| | Sun Daolin, a veteran Chinese actor and director whose seven-decade career included more than 100 films and plays, has died, news reports said Friday. He was 86.
Sun died Thursday of an unspecified illness at a Shanghai hospital, state television and the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Sun was born in Beijing in 1921 and appeared in his first film shortly before the 1949 communist revolution.
He performed in more than 100 movies and plays, including "Family," a popular 1957 screen version of Ba Jin's novel.
Sun supplied voices for Chinese dubbing of a dozen foreign titles, including "Hamlet," according to Xinhua.
He turned to directing in the 1980s. Among his films was "Zhan Tianyou," a 2000 documentary about a pioneering Chinese railway builder in the early 20th century. Then-President Jiang Zemin praised the movie for its "patriotic spirit."
Xinhua said Sun retired from acting two years ago at 84.
(China Post news report)
Sun, who made his screen debut in 1948 in "Big Reunion," starred or acted in more than 100 movies in his 57-year career.
His most notable films included "Early Spring in February" in 1963, "Radio Never Faded" in 1958 and "The Family" in 1957.
He turned to directing in the 1980s and made four movies, including "Thunderstorm" in 1984.
He also directed "Zhan Tianyou" in 2000 about a pioneering Chinese railway engineer in the early 20th century. The movie won the "Best Story" in the China Movie Awards, the highest honor in Chinese movie industry.
Sun's last stage performance was in "Thunderstorm" in 2003. He announced his retirement two years ago.
Sun was married to the Yueju Opera singer Wang Wenjuan.
Sun had been a fan of Yueju Opera and adored Wang's performances while Wang was a fan of Sun's movies. The two hadn't met until veteran actress Zhang Ruifang did some matchmaking.
Wang once acted as Lin Daiyu, the leading actress in the Yueju Opera "The Dream in Red Mansion."
(Shanghai Daily) |
