Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian-American physician and author (d. 1996)
Haing Somnang Ngor (Khmer: ហាំង សំណាង ង៉ោ; Chinese: 吳漢潤; pinyin: Wú Hànrùn; March 22, 1940 – February 25, 1996) was a Cambodian American gynecologist, obstetrician, actor and author. He is best remembered for winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1985 for his debut performance in the film The Killing Fields (1984), in which he portrayed Cambodian journalist and refugee Dith Pran. He was murdered in a robbery outside his home in Los Angeles in 1996.Ngor is the only actor of Asian descent to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He survived three terms in Cambodian prison camps, using his medical knowledge to keep himself alive by eating beetles, termites, and scorpions; he eventually crawled between Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese lines to safety in a Red Cross refugee camp. His mother was Khmer and his father was of Chinese Teochew descent. Ngor and Harold Russell are the only two non-professional actors to win an Academy Award in an acting category.Ngor continued acting for the rest of his life, most notably in My Life (1993), portraying spiritual healer Mr. Ho opposite Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman.
1940Mar, 22
Haing S. Ngor
Choose Another Date
Events on 1940
- 17May
Brussels
World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium. - 12Jun
Erwin Rommel
World War II: Thirteen thousand British and French troops surrender to Major General Erwin Rommel at Saint-Valery-en-Caux. - 5Jul
Vichy France
World War II: The United Kingdom and the Vichy France government break off diplomatic relations. - 10Jul
Vichy France
World War II: The Vichy government is established in France. - 11Jul
Vichy France
World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Prime Minister of France.