Le Quynh

Le Quynh (1934-2008) was a famous Vietnamese film actor and director.  Born on September 6, 1934 in Hanoi, he first rose to prominence in the Vietnamese classic film, Chung Toi Muon Song (We Want to Live) in 1956.  Among his other popular films included Dat Lanh (1956), which was a Vietnamese film version of The Good Earth, Hoi Chuong Thien Mu (The Bells of Thien Mu Pagoda) (1957), Vu An Tinh (1960), Mua Rung (Jungle Rain) (1962), Doi Mat Nguoi Xua (The Eyes of a Past Lover) (1963), Hoa Binh (1970), Mua Thu Cuoi Cung (The Last Autumn) (1971) and Bay Ngam (1972), for which he was honored with South Vietnam's equivalent to an Oscar, a best actor award from Van Hoc Nghe Thuat.  Le Quynh had starred alongside some of South Vietnam's top leading ladies such as Khanh Ngoc, Kim Cuong, Tham Thuy Hang, Thanh Nga and Kieu Chinh.

Kieu Chinh and Le Quynh in
Hoi Chuong Thien Mu (1957)

From 1956 until 1965, Le Quynh was married to legendary Vietnamese songstress Thai Thanh.  Together they had five children, two of which would grow up to become famous Vietnamese singers in the United States, Y Lan and Quynh Huong.

In 1975, Le Quynh and his second wife and four children left Vietnam and relocated to the United States.  He found work as a social worker for USCC, a Catholic Charities funded organization assisting newly arrived refugees from Vietnam.  Upon his retirement from USCC, Le Quynh became a restaurateur.  During the 1990s, he had briefly owned and operated his own restaurant, Nu Cuoi Sai Gon, in Westminster, California.

Le Quynh passed away on January 5, 2008.  He was 73.

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20 Most Handsome Vietnamese Men of All Time