Veteran actor Tran Phuong, who starred in Vietnam’s classic film Vợ Chồng A Phủ (A Phủ and His Wife), passed away on Wednesday in Hanoi, aged 90. Photo kenh14.vn

Phuong, whose real name is Tran Duc Phuong, was born on April 10, 1930, in the northern province of Thai Nguyen. He joined the resistance war against the French at the age of 16.

He was one of the first students of the People's Arts School that was established in the Viet Bac war zone. He used to study drama, literature and Vietnamese traditional arts – chèo (popular opera) – with many renowned Vietnamese authors and actors like The Lu, Doan Phu Tu and Nguyen Hong.

In 1955, he become an actor at the Vietnam Film Studio, which was later changed to the Vietnam Feature Film Studio.

Director Mai Loc chose him for the main role as Phu in the classic film A Phủ and His Wife. The film was produced in 1959 and is also the first film Phuong participated in.

After that, he continued to take on many roles in films that became classics of Vietnam’s revolutionary cinema such as the role of Khoa, husband of Tu Hau in Chị Tư Hậu (Tư Hậu) in 1962, the role of Khiem in Tiền Tuyến Gọi (Front Line Calls) in1969 or Luc in Vợ Chồng Anh Lực (Lực and His Wife) in 1971.

Along with his acting career, he is also the director of many successful film and TV dramas such as Mưa Rơi Trên Thành Phố (Rain in the City), Tội Lỗi Cuối Cùng (The Last Sin), Dòng Sông Hoa Trắng (The White Flower River) or Hy Vọng Cuối Cùng (Last Hope).

The Last Sin, produced in 1980, was box office phenomenon at the time, and brought Phuong the Silver Lotus Award at the 5th Vietnam Film Festival.

He was awarded the title of People's Artist in 2001, the State Prize for Literature and Arts for Last Hope, Last Sin and The White Flower River in 2007.

"He is one of the most admired actors in Vietnam’s Revolution cinema and also the brightest star of Vietnam’s cinema during a golden time. His death is a big loss to the country's cinema," veteran director Dang Tat Binh said.  VNS