Zhao Lei

Acting

Zhao Lei

Born — Died

1928-01-01 — 1996-06-24

Place of birth

Jingzhou, Hubei Province, China

Known for

Acting

Credits

61 titles

Zhao Lei (simplified Chinese: 赵雷; traditional Chinese: 趙雷) was a Chinese actor born in 1928 as Wang Yumin (王育民). He moved to Hong Kong in 1947, joined the Shaw Brothers Studio in 1953. He was one of the most popular male leads in the cinema of Hong Kong and Taiwan in the 1950s and 60s. He frequently played the role of an Emperor and is often called the "Film Emperor". He died in Hong Kong on 24 June 1996.

Known for

Film credits

1980s · 3 titles

1970s · 9 titles

1960s · 23 titles

Empress Wu poster
6.4

The renowned Li Li Hua plays Wu Ze Tian, the most famous woman in China's four thousand year history.

Empress Wu

1963

The Magnificent Concubine poster
6.0

Perhaps the most notorious concubine in Chinese history, Yang Guifei set a pudgy standard of beauty in her days of glory during the Tang dynasty. The Emperor Minghuang was so besotted with the woman that when An Lushan stages his rebellion against the empire, the ruler takes Yang Guifei along with his imperial entourage in an escape to the mountainous area of modern-day Sichuan, and sanctuary of sorts. But the concubine had roused the jealousy of the court and unfortunately for her and to the great sorrow of the king, her brother and others among the king's retainers demanded she be strangled to death while they were still in the mountains. This is the story told in this interesting Taiwanese adaptation by director Li Han-hsiang (Li Hanxiang).

The Magnificent Concubine

1962

Madam White Snake poster
9.0

This Classic Seductive tale of two snakes who assume human forms will send chills of pleasure down viewers' backs. The Lovely Linda Lin Dai (Les Belles, The Kingdom And The Beauty) and margaret Tu Chuan (The Dream of The Red Chamber) play the two sister serpents, Pak Su-cheng and Ching Ching. Su-cheng meets Hsu Hsien (Chao Lei) one day and recognizes him as her savior in another life 1,000 years ago. She marries him to reward him but the snake-human union brings about problems beyond imagination.

Madam White Snake

1962

The Story of Sue San poster
6.5

This gripping story centers on the romance between Wang Chin Lung and Sue San. Although they may be perfectly matched when it comes to their love for one other, the two come from remarkably different social ranks. While Chin Lung is the son of a respected government official, Su San is a prostitute, albeit a famous one.

The Story of Sue San

1964

Beyond the Great Wall poster
5.0

Beyond the Great Wall is a true story based on how Wang Chao-chun sacrificed her love and life for the good of the Chinese people during war time fears between China and the Huns.

Beyond the Great Wall

1964

The Pistol poster
8.0

Long unemployed and stone-broke, Shen Jiaguang is dealt a further blow when his wife Lu Xiaoyin has fallen seriously ill and their son Xiaoguang has to quit school.

The Pistol

1961

The Magic Lamp poster
8.5

Adapted from one of China's most well-known fairy tales, the Goddess of Mount Hua falls in love with a young mortal scholar Liu Yanchang and gives birth to a baby son, Chenxiang. When Chenxiang grows up, he seeks to unravel the mystery surrounding his mother whom he has never met.

The Magic Lamp

1964

The Enchanting Shadow poster
7.2

A young scholar spends the night in a creepy temple that is said to be haunted. He doesn't believe in the rumors, but after running into a Taoist swordsman, he meets a beautiful lady ghost.

The Enchanting Shadow

1960

Romance of the Forbidden City poster
NR

Hong Kong drama directed by Wong Tin-Lam.

Romance of the Forbidden City

1964

The Swallow poster
7.0

The hunt for The Swallow Thief.

The Swallow

1961

The Dream of the Red Chamber poster
7.2

The Ching Dynasty novel The Dream of The Red Chamber is not only the most widely read, but also the most filmed book in Chinese history. The sprawling love story has proven a challenge to many filmmakers, but this version is acclaimed as the most successful. A sumptuous feature which took three years of planning and another for production, it was a hugely popular and critical hit which still stands out as a classic of both 18th century literature and 1960s moviemaking.

The Dream of the Red Chamber

1962

Travels with a Sword poster
9.0

Travels with a Sword is a Hong Kong Martial Arts movie starring Sammo Hung

Travels with a Sword

1968

Beauty of Beauties poster
7.0

Hsi Shih: The Beauty of Beauties was one of the most ambitious films made in the Taiwan film industry in the 1960s. After leaving The Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong and moving to Taiwan, filmmaker Li Han-hsiang mounted this historical epic. Told through the story of Xishi (Hsi Shih), one of the 'Four Great Beauties' of Chinese history, the film portrays the war between two Chinese Kingdoms during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C). After the kingdom of Yue is defeated by the kingdom of Wu, King Goujian of Yue takes pains to prepare for his revenge and rebuild his country. Knowing that King Fucha of Wu is lewd and lustful, he offers Xisi to the court of Wu to serve as Fucha’s concubine, with Fucha unaware that she is also a spy. She uses her charm to draw Fucha away from his office and governance, while King Goujian rallies his forces together to attempt to reclaim his lands.

Beauty of Beauties

1965

Stepmother poster
NR

A Shaw Brothers drama starring Diana Chang Chung-Wen and Margaret Tu Chuan.

Stepmother

1963

No artwork available
6.8

Essentially an adaptation of Gaston Leroux's classic The Phantom of the Opera, Mid-Nightmare is set in a Huangmei diao teahouse theatre, which an embittered and horribly disfigured ex-performer ‘haunts', looking to extract revenge on his enemies and falling in love with a talented and beautiful, but ultimately unattainable, ingénue.

The Mid-Nightmare

1962

Kiss Me Again poster
9.0

A Shaw Brothers production

Kiss Me Again

1960

A Beggar's Daughter poster
7.0

This is an adaptation of the folk story, “Jin Yu Nu beats her heartless groom with a cane”. Jin Yu Nu, a beggar’s daughter, is a beautiful and kind girl. On a snowy day she saves the life of a poor scholar, Mo Ji. When Mo recovers, he marries Jin with love and gratitude. Mo wins the third place in the imperial examinations, but now he is looked down upon because his wife is a beggar's daughter. Extremely embarrassed and ashamed, Mo wants to divorce but has no excuse. Jin then jumps into the river and Mo has deep regrets but it is too late. Later, Mo’s senior Ambassador Lin appreciates his talents and wants to marry him his daughter. On the wedding night, the bride orders Mo to kneel in her room and beats him hard with a cane. Not until then does Mo know his bride is actually Jin, who has been saved by Lin. At the end, Lin knows Jin still loves Mo and helps the couple reunite.

A Beggar's Daughter

1965

Red Plum Pavilion poster
7.0

Li is a beautiful young woman who is engaged to a handsome scholar, Pei Shunqing. However, a rich evil man, Jia Sidao, is attracted by Li's beauty and wants to take Li as his concubine. Pei and Li then come to discuss the matter and decide to flee, but they are kidnapped by Jia's men before they can escape. Jia threatens to kill Pei, and Li finally yields but requests to see Pei for the last time. During their short conversation Li tries to persuade Pei to leave, but he insists that he will not leave without her. Li tells him that she has promised to be Jia’s concubine. Pei has to depart, angry and disappointed. Later, Li tries to kill Jia with his sword before their wedding but she is stabbed to death instead. Li's ghost then returns to avenge Jia and his men by burning them until only ashes remain.

Red Plum Pavilion

1968

The Story of Three Loves: Part 2 poster
7.0

Continuing the story of Part I, the plots follows the tragic fate of teahouse songstress Shen, who is forced to become the mistress of the evil warlord Liu. When the latter discovers that she has had a secret rendezvous with her lover Fan, he tortures her to insanity. A fine melodrama, indeed the best a studio can offer in its time, The Story of Three Loves is also the last film of screen diva Grace Chang who plays two roles, the tender and affectionate Shen, and the arrogant and spoiled He...

The Story of Three Loves: Part 2

1964

Lady with the Lute poster
NR

Zhao’s husband goes to the capital to take the imperial examination but doesn’t come back. Due to famine, Zhao has to leave her hometown and find her husband, playing her lute for a living.

Lady with the Lute

1963

East Flows the River poster
9.0

A film drama by the Shaw Brothers studio.

East Flows the River

1960

No artwork available
NR

A late-Qing historical palace drama about Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor Guangxu, and Consort Zhen, produced by MP&GI.

The Imperial Lady

1964

The First Sword poster
10.0

During a battle with Wu Qiong, the king of poison, Xie Wuyang, the chief of the Golden Dragon Clan is poisoned. His junior, Tong Wanling risks her life to save him and becomes poisoned herself. At his wit's end, Wuyang seeks Wanling's grandparents for help. Meanwhile, Yan Zongqi plots to overthrow Wuyang as the chief of the Golden Dragon Clan and schemes with Wu Qiong to obtain the secret manual of the Clan.

The First Sword

1967

1950s · 25 titles

Diau Charn poster
9.0

Based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Diau Charn is a sublime retelling of a familiar tale with iconic actress Linda Lin Dai (Lam Doi) in the titular role of Diau Charn, one of the four storied beauties of ancient China.

Diau Charn

1958

The Kingdom and the Beauty poster
6.9

This is a musical about a young emperor who is lured via stories told to a place called Kiang-Nan by his royal tutor. The empress mother has the tutor go to Kiang-Nan to bring him back.

The Kingdom and the Beauty

1959

The Circus poster
NR

A Shaw and Sons production

The Circus

1958

Beyond the Grave poster
8.0

This is a Historical Drama that was written and directed by Doe Ching. It was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio.

Beyond the Grave

1954

Forever Goodbye poster
NR

Forever Goodbye 自 君 別 後 (1955) aka Since You Went Away is a Hong Kong Mandarin-language drama film directed by Wang Yin, filmed in Australia and produced by Shaw Brothers Studio. It stars Sek Ying, Chao Lei, Yang Chi-Ching and Wu Chia-Hsiang. This is loosely based on John Luther Long's "Madame Butterfly".

Forever Goodbye

1955

Girls in Transformation poster
10.0

Girls in Transformation is about an experiment conducted by assistant professor at the Shi Liangde University to demonstrate her "non-hereditary human theory," in transforming rural girls into modern women.

Girls in Transformation

1954

Marriage Angle poster
NR

Marriage Angle is a Hong Kong Mandarin-language feature film of the drama genre, written and directed by Wang Yin, produced by Shaw Brothers Studio, Liu Chi and Chow Sze-Ching were the cinematographers.

Marriage Angle

1954

Beyond the Blue Horizon poster
10.0

A Shaw and Sons production

Beyond the Blue Horizon

1956

Beauty in the Maelstrom poster
8.0

A Shaw and Sons production about a couple who loves each other but end up marrying different people because of parental pressures.

Beauty in the Maelstrom

1956

He Has Taken Him for Another poster
8.5

A Shaw and Sons production.

He Has Taken Him for Another

1957

Shadow in Her Heart poster
8.0

Temptation (誘惑) is a 1954 Hong Kong drama film directed by Doe Ching. The film was produced by Runde Shaw for Shaw & Sons Co. Ltd. and is based on the screenplay by Doe Ching and the original story by Hsu Hsu.

Shadow in Her Heart

1954

A Mellow Spring poster
NR

A Shaw Brothers production

A Mellow Spring

1957

The Unforgettable Night poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Unforgettable Night

1958

Lady in Distress poster
NR

A Shaw Brothers production.

Lady in Distress

1957

Modern ‘Red Chamber Dream’ poster
NR

Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the big four of classic Chinese novels, has been adapted for film and television dozens of times over the past decades. Yet this sui generis Great Wall production daringly transposes the setting to modern-day 1950s. The contemporised story revolves nonetheless around the love triangle between Jia Baoyu and his two cousins. Both girls love him but his heart belongs to only one. The ending, however, is remarkably changed to separation of the lovers as a result of war—the war that was surely still haunting the minds of the filmmakers at the time when the film was made. Not only did Great Wall pour money into building extravagant sets just so to recreate down to the smallest detail the grandeur of the legendary Jia mansion, but the film also boasted of its lavish costume designs for the diverse female cast. (From Hong Kong Film Archive)

Modern ‘Red Chamber Dream’

1952

A Kiss for Me poster
NR

A Shaw and Sons production

A Kiss for Me

1958

An Appointment After Dark poster
9.0

Wan Jialiang, a factory worker, and Lu Xiuzhen fall in love and live together. Hou Liang is supported by Dong Yaqin, his cousin, and their lives improve. Desperate to get rid of Jane, who is pregnant, Jialiang plans to make her fall into the sea and die.

An Appointment After Dark

1958

Miss Evening Sweet poster
9.0

A Shaw and Sons production.

Miss Evening Sweet

1957

Springtime in Paradise poster
NR

A Shaw and Sons production

Springtime in Paradise

1957

A Lonely Heart poster
10.0

A Shaw and Sons production.

A Lonely Heart

1956

Fruit of Marriage poster
8.0

A woman is fired from her job because she's pregnant. The husband, who's a teacher, needs to get another part-time job as a waiter, to cover the expenses which causes problems at his school. He starts to resent children but there's hope as the husband is able to get another job and start to appreciate his family...

Fruit of Marriage

1956

The Lady of Mystery poster
9.0

Spies, Military Documents and Traitors.

The Lady of Mystery

1957

The Stolen Love poster
7.0

Early Shaw Brothers drama

The Stolen Love

1959

Meet Me After Spring poster
9.0

This is a drama about parents disapproving a young couple's relationship and the unfortunate consequences that it has.

Meet Me After Spring

1956

The Third Life poster
NR

Wu Dehua is a frustrated young man who has experienced abandonment and crime and starts having suicidal thoughts. However, with the help of the nurses who cared for him, he's understanding the meaning of helping others and dedicating himself to them.

The Third Life

1953

Series credits