Legendary Hong Kong actor and ‘king of the voice-over’ Tam Ping-man dies at 86
- Among hundreds of roles, the veteran performer gave voice locally to Marlon Brando’s character in The Godfather
- In a career spanning more than 60 years he was TVB’s longest-serving voice actor and a major part in its hit variety show, Enjoy Yourself Tonight
Tam Ping-man, a legendary actor and the Hong Kong voice for stars such as Marlon Brando, died on Saturday after a battle with lung cancer. He was 86.
In a career spanning more than six decades, Tam was the voice of hundreds of characters in films, cartoons and drama series, and a regular fixture on the televisions of the city’s residents.
His family said he died at Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai on Saturday morning.
A voice actor since the 1950s, Tam’s own film career began in 1964, and he joined free-to-air broadcaster, Television Broadcasts (TVB), four years later.
As well as being the voice of Brando’s character in The Godfather, he was also the Hong Kong voice for Charlie Townsend, the title character in Charlie’s Angels, the American crime drama that aired on ABC in the late 1970s.
Tam had renewed his contract with TVB in June this year, and was the broadcaster’s longest-serving voice actor. He was also a key part of Enjoy Yourself Tonight, TVB’s well-known variety show, from 1969 to 1989.