Tham Thuy Hang was 18 years old when she played her first role as Tam Nuong in the movie "Nguoi dep Binh Duong" (an ancient place name in China) - released in 1957 by director Nguyen Thanh Chau (also known as People's Artist Nam Chau). As soon as the movie premiered on the big screen, she was immediately sought after for her charming beauty. The press at that time praised Tham Thuy Hang's rare beauty with big round eyes, a thin nose, heart-shaped lips, and a slim waist. The name of the movie also became the nickname that stuck with her throughout her career.
On the occasion of 100 years of Vietnamese drama (1921 - 2021), many audiences on stage and film forums recalled the golden age of female actors of the time such as Tham Thuy Hang, Kim Cuong, Thanh Nga, Hoang Cuc... Last week, Tham Thuy Hang also celebrated her 82nd birthday (October 20, 1939).
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After 1975, with her last role - Phồn Y in the play "Thunderstorm" on the stage of Kim Cuong troupe, Thẩm Thúy Hằng retired from the arts to live a private life with her family. In her old age, she became a nun at home, studying Zen while living in her private home in Thanh Da area (Binh Thanh district).
Artist Kim Cuong - a close colleague of 60 years - said that she still occasionally contacts Tham Thuy Hang, and is relieved to know that she is happy and content with her children and grandchildren. She said: "I am happy that my junior still maintains her passion for drama and follows the life of the contemporary stage."
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| Tham Thuy Hang with "stage queen" Thanh Nga. |
Her expressive eyes helped Tham Thuy Hang succeed in entering the drama industry. In the 1960s, she founded the Tham Thuy Hang Drama Group, where she was the head and scriptwriter, and was on par with the leading troupes in Saigon at that time, such as Kim Cuong and Mong Tuyen. Her roles in plays such as "Old Mother", "Love Stream", "Serpent Eyes"... created attraction and strengthened her reputation in the drama industry.
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| From left to right: Tham Thuy Hang, musician - "manager" Tran Van Trach, Thanh Nga. The two artists maintained a friendly colleague relationship, especially during the period when Tham Thuy Hang experimented with Cai Luong. She performed with the Thanh Minh Thanh Nga troupe, playing the dancer Cam Le in the play "Shadow of birds and fish". |
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| Beauty of Tham Thuy Hang through the lensDinh Tien Mau- a famous photographer in Saigon in the 1960s and 1970s. During his lifetime, the photographer once said that when he first started his career, he took pictures for famous magazines and got to know many beauties, including Tham Thuy Hang. When he opened Vien Kinh photo studio on Phan Dinh Phung Street (now Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, District 3), she was one of the first celebrities to support him. Thanks to her reputation, the photo studio became famous, attracting many artists and businessmen. |
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| Tham Thuy Hang wears a traditional long dress with a boat neck and raglan sleeves, typical of women in old Saigon. |
In the early 1960s, she was the most sought-after beauty. In a conversation with the press, she said that she was once paid 1 million VND for a role (equivalent to 1 kg of gold at that time). After "Beauty of Binh Duong", she continued to make a splash with the work "Ngưu Lang - Chức Nữ". The scene where Chức Nữ flies to heaven amidst the mysterious mist and smoke, her clear singing in the musical scene " Chức Nữ về trời" (composed by Phạm Duy) left a mark on the hearts of many contemporary audiences.
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| Tham Thuy Hang and her senior Kieu Chinh at the Asian Film Festival in 1964. She and Kieu Chinh - along with the late artists Thanh Nga and Kim Cuong - were once compared by the press to the "four great beauties" of Saigon before 1975. |
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| Tham Thuy Hang in "Love Waves" - a film co-produced between Vietnam and Taiwan, released in 1969. |
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| Tham Thuy Hang is one of the few contemporary beauties who experimented with a sexy style, creating attraction in both movies and Tet calendars. |
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| She was also sought after by many record companies, appearing on the music sheets of popular contemporary composers, such as musicians Tran Thien Thanh, Hoang Trong, Manh Phat, Anh Bang... |
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| For a long time, Tham Thuy Hang was the most popular face in spring newspapers. The early 1970s marked the peak of the former star's career. In 1972 - 1974, she was continuously awarded the "Best Asian Actress" awards at the Taipei Film Festival (Taiwan); Best Asian Actress at the Asian Film Festival held in Hong Kong (China)... |
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| Tham Thuy Hang with actor La Thoai Tan - her co-star. A leading actor in the South before 1975, La Thoai Tan co-starred with Tham Thuy Hang in many works, such as "Nang" (1970), "Tu Quai Sai Gon" (1973)..., creating the most beloved duo in the film and drama industry. |
