TVB fans, if you grew up watching New Heavenly Sword And Dragon Sabre (1986) and The Brothers (1980), you’ll be sad to know that veteran TVB actress, Lee Heung Kam, has died.
Born in 1932, the veteran actress began acting since the young age of 16 and made a name for herself playing the roles of scheming concubine and empress during the heyday of Cantonese films.
Over the long course of her career, she has acted with legendary figures, including Tony Leung as well as Chow Yun-Fat.
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In total, she appeared in over 400 films and acted in dozens of TVB dramas.
Dies At Age 88
On 4 Jan 2021, it was reported that Lee has passed away.
Tam Sin Huang, her friend, fellow actress and opera singer was the one to break the news to Hong Kong media.
According to Tam, Lee had difficulty swallowing food over the past few days and was on a liquid diet.
According to SCMP, Lee went into unconsciousness and was rushed to Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Monday morning, 4 Jan.
She passed away a few hours later.
Family Was Prepared For The Worst
According to media reports, Lee’s condition had worsened over the past month and her family were “prepared for the worst”.
Her daughter, whom she had with ex-husband Siu Chung Kwan, previously said in Sep 2020 that her mother was suffering from a poor memory.
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She had mentioned, then, that her mother was in good health and “as happy as a child”.
Lee has not appeared in public over the past few years and was reportedly dependent on a wheelchair to move around in.
TVB’s Response
The Hong Kong broadcaster has responded to the death of their iconic actress.
“Lee appeared in dozens of TVB dramas. She had distinctive characters and outstanding acting skills.
“Her line [in that drama] – ‘No need to fear, grandma is in the living room’ – impressed many of the audience.”
Expressing their condolences to the family, TVB says it is in contact with Lee’s family to offer help.
Lee Heung Kam, A National Treasure
Lee trained in Cantonese opera and officially joined the entertainment scene at 16 years old.
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She initially became a supporting actress for several performance troupes.
At 24 years old, she made her first screen debut in Wong Fei-Hung serials.
From 1956 onwards, she appeared in almost 400 films as a villain.
In 1972, Lee joined TVB and acted in close to 50 television operas, usually as a kind mother figure.
In 2017, she was even the subject of a Hong Kong exhibition titled: “The leading actress, perfidious concubine and beloved grandma – Lee Hong-kum’s artistic career”
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About fifty objects were showcased in the exhibition, some of them donated by Lee herself.
She was even lauded by the government for her contributions:
“Throughout a career in the performing arts spanning more than 60 years, Lee Hong-kum has made outstanding contributions to Cantonese opera, film and television.”
In other words, a true national treasure, indeed.
Feature Image: Hanx CN
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