Hong Van (Singer)

For the comedienne, see Hong Van (Comedienne).


Hong Van (1950-    ) is a Vietnamese singer most famous for her musical recitals of Vietnamese poetry known as Ngâm Thơ.  

She was born in 1950 in the imperial city of Hue, Central Vietnam to a family of Vietnamese royalty.  Her parents divorced shortly after Hong Van was born and her mother took her to live with her maternal grandparents in Quang Ngai.  Married at 18, Hong Van would resettle in Saigon with her husband a year later.  While in Saigon, she became a mother at age 19 and attended the University of Saigon, School of Literature for two years.  It was at the University of Saigon where she would meet two friends, Tuyet Hang and Thu Ha, who shared her interest in music and recitals of Vietnamese poetry.  Together they formed the singing trio, Đông Phương.  Their performances of traditional folk music of all three regions of Vietnam known as Dân Ca Ba Miền made the trio quite popular with audiences.   In a short period of time, the Đông Phương trio led by Hong Van were performing at shows throughout various cities of South Vietnam.  They landed themselves a recording a recording contract with Continental, South Vietnam's most prolific record label, and became headliners at Saigon's most prestigious cabarets and venues such as Đêm Màu Hồng, Queen Bee and Maxim's.  In addition to folk music and musical recitals of Vietnamese poetry, Hong Van also sings in other genres of Vietnamese music such as Nhạc Tiền Chiến (Vietnamese Pre-War Music), Nhạc Trữ Tình (Vietnamese Love Songs) and songs written by legendary composer Trinh Cong Son.  In 1974, Hong Van had a small part as the narrator in the comedy feature film, Năm Vua Hề Về Làng, which featured an all-star cast including Thanh Nga, Tham Thuy Hang, Thanh Duoc, Thanh Mai, La Thoai Tan, Bao Quoc, Phuong Hong Ngoc and Bang Chau.  Unfortunately, her busy schedule as an entertainer took its toll in her private life causing her marriage to end in divorce in the early 1970s.  

After the Fall of Saigon, Hong Van continued to forge ahead with her singing career collaborating with various singing troupes such as Bông Sen, Bông Hồng and Hương Miền Nam.  In 1988, she toured Europe with a gala of other Vietnamese artists including singer Hoa Mi, who defected after a performance in Paris, France and was granted political asylum by the French government.  In 2004, one of Hong Van's dreams came true as she was cast as the lead actress portraying Dowager Empress Thái Hậu Từ Cung in the highly rated television mini-series, Ngọn Nến Hoàng Cung, costarring Truong Ngoc Anh.  

Thanh Thuy and Hong Van in the musical play, Đá Trông Chồng,
at the Hoa Binh Venue in Ho Chi Minh City (2014) 

Now in her sixties, Hong Van continues to perform nightly as a headliner at cabarets in Ho Chi Minh City like Tiếng Xưa and Ân Nam.  In 2014, she was cast in a supporting role in the critically acclaimed musical play, Đá Trông Chồng, at the Hoa Binh Venue in Ho Chi Minh City which starred actress/singer Thanh Thuy.  Hong Van has been honored with the title of Nghệ Sĩ Ưu Tú (Meritorious Artist) by the Vietnamese government.  She is best friends with fellow Vietnamese singer Lan Ngoc.  

Minh Canh

Minh Canh (1939-    ) is a famous actor of Southern Vietnamese folk opera, known as Cai Luong, and singer of Vọng Cổ.

Nguyen Van Canh was born in 1938 in Cho Lon Saigon, South Vietnam.   At the age of 11, he moved in with his grandmother and sister  He began his career in 1959 as a Cai Luong performer on Radio Vietnam.  The following year, Minh Canh joined the prestigious Kim Chung Theater Troupe as the lead actor.  He would play the lead role in a series of successful Cai Luong stage productions including Nguoi Nghe Si Mu Dat Ha Tien, Phu Kieu Truong Han, Tieng Cuoi Bao Tu, Tuyet Phu Chieu Dong and Chieu Thu Sau Ly Biet that would gain him national recognition.

In 1961, Minh Canh scored his biggest hit with his audio recording of the Vọng Cổ song written by Vien Chau for the Asia record label.  Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, he along with veteran performer Ut Tra On were the two top-selling Vọng Cổ  male recording artists.  Among his most popular recorded Vọng Cổ songs include Võ Đông Sơ, Lưong Sơn Bá, Mưa Trên Phố Huế, Sầu Vương  Ý nhạc, Chuyến Xe Lam Chiều, Lưu Bình Dương Lễ, Lòng Dạ Đàn Bà, Em Bé Đánh Giày, Trái Sầu Riêng (recorded as a duet with My Chau), Đời Mưa Gió, Ni Cô và Kiếm Sĩ (recorded as a duet with Dieu Hien), Người Điên Yêu Trăng, Khóc Cưòi and Hai bản Đàn Xuân.  

My Chau and Minh Canh

In 1963, Minh Canh became the lead actor for the Kim Chung 2 Theater Troupe.  He went on to star in many more successful Cai Luong stage productions such as Manh áo Quê Nghèo, Bên Cầu Vọng Thê, Lưỡi Kiếm Thần, Lời Thơ Trên Tuyết, Bức Hoạ Da Người, Bẻ Kiếm Bên Trời, Hận Đầu Xanh, Bích Vân Cung Kỳ án and Trinh Nữ Lầu Xanh.  Minh Canh's career continued to flourish after the Fall of Saigon throughout the 1980s, 1990s and well into the 2000s before resettling in the United States. 

Minh Canh currently resides in San Jose, California with his wife, Cai Luong actress Tuyet Minh.  He was formerly married to the late Cai Luong actress, Kieu My, whom he had 5 children with.  On September 14, 2013, his youngest son, singer Nhat Son, was killed by his gay lover who was in a rage of jealousy.  Minh Canh was not able to attend his son's funeral.  

Link(s):

MinhCanh-MyChau.com 

My Chau

My Chau (1949-    ) is a famous actress of Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as cai luong.  Dubbed as Lolita My Chau, she first rose to fame in the 1960s with her alluring presence and unique ability of folk opera singing with an unusually low register.

Nguyen Thi My Chau was born on August 21, 1950 in Long An, South Vietnam.  She began her professional career as a Southern Vietnamese folk opera actress at the age of 11 when she joined the Tieng Chuong Theater Troupe.  That same year she made her stage debut in the classic cai luong play, Gia Nhan Ben Suoi Mong.  As one of South Vietnam's most promising newcomers on the cai luong stage, during the years that followed My Chau would be invited to collaborate with many different theater troupes such as Kim Chuong, Lan va Duoc (headed by Ut Bach Lan and Thanh Duoc), Thanh Cong, Kim Chung, Thu Do and as leading lady of Thu Do 2.  Among her most popular cai luong plays prior to 1975 include Trinh Nu Lau Xanh starring Huu Phuoc, Tấn Tài, Ngoc Giao and Hoang Giang, Khi Rung Moi Sang Thu starring Tan Tai, Minh Phung and Thanh Sang, Bong Hong Sa Mac starring Tan Tai, Minh Phung, Dung Thanh Lam, Kim Ngoc and Dieu Nga and To Dac Ky starring Minh Phung, Phuong Lien, Dieu Hien, Phuoc Trong and Thanh Tuan.  In 1967, My Chau along with Bao Quoc, Ngoc Bich and Phuong Binh were all honored with the Huy Chuong Vang -Thanh Tam Award, South Vietnam's equivalent to a Tony, for best cai luong actor/actress of the year.  She had also recorded numerous well-received cai luong soundtracks on audio for the Asie and Viet Nam record labels such as So Van Cuu Gia, Kiep Nao Co Yeu Nhau, Kiep Si Doi, Gio Giao Mua, Binh Ruou Nhiem Mau and Lan Hue Sau Ai.

After the Fall of Saigon in 1975, My Chau's career continued to flourish starring in many successful cai luong stage productions which include Khach San Hao Hoa, Tam Su Ngoc Han, Hoa Moc Lan, Muon Dam vi Chong hoac Nang Hai Ben Nghe, Thai Hau Duong Van Nga, Ben Cau Det Lua, Tieng Trong Me Linh, Vong Cuoi Anh Trao, Hai Phuong Troi Thuong Nho, Hoa Doc Trong Vuon and Dong Song Dam Lay.  From 1990 until 1992, My Chau starred in many video adaptations of cai luong plays that had initially turned her into a star prior to 1975 such as Chieu Lanh Tuyet Bang Son, Giai Nhan va Loan (Duoc Me Hai Long), Bai Tho Tren Canh Dieu, Trang Nuoc Lac Duong Thanh and Nang Thu Ve Ngo Truoc.  She was honored by the Vietnamese government with the title of Nghe Si Uu Tu (Meritorious Artist) in 1995.  Two years later, she would announce her retirement from live performances on the cai luong stage.  In 1997, she began collaborations with several television stations and film production studios like Đài Truyền hình Cần Thơ (Can Tho Television Network), Tay Do Film Studios and HTV starring in reprisals of classic cai luong plays.  For the next 15 years, My Chau would win over the hearts of viewer audiences with her flawless performances in television and video adaptations of A Khac Thien Kieu, Doi Anh Mua La Rung, Tieu Anh Phung, Vo Tac Thien, To Vuong Sau Ly Biet, Muon Dam Vi Chong, Nguoi Yeu Cua Cha Toi and San Khau Ve Khuya.  She even ventured into a new career as television director of cai luong productions working with a slew of veteran Southern Vietnamese folk opera performers such as Minh Phung, Minh Vuong, Bao Quoc, Van Chung, Hong Nga and Ut Bach Lan and contemporary newcomers such as Kim Tu Long, Thoai My, Tuyet Ngan, Kim Tieu Long, Ngan Hue, Vu Luan and Bao Chung.  My Chau went into full retirement in 2012.  

Duc Minh and My Chau

In 1990, at the age of 40, My Chau married for the first time to fellow performer Duc Minh.  In 2002, she left Vietnam for the United States resettling outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband.  On January 14, 2014, My Chau lost her husband of over 20 years to cancer.  She has no children.  My Chau and fellow veteran Cai Luong performer, Minh Canh, share a website together that is visited by their many fans throughout the world.

Link(s):

MinhCanh-MyChau.com

Minh Phung

Minh Phung (1944-2008) was a famous Southern Vietnamese folk opera actor.

Born in 1944 to a family with ten children in Tien Giang, South Vietnam, his name given at birth was Ngo Van Thieu.  But on his birth certificate, he was given the name, Nguyen Van Hoai.  While still a teenager, through an introduction by established cai luong theater actor, Huong Huyen, he joined the Tân Đô theater troupe and was given the stage name of Tân Tiến.  At the age of 17, he changed his stage name finally to Minh Phung when he signed with the prestigious Kim Chung Theater Troupe at the same time with two other actors with similar stage names, Minh Canh and Minh Vuong.  Prior to 1975, he had become one of the most popular cai luong performers in all of South Vietnam.  In a career that spanned nearly 50 years, Minh Phung starred in many successful cai luong play productions including Trinh Tiet Mot Loai Hoa with Ut Bach Lan, Bich Van Cung Le Su with My Chau, Xin Mot Lan Yeu Nhau and Kiep Nao Co Yeu Nhau, both with Le Thuy.  

In 1976, Minh Phung formed his own theater troupe called Huong Mua Thu.  He would change the name of the theater troupe to Tieng Chuong Vang in 1994.  Despite the decline in popularity of cai luong plays with audiences in Vietnam, he managed to keep his theater troupe in full operation until the year 2000.  His persistence, however, resulted in financial setbacks in his later years.  

During the 1990s and 2000s, Minh Phung made many live performances for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over Europe and North America.  In 2007, he appeared on volumes 55 and 56 of the popular overseas Vietnamese live show video series produced by Asia Entertainment.  Minh Phung passed away on September 29, 2008 from kidney failure.  He left behind his wife of 20 years, cai luong actress Kieu Tien, and their daughter, overseas Vietnamese actress/singer Y Phung.  He also had three children from a previous relationship with cai luong actress Dieu Hue.  

Khanh Ngoc

Khánh Ngọc (1936-2021) was a legendary Vietnamese film actress and singer.

At the age of 12, Khanh Ngoc became a protegée of Duong Thieu Tuoc and Minh Trang, the husband and wife team of musical mentors and hosts of a popular music program on Radio France-Vietnam National Broadcasting Network ( Đài Phát Thanh Pháp Á) in Saigon.  Like many young Vietnamese singers of the day, she began performing weekly at various cinema theaters in Saigon like Nam Viet, Nam Quang, Van Cam and Dai Nam as part of the live entertainment for the audience right before the movie presentation.  According to Khanh Ngoc's recollections, the very first song she had ever performed on stage in front of a live audience was Tieng Hat Lenh Denh written by Tu Phap.  In 1949, while at the age of 13, Khanh Ngoc was hired on as a professional singer for Radio France-Vietnam National Broadcasting Network.  She then became acquainted with a music singing group called Thang Long which originated in Hanoi and was comprised of 4 siblings, Hoai Trung, Thai Hang, Hoai Bac, also known as Pham Dinh Chuong, and Thai Thanh.  Khanh Ngoc would occasionally perform as a guest singer for Thang Long.  As her popularity grew, she was invited to perform in various cities all over Vietnam.  In 1953, Khanh Ngoc married Pham Dinh Chuong.

During a casting call in 1955 for a film called, Anh Sang Mien Nam, a joint Vietnamese-Filipino production, Khanh Ngoc was selected by Filipino film actor/director Gerardo de Leon for the lead role.  The following year, she would win the Philippines Film Festival Award for best actress.  Khanh Ngoc followed up the success of Anh Sang Mien Nam with another film, Dat Lanh, starring actor Le Quynh in 1956.  Her final Vietnamese film was Rang Buoc, released in 1959 by Alpha Film Studios.

Riding high as one of South Vietnam's most popular and beautiful film actresses with three blockbuster feature films under her belt along with an equally successful singing career, Khanh Ngoc's world came to a shattering halt plagued with scandal and negative press from the collapse of her marriage to Pham Dinh Chuong after an alleged extra-marital affair she had had with composer Pham Duy.  Following her divorce, in 1961 she decided to leave it all behind to start a new life in the United States.  She enrolled at Pasadena Theater College and found herself an agent shortly thereafter.  In 1963, Khanh Ngoc was cast in the Hollywood feature film, Operation Bikini, which starred Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon and Scott Brady.  Unfortunately, her acting career in Hollywood films did not sustain the longevity as it did back in her native Vietnam.  During the 1970s and 1980s, Khanh Ngoc resumed her singing career and traveled across the United States performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences in various cities.

By the late 1980s, Khanh Ngoc had settled into retirement life.  She resided in Los Angeles, California with her second husband whom she had married ever since resettling in the United States back in the 1960s.and had become a mother to three grown sons.  Khanh Ngoc passed away on May 14, 2021 at the age of 85.  

It is believed that the popular ballad, Nua Hon Thuong Dau, written by her former late husband, Pham Dinh Chuong, and covered by many Vietnamese singers such as Thai Thanh, Julie Quang and Khanh Ha, was loosely based on their failed marriage.

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

Minh Vuong

Minh Vuong (1950-    ) is a famous actor of Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as cai luong.

Born as Nguyen Van Vung in Long An, South Vietnam in 1950, he grew up in a family of 7 children.  At the age of 14, he signed with the prestigious Kim Chung Folk Opera Theater Troupe as a contract player.  After a year working as an understudy and taking on supporting roles for various cai luong stage productions associated with Kim Chung, Minh Vuong mysteriously fell ill losing all of his hair and took a year off to recover.  He returned to Kim Chung in 1965.  And by the age of 18, Minh Vuong turned into a leading actor.  Among his most popular cai luong plays prior to 1975 include Bao Cong Xu An Quach Que starring Minh Canh, My Chau, Thanh Tuan and Thanh Kim Hue, Dem Lanh Chua Hoang starring Minh Canh, Le Thuy, Thanh Sang, Thanh Thanh Hoa, Nam Hung and Van Chung, Chung Vo Diem starring Le Thuy, Thanh Kim Hue and Tu Trinh, Ao Vu Co Hang starring Minh Phung, My Chau, Dung Thanh Lam and Huu Phuoc, Tieu Anh Phung starring My Chau, Le Thuy and Kim Ngoc and Xin Mot Lan Co Yeu Nhau starring Minh Canh, Le Thuy and Phuong Lien.  In 1972, he developed his own successful theater troupe which remained in operation up until the Fall of Saigon.  Minh Vuong had also signed with the Viet Nam record label during the early 1970s and became one of the most popular cai luong audio recording artists of the day.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Minh Vuong reached the height of popularity in his career as a cai luong performer.  He starred in many cai luong productions on stage as well as video adaptations of such classic plays like Doi Co Luu alongside Bach Tuyet, Thanh Duoc, Diep Lang, Ngoc Giau and Le Thuy, Rang Ngoc Con Son with Tấn Tài and Cam Tien, Tam Long Cua Bien with Chau Thanh, Le Thuy and Bao Trang, So Phan with Tai Linh and Suoi Oan with Ngoc Huyen and Kim Tu Long.  In 2011, he along with cast members from the 1980s stage production of Doi Co Luu starred in a highly successful comedy version of the classic play with comedian Hoai Linh.  Among his many accolades, Minh Vuong has been named by Tuoi Tre Magazine as Cai Luong Male Performer of the Decade in 1985, awarded with a Huy Chuong Vang, Vietnam's equivalent to a Tony, in 1990, officially recognized by the Vietnamese government as Nghe Si Uu Tu, Meritorious Artist, in 2007, named by Guinness Vietnam along with Le Thuy as the Most Successful Cai Luong Pair Performers of All Time in 2008 and awarded with a Mai Vang, Golden Orchid, also in 2008.


In 2008, Minh Vuong performed a duet with Huong Lan of Tan Co Tieng Ho Mien Nam written by Pham Duy and Vien Chau on Volume 91 of the popular overseas video series, Paris By Night, produced by Thuy Nga which was filmed at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California.  Minh Vuong has performed for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over Europe and North America.  He currently resides in Ho Chi Minh City where he and his wife, Do Thi Hong, also own and operate a boutique.  

Tu Trinh

Tu Trinh (1952-    ) is a famous Vietnamese actress.  With one of the most recognizable speaking voices in Vietnam, she reached national prominence beginning in the early 1970s as a voice actress providing voice overs in the Vietnamese language for foreign films distributed from primarily Taiwan, Hong Kong and India.  Tu Trinh is also an established actress of dramatic plays, television and feature films.

Born as Ha Thi Thu Ba in Saigon, South Vietnam in 1952, she is the second eldest in a family of 9 children.  Her mother was the third wife of cai luong musician Chin Trich.  Her father's first wife was the younger sister of stage actress Bay Nam, mother of legendary actress of stage and film, Kim Cuong.  At the age of 13, she was accepted into Quoc Gia Am Nhac, National Conservatory of Music in Saigon, to study cai luong.  Due to her family's financial difficulties, she was unable to complete her studies at the conservatory in order to obtain her degree.  With only a year left to go, Tu Trinh had to continue with her studies at the conservatory after her third year there.  With only a year left to go for her degree, Tu Trinh had to accept the harsh fact that she wasn't able to   It was while she studying at the conservatory that she delved into a short-lived career stint on the cai luong stage.  Tu Trinh had just turned 14 when one fateful night she was given the opportunity to fill in for a small part as a blind girl in a cai luong play by veteran actress Bich Thuan.  After several weeks of performing nightly with Bich Thuan's folk opera theater company, she along with the rest of the cast were featured on national Vietnamese television.  Her impeccable performance portraying a blind girl on television would catch the attention of several major dramatic theater troupes such as Kim Cuong and Tham Thuy Hang who would soon after contact Tu Trinh to offer her parts in plays.

In the years to come, Tu Trinh would become more established as a stage actress.  However, it was her pleasant speaking voice that would finally enable her to finding her niche in the Vietnamese entertainment industry as a voice actress.  Right around the beginning of the 1970s decade, Tu Trinh embarked on a lucrative new career which took her out of poverty.  She worked alongside a group of established actors and actresses such as La Thoai Tan, Hong Phuc, Lam Hung and Nguyen Hanh doing voice overs in the Vietnamese language for Indian, Chinese and French films shown in theaters across South Vietnam.  In the 1973 film, Chiec Bong Ben Duong, Kieu Chinh's character was dubbed with Tu Trinh's speaking voice.

Like many other performers who had become established prior to the Fall of Saigon, Tu Trinh was banned from working in Ho Chi Minh City by the communist regime for the first couple of years after 1975.  During this difficult period, she found work in plays at theaters in smaller towns and provinces outside of Ho Chi Minh City.  In 1978, the communist regime eased up on Tu Trinh allowing her to work with the Bong Hong Theater Troupe based out of Ho Chi Minh City but with the usage of the stage name, Thu Ba.  Shortly after that, she was able to join the Kim Cuong Theater Troupe performing in playhouses located in Ho Chi Minh City with the full usage of her original stage name, Tu Trinh.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, Tu Trinh has delved into both television and feature films in her acting career.  In 1995, she costarred with Viet Trinh, Huynh Anh Tuan and Hoang Phuc in the television movie, Song Dai.  The following year, Tu Trinh was cast in the wildly popular television mini-series, Nguoi Dep Tay Do (1996), which also starred Viet Trinh along with Chi Bao and the late Don Duong.  Among her feature films include Xin Loi Em Chi La (2010) starring Lan Phuong, Ngan Khanh and Viet Anh and Ngoc Vien Dong (Pears of the Far East) (2011) starring Truong Ngoc Anh, Kieu Chinh, Ngo Thanh Van, Diem My, Huy Khanh and Nhu Quynh.

Huu Nghia and Tu Trinh in the play, Giong To (2010)

In 2000, Tu Trinh appeared on the 55th volume of Paris By Night produced by Thuy Nga in a drama sketch called Muc Lien Cuu Me.  During the summer of 2004, Tu Trinh toured North America for the first time performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences in several major cities in Canada and the United States.  In 2010, she returned to the United States and performed at the Saigon Performing Arts Center in Fountain Valley, California in the play, Giong To, along with veteran actress Tuy Hong, Huu Nghia, Truong Minh Quoc Thai and Kieu Oanh.  Tu Trinh has since announced her retirement from acting.

Cao Phi Long and Tu Trinh

Tu Trinh was formerly married to acclaimed musician, Cao Phi Long, from 1979 until 1985.  She is a mother of a grown daughter named Khanh Ha, born in 1983.