Patrick Tse Yin, one of Hong Kong cinema’s most enduring leading men, has died at the age of 89. His family confirmed his passing on Monday, July 20, following a period of declining health, according to the South China Morning Post.
A Career Spanning Seven Decades
Born in Guangzhou in 1936 and raised in Hong Kong from a young age, Tse made his acting debut in 1954 and went on to star in more than 100 films throughout a career that lasted into the 2000s, according to Mothership. He became one of Asia’s highest-paid actors during the 1950s and later reinvented himself as a character actor in his later years, including a memorable turn in Stephen Chow‘s Shaolin Soccer. In 2019, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and in 2022 he won Best Actor for his role in Time, becoming the oldest performer ever to win the award, per The Star.
Family and Tributes
Tse’s death was first announced by his daughter, model Jennifer Tse, who wrote that he “passed away peacefully at the hospital, surrounded by the love of his family.” His son, singer-actor Nicholas Tse, paused his ongoing concert tour in mainland China and returned to Hong Kong to help arrange the funeral, according to The Standard. In a tribute shared afterward, Nicholas recalled his father’s outlook on his craft, quoting him as often saying, “The show must go on,” according to Malay Mail.
Within the industry, Tse was affectionately known as “Sei Gor,” or “Fourth Brother,” a nickname that stuck with him for decades. Reports indicate he was last seen publicly in late April, meeting friends for coffee while using a wheelchair, according to New Straits Times.
A Complicated Personal Life
Tse’s personal life often drew as much attention as his film work. He was married to Taiwanese actress Chen Chen from 1974 to 1978, and later to actress Deborah Lee from 1979 until their divorce in the mid-1990s, with whom he had two children, Nicholas and Jennifer, according to background compiled by Wikipedia. He later spent time living in Canada before returning to Hong Kong in the early 2000s, where he resumed his acting career.
Remembering an Icon
Tse’s death marks the loss of one of the last major stars from Hong Kong’s golden age of cinema, a generation that shaped the city’s film industry from the 1950s through its international breakthrough decades later. Funeral arrangements are being kept private, in keeping with the family’s wishes.
