One of Hong Kong's most well-known, popular and colourful personalities - Lydia Shum Din-ha - died on Tuesday morning at 8.30am, Hong Kong media reported.
She passed away in Queen Mary hospital after a long fight with cancer. She was 60 years old.
Shum, who was also known as Lydia Sum, was a much admired Hong Kong comedian and actress - famous for her plump size and dark-rimmed glasses. Hong Kong people affectionately called her Fei-fei (Fatty).
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said he was greatly saddened by Shum's death and extended his condolences to her family.
Liberal Party's Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee said: "She was such an important and talented actress in Hong Kong. Her positive, happy image always set a great example,"€ she said.
The entertainment industry on Tuesday also paid tribute to Shum.
Veteran film maker Tsoi Wo-ping, who had known her for many years, said he was "shocked, surprised and sad"€ at her passing.
Actor and television host Ho Sau-seon said: "She contributed so much to the entertainment industry with her happy, positive attitude. She was irreplaceable."€
Another well-known actor, Lo Hoi-pang, lamented that Hong Kong's entertainment industry had lost one of its most talented members.
Over a career spanning 48 years, Lydia Shum made regular television appearances and starred in many titles during a varied film career.
But in recent years her failing health had been affecting her career. When Shum received a life achievement award at TVB's annual awards night last November. she had said: "I feel so honoured ... I hope my health can improve. I will not give up show business so easily, I love it so much."
The entertainer had been plagued by cancer, bile duct inflammation, diabetes and hypertension.
In 2002, Shum was hospitalised and had 32 gallstones removed. In September 2006, she was diagnosed with liver tumour and cancer around the gallbladder. Doctors were forced to remove a third of her liver.
Shum was born July 21, 1947 in Shanghai. She made her film debut in 1960 with the Shaw Brothers. She became well-known in widely televised TVB variety show Enjoy Yourself Tonight, first singing with the female group Four Golden Flowers in the 1970s.
Shum subsequently established herself as predominantly a comic and dramatic actress, appearing regularly in films over the past 40 years. These included The Lotus Lamp 1965, Three Women in a Factory 1967, The Country Bumpkin in Style 1974 and more recently In-Laws, Out-Laws 2004 and Where Are They Now? 2006, among others.
Shum took a break from making films in 1997. After this, she hosted a talk show in Hong Kong, along with telethons and variety shows on TVB. She lived in Vancouver, Canada for a while.
Shum returned to cinema in 2004 with the comedy film In-Laws Outlaws.
Shum starred in Singapore's Channel 5 English sitcom Living with Lydia and such Cantonese series as Slim Chances. Her performance in Living with Lydia won her the "Best Comedy Performance by an Actress"€ award at the 2003 Asian Television Awards. She said it was the first time she had acted in an English drama in her 40-year career.
In 1985, Shum married actor and singer Adam Cheng Siu-chow after 11 years of living together. They later divorced. She has a daughter Joyce Cheng Yan-yee, who is a singer.
On October 11 last year, Shum collapsed and was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The actress was discharged from the hospital on October 16, 2007.
SCMP. Feb 19, 2008
3 comments:
It's a sort of bad news. As Sham was a great master of ceremonies (MC) on TV. In NMC, students from other classes told me on the first recess! And I claimed that I want Yan-yee be my girlfriend... for the huge legacy only... $___$
Although we had heard about her poor state of health for some time, it was still a shock for me. She had brought tears and laughs to a lot of Hong Kong people, but I think her whole life was not as happy as she seemed to be.
Though I am not her loyal fan, her sudden departure has brought great grief to me and throughout Hong Kong.
Without her laughter, this place would never be the same. I will miss her too.
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