Patrick Tse Ka-yuk wins Lifetime Achievement award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2019. Photo: Patrick Tse Ka-yuk's Sina Weibo

Veteran Hong Kong actor Patrick Tse Ka-yuk, also known as "Fourth Brother", has passed away at the age of 89, his son Nicholas Tse Ting-fung announced via a Weibo post on Monday afternoon. 

Singer-actor Nicholas Tse, who was in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, to prepare for his concert later this month, has reportedly returned to Hong Kong to make arrangements for his father's funeral, according to Hong Kong media outlet The Standard. 

"He devoted his entire life to film, television and entertainment, hoping to bring joy and laughter to every audience member. When I was young, I did witness moments when he felt troubled and downhearted, but no matter what happened, he always insisted on appearing on screen in his best possible state," Nicholas Tse said in the post. 

Born in 1936, Patrick Tse earned the nickname "Fourth Brother" because he was the fourth child in his family and played the character Luo Sihai in TVB's classic drama series The Shell Game. The title stayed with him for many years. 

Patrick Tse stepped into the entertainment industry as early as the 1950s. With his handsome appearance and charismatic style, he quickly rose to fame as a leading actor in Hong Kong's film and television industry during the 1950s and 1960s.

He had reduced his public appearances in recent years after winning Best Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2022 for his role in the film Time, The Standard reported. 

"He often said, 'The show must go on.' So, if people think of 'Fourth Brother' and remember my father, please do not cry or feel overly saddened. He would feel that was not the way to remember him as carefree and graceful as he was," Nicholas Tse said in the post. 

"All we need to do is keep in our hearts the image of him that was always full of charm, warmth and smiles. That alone is enough," said Nicholas Tse.