The ups and downs of the life of 'The Four Beauties of Saigon'
Tham Thuy Hang, Kieu Chinh, Kim Cuong and Thanh Nga were the famous "four beauties of Saigon" in the 60s and 70s, but their lives took many different turns.
Saigon in the 1960s and 1970s had four beauties whose talents and beauty went beyond the borders of Vietnam. The public called them "the four great beauties". Beautiful and famous, their fates contained many sorrows behind the halo of fame.
Kieu Chinh still works, keeps her husband and children private
Actress Kieu Chinh's full name is Nguyen Thi Chinh, born in 1937 in Hanoi. She was one of the most famous film actresses in the South before 1975. Possessing sharp features and magical eyes, Kieu Chinh captivated many people through her roles.
Kieu Chinh began her acting career in the 1950s and quickly became a famous star in her country before going out to conquer the Hollywood market. One of her prominent roles was in the filmThe joy luck club (1993).In 1968, Kieu Chinh acted in a movie.Year of the TigerAmerican production with famous actor Marshall Thompson.
Kieu Chinh has received many prestigious awards, including an Emmy for the documentaryKieu Chinh: A Journey Homein recognition of her tireless contributions to the arts and community.
Her beauty and acting talent have helped her build a huge film portfolio of up to 100 works.
In 1975, Kieu Chinh settled abroad and continued her artistic activities. In recent years, she occasionally returned to the country and established many scholarship funds to help poor children.
The artist is very secretive about her personal life because she wants her daily life to have a peaceful space. Until now, no one knows about her husband and children. She chooses a peaceful life by practicing at home and being a vegetarian.
At the age of 88, the veteran actor still makes people admire his health, perseverance and professional demeanor at work.
Despite her advanced age, star Kieu Chinh attracts attention with her natural beauty, calmness, kind face and gentle smile. She still has vibrant skin and a healthy, agile figure.
At the end of March, Kieu Chinh returned to Vietnam to participate in a special film project with producer and actress Truong Ngoc Anh. She was honored to return to her homeland to contribute to such a meaningful project.
With extensive experience and a resounding reputation in Hollywood, the return of movie star Kieu Chinh in this film project is not only a personal mark but also carries the hope of creating a connection between Vietnamese cinema and international friends.
Kim Cuong is at peace after many failed marriages
People's Artist Kim Cuong, born in 1937, is known as the "diva" of the Southern drama stage. She not only attracts audiences with her outstanding acting talent but also possesses a rare beauty. The female artist has a typical Asian beauty, famous for her curly hair, curled bangs that look like a graceful lady, a straight nose and a bright smile that easily creates sympathy with the person opposite.
In addition to her acting talent, Kim Cuong is also a playwright, having composed many plays under the pen name Hoang Dung. Kim Cuong is considered the pioneer of Saigon drama after 1975. She studied directing in Bulgaria.
Over the years, Kim Cuong Drama Troupe has conquered audiences with a series of famous works such asDurian Leaf, Rose on the Lapel, Mother's Legend, Happy Buyer and Two Christmases.
Kim Cuong Drama Troupe operated for nearly 40 years until completing its theatrical mission in 1994. In 2006, she received the Vietnam Guinness Record as "Female artist who wrote the most drama scripts".
Despite her brilliant career, People's Artist Kim Cuong was not lucky in love. She experienced many broken marriages. In return, the female artist has a talented son who is very filial to his mother.
People's Artist Kim Cuong currently lives in a spacious house in Phu Nhuan (HCMC), with her son and grandchildren. According to the artist, she bought the house 50 years ago, from her income from performing in plays.
At the age of U90, People's Artist Kim Cuong still maintains her gentle beauty. She always maintains the habit of wearing makeup, doing her nails, dressing neatly and her characteristic curly hair over the years.
In October 2024, Kim Cuong had to be hospitalized due to a heart attack. After the critical period, she appreciated the value of life even more.
Over the years, People's Artist Kim Cuong has been one of the artists who has been very active in charity work. She diligently goes to collect donations and ask for sponsorships to have money to do charity work as a way to repay life.
Tham Thuy Hang's glorious life, ruined by aesthetics
Tham Thuy Hang was born in 1939 in Hai Phong and grew up in An Giang. At the age of 16, she participated in a film actor contest and won the highest award.
At the age of 18, Tham Thuy Hang began her professional acting career with her first film beingBeauty of Binh Duong.The role immediately made her a star. From then on, she was continuously invited to act in films and each film was successful, earning a salary of up to a pound of gold for each film.
Tham Thuy Hang was called the pinnacle of Saigon's beauty in the 1960s and 1970s. She had a captivating beauty that was both classic and modern, both elegant and sharp, and natural and gentle. Every time we look back at Tham Thuy Hang's youthful photos, future generations of beauties must admire her.
Her beauty and talent helped her receive invitations to act in films from producers from the US, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan...
Standing at the pinnacle of money and fame, Tham Thuy Hang's personal life was full of tragedy. She was once forced by her family to marry someone she did not love, and the marriage fell apart, leaving the star a single mother at the age of 24.
Six years later, she got married for the second time, this time to a happy marriage with a man she loved and respected. Therefore, his passing in 2003 was a great loss for Tham Thuy Hang, and she has been single ever since.
One of the greatest tragedies in Tham Thuy Hang’s life was the result of plastic surgery that disfigured her face. Originally a quiet and famous beauty queen in Saigon, the golden face of the silver screen at one time, has retreated into a more reclusive life, finding joy in Buddhism and charity work.
In September 2022, Tham Thuy Hang passed away at her home in Ho Chi Minh City, at the age of 82.
Thanh Nga - beautiful but ill-fated
Thanh Nga was born in 1942, was the most famous cai luong artist in Saigon in the 60s and 70s of the last century. Her name is associated with many classic plays such asThe Wife I Never Marry, By the Silk Weaving Bridge, The Sound of Me Linh Drums...
Not only possessing a wonderful voice, Thanh Nga also captivates the audience with her perfect beauty. The female artist has an oval face, sad eyes and long, smooth hair.
In the Cai Luong world, Thanh Nga has the largest fan base. Rarely does any female artist receive the admiration she does. Thanks to her, the performances of the Thanh Minh - Thanh Nga troupe at Hung Dao theater are always packed with no empty seats. Every time a performance ends, there is always a crowd waiting outside the theater to see Thanh Nga.
A beautiful woman with a tragic fate, Thanh Nga passed away at the age of 36. She and her husband were shot in a shocking assassination in Saigon on November 26, 1978. That night, they, their son Ha Linh and their personal bodyguard had just parked their car in front of the house when two strangers appeared. They used pistols to control the bodyguard and the couple with the intention of kidnapping Ha Linh. Thanh Nga decided to hide her son behind her back and lie on top of him to save his life. Unable to achieve their goal, the two strangers shot Thanh Nga and her husband to death and then got in the car and escaped.
Over the past decades, when mentioning cai luong stars, the Saigon audience always mentions Meritorious Artist Thanh Nga, the most talented and beautiful female artist in the Southern stage arts scene.
