The tumultuous lives of the 'Four Great Beauties of Saigon'
Tham Thuy Hang, Kieu Chinh, Kim Cuong, and Thanh Nga were the famous "four great beauties of Saigon" of the 1960s and 70s, but their lives took many different paths.
Saigon in the 1960s and 1970s had four beauties whose talent and beauty transcended the borders of Vietnam. The public called them the "Four Great Beauties." Beautiful and famous, yet their fates were filled with sadness hidden behind the glamour and fame.
Kieu Chinh continues to work and keeps her marriage and children private.
Actress Kieu Chinh, whose full name is Nguyen Thi Chinh, was born in 1937 in Hanoi. She was one of the most famous film actresses in South Vietnam before 1975. Possessing sharp features and expressive, captivating eyes, Kieu Chinh charmed many through her roles.
Kieu Chinh began her acting career in the 1950s and quickly became a famous star in Vietnam before venturing out into the world to conquer the Hollywood market. One of her most notable roles was in the film...The Joy Luck Club (1993).In 1968, Kieu Chinh acted in a film.The Year of the TigerProduced in the USA and starring the famous actor Marshall Thompson.
Kieu Chinh has received many prestigious awards, including an Emmy Award for her documentary.Kieu Chinh: A Journey HomeWe acknowledge her tireless contributions to the arts and the community.
Her beauty and acting talent have helped her build a massive filmography of over 100 works.
In 1975, Kieu Chinh emigrated abroad and continued her artistic activities. In recent years, she occasionally returns to Vietnam and has established numerous scholarship funds to help underprivileged children.
The artist is very private about her personal life because she wants a peaceful daily life. To this day, no one knows anything about her husband or children. She chose a peaceful life by practicing Buddhism at home and being a vegetarian.
At 88 years old, the veteran actor continues to inspire admiration for his health, stamina, and professional demeanor at work.
Despite her advanced age, actress Kieu Chinh captivates with her natural beauty, calm demeanor, benevolent face, and gentle smile. She still possesses vibrant skin and a nimble, healthy physique.
In late March, Kieu Chinh returned to Vietnam to participate in a special film project with producer and actress Truong Ngoc Anh. She felt honored to return to her homeland to contribute to a project of great significance.
With her extensive experience and resounding reputation in Hollywood, the return of film star Kieu Chinh to this project is not only a personal milestone but also carries the hope of creating a connection between Vietnamese cinema and international friends.
Kim Cương finds peace after multiple failed marriages.
People's Artist Kim Cương, born in 1937, is known as the "legendary actress" of Southern Vietnamese theater. She captivated audiences not only with her exceptional acting talent but also with her rare beauty. The actress possessed a distinctly East Asian beauty, famous for her curly hair, neatly styled bangs, a straight nose, and a bright smile that easily endeared her to those she met.
Besides her acting talent, Kim Cương was also a playwright, having written many plays under the pen name Hoàng Dũng. Kim Cương is considered a pioneer of Saigon's spoken theater after 1975. She studied directing in Bulgaria.
Over the years, the Kim Cuong Drama Troupe has captivated audiences with a series of famous works such asDurian Leaf, Rose Pinned to the Lapel, Legend of Mother, The Buyer of Happiness, and Two Christmas Seasons.
The Kim Cuong Drama Troupe operated for nearly 40 years until it completed its theatrical mission in 1994. In 2006, she received the Guinness World Record for Vietnam as "The female artist who wrote the most drama scripts".
Despite a brilliant career, People's Artist Kim Cương was not fortunate in her love life. She experienced several failed marriages. However, she has a talented and very filial son.
People's Artist Kim Cương currently lives in a spacious house in Phú Nhuận (Ho Chi Minh City) with her son and grandson. According to the actress, she bought the house 50 years ago with the income from her theatrical performances.
At nearly 90 years old, People's Artist Kim Cương still retains her benevolent beauty. She has consistently maintained her makeup, manicures, impeccable attire, and signature curly hair throughout the years.
In October 2024, Kim Cương had to be hospitalized for an emergency due to a heart attack. After surviving the critical condition, she appreciated the value of life even more.
Over the years, People's Artist Kim Cương has been one of the most active artists in charitable work. She diligently raises funds and seeks sponsorships to support her philanthropic endeavors as a way of giving back to life.
Tham Thuy Hang's life was full of glory, but it all ended because of cosmetic surgery.
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 acting competition and won the top prize.
Ở tuổi 18, Thẩm Thúy Hằng bắt đầu sự nghiệp diễn xuất chuyên nghiệp mà bộ phim đầu tay là Beauty queen from Binh Duong.The role instantly propelled her to stardom. From then on, she was constantly invited to act in films, and every film was a success, with her salary for each film amounting to a kilogram of gold.
Thẩm Thúy Hằng được gọi là tuyệt đỉnh giai nhân của Sài Gòn thập niên 1960 - 1970. Bà có nhan sắc hút hồn vừa cổ điển vừa hiện đại, vừa kiêu sa sắc sảo, vừa tự nhiên, dịu dàng. Mỗi khi ngắm lại loạt ảnh thời trẻ của Thẩm Thúy Hằng, các thế hệ nhan sắc sau này đều phải ngưỡng mộ.
Vẻ đẹp và tài năng giúp bà nhận được lời mời đóng phim của các nhà sản xuất đến từ Mỹ, Thái Lan, Hong Kong, Nhật Bản, Đài Loan...
Đứng trên đỉnh cao của tiền bạc và danh vọng nhưng cuộc sống riêng của Thẩm Thúy Hằng lại khá nhiều bi kịch. Bà từng bị gia đình ép kết hôn với một người mình không yêu, để rồi cuộc hôn nhân tan vỡ và minh tinh trở thành mẹ đơn thân khi mới 24 tuổi.
Sáu năm sau, bà lên xe hoa lần thứ hai, lần này là cuộc hôn nhân hạnh phúc với người đàn ông bà yêu và kính trọng. Chính vì vậy nên sự ra đi của ông vào năm 2003 là mất mát to lớn đối với Thẩm Thúy Hằng, bà lẻ bóng từ đó.
Một trong những bi kịch lớn nhất cuộc đời Thẩm Thúy Hằng là hậu quả phẫu thuật thẩm mỹ khiến khuôn mặt bà biến dạng. Vốn kín tiếng, hoa khôi nức tiếng Sài thành, gương mặt vàng của màn bạc một thời lại càng lui về cuộc sống ẩn dật, tìm niềm vui với Phật pháp và làm từ thiện.
Tháng 9/2022, Thẩm Thuý Hằng qua đời tại nhà riêng ở TP.HCM, hưởng thọ 82 tuổi.
Thanh Nga - a beautiful woman with an unfortunate fate.
Born in 1942, Thanh Nga was one of the most famous Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) artists in Saigon during the 1960s and 70s. Her name is associated with many classic plays such asThe wife I never married, Weaving silk by the bridge, The drums of Me Linh...
Besides possessing a wonderful voice, Thanh Nga also captivated audiences with her flawless beauty. The female artist had an oval face, melancholic eyes, and long, flowing hair.
In the world of Vietnamese traditional opera (cải lương), Thanh Nga had one of the largest fan bases. Few female artists received such adoration. Thanks to her, performances by the Thanh Minh - Thanh Nga troupe at the Hung Dao theater were always sold out, with not a single seat left. After each performance, a crowd would always gather outside the theater waiting to catch a glimpse of Thanh Nga.
Tragically, Thanh Nga died at the young age of 36. She and her husband were killed in a shocking assassination attempt in Saigon on November 26, 1978. That evening, they, along with their son Ha Linh and their personal bodyguard, had just parked their car in front of their house when two strangers appeared. They used handguns to overpower the bodyguard and the couple, intending to kidnap Ha Linh. Thanh Nga hid her son behind her back and lay on top of him to protect his life. Failing to achieve their goal, the two strangers shot and killed Thanh Nga and her husband before escaping in their car.
For decades, when mentioning cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) stars, the Saigon public always referred to Meritorious Artist Thanh Nga, the most talented and beautiful female artist in the Southern Vietnamese theatrical arts scene.