Kent Tong

Kent Tong (simplified Chinese: 汤镇业; traditional Chinese: 湯鎮業; pinyin: Tāng zhèn yè), was born on 29 September 1958 in Hong Kong. He was a popular Television Broadcast TVB actor during the 1980s in Hong Kong, named as "Prince" among Five Tiger Generals of TVB.[1][2]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Tong.
Kent Tong
湯鎮業
Born (1958-09-29) 29 September 1958
British Hong Kong
Other namesKen Tong, Kenneth Tong, Tong Chun-yip, Ken Tong Chun-yip
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)Keung Jean (Kun Jiang)
(1993-2001)
Wen Jing
​
(m. 2008)​
Partner(s)Barbara Yung
(1983–1985)
Children6
RelativesTong Chun Chung (brother)
Roxanne Tong (niece)
Cassandre Tong (niece)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese湯鎮業
Simplified Chinese汤镇业

Early life

Kent Tong was born and grew up in a poor family in Hong Kong. His father was a fisherman who always caught seafood to feed his family. All 12 members of his family lived in a small-sized living room that was only 30 square meters. After graduating from high school, he worked on a salary of around 500 Hong Kong dollars per month.[2]

Career

In 1979, Kent Tong received actor training from the TVB Artist Training Class, and proceeded to act for TVB. Although he has appeared in over a dozen movies, he is mostly known for his work in TVB television series, such as Duen Yu in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1982) and Yin Ching in The Unyielding Master Lim(1986). Tong often undertook roles of princes and villains in TVB dramas.[1]

During the 1980s, Kent Tong, along with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Andy Lau, Michael Miu and Felix Wong became known as the Five Tiger Generals of TVB. They were widely considered the most popular and best looking leading male actors in TVB at the time. Everyone called him a nickname "Prince" – the most handsome guy in the group.[2]

In 1985, Tong was blamed by the public for the suicide of his then girlfriend, actress Barbara Yung, suffering a nervous breakdown as a result. At the end of 1985, he left TVB to avoid more negativity.[2][3]

In 1993, he married former ATV actress Keung Kwan, who bore him a daughter and twin sons. The couple officially divorced in 2001. In 2008, he married Qingdao native Zou Wenjing, who is 25 years his junior. Their twin girls were born in 2008. However, while he and Keung Kwan were in the midst of their divorce, Kent was in a relationship with another woman from Guangzhou. Their son was born in 2000.

From between the 1990s and now, Tong had switched to develop his food business and also shoot films in China. Tong is appointed as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference representing Guangdong Province since December 2007.[4]

In 2015, Tong made a comeback to TVB after 30 years with big success of the blockbuster Lord of Shanghai. Besides, he was nominated for Best Actor of the year.[3][1]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Network Role
1979Chor Lau-heungTVB
Yesterday's GlitterTVB
1980The BundTVBChan Hon-lam
1981SeekersTVB
Double FantasiesTVB
The Adventurer'sTVB
Come Rain, Come ShineTVB
1982Soldier of FortuneTVBYing Ji Fai
The Wild BunchTVBHong Gwan-lei
Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1982 TV series)TVBDuen Yu
1983The Bold Ones TVB
The Return of The Condor HeroesTVBFok-do
The Legend of the UnknownsTVB
1984Summer Kisses Winter TearsTVB
The FoundationTVBLei Yuen Gat
The Rise And Fall of a Stand-inTVB
Love Me, Love Me NotTVB
The Return of Wong Fei HungTVBNalan Masanori
1985The Yang's SagaTVBPrince Bat-yin
A Tough FightTVB
The Unyielding Master LimTVBYin Ching
The Brave SquadTVB
Kings of IdeasTVB
1987Beauty of the Han's DynastyTaiwanEmperor Yuan of Han
1988General Wu San KweiTaiwanWu San Kwei
1991Noble ConflictATV
1992The Rise and Fall of Qing Dynasty IVATVGuangxu Emperor
1993Secret Battle of The MajestyATV
Who is The Winner IIIATV
1996Mission Against CorruptionChina
1997InterPolATV
1999A FukChina
2002The PrisonerChina
2003Dong Fang Mu QinChina
2005The Royal SwordsmenChinaWan Sanqian
2006Xiang Fen Chuan QiChinaZhu Yuanzhang
2009Pretty MaidChina
2011PalaceHBSKangxi Emperor
2012Palace 2HBSAh Ling Ah
2012Heros in Sui & Tang DynastiesEmperor Wen of Sui
2015Lord of ShanghaiTVBChak Kam Tong
2015Legend of Ban ShuCCTVUncle Zhong
2017OCTB
2018Guardian AngelTVBJin Shang Wen
2019I Beg Your PardonTVBWen Xiong

Films
  • Once Upon a Rainbow (1982)
  • Hell Has No Boundary (1982)
  • Nomad (1982)
  • Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1982)
  • Red Spell Spells Red (1983)
  • Maybe It's Love (1984)
  • The Surgeon (1984)
  • Police Story (1985)
  • The Story of Dr. Sun Yat Sen (1986)
  • Eastern Condors (1987)
  • You OK, I'm OK (1987)
  • Call Girl '88 (1988)
  • The Dragon Family (1988)
  • Bitter Taste of Blood (1988)
  • City Cops (1989)
  • The Tigers (1991) – Best Supporting Actor Nomination for The Tigers (11th Hong Kong Film Awards)
  • Pretty Woman (1991)
  • Take Me (1991)
  • Fox Legend (1991)
  • The Days of Being Dumb (1992)
  • The Pearl of Oriental (1992)
  • Royal Tramp II (1992)
  • Sex And Curse (1992)
  • Sisters in Law (1992)
  • A Matter of Life or Death (1992)
  • Hero of Hong Kong 1949 (1993)
  • Lord of the East China Sea (1993)
  • Hero – Beyond The Boundary of Time (1993)
  • The Tale of a Heroine (1993)
  • Bogus Cops (1993)
  • Hot Desire (1993)
  • Dancing Boy in Underworld Street (1993)
  • Pink Panther (1993)
  • Battle of No Truce (1993)
  • A Man and a Woman (1993)
  • Naked Rose (1994)
  • Bloody Beast (1994)
  • Possessed (1994)
  • Reunion (2002)
  • Eternal Flame of Fatal Attraction (2003)
  • My Jail Story (2003)
  • Moving Targets (2004)
  • Love is a Many Stupid Thing (2004)
  • Dragon Squad (2005)
  • My Mother is a Belly Dancer (2006)
  • Brothers (2007)
  • The Scroll of Wing Chun White Crane (2014)
  • Silently Love (2015)
  • Doomed Disaster (2015)
  • Out of Ordinary (2016)
  • Xuan Zang (2016)
  • Chasing the Dragon (2017)
  • Agent Mr Chan (2018)
  • Our Time (2018)
  • Dragon Action Secret Code (2019)

[5] [6]

References
  1. Kent Tong TVB now is different from the old days
  2. Ken Tong says he feels no guilt about ex-girlfriend Barbara Yung's death
  3. Kent Tong Won’t Attend Barbara Yung’s Memorial Services
  4. Kent Tong promoted as a Member of the CPPCC Committee for Guangdong Province
  5. Kent Tong at hkmdb.com
  6. Kent Tong at chinesemov.com
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