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Victor Sen Yung‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1915-10-18

Popularity

star6.6

Victor Sen Yung

San Francisco, California, USA

Victor Sen Yung

San Francisco, California, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1915-10-18

Popularity

star6.6

Biography

Victor Sen Young (born Victor Cheung Young or Sen Yew Cheung; October 18, 1915 – body discovered November 9, 1980) was an American character actor, best known for playing Jimmy Chan in the Charlie Chan films and Hop Sing in the Western series Bonanza. He was born in San Francisco, California to Gum Yung Sen and his first wife, both immigrants from China. His mother died during the flu epidemic of 1919. His father placed Victor and his younger sister, Rosemary, in a children's shelter, and returned to his homeland to seek another wife. He returned in 1922 with his new wife, Lovi Shee, forming a household with his two children. Sen Yung made his first significant acting debut in the 1938 film Charlie Chan in Honolulu, as the Chinese detective's "number two son", Jimmy Chan. Sen Yung played Jimmy Chan in 11 Charlie Chan films between 1938 and 1942. Moonlighting from the popular Chan series, Sen Yung won critical acclaim playing the nuanced role of Ong Chi Seng, a young attorney assisting Howard Joyce, in defending Leslie Crosbie, in The Letter. Like other Chinese-American actors, he was cast in Japanese parts during World War II, like his role as the treacherous Japanese-American Joe Totsuiko in the 1942 Humphrey Bogart film Across the Pacific. During World War II he joined the U.S. Army Air Forces just as his erstwhile co-star Sidney Toler was set to revive the dormant Charlie Chan series at Monogram Pictures. Sen Yung's military obligations forced him to decline rejoining the series immediately, but Monogram gave him a standing invitation to work there after his tour of duty. Sen Yung's military service included work in training films at the First Motion Picture Unit and a role in the Army Air Forces' play and film Winged Victory. In 1946 Sen Yung resumed his Hollywood career at Monogram, now billed as Victor Sen Young, and reunited with Sidney Toler. Toler's health was failing; Monogram was conserving Toler's waning energy, limiting his scenes and giving him long rest periods during filming. To relieve the burden on Toler, Monogram entrusted much of the action to Victor Sen Young; he and either Mantan Moreland or Willie Best shared much of the footage in Toler's final three films, Dangerous Money, Shadows Over Chinatown, and The Trap. The addition of Moreland as Chan's black chauffeur, Birmingham Brown, reflected the fact that by this time the Chan pictures had a significant following among black Americans, who liked a film series that for once did not feature a white hero. Moreland's popularity in the Chan pictures was so great that he was booked for a nationwide vaudeville tour. Following Toler's death in 1947, Victor Sen Young appeared in five of the remaining six Charlie Chan features. His character "Jimmy" was renamed "Tommy". Victor Sen Young continued to work in motion pictures and television in roles ranging from featured players (affable or earnest Asian characters) to bit roles (clerks, houseboys, waiters, etc.). Arguably even more than for his work in the Charlie Chan films, Victor Sen Yung is remembered as "Hop Sing," the irascible cook and general factotum on the iconic television series Bonanza, appearing in 107 episodes between 1959 and 1973. Sen Yung was also an accomplished and talented chef. He frequently appeared on cooking programs and authored The Great Wok Cookbook in 1974.

Movie Credits

The Movie Orgy

The Movie Orgy‌
star6.2
calendar 1968

Chinatown at Midnight

Chinatown at Midnight‌
star5.6
calendar 1949

Flower Drum Song

Flower Drum Song‌
star6.1
calendar 1961

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island‌
star6.6
calendar 1939

Charlie Chan in Reno

Charlie Chan in Reno‌
star6.2
calendar 1939

Charlie Chan in Honolulu

Charlie Chan in Honolulu‌
star6.4
calendar 1938

Forbidden

Forbidden‌
star6.0
calendar 1953

Woman on the Run

Woman on the Run‌
star6.8
calendar 1950

Castle in the Desert

Castle in the Desert‌
star6.8
calendar 1942

Moontide

Moontide‌
star6.3
calendar 1942

Betrayal from the East

Betrayal from the East‌
star5.8
calendar 1945

She Demons

She Demons‌
star4.6
calendar 1958

The Left Hand of God

The Left Hand of God‌
star6.3
calendar 1955

The Breaking Point

The Breaking Point‌
star7.1
calendar 1950

Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise

Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise‌
star6.7
calendar 1940

Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum

Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum‌
star7.6
calendar 1940

Charlie Chan in Panama

Charlie Chan in Panama‌
star6.8
calendar 1940

Murder Over New York

Murder Over New York‌
star6.0
calendar 1940

Charlie Chan in Rio

Charlie Chan in Rio‌
star6.2
calendar 1941

Dead Men Tell

Dead Men Tell‌
star6.3
calendar 1941

Dangerous Money

Dangerous Money‌
star5.7
calendar 1946

Shadows Over Chinatown

Shadows Over Chinatown‌
star5.7
calendar 1946

The Trap

The Trap‌
star6.7
calendar 1946

The Hunters

The Hunters‌
star5.7
calendar 1958

The Flame

The Flame‌
star5.4
calendar 1947

Jet Attack

Jet Attack‌
star5.1
calendar 1958

The Letter

The Letter‌
star7.3
calendar 1940

Across the Pacific

Across the Pacific‌
star6.5
calendar 1942

Docks of New Orleans

Docks of New Orleans‌
star5.9
calendar 1948

The Chinese Ring

The Chinese Ring‌
star4.9
calendar 1947

Shanghai Chest

Shanghai Chest‌
star6.1
calendar 1948

The Feathered Serpent

The Feathered Serpent‌
star5.8
calendar 1948

Horrible Horror

Horrible Horror‌
star7.0
calendar 1986

The Golden Eye

The Golden Eye‌
star5.4
calendar 1948

A Yank on the Burma Road

A Yank on the Burma Road‌
star4.0
calendar 1942

China

China‌
star6.8
calendar 1943

The Shanghai Story

The Shanghai Story‌
star4.8
calendar 1954

Tuna Clipper

Tuna Clipper‌
star6.5
calendar 1949

Night Plane from Chungking

Night Plane from Chungking‌
star6.0
calendar 1943

Shadows Over Shanghai

Shadows Over Shanghai‌
star5.7
calendar 1938

The Crimson Key

The Crimson Key‌
star4.3
calendar 1947

Mr. Moto Takes a Chance

Mr. Moto Takes a Chance‌
star5.8
calendar 1938

The Sickle or the Cross

The Sickle or the Cross‌
star6.0
calendar 1949

Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon

Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon‌
star7.0
calendar 1972

The Killer Elite

The Killer Elite‌
star5.8
calendar 1975

Web of Danger

Web of Danger‌
star4.8
calendar 1947

Secret Agent of Japan

Secret Agent of Japan‌
star4.5
calendar 1942

Escape to Paradise

Escape to Paradise‌
star4.2
calendar 1939

The Good Earth

The Good Earth‌
star6.2
calendar 1937

Lost Angel

Lost Angel‌
star7.5
calendar 1943

To the Ends of the Earth

To the Ends of the Earth‌
star5.6
calendar 1948

Target Hong Kong

Target Hong Kong‌
star5.0
calendar 1953

Peking Express

Peking Express‌
star8.0
calendar 1951

Accused of Murder

Accused of Murder‌
star4.5
calendar 1956

Winged Victory

Winged Victory‌
star5.5
calendar 1944

Key to the City

Key to the City‌
star6.1
calendar 1950

Manila Calling

Manila Calling‌
star7.0
calendar 1942

Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek‌
star5.7
calendar 1952

The Hawaiians

The Hawaiians‌
star5.4
calendar 1970

The Rawhide Years

The Rawhide Years‌
star5.5
calendar 1956

The Blue Gardenia

The Blue Gardenia‌
star6.5
calendar 1953

Soldier of Fortune

Soldier of Fortune‌
star5.9
calendar 1955

Double or Nothing

Double or Nothing‌
star6.6
calendar 1937

Jubilee Trail

Jubilee Trail‌
star4.6
calendar 1954

Rogues' Regiment

Rogues' Regiment‌
star6.5
calendar 1948

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture‌
star5.6
calendar 1949

Thank You, Mr. Moto

Thank You, Mr. Moto‌
star6.2
calendar 1937

Little Tokyo, U.S.A.

Little Tokyo, U.S.A.‌
star0.0
calendar 1942

Intrigue

Intrigue‌
star5.0
calendar 1947

The Man with Bogart's Face

The Man with Bogart's Face‌
star6.4
calendar 1980

Flight to Hong Kong

Flight to Hong Kong‌
star6.6
calendar 1956

Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire‌
star0.0
calendar 1951

Secrets of Monte Carlo

Secrets of Monte Carlo‌
star0.0
calendar 1951

Confessions of an Opium Eater

Confessions of an Opium Eater‌
star5.6
calendar 1962

Grounds for Marriage

Grounds for Marriage‌
star4.3
calendar 1951

Hong Kong

Hong Kong‌
star4.5
calendar 1952

The Red Pony

The Red Pony‌
star0.0
calendar 1973

The Saga of Hemp Brown

The Saga of Hemp Brown‌
star5.6
calendar 1958

The Law and the Lady

The Law and the Lady‌
star6.1
calendar 1951

Jump Into Hell

Jump Into Hell‌
star4.0
calendar 1955

And Baby Makes Three

And Baby Makes Three‌
star4.2
calendar 1949

G.I. War Brides

G.I. War Brides‌
star0.0
calendar 1946

International Settlement

International Settlement‌
star5.0
calendar 1938

Torchy Blane in Chinatown

Torchy Blane in Chinatown‌
star6.0
calendar 1939

The Sniper

The Sniper‌
star6.7
calendar 1952

The Groom Wore Spurs

The Groom Wore Spurs‌
star4.9
calendar 1951

Barricade

Barricade‌
star5.0
calendar 1939

20,000 Men a Year

20,000 Men a Year‌
star5.5
calendar 1939

Red Light

Red Light‌
star5.5
calendar 1949

A Ticket to Tomahawk

A Ticket to Tomahawk‌
star5.8
calendar 1950

Men in War

Men in War‌
star6.8
calendar 1957

The Mad Martindales

The Mad Martindales‌
star5.0
calendar 1942

Port of Hell

Port of Hell‌
star0.0
calendar 1954

They Met in Bombay

They Met in Bombay‌
star7.4
calendar 1941

Half Past Midnight

Half Past Midnight‌
star6.0
calendar 1948

Oh, You Beautiful Doll

Oh, You Beautiful Doll‌
star4.7
calendar 1949

State Department: File 649

State Department: File 649‌
star5.0
calendar 1949

Trader Tom of the China Seas

Trader Tom of the China Seas‌
star0.0
calendar 1954

Dangerous Millions

Dangerous Millions‌
star4.8
calendar 1946

A Flea In Her Ear

A Flea In Her Ear‌
star6.2
calendar 1968

Blood Alley

Blood Alley‌
star5.9
calendar 1955

Tv Credits

Mister Ed

Mister Ed‌
star6.7
calendar 1961

Here's Lucy

Here's Lucy‌
star6.9
calendar 1968

Kung Fu

Kung Fu‌
star7.6
calendar 1972

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.‌
star5.4
calendar 1965

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O‌
star7.1
calendar 1968

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.‌
star7.1
calendar 1964

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won‌
star7.0
calendar 1977

Perry Mason

Perry Mason‌
star7.6
calendar 1957

Night Gallery

Night Gallery‌
star7.8
calendar 1970

Hawaiian Eye

Hawaiian Eye‌
star5.0
calendar 1959

Mickey

Mickey‌
star0.0
calendar 1964

Get Smart

Get Smart‌
star7.9
calendar 1965

China Smith

China Smith‌
star0.0
calendar 1952

The Wild Wild West

The Wild Wild West‌
star7.5
calendar 1965

Thriller

Thriller‌
star6.2
calendar 1960

Yancy Derringer

Yancy Derringer‌
star6.0
calendar 1958

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective‌
star6.3
calendar 1957

Adventures of Superman

Adventures of Superman‌
star6.6
calendar 1952

The Paul Lynde Show

The Paul Lynde Show‌
star5.0
calendar 1972

Navy Log

Navy Log‌
star4.5
calendar 1955

The Rifleman

The Rifleman‌
star7.0
calendar 1958

Terry and the Pirates

Terry and the Pirates‌
star3.0
calendar 1952

Dr. Fu Manchu

Dr. Fu Manchu‌
star5.0
calendar 1956

The Lone Wolf

The Lone Wolf‌
star0.0
calendar 1954

Captain Midnight

Captain Midnight‌
star5.7
calendar 1954

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

The Barbara Stanwyck Show‌
star6.2
calendar 1960

Isis

Isis‌
star6.5
calendar 1975

The Jack Benny Program

The Jack Benny Program‌
star7.6
calendar 1950

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

Get Smart

Get Smart‌
star7.9
calendar 1965

Hong Kong

Hong Kong‌
star0.0
calendar 1960

Here's Lucy

Here's Lucy‌
star6.9
calendar 1968

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show‌
star4.8
calendar 1961

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

Perry Mason

Perry Mason‌
star7.6
calendar 1957

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won‌
star7.0
calendar 1977

Kung Fu

Kung Fu‌
star7.6
calendar 1972

Kung Fu

Kung Fu‌
star7.6
calendar 1972

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.‌
star5.4
calendar 1965

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow‌
star5.0
calendar 1956

Barbary Coast

Barbary Coast‌
star5.0
calendar 1975

Kung Fu

Kung Fu‌
star7.6
calendar 1972

87th Precinct

87th Precinct‌
star7.5
calendar 1961

The Lone Wolf

The Lone Wolf‌
star0.0
calendar 1954