Renowned Hong Kong entertainer Patrick Tse passed away on July 20 at the age of 89, shocking the entertainment industry. Tse rose to fame in the 1950s and became known throughout his career for his suave, charismatic image. Over a remarkable 72-year career in show business, he was married to Taiwanese actress Chen Chen (甄珍) and later to Hong Kong actress Deborah Lee (狄波拉).
According to China Daily, on the afternoon of July 20, Patrick Tse’s son, actor and singer Nicholas Tse, paid tribute to his father in a post on Weibo:
“It is with great sadness that I announce that my father, Patrick Tse, has passed away. He devoted his entire life to film, television, and entertainment, hoping to bring joy and smiles to every audience member. When I was young, I also saw moments when he was troubled and discouraged. But no matter what, he always insisted on appearing before the camera in his very best form.”
Nicholas Tse added that his father often said: “The show must go on.”
He continued: “So if you think of Fourth Brother, if you think of my father, there’s no need to cry or be overly heartbroken. He would feel that it wasn’t his style. As long as we keep in our hearts the image of him that was forever full of charm and always wearing a smile, that will be enough.”
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Patrick Tse had withdrawn from public life
In recent years, Patrick Tse had largely withdrawn from public life due to his advanced age, making only rare public appearances, while the public continued to pay close attention to his health.
According to Hong Kong media reports, Tse was recently hospitalized after falling ill. His condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly, and he even slipped into a coma, requiring treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). During the final stage of his life, Tse reportedly held on in the hope of seeing his son, Nicholas Tse, who was working in mainland China. The father and son were ultimately able to share a final farewell.
In April this year, a netizen happened to encounter Patrick Tse while hiking in the mountains. Wearing his trademark sunglasses and a red sports jacket, Tse was seen using a wheelchair for mobility. Despite his physical frailty, he appeared to be in good spirits and warmly posed for photos with fans, displaying the approachable demeanor for which he was known. The news of his passing yesterday therefore came as a shock to many.
Patrick Tse was born in 1936 with the birth name Tse Ka-yuk (謝家鈺). As the fourth child in his family—and because of his portrayal of Lo Sei-hoi (羅四海) in the television drama The Shell Game (千王之王)—he became widely known by the nicknames “Fourth Brother” (四哥), “Old Fourth”, and “Tse Old Fourth.”
Tse entered the entertainment industry in the 1950s and quickly rose to fame. He gained widespread recognition in 1956 with the film 999 Murder Case (999命案), and later established himself as one of Hong Kong’s leading young male stars through films such as the 1960 classic The Awful Truth (難兄難弟). His suave, debonair style and playboy image made him one of the era’s most popular leading men.
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The Silver Rats Troupe
In the 1960s, Tse joined fellow entertainers to form the Silver Rats Troupe (銀色鼠隊), which enjoyed great popularity in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. In 1967, he co-founded the Tse Brothers Film Company (謝氏兄弟影片公司) and made his directorial debut with the film The Narrow Stairway (窄梯). During the 1970s, he worked as a freelance actor, appearing in numerous Hong Kong and Taiwanese films. In 1978, he was invited to join TVB to star in television dramas, including the acclaimed series The Shell Game (千王之王) and Love and Passion (萬水千山總是情).
Tse was married twice. He married Taiwanese actress Chen Chen (甄珍) in 1974, but the couple divorced in 1976. Although their marriage lasted only about two years, they remained close friends and continued to care for one another for decades. In later years, when Chen Chen held a book launch in Taiwan, Tse appeared to show his support, demonstrating a lasting friendship that became a rare example in the entertainment industry.
In 1979, Tse married Hong Kong actress Deborah Lee (狄波拉). They had two children—actor and singer Nicholas Tse and actress Jennifer Tse. Their high-profile marriage lasted 16 years before ending in divorce in 1995. Despite their separation, Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee maintained an amicable relationship, continuing to regard each other as family and frequently attending family gatherings together over the years.
In 2022, at the age of 85, Patrick Tse won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as the elderly contract killer Tin Lap-chau (田立秋) in the film Time (殺出個黃昏). The victory made him the oldest-ever recipient of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor.
