To commemorate the donation of Lin Dai's personal artifacts by her son Lung Tzong-hann, Hong Kong Film Archive is presenting The Legend & The Beauty - The Films of Lin Dai, a special retrospective deidicated to her, screening eighteen of her films, as well as exhibiting movie queen's artifacts.
From her final note, though it seemed that the cause of suicide was somehow "trivial" and her death seemed "unintentional", but Lin Dai's death was undeiniably a tremendous loss to Chinese Cinema, and thus transcended her status to the everlasting movie legend.
Sharing with this entry is a news reported in The South East Asia Weekly 1964, about the grand photo retrospective being held for Lin Dai, which was officiated by Lucilla You Min. I believe this could be the very first Lin Dai's retrospective.
Well, this is an entry that is not quite related to Chinese cinema, but I still think is quite an exciting finding about the 50s renowned Malay screen siren and bombshell, former Sultana Of Pahang State Malaysia – Datuk Maria Menado, a provocative yet sexy photo published in Chinese publication Nanyang Pictorial late 50s (from Roth Private Collection).
Dubbed as The Most Beautiful Woman of Malaya by Times magazine and the best dress lady in South East Asia by United Press international 1957 (quoted from the entry: Maria Menado – Wikipedia Malay). In my eye, Maria is no doubt the Diana Chang of Malaya.
Maria was born Liesbet Dotulong in 1932 in Menado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. All the while I presume Maria Menado was a stage name after she becomes an actress. However, according to Wikipedia entry, it actually means Maria from Menado, her birthplace, and Maria is a nickname she inspired from the incident of Maria Hertogh riots, due to her profound interest with the Dutch girl Maria Hertogh of this highly controversial case.
Maria first started as fashion model in Singapore, which her beauty captured the attention of Shaw borther studio, and was offered her debut in Penghidupan 1951, casting alongside with Malaya top actor P Ramlee. However, the films that rocketed her to stardom and fame was actually the succesful horror feature Pontianak 1957, story about female vampire in Malay folkmyth with Cathay Keris Studio.
There are more behind the scene stories about this film which you could read more about it at: Famed foe, the pontianak.
After several features with Cathay Keris, Maria did ventured into film production, establishing her own studio called Maria Menado Production (M. M Production), and produced numerous features with herself as the leading lady. She is significant in Malay film history as the first Malay female film producer. This is yet another interesting cover from The Straits Times Annual 1957 found in ebay, featuring Maria in Sarong as cover girl.
Besides that, Dave did post an interesting entry with video clip about Bollywood- Hong Kong connection, mentioned the Hindi film Singapore, and Maria was participated in that film too.
Well, that’s all about Maria in this entry:)
Youtube clip (thanks nashiqim) featuring Maria Menado in an excerpt of: Sultan Mahmood Mangkat Di Julang (1961)
Lucilla You Min with Lux Soap Chung Ching with Johnson & Johnson Modess
Fanny Fan with Dunlopillo(or just Fanny lookalike, em Dave, what do you think?)
Linda Lindai with Lux soap
Feature above are some of the B&W ads I found in Nanyang Pictorial of late 50s (Courtesy from Roth Collection), which i would like to share with you to welcome July 2009.
Watched The Lark 1964 recently, a star vehicle for Carrie Ku Mei, and also the only first bill feature for her during her Shaw Studio period.
Besides appreciating Ku Mei’s beauty and songs, you also notice a lot of stars-to-be like Yueh Hwa, Cheng Pei Pei, Lydia Sum appeared in various scenes, and most importantly, there are lots of cameo appearances of the celebrated Chinese pop singers, including nowdays Sir Run Run Shaw’s spouse Mona Fong, Poon Sau Kheng, Lan Di (sister of Chang Lye Lye), as well as Ruby Wah (华怡保- Hua Yi Bao in mandarin pronunciation), performing hits and dances, which I consider this to be among the earliest samples of MTV for Chinese pop.
Opps, has been talking too much as usual, Well the lady that I would like to introduce in my post today is no other than Miss Hua Yi Bao, or Ruby Wah, one of the most celebrated mandarin pop singer, with career spanned from 50s to 80s.
Born in the state capital of Perak- Ipoh, Malaya (same birthplace as Michelle Yeoh), and was given the first name “Yi Bao” , as she was born in Ipoh (怡保- “Yi Bao”, is the Chinese name for the city of Ipoh ).
Ruby’s mother, who was also a singer in the era of pre 1949 Shanghai, has led an art troupe named Vast Land, and she influenced and formally trained 5 years old Ruby in her art troupe, including dances, singing and ballet.
At the age of 7, she has already made her maiden appearance at stage, and gradually, talented and beautiful Ruby established herself to be one of the most popular Chinese singers of Malaya and Singapore in the 50s, alongside with Chang sisters (Lye-lye, Lan Di, Lye Mei), Zhuang Xue Fang, Poon Sau Kheng, Woo Mei Ling and etc. In 1962, Ruby attempt to advance her singing career to Hong Kong and Taiwan, where she performed in prestigious night clubs and hotels, as well as recorded songs with Pathe Studio Hong Kong.
Soon, her talent was noticed and recognized, and her fame built among the Hong Kong and Taiwan audiences, according to an un-cited source, besides several recordings, (including English albums), at the peak of her career, Ruby performed in several Hong Kong clubs and hotels concurrently, and has said to be full-house every night that last for almost 8 months!
Just for information, Chinese pop maestro Yao Min, has exclusively written a coloratura piece for Ruby Wah in the 60s, named the drizzling east hill and sunny west hill, which has been quoted as one of the 1960s finest masterpiece of Chinese pop, in The Age of Shanghainese Pops 1930 to 1970 (with 1 CD).
Personally this song has been one of my favorite Chinese oldies too.
Ok, we now briefly know abut her career track and her talent, but why she has a darling sobriquet “Willow waist Pop Diva”?
Margaret Mitchell once described Scarlet o Hara in Gone With The Wind, saying: “The dress set off to perfection the seventeen-inch waist, the smallest in three counties . . .” believe it or not, this is the real waist size of Ruby Wah in 60s, and it has frequently become the focus of media, as well as one of the best advertising point for her. It was said when Ruby first performed in Taiwan in 1963, magazines and the organizers has launched a contest on “Guesssing Miss Ruby’s Waist Size”, and it has been a sensation!
Ruby never formally involved in showbiz, unless for the only cameo in Shaw Bros The Lark (1964), which you can now have a better idea on how tiny her waist size could be. Besides that, she has invited by Li Han Hsiang to become the theme song performer for Guo Lian Studio features - Dodder flower 1965 and Xi Shi 1966.
Ruby has an unhappy marriage that ended up in divorce, she disappeared in public horizon for several years, and was once rumored to have departed from suicide, but luckily the rumors doesn’t turned to be a fact.
Ruby did suffer a great deal from this unhappy relationship, but glad that she recovered at last.
Ruby formally announced her retirement in early 70s as a recording artist, and turned out to be private singing teacher in Singapore. However, in the 80s, she made a comeback, after being invited by Taiwan Television Enterprise to host a TV programme named “Time with Ruby Wah” that run for 13 episodes, and has issued by far her last record – The Shanghai Night, comprising of some golden Old Shanghai hits.
It was said that Ruby was now residing in Singapore, still occasionally appear on stage as special guest, and from the information that I could access so far, her latest performance happened in Taiwan 1996, in the concert of “Golden Hit 50 years”.
Well, does Ruby Wah still maintain her willow waist?
I’m not sure of course, but from a source dated 2001, it was said that Miss Ruby still possesses a waist size of 24!
Thanks to my buddy Yang Yang from Tian Jin for sharing this.
Whether Yang Yang is the youngest Zhou Xuan Fan still yet to confirmed, but no doubt he is absolutely the most fanatic, expert and adorable Zhou Xuan fan on earth.
This is a gem he found in a chinese auction website, and I was stunned looking at this rare finding.
Though the tint is brief and frail, but somehow it is miraculously fasicnating, like a vintage mantilla veil being worn, and needless to say the legendary tragic songbird looks vivacious and sweet in Manchu costume.
Well, it is almost certain that this is the publicity shot from her early Qing Dynasty costume drama with Guo Hua Studio - Dong Xiao Wan.
In 1947, Zhou Xuan starred as Concubine Zhen in Zhu Shi Lin's Sorrow of the Forbidden City with Yung Hwa Studio Hong Kong, which she appeared again in Manchu costume, the leading man is still the same as Dong Xiao Wan, the suave Chinese cinema leading man of 40s, Shu Shi.
Below are the clip shared by Shuesik, in a scene of Sorrow Of Forbidden City 1947, where Zhou Xuan sung Wish of The Misty Royal scent:
1940 was the year the photo captured, and now is 2009...
The photo is almost 70 years old now.
However, Zhou Xuan's beauty sealed here, still earverlastingly charming, and never fades...
Featured above is the cover of movie synopsis - Love's Sad Ending (1954) ,a production of the notable cantonese Studio in 50s - Tai Seng.
The original chinese movie title was an excerpt of an ancient Chinese poem. though might seem abit simplsitic in its official English title, but literally it actually means "amourously sentimental always voided with endless regrets" (after cracking my head for sometime, and this is the best I could get :( ), I suppose is a tragic love story then~~
Arrh, forget about the long winded title,look at the cover, such a vivdly captivating photo, but who is the actor and actress on the cover?
They are Woo Fung and Tang Pik Wan in 1954. Woo was 22, while Tang was 28 at that time.
I first knew them when I was still a child in 80s, spending lots of time watching Hong Kong TV series, before I came to learnt their glorious past in golden age of cinema.
Well, both of them have very long running career,
for Tang Pik Wan, her career started from Cantonese opera stage in early 40s, then silver screen, and then TV, most notably for her character as "Madam Ma Da", only force to put a halt when she passed away in early 1991.
while for Woo Fung, whom was the new actor brought up by Tai Seng studio in early 50s, still occasionally can be seen in Hong Kong TV series even after 2000.
it has been almost 20 years Tang Pik Wan passed away, and is also has been quite awhile since I last saw Woo Fung in TV, hope he is in the pink of health.
If this is not Hung Sin Nui, who else she could be then?
For those who familiar with Chinese opera, no one would ever deny that Hung Sin Nui(红线女, literally means Red String Girl)is the Master of Cantonese opera（粤剧）. she is a genuine artist, developed her very own "Nui" style(女腔), establishing The Hung School, and has contribute a great deal to this art form, which she dedicated herself passionately and entirely, without regret.
But when I saw this cover shot of in T'ien hsia Illustrated Magazine, I was quite amazed on how sassy, shockingly sexy and fahsionable Hung Sin Nui could be, during her film career era in Hong Kong. The styling somehow even reminded me of siren and sex symbol like Marlilyn Monroe and etc...
A legendary figure, Hung Sin Nui leads a dramatic life, no matter her marriage to Ma Si Tsang(马师曾) her love affairs with Huang Ho(黄河), her choice to left the successful film career and wealthy life in Hong Kong, and returned to Mainland China to pursue her high ideal for advancement for her beloved opera, as well as the indescribable turbulence and controversial political position during cultural revolution, and then the flee-away of her daughter to Taiwan in early 80s~~
Just share this rarity found in ebay sometimes ago, and in future hope we have chance to talk more about this living legend...
Hong Sin Lui as village girl singing - Peach blossom (clip from hkgalbert)
Found this photos a couple years ago in ebay, and needless to say it is truly mesmerizing, and I really love it very much
Just to share with you my most favorite photos of actress Lai Yee.
Wonder who Lai Yee is?
don't worry, Dave has done a great job, not only providing bio details of her, but also some truly rare video clips during her early stardom in Hollywood.
Well done Dave, and thanks alot!!
If you fascinated by this beautiful US born Chinese lady, just follow this link to Dave's blog...
You simply can't afford to miss the story about the technicolor queen of Hong Kong!
It was quite a surprise when I read this comment by Linda eariler in my previous post about Lan Ying Ying..
The comment says: Lan Ying Ying was my mom. She passed away 10/21/1998. I would greatly appreciate if someone would direct me to a resource where I can obtain copies of her films. I, and her 3 grandchildren have never seen any of her films. any help is appreciated.
Finally Lan Ying Ying was found, though the blue warbler has left the mortal world for about 10 years ago...May she rest in peace...
Anyway, Linda has said that she will post some photos of her mom and dad and their grandchildren in future,
Thanks in advance Linda!
For the flyer of Lan Ying Ying official debut, please check out Dave's entry about Lan Ying Ying
Well, this is not a dicussion of her wilderness, but instead this rather flapper-ish photo is the prelude for me to introduce the little known Miss Lee Fang Fei(李芳菲), in the cover of the East Pictorial in mid 50s.
Miss Lee was dubbed the "virgin starlet", which how the sobriquet being obtained still remain unknown, but from Gu Mei's autobiography, she revealed that one of her ex lover in mid 50s, was actually the former husband of Miss Lee, before the guy dated Carrie...
Miss Lee started her career somwehere in post war Shanghai, and then continued her career to Hong Kong. Frequently appeared as supporting cast in some independent mandarin productions during 50s, Miss Lee always appeared in sexy post in photos seen in magazines of that era, including this one too~~
In late 50s, Miss Lee married to a wealthy guy in Hong Kong, and she was rarely heard or seen since then~~
Thanks Roth for sharing this rare pictorial's cover
Nothing much about this post, just to share a poster published in Screen Voice late 40s, a production of Yi Hua studio during orphan Island era at 1942, but only screened at Singapore/Malaya in late 40s.
The original title in Shanghai is just simply The Grand Hotel, however, it has been renamed The Shanghai Grand Hotel when it showed in Singapore/Malaya
Though sharing similar title, but the storyline is pretty different, compare to the Hollywood version.
As for the casting, it comprises of the famous actors from the studio too...(Including David Chiang's father Yan Hua)
Well Who would be Garbo and Crawford of this Shanghai version?
They are the celebrated but tragic Shang Guan Yun Zhu, who commited suicide during cultural revolution, and also Lu Lu Ming, 'the Bomb siren' of late 30s~~
cinema retrosexual, love the glamour, grace,charm and futurism excuded by the actors and filmmakers of the era of 1910-1970's.
International cinema has been my all time favorite, and Chinese/Hollywood classic cinema are my best loved.
Currently focus on the Hong Kong left wing cinema amateur research...
