ru mi (1969) as Tong Chi-Hung
• Yu nu jian (1969)
• Xiao wu shi (1969)
• Huang Fei Hong hu de dou wu lang (1969) as Ling Wan Gai
• Bu gan hui jia de shao nu (1970)
• Du zhang zhen long men (1970)
• Zong you yi tian zhuo dao ni (1970)
• Jia yi (1970) as Tong Tin Yee
• Fei jian shen tong (1970)
• Ju bao pen (1970)
• Cai Li Fo yong qin se mo (1970)
• Zuo ri jin ri ming ri (1970)
• Hei bai dao (1971)
• Demonstrator (1971) as Thao Kimalayo
• Zuo ye meng hun zhong (1971) as Eu Lieh
• Tao qi gu niang (1971)
• Qing yan (1972)
• Tao qi fu qi (1972)
• Men dang hu dui (1972)
• Zhai di (1972)
• Shan dian quan (1972) as Wei Li (Guest star)
• Ying zhao nu lang (1973)
• Shi po tian jian (1973) as Ho Ying
• Yao qian shu (1973)
• Fu lu shou you Nan Yang (1973)
• Tian tang (1974)
• Yinyang jie (1974)
• Tian tian bao xi (1974)
• Yi shan wu hu (1974)
• Shen nu dang fu chuo tou wang (1975) as Longshoreman Wang Kuo-chun
• Chen xing (1975)
• Shi san bu da (1975)
• Er shi zu (1975)
• The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1976, TV Series) as Kwok Siu-tin
• The Return of the Condor Heroes (1976, TV Series) as Chiu Chi-king
• Ai de xiao yu (1976)
• Ka le fei (1978) as Ting Chung
• Fung gip (1979) as Detective
• Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1982, TV Series) as Western Xia king
• Da e (1982) as Ma Mo
• Wild Cherry (1982)
• Kuang qing (1983)
• The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1983, TV Series) as Wong Yeuk-si
• The Return of the Condor Heroes (1983, TV Series) as Wong Yeuk-see
• The Smiling, Proud Wanderer (1984, TV Series) as Ngok But-kwan
• The Duke of Mount Deer (1984, TV Series) as Chan Kan-nam
• Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1985, TV Series) as Yun Sung-wan
• The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (1985, TV Mini-Series) as Tin Kwai-nung
• Wong ga jin si (1986) as Captain Lau Chi-Shing
• A Better Tomorrow (1986) as Ken
• New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre (1986, TV Series) as Tse Shun
• Peking Opera Blues (1986) as General Tsao
• Ni qing wo yuan (1986)
• Mo gui tian shi (1987) as Smuggler
• A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987) as Uncle Ken
• Yi lou yi gu shi (1988)
• Hei bou (1988)
• Zai jian ying xiong (1988) as Lung
• Liu jin sui yue (1988) as Li Chih-Cheng
• Xi Ya Tu da tu sha (1989) as Kwan
• Jing cha ye yi min (1989)
• Di yi jian (1989) as Jenny's Father
• The Killer (1989) as Sgt. Tsang Yeh
• Return of the Lucky Stars (1989) as Uncle Kin
• Her Beautiful Life Lies (1989) as Edward Sung
• Deadly Secret (1989, TV Series) as Ting Tin
• Triads: The Inside Story (1989) as Sergeant Chan Tin-Lok
• Zhuang zhi xiong xin (1989)
• Shadow of China (1989) as Mr. Lau
• Jin pai shi jie (1989) as Cheung
• Blood of Good and Evil (1990, TV Series)
• Cuo zai xin xiu (1990) as Mr. Tseng
• Dip huet fung wan (1990)
• Siu tau Ah Sing (1990) as Chief Inspector Lee
• Hong fen zhi zun (1990) as Fan Yau Tim
• Dou shi sha xing (1990) as Min
• Ben xiang USA (1990)
• Wei Si Li zhi ba wang xie jia (1991) as The President
• Bury Me High (1991) as The President
• Chung hang sei hoi (1991) as Chow - Father
• Ho yat gwan joi loi (1991) as Mei-yi's Father
• Bo Hao (1991) as Chief Inspector Lui Ko-Tin
• Bu ju (1991)
• Shen tan Ma Ru-Long (1991) as Chief Inspector Pao
• Si da jia zu zhi long hu xiong di (1991)
• The Banquet (1991) as Waiter at Dinner
• Duk mong (1991)
• Ye ye ban fei jiao (1992) as Chief Inspector Wong
• Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) as Chaibat
• Miu kai sup yi siu (1992) as San
• The Greed of Man (1992, TVB Series) as Lung Sing-bong
• Hong tian huang jia jiang (1992) as Ken Zheng
• Che shen (1992)
• Xue ran hong chen (1992)
• Yan zhi (1992)
• Ah yi yat juk (1992)
• Shen tan gan shi lu (1993) as Chang
• Chik geuk siu ji (1993) as Ke
• Top of Lady Sword (1993)
• Qian wang qing ren (1993) as Dr. Wong
• Zou shang bu gui lu (1993) as Lau Sin
• Da lu (1993) as Wang Zong
• Lang xin ru tie (1993)
• Jue zhan Tian Men (1993)
• Jin xiu qian cheng (1994)
• The Teochew Family (1995, TV Series, Mediacorp, Singapore) as Cai Qing-yang
• The Unbeatables II (1996, TV Series, Mediacorp, Singapore) as Ye Zhong
• Yung po giu yeung (1997)
• The New Adventures of Wisely (1998, TV Series, Mediacorp, Singapore) as Chief Bai
• Legend of the Crow (1998, Mediacorp, Singapore)
• Riding The Storm (1998, Mediacorp, Singapore)
• The Replacement Killers (1998) as Terence Wei
• Another Meltdown (1998) as Lone Moon / Tasta
• Mei shao nian zhi lian (1998) as Sam's Father
• Chen xing (1998)
• Anna and the King (1999) as Justice Phya Phrom.
• Killer (2000)
• Rush Hour 2 (2001) as Captain Chin
• Funeral March (2001) as Mr. Wong
• The Touch (2002) as Ping
• Die Another Day (2002) as General Moon, Colonel Moon's father.
• Six Strong Guys (2004) as Mr. Lau
• Butterfly (2004) as Flavia's dad
• Colour Blossoms (2004) as Inspector Cheung
• Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) as The General
• The Great Adventure (2005, TV Series)
• The Tokyo Trial (2006) as Hsiang Che-Chun
• The Drummer (2007) as Stephen Ma
• Kung Fu Dunk (2008) as Wang Yiwuan
• Motherland (2009) as Stanley Tang
• Formosa Betrayed (2009) as General Tse
• Prince of Tears (2009) as General Liu
• Blood Ties (2009)
• The Treasure Hunter (2009) as Tu Lao-dai
• Who's the Hero (2010, TV Series)
• Here Comes Fortune (2010)
• Dong feng yu (2010) as Yu Gong
• My Wedding and Other Secrets (2011) as Dr Chu
• Overheard 2 (2011) as Tony Wong
• Inseparable (2011) as Mr. Wang
• Xing kong (2011) as Xiao Mei's grandfather
• ICAC Investigators 2011 (2011, TV Series)
• Joyful Reunion (2012) as Tang ShiZhe
• Supercapitalist (2012) as Victor Chang
• The Mercury Conspiracy (2013) as Mr. Feng
• Overheard 3 (2014) as Uncle To
• The Summer of Our Graduation (2014)
• You Are My Sassy Girl (2014)
• The Eyes of Dawn (2014)
• Fight Up (2015)
• Stan Lee's Lucky Man (2016, TV Series) as Freddie Lau
• For a Few Bullets (2016)
• Ai shang shi shui shi (2016)
• The Express (2017)
• Chui lung (2017) as Sir Chow
• Chasing the Dragon (2017) as Sir Chow
• Baby Task Group (2017)
• Shimajiro and the Rainbow Oasis (2018) as Hong Kong Spy #2
• Detective Chinatown 2 (2018) as Uncle Seven
• First Class Charge (2019)
• Dearest Anita (2019) as Bar Manager
• The Great Craftsman (2019, TV Series) as Chang Bingkun

Awards and nominations

The Star Awards are presented by Mediacorp.

Star Awards – Acting Awards
Year	Ceremony	Category	Nominated work	Result
1999	5th Star Awards Ceremony	Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes	—	Top 20

See also

• Once a Thief

External links

• Kenneth Tsang at IMDb