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1-50 of 3,834
- Hung-chang Li was born on 15 February 1823 in Qunzhi, Anhui, China. He died on 7 November 1901 in Beijing, China.
- Yuan Shikai was born on 16 September 1859 in Henan Province, China. He died on 1 January 1916 in China.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tan Xinpei was born on 23 April 1847 in Wuchang, Wuhan, Hubei, China. He was an actor, known for In the Mood for Love (2000), Dingjunshan (1905) and Chang ban po (1905). He died on 10 May 1917 in Beijing, China.- Yat-sen Sun was born on November 12, 1866 in Hsiang-shan, Kwangtung Province, China. He was married to Ching-Ling Soong and Lu Mu-chen. He died on March 12, 1925 in Peking, China.
Sun was survived by his first and second wives, a daughter, and a son, Sun Fo. His first marriage, at the age of 18, to Lu Mu-chen (1867-1952) had been traditionally arranged. She was the mother of his three children. The elder of their two daughters, Chin-yen, died in 1913. Sun's second marriage, to Soong Ch'ing-ling, in Tokyo on 25 October 1914 was controversial because he and his first wife had not been divorced. Sun never divorced his first wife, nonetheless, Soong Ch'ing-ling remained Sun's constant companion until the end of his life. - Zhegu Zheng was born in 1880 in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. He was an actor, known for Guer jiu zu ji (1923), You hun (1924) and Lao gong zhi ai qing (1922). He died on 14 April 1925 in Shanghai, China.
- Roushi was born on 28 September 1902 in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Roushi was a writer, known for Early Spring (1963) and Wei nuli de muqin (2003). Roushi died on 7 February 1931 in Shanghai, China.
- Actor
- Writer
Pierre Batcheff was born on 23 June 1907 in Harbin, Manchuria, China. He was an actor and writer, known for Two Timid Souls (1928), Monte Cristo (1929) and Napoleon (1927). He was married to Denise Tual. He died on 13 April 1932 in Paris, France.- Actress
Xia Ai was born on 29 November 1912 in Tianjin, China. She was an actress, known for Feng nian (1933), Zhifen shichang (1933) and Chun can (1933). She died on 15 February 1934 in Shanghai, China.- Actress
Ruan Lingyu was born Ruan Fenggen on April 26, 1910 in Shanghai, China. Her father died when she was a child and her mother worked as a maid to support them. When she was sixteen Ruan started acting as a way to earn money. She made her film debut in the 1927 Chinese language film A Married Couple In Name Only. Ruan fell in love with Zhang Damin, a gambler who had been disowned by his wealthy family. She would financially support him during their relationship. In 1930 she signed a contract with Lianhua Studios and starred in the film Spring Dream of an Old Capital. It was a huge hit and made her one of China's biggest stars. Her success continued with starring roles in Little Toys, Homecoming, and The Goddess. She was called "China's Greta Garbo". Ruan broke up with Zhang and started dating Tang Jishan, a married tea tycoon. He bought her a mansion in Shanghai and she became his mistress. Her ex-lover Zhang sued her in 1934 claiming she was his wife and owed him money.
The scandal made front page headlines and from then on then tabloid press became obsessed with her personal life. Unfortunately her relationship with Tang was rocky and he started abusing her. She was devastated when he threw her beloved dog out of a window. Ruan was cast in the 1935 drama New Women. It was based on the life of Ai Xia, an actress who had committed suicide. When New Women premiered in February of 1935 there was a backlash from journalists who objected to their negative portrayal. On March 8, 1935 Ruan committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates. She was just twenty-four years old. A note was found that said "Gossip is a fearful thing". More than one hundred thousand fans attended her funeral. Three female fans were so overcome with grief that they committed suicide during her funeral procession. She was buried at Fu Shou Yuan Cemetery in Shanghai. Two new "suicide" notes written by Ruan were found in 2001. In these notes she writes that Tang broke her heart and Zhang shamed her publicly.- James Wang was born in 1863 in Canton, China. He was an actor, known for The Secrets of Wu Sin (1932), The Fighting American (1924) and Perils of Pauline (1933). He died on 20 April 1935 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Zhengqiu Zheng was born on 25 January 1889 in Shanghai, China. He was a writer and director, known for Twin Sisters (1934), Nü er jing (1934) and The Boxer from Shandong (1927). He died on 16 July 1935 in Shanghai, China.- Writer
- Actress
Xun Lu was born on 25 September 1881 in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. She was a writer and actress, known for New Year Sacrifice (1956), Cheng da sao (1954) and Ah Q zheng zhuan (1958). She died on 19 October 1936 in Shanghai, China.- Clarissa Mackie was born on 22 February 1872 in Shanghai, China. She was a writer, known for A Midnight Mystery (1917). She died on 7 May 1937 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.
- Director
- Writer
Xiling Shen was born in 1904 in Zhejiang, China. He was a director and writer, known for Shi zi jie tou (1937), Cry of Women (1933) and Homesick (1934). He died on 17 December 1940 in Chongqing, China.- Ah Wing was born on 12 July 1851 in China. He was an actor, known for The Grub Stake (1923), The She Wolf (1919) and The Girl from Beyond (1918). He died on 27 February 1941 in Weimar, California, USA.
- Yin Ying was born on 28 March 1916 in Beijing, China. She was an actress, known for Shi zi jie tou (1937), Bao jian xiang (1939) and Haitang Hong (1936). She died on 19 January 1942 in Shanghai, China.
- Actor
Dong Yuen Jung was born on 6 November 1890 in Canton, China. He was an actor. He died on 3 May 1942 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Willie Fung was born on 3 March 1896 in Canton, China. He was an actor, known for The Gay Falcon (1941), The Great Profile (1940) and Shanghai (1935). He died on 16 April 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Nien Soen Ling was born on 17 November 1892 in China. He was an actor, known for To New Shores (1937), Die Herrin der Welt 4. Teil - König Macombe (1919) and Die Herrin der Welt 1. Teil - Die Freundin des gelben Mannes (1919). He died on 22 December 1946 in Berlin, Germany.
- Born in Shanghai the son of Edward Bennison Souper an Australian born businessman, his early years were spent in Perth, Western Australia. He traveled to the UK to study stage acting, and met and married Florence Gretton an actress from Birmingham. The pair of them toured extensively with several theatre companies, before emigrating to Sydney NSW Australia in 1910. Their two daughters were soon brought over to join them in Sydney, where the family settled and it became their home base. Gerald continued to tour throughout Australia and back in England and also in the North American continent. He continued to work throughout both world wars fund raising through concert parties, and was on the committee of the Australian Actors Union. His wife Florence died in Sydney in 1946, and Gerald traveled to be with his recently widowed daughter in Kent, England. He died there in January 1947.
- Director
- Writer
Mu Fei was born on 10 October 1906 in Shanghai, China. He was a director and writer, known for Spring in a Small Town (1948), Sea of Fragrant Snow (1934) and Night in the City (1933). He died on 31 January 1951 in China.- Georg H. Schnell was born on 11 April 1878 in Chih-fou, China. He was an actor, known for Nosferatu (1922), Marie Antoinette - Das Leben einer Königin (1922) and Die rollende Kugel (1919). He died on 31 March 1951 in West Berlin, West Germany.
- Hua Yan was born in Shanghai, Republic of China. He was an actor, known for San xiao xu ji (1940), Qian li song Jing Niang (1948) and Wei chu jia de ma ma (1949). He was married to Wei Hong. He died on 19 April 1951.
- Shanshan Yan was born on 22 October 1896 in Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, China. She was an actress, known for Zhuangzi shi qi (1913). She was married to Minwei Li. She died on 2 August 1951.
- Actor
- Composer
Gongshang Yan was born on 26 December 1874 in Anhui, China. He was an actor and composer, known for The Night with the Full Moon (1925), Nan wei le mei mei (1926) and Haitang Hong (1936). He died on 5 March 1953 in China.- J.D. Newsom was born in Shanghai, China. He was a writer, known for We're in the Legion Now (1936), Trouble in Morocco (1937) and De la sartén al fuego (1935). He died on 27 April 1954 in the USA.
- Frank Chew was born on 1 September 1879 in China. He was an actor, known for Gang War (1928), Shadows of Chinatown (1926) and Foreign Devils (1927). He died on 6 May 1954 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
His first movie, "Difficult Husband, Difficult Wife", was shot in 1913, and was considered as the first narrative short film in China. Zhang directed all kind of films, but from 1922 he focused on dramas about women. In the mid-20s he added knight-errants and ghosts stories to his personal themes. His first hit was "The Burning of Red Lotus Temple", a film series (1928-31) which consisted of 18 movies, followed by "New Journey to the West" (1929-30) which consisted of 3 movies. During the Sino-Japanese War, Zhang made many left wing movies against Japan until 1942, when he was promoted to take charge of a directive post in the Chinese Union Film Company, and later in the Hong Kong China Film Company and finally the Shanghai Datong Film Company. During this time he only directed two films in 1948-49. In total, he made nearly 150 films.- Director
- Writer
Dongshan Shi was born on 29 December 1902 in Haining, Zhejiang Province, China. Dongshan was a director and writer, known for Xin er lu ying xiong zhuan (1951), Kuanghuan zhi ye (1936) and Chang hen ge (1936). Dongshan died on 23 February 1955.- Mrs. Van Biene was born in 1873 in Hong Kong, China. She was an actress, known for The Broken Melody (1896). She was married to Auguste Van Biene. She died on 6 July 1955 in Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Casting Department
Tom Gubbins stepfather is Sir Wei Yuk, one of the first Chinese politicians in Colonial Hong Kong. Gubbins was ethnically English, and he went to Hollywood and became not just a prop supplier and adviser for movies concerning China, but also was a champion for Chinese and Chinese-American actors and actresses. He tried his hardest to make sure they were not cast in demeaning roles. Anna May Wong was one of his very first discoveries, and Tom helped Anna May launched her career. Movies made under his advisory generally portrait Chinese and Chinese culture in an objective manner. Outside the Law (starring Lon Chaney) was one of the first movies in which he was involved (as uncredited assistant director).
After WWII, Tom returned to Hong Kong. Fluent in Chinese and a learned scholar in Chinese literature and poetry, he died in the 1950s. He had his ashes scattered over the Victoria harbor of his beloved homeland.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Legendary Chinese actress and singer Zhou Xuan was born on 1 August (year of birth uncertain as either 1918 or 1920) in Jiangsu province, China and originally named Su Pu.
At 3, she was sold by her uncle (by deceit) to the Wang family and thereafter her name changed to Wang Xiaohong. Later she was sent to a Zhou family, and there her name again changed to adopt the new family name. The then Ms. Zhou Xiaohong joined the Mingyue singing troupe in 1932 (when she was around 12 or 13 years of age) where she adopted the stage name "Zhou Xuan" (Xuan meaning "beautiful jade" in Chinese). She started singing on radio and at 14 was selected as the second most popular female singer in China. She soon earned the nickname as "The Golden Voice".
In 1936, she starred in the movie Street Angel (1937)(Street Angel) which would bring her to fame. In the movie, she played a singer and sang what would become 2 of her most popular hits, "The Four Season Song"(Si Ji Ge)and "The Wandering Female Singer"(Tian Ya Ge Nu). She then began to earn a reputation both as an actress and a singer. And went on to make a total of 43 movies in her lifetime.
Reportedly, by her own confession, despite the many movies she acted in, she was unhappy with most of them. Her favorite remained her role in the "Angel". Other major works include, "Recall To Jiangnan", "Night Inn" and "The Secret History of the Qing Dynasty" (info on movie titles from China Radio International).
Her love life however was disappointing. She first married musician/composer Yan Hua and it ended after 8 years in 1941. However, she continued making stage, radio and film appearances during this time, in a total of 16 films between 1939 - 1941.
In 1946, after World War II she moved to Hong Kong to star in "Recall To Jiangnan" in which she played the roles of two different women at the same time. One an innocent country girl, the other a spoiled party-going girl.
From here on, her popularity increased and soon went beyond China and to South East Asia.
Around this time or shortly before, Zhou Xuan met Zhu Huaide, a cloth merchant and lived together in Hong Kong. When she became pregnant and thought of marriage, she began to realize that Zhu was insincere and announced their separation in the press.
She returned to the newly established People's Republic Of China in 1950 to star in "The Peaceful Pigeon", her last movie (one which she would never complete).
Later in Shanghai, she gave birth to her first son, Zhou Min.
Then came the third man in her life -- the art designer for "The Peaceful Pigeon". The love affair ended with her heart broken, and another son, Zhou Wei.
Thereafter, she suffered a nervous breakdown, and was regularly admitted to hospitals and mental institutions. She died on 22 September 1957, officially due to brain encephalitis.
Her songs remain popular to this day and have been remade by many other singers including greats like Taiwanese Queen of Love Songs, Cai Qin, the late Teresa Teng and the late Anita Mui.
Zhou Xuan is estimated to have recorded over 200 songs (114 of them for the movies) and was one of the first Chinese singers to sing with a microphone.
Several of her evergreen songs include "Shanghai Night"(Yeh Shanghai) and "When Will You Come Again" (He Ri Jun Zai Lai).
Her second son Zhou Wei has written a book with his wife, Chang Jing: "Zhou Xuan's Diary", where he provided insights into the legendary singer's life which many didn't know.
Zhou Wei and Chang Jing's daughters have both taken a similar path. The oldest, Zhou Xiao Xuan is a pianist and has worked with the Shanghai Media Company. The youngest, Amanda Zhou, is a former figure skater and now also an actress.
In June 2004, Hong Kong director Kar-Wai Wong announced he has planned a movie biographing this wonderfully talented actress and singer. Award-winning Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung and Chinese actress Jie Dong have been cast in the starring roles as the elder and younger Zhou Xuan respectively.- George Chan was born on 18 January 1876 in China. He was an actor, known for Shadow of Chinatown (1936), Jump Into Hell (1955) and West of Rainbow's End (1938). He died on 30 September 1957 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Beautiful English brunette star Daisy Cordell born in the mid 1880's. Became a well-known classical theatre performer from 1901. Exquisitley gorgeous English lady who starred in many romantic, adventure and crime movies, often working under the direction of Percy Nash at the Neptune Film Co from 1914. She made her film debut in a crime/drama 'The Harbour Lights' co-starring with Gerald Lawrence, her most memorable roles, as Mrs. Travers in 'Disraeli' starring Dennis Eadie in 1916 and in 'The Life of a London Actress' directed by Alexander Butler and starring Daphne Glenne at Barker Film Co in 1919. Her last screen appearance was in 'Shoeblack of Piccadilly' with Eileen Magrath in 1920.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Yuanlong Wang was born in 1903 in Baoding, Hebei, China. He was an actor and director, known for An Untold Tale of the Borderlands (1926), Sishui Liunian (1941) and The Swallow Thief (1939). He died on 20 July 1959 in Taiwan.- Writer
- Director
- Composer
Disheng Tang was born on 18 June 1917 in Guangdong, China. He was a writer and director, known for Hua du qi meng (1955), Man'nu cui zhuang jia yulang (1954) and Dong Xiao Wan (1950). He was married to Mang-Ha Cheng. He died on 15 September 1959 in Hong Kong, China.- Director
- Writer
When Wang Bin was a teenager, he studied in primary school and middle school in Changyi County, Shandong Province. In 1928, he went to Yantai with his father to study in Zhenghua English College, which was established by the American Church. After 1929, he worked as a trainee in the insurance department and the imported cloth department of Taihe Foreign Firm. In 1930, he attended the Western Literature Department of Peking University. In the same year, he was admitted to Shanghai Lianhua Film Company and graduated in 1931. He once played the leading role in the film Gu gong xin yuan (1932). He has been a film director since 1934. After the outbreak of the Anti Japanese War in 1937, he moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong to Wuhan, then to Yan'an, and gradually became a member of the political propaganda team of the CPC. In 1947, he directed the first feature film Qiao (1949) in China Mainland, and in 1950, he directed the famous film Bai mao nü (1951), which won the first prize of excellent film from 1949 to 1955.- George W. Greene was born on 15 December 1894 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. He died on 21 January 1960 in Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.
- Alexander Gauge was born on 29 July 1914 in Wenchow, China. He was an actor, known for The Pickwick Papers (1952), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1955) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955). He was married to Phyllis Anne Lilley. He died on 29 August 1960 in Woking, Surrey, England, UK.
- Nai-Mei Yang was born in 1904 in Shanghai, China. She was an actress, known for Liang xin fu huo (1926), Only a Dream (1927) and Tian tang mei nu (1954). She died on 27 December 1960 in Taipei, Taiwan.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Gexin Chen was born on 19 September 1914 in Nanhui, Jiangsu, Republic of China. He was a composer, known for Cut the Evil's Claw (1954), Ge nu zhi ge (1948) and Waste Not Our Youth (1949). He died on 25 January 1961 in Anhui, China.- W.T. Chang was born on 9 April 1886 in Suzhou, China. He was an actor, known for TV Reader's Digest (1955), Hong Kong (1960) and The Man Called X (1956). He died on 27 June 1961 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Lanfang Mei was born on 22 October 1894 in Beijing, China. He was an actor and writer, known for Remorse at Death (1948), Tiannu san hua (1920) and Luo shen (1955). He was married to Meng Hsiao-Tung (actress). He died on 8 August 1961 in Beijing, China.- John Fernström was born on 6 December 1897 in Yichang, China. He was a composer, known for Splendid (2008). He was married to Elisabet Maull Fernström, Anna-Greta Åkesson and Dagmar Paulson. He died on 19 October 1961 in Lund, Skåne län, Sweden.
- Jennifer Gray was born on 5 November 1916 in Hagzhou, China. She was an actress, known for While the Sun Shines (1947), Assassin for Hire (1950) and Tons of Money (1947). She was married to Robert Langford. She died on 3 February 1962 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Jingling Hong was born on 12 March 1893 in Shanghai, China. He was an actor, known for Chang hen ge (1936), The Big Road (1935) and Erzi yingxiong (1929). He died on 6 June 1963 in Shanghai, China.
- Director
- Cinematographer
- Producer
Sze-Luk Chow was born in 1914 in Shanghai, China. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Ye diao bai fu rong (1956), Sha ren zhe si (1960) and Da nao Guang Chang Long (1952). He died on 7 September 1963 in Hong Kong.- Animation Department
- Visual Effects
- Producer
Cy Young was born on 7 March 1897 in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. He was a producer, known for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Dumbo (1941) and Fantasia (1940). He was married to Roberta "Betty" Cole and Dorolees. He died on 16 January 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Actor
Ke Pai was born on 1 February 1914 in Amoy, China. He was an assistant director and director, known for Long Shan Si zhi lian (1962), Huang di zi sun (1956) and Jie hong deng (1958). He died on 22 February 1964 in Taiwan.- Lai Fun was born on 7 January 1883 in China. He was an actor, known for I kongens klæ'r (1954). He died on 9 March 1964.