According to St Headline, the actor passed away on 4/7 after battling pneumonia. He retired in 2020 and had since rarely appeared at entertainment events, enjoying his later years with his family. Chow Tong married Chan Yi Wah in 1958, and they had 4 children. His wife passed away in 2018.

Chow Tong receiving the TVB Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. Photo: HK01

Chow Tong receiving the TVB Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. Photo: HK01

In a 2021 interview, the actor said he wasn't afraid of death, only hoping "to smile when I leave." He said, "I've acted for 60 years and died many times on screen. Death is the fairest thing in life. Rich or poor, everyone faces it."

Thousands of fans on social media offered prayers and thanked him for the films that marked their childhood. Some wrote: "He was the Zhang Sanfeng of my imagination, no one has surpassed him," "A familiar face. I've been rewatching 'Forensic Heroes' lately," and "I've seen many of his films. He had such a kind face."

Chow Tong (appearing from the seventh second) in 'Heaven Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre' (2001). Video: TVB

Born Fung Kam Wing in Hong Kong in 1932, he entered the film industry in 1955. He appeared in hundreds of films and television shows, earning the nickname "Grandfather of the Screen" for often playing fatherly and grandfatherly roles.

His film credits include 'The New Shaolin Boxers', 'Bloody Fight', and 'Time'. In 1974, he signed with TVB, starring in 'The Shell Game' (1980), 'At the Threshold of an Era' (1999), 'Heaven Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre' (2001) as Zhang Sanfeng, 'A Step into the Past' (2001), and series like 'Heart of Greed', 'Forensic Heroes', and 'A Chip Off the Old Block'. His final film was 'Barrack O'Karma 1968', released in 2021.

Nhu Anh (St Headline)