VY
Victor Sen Yung
Actor
Died November 1, 1980 (65 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2022 | Becoming Marilyn · as Long Time |
| 1986 | Horrible Horror · as Sammy Ching In 'she Demons' |
| 1980 | The Man with Bogart's Face · as Mr. Wing |
| 1976 | Dr. Shrinker (TV Series) · as Ramu |
| 1976 | The Krofft Supershow (TV Series) · as Ramu (segment: Dr. Shrinker) |
| 1976 | How the West Was Won (TV Series) · as Hospital Attendant |
| 1975 | The Killer Elite · as Wei Chi |
| 1975 | The Secrets of ISIS (TV Series) · as Mr. Chen |
| 1975 | Barbary Coast (TV Series) · as Soong |
| 1974 | Police Woman (TV Series) · as Ah Choy |
| 1973 | The Red Pony · as Mr. Sing / Carni Man / Mr. Green |
| 1972 | The Paul Lynde Show (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Kung Fu (TV Series) · as Chu |
| 1971 | |
| 1970 | The Hawaiians · as Chun Fat (uncredited) |
| 1969 | Night Gallery (TV Series) · as Joseph The Butler |
| 1968 | A Flea in Her Ear · as Oke Saki |
| 1968 | Here's Lucy (TV Series) · as Headwaiter |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Dr. Leo Kuh |
| 1965 | Get Smart (TV Series) · as Abe Fu Yung |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) · as Baron Kyosai |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) · as Mayor Eto |
| 1965 | I Spy (TV Series) · as Han |
| 1964 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) · as Servant |
| 1963 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) · as Captain Fong |
| 1962 | Ensign O'Toole (TV Series) · as Proprietor |
| 1962 | Confessions of an Opium Eater · as Wing Young |
| 1961 | Flower Drum Song · as Frankie Wing |
| 1961 | 87th Precinct (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Follow The Sun (TV Series) · as Wong |
| 1961 | Mister Ed (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Barbara Stanwyck Show (TV Series) · as Dr. Wing Chin-Ni |
| 1960 | Checkmate (TV Series) · as Han |
| 1960 | Thriller (TV Series) · as Bartender |
| 1960 | Hong Kong (TV Series) · as Yang |
| 1959 | Shotgun Slade (TV Series) · as Willy Sing - Tong Man |
| 1959 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) |
| 1959 | |
| 1958 | She Demons · as Sammy Ching |
| 1958 | Yancy Derringer (TV Series) · as Hon Lee |
| 1958 | The Saga of Hemp Brown · as Chang |
| 1958 | The Rifleman (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Bronco (TV Series) · as Mr. Fong |
| 1958 | The Hunters · as Korean Farmer |
| 1958 | Jet Attack · as Capt. Chon |
| 1958 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1958) (TV Series) · as Mr. Eng |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Mickey Fong |
| 1957 | Bachelor Father (TV Series) · as Cousin Charlie |
| 1957 | The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (TV Series) · as Kim, Man In Telephone Booth |
| 1957 | Men in War · as North Korean Sniper Prisoner |
| 1956 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective (TV Series) · as Magan |
| 1956 | Accused of Murder · as Hank - Bayliss' Houseboy (uncredited) |
| 1956 | Flight to Hong Kong · as Airline Ticket Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1956 | Broken Arrow (TV Series) · as Ling Tang |
| 1956 | The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu (TV Series) |
| 1956 | The Rawhide Years · as Chang - Steward (uncredited) |
| 1955 | The Left Hand of God · as John Wong |
| 1955 | Crossroads (1955) (TV Series) · as Sam Lu |
| 1955 | Blood Alley · as Cpl. Wang |
| 1955 | Navy Log (TV Series) |
| 1955 | Soldier of Fortune · as Goldie - Hotel Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Jump Into Hell · as Lt. Thatch |
| 1955 | The Star and the Story (TV Series) · as Peng |
| 1954 | Medic (TV Series) · as Dr. Nagano |
| 1954 | Captain Midnight (TV Series) |
| 1954 | The Shanghai Story · as Sun Lee |
| 1954 | The Lone Wolf (TV Series) |
| 1954 | Waterfront (TV Series) · as Cecil Imai |
| 1954 | Stories of the Century (TV Series) · as Chang |
| 1954 | Jubilee Trail · as Mickey - Chinese Man (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Trader Tom of the China Seas · as Wang |
| 1953 | Forbidden · as Allan Chung |
| 1953 | The Blue Gardenia · as Blue Gardenia Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Terry and the Pirates (TV Series) |
| 1952 | Biff Baker USA (TV Series) · as Yin Yun |
| 1952 | Adventures of Superman (TV Series) · as Harry Wong |
| 1952 | This Is The Life (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1952 | Cripple Creek · as Postal Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1952 | The Sniper · as Tom |
| 1952 | Hong Kong · as Mr. Howe (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Death Valley Days (TV Series) · as Quong Kee |
| 1951 | Valley of Fire · as Ching Moon |
| 1951 | Peking Express · as Chinese Captain (uncredited) |
| 1951 | The Groom Wore Spurs · as Ignacio |
| 1951 | The Law and the Lady · as Chinese Manager (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Front Page Detective (TV Series) · as Tang |
| 1951 | Grounds for Marriage · as Oscar, Chris' Valet |
| 1950 | Woman on the Run · as Sammy Chung |
| 1950 | The Jack Benny Program (TV Series) · as Chinese Cafeteria Employee |
| 1950 | The Breaking Point · as Mr. Sing |
| 1950 | Key to the City · as Mc At The Blue Duck (uncredited) |
| 1950 | A Ticket to Tomahawk · as Long Time |
| 1949 | Chinatown at Midnight · as Hotel Proprietor |
| 1949 | Oh, You Beautiful Doll · as Houseboy |
| 1949 | And Baby Makes Three · as Lem Kee |
| 1949 | Red Light · as Vincent |
| 1949 | The Lone Ranger (TV Series) · as Lee Po |
| 1949 | Tuna Clipper · as Oriental Dock Worker |
| 1949 | |
| 1949 | State Department: File 649 · as Johnny Han |
| 1948 | The Feathered Serpent · as Tommy Chan |
| 1948 | Rogues' Regiment · as Rickshaw Boy (uncredited) |
| 1948 | The Golden Eye · as Tommy Chan (as Victor Sen Young) |
| 1948 | The Shanghai Chest · as Tommy Chan |
| 1948 | Docks of New Orleans · as Tommy Chan |
| 1948 | To the Ends of the Earth · as Chinese Pilot (uncredited) |
| 1947 | The Chinese Ring · as Tommy Chan |
| 1947 | The Flame · as Chang |
| 1947 | Intrigue · as Western Union Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1947 | The Crimson Key · as Wing - Houseboy |
| 1946 | The Trap · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1946 | Dangerous Millions · as Lin Chow |
| 1946 | Dangerous Money · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1946 | Shadows Over Chinatown · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1945 | Betrayal from the East · as Omaya |
| 1944 | Winged Victory · as Lee (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Lost Angel · as Chinese Man (uncredited) |
| 1943 | China · as Lin Wei |
| 1943 | Night Plane from Chungking · as Captain Po |
| 1942 | Manila Calling · as Armando |
| 1942 | Across the Pacific · as Joe Totsuiko |
| 1942 | Moontide · as Jimmy Takeo |
| 1942 | Secret Agent of Japan · as Fu Yen |
| 1942 | Castle in the Desert · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1942 | A Yank on the Burma Road · as Wing (as Sen Yung) |
| 1941 | Charlie Chan in Rio · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1941 | They Met in Bombay · as Gin Ling (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Dead Men Tell · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1940 | Murder Over New York · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1940 | The Letter · as Ong Chi Seng |
| 1940 | Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum · as Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung) |
| 1940 | Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1940 | Charlie Chan in Panama · as Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung) |
| 1939 | |
| 1939 | Barricade · as Undetermined Role |
| 1939 | 20, 000 Men a Year · as Harold Chong |
| 1939 | Charlie Chan at Treasure Island · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1939 | Charlie Chan in Reno · as Jimmy Chan |
| 1939 | Torchy Blane in Chinatown · as Chinese Entertainer With Sword |
| 1938 | Charlie Chan in Honolulu · as James Chan |
| 1938 | Shadows Over Shanghai · as Wang |
| 1938 | Mr. Moto Takes a Chance · as Soldier |
| 1938 | International Settlement · as Bellboy / Onlooker In Street |
| 1937 | Thank You, Mr. Moto · as Onlooker With Street Acrobats / Elevator Operator (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Double or Nothing · as Minor Role (uncredited) |
| 1937 | The Good Earth · as Peasant (uncredited) |