In his 1991 autobiography, "Life Is Too Short",
Mickey Rooney wrote that Tong was devastated by the cancellation of the TV show
Mickey (1964) in which he was featured. According to Rooney, Tong was a compulsive gambler and owed money to the Mafia. Facing the fact that he now couldn't pay off his debts, Tong committed suicide, leaving a note stating, "I have taken my own life. No one is to blame".