
Acting
Kao Pao-Shu
Born — Died
1939-02-02 — 2000-07-20
Place of birth
Suzhou, China
Known for
Acting
Credits
78 titles
Kao Pao-Shu (Chinese: 高寶樹; 1932–2000) was a Chinese actress, producer, writer and film director who appeared in over 100 films during her career. Originally from China, Kao moved to Hong Kong in 1951, where she acted in minor role before joining Shaw Brothers Studio in 1958. Here, she starred in over 80 films, working alongside directors Yueh Feng and Cheng Kang, and she made her directorial debut in 1970 in Lady with a Sword. Later she started her own company, producing films throughout the 1970s before she retired in the 1980s. In July 2000, she died at the age of 68.
Known for
7.0In this dreamy romance set in China during the fourth-century, a young woman convinces her parents to allow her to dress as a boy and attend university.
The Love Eterne
1963
6.5Three martial arts directors united for this unique anthology film. Yueh Feng writes and directs a clever love-and-kung-fu triangle, Cheng Kang both writes and directs kung-fu courtesans battling brigands, and the "godfather of the kung-fu film," Chang Cheh, creates a cliff-hanging, swashbuckling mini-movie with maxi-action.
Trilogy of Swordsmanship
1972
6.4The renowned Li Li Hua plays Wu Ze Tian, the most famous woman in China's four thousand year history.
Empress Wu
1963
8.0THE MONKEY GOES WEST is the first entry in the studio’s epic, four-part screen adaptation of “Journey to the West,” a 16th-century novel recounting the efforts of a Buddhist monk and his magical companions to travel to India and bring back Buddhist sutras.
The Monkey Goes West
1966
7.5Chen Hou is a chauffeur who gets caught in a mistaken identity scandal linking him to businesswoman Lok Dai. Chen was supposed to audition for a job as her chauffeur, but a proposed musical show is far more attractive to the aspiring dancer. When a rumor gets out that the two are involved in an affair, she's angry and confronts him, but his charms overwhelm her, and it's revealed that she too desires to dance. Soon she's bankrolling the affair, the sets are being built, and the singing and dancing begin!
The Dancing Millionairess
1964
5.2Li Zhishan is a rich man, but wealth cannot keep the loyalties of his wife, who has been visiting the bed of a rival. She helps plot against him, and the Vicious Long Brothers invade his home and steal the Golden Dragon Blade - a sword that makes its wielder unbeatable. Zhishan, crippled in the attack, and his young daughter are whisked away by a devoted servant, and the trio soon find shelter in the home of an herbalist. Years pass, the daughter grows up to be a lovely young woman and a powerful fighter, and the Long Brothers use the Golden Dragon Blade to gain power in the region. Zhishan's family of sorts has managed to stay well hidden, but a trip into the city - the daughter's first - sets off an old power struggle as Zhishan's wife discovers her daughter is quite alive.
Vengeance Is a Golden Blade
1969
Film credits
1970s · 8 titles
6.5Three martial arts directors united for this unique anthology film. Yueh Feng writes and directs a clever love-and-kung-fu triangle, Cheng Kang both writes and directs kung-fu courtesans battling brigands, and the "godfather of the kung-fu film," Chang Cheh, creates a cliff-hanging, swashbuckling mini-movie with maxi-action.
Trilogy of Swordsmanship
1972
4.2A golden-masked clan master, who had killed many top fighters, was determined to acquire an invincible sword manual so as to rule the martial world. Hence, he pursued a swordsman who possessed the manual, but the latter managed to escape and discovered a cave whereby he met two martial arts masters who taught him the invincible sword skills...
Lost Swordship
1977
10.0A musical comedy about two students returning home from abroad with plans to wed. However, their dads are bitter enemies and oppose the marriage.
Double Bliss
1970
6.0In her bid for domination of the kingdom, a wicked woman invites opponents to their doom at her 'Fairyland' estate.
The Jade Fox
1979
5.3Filial daughter seeks revenge on father's killer. She must associate with dishonest people to finance her mission.
Win Them All
1973
NRA misguided youth falls into the bad company of an underground brothel syndicate but redeems himself on discovering that his mother was murdered by the syndicate's female boss.
Low Society
1976
9.0Li Ching plays one of three daughters, whose life is turned upside down when she discovers she is adopted. But things get even worse when she goes in search of her real mother. Finally, after almost a double tragedy, she realizes what so many knew all along: There's no place like home.
A Place to Call Home
1970
10.0The police close in on "Miss Big Boss," the leader of a large drug organization centered in the Golden Triangle. Meanwhile, two kids find themselves on the run after witnessing the murder of an undercover police officer.
Female Fugitive
1975
1960s · 45 titles
7.0In this dreamy romance set in China during the fourth-century, a young woman convinces her parents to allow her to dress as a boy and attend university.
The Love Eterne
1963
6.4The renowned Li Li Hua plays Wu Ze Tian, the most famous woman in China's four thousand year history.
Empress Wu
1963
8.0THE MONKEY GOES WEST is the first entry in the studio’s epic, four-part screen adaptation of “Journey to the West,” a 16th-century novel recounting the efforts of a Buddhist monk and his magical companions to travel to India and bring back Buddhist sutras.
The Monkey Goes West
1966
7.5Chen Hou is a chauffeur who gets caught in a mistaken identity scandal linking him to businesswoman Lok Dai. Chen was supposed to audition for a job as her chauffeur, but a proposed musical show is far more attractive to the aspiring dancer. When a rumor gets out that the two are involved in an affair, she's angry and confronts him, but his charms overwhelm her, and it's revealed that she too desires to dance. Soon she's bankrolling the affair, the sets are being built, and the singing and dancing begin!
The Dancing Millionairess
1964
5.2Li Zhishan is a rich man, but wealth cannot keep the loyalties of his wife, who has been visiting the bed of a rival. She helps plot against him, and the Vicious Long Brothers invade his home and steal the Golden Dragon Blade - a sword that makes its wielder unbeatable. Zhishan, crippled in the attack, and his young daughter are whisked away by a devoted servant, and the trio soon find shelter in the home of an herbalist. Years pass, the daughter grows up to be a lovely young woman and a powerful fighter, and the Long Brothers use the Golden Dragon Blade to gain power in the region. Zhishan's family of sorts has managed to stay well hidden, but a trip into the city - the daughter's first - sets off an old power struggle as Zhishan's wife discovers her daughter is quite alive.
Vengeance Is a Golden Blade
1969
6.6It's a powerful melodrama about a thwarted romance in 1930s Tientsin, China, during the Japanese occupation, and it stars Linda Lin Dai, one of the era's most popular stars. It was part of Golden Horse's 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films.
The Blue and the Black
1966
5.6Gui Wu happens upon a kidnapping with his wife Gan Lian-zhu at the Red Lotus Temple. Lian-zhu sends Wu to go for reinforcements while she stays to fight the kidnappers. Fortunately, the mysterious Scarlet Maid is surreptitiously helping her.
The Twin Swords
1965
9.5The noted actress Li Li-hua, star of more than sixty films since 1947, beautifully portrays the drugged, then disgraced wife of a peddler in the waning days of the Ching Dynasty. To make matters worse, she’s soon framed for her husband’s murder by her rapist - the son of the local magistrate! And even that isn’t the end of her woes. It’s best to have a box of tissues nearby as two expert directors ratchet up the emotional suspense in this consummate tearjerker.
The Adulteress
1963
NRWith her elegant classic persona, Li Li-hua was the ideal performer for period aristocratic and imperial roles. The Goddess Of Mercy is a good example of her strong empathy and noble presence. The youngest daughter of a brutal king, the princess openly disapproves of the floggings and cruel treatment her royal family heaps on the peasants. As a result, the heartless king turns on his own daughter forcing her into exile.
The Goddess of Mercy
1967
7.5Return Of The Phoenix is yet another masterpiece from prolific director Li Han-hsiang. An imperial minister Cheng Pu (Ching Miao) is faced with a quandary. He's getting old and his daughters are still not married. Elder daughter Shueh-yeh (Elizabeth Chuang) is so ugly no one wants her. Younger daughter Shueh-wu (Li Hsiang-chun) is beautiful but Mrs Cheng refuses to let her marry before her elder sister. The drama unfolds when Cheng decides to marry Shueh-wu off.
Return of the Phoenix
1963
6.2Bai Yu Lung's father mysteriously disappears one night, and for 10 years Bai searches for him in vain. Finally, he decides to head to the far northern part of the country with the hope that he can find a clue in that region. There, he falls in love with a beggar (Cheng Pei-pei) and they continue the search together.
The Golden Sword
1969
NRThe film tells the story of Xing Yonghui, a rich girl who has fun with her painter boyfriend Du Shaohua and her classmates. Chen Xiaoping and Guo Dawei fall in love and want to elope, but they are prevented from doing so; Du Shaohua and Li Zhongting fall in love with each other over a painting, causing Xing Yonghui's unhappiness, and Xing Yonghui crashes a car into a rock and wants to die together, causing serious injuries to Du Shaohua and Li Zhongting; Xing Yonghui's suicide is prevented by her shame, but Li Zhongting does not care about the past suspicion, and the two of them recover from the injuries and perform with their classmates on the same day as they had planned to do so.
The Joy of Spring
1966
5.0Jimmy Wang Yu plays a young kid who heads off to Dragon Valley to meet the childhood friend who was promised as his bride. When he gets there, he finds that the family of the bride might not be an entirely honest bunch of people though. What is the story behind their feud with the monks at the Temple Of The Red Lotus, for a start?
Temple of the Red Lotus
1965
6.3The story revolves around Tian Yu Quan (Chin Feng) who rushes to the aid of an elderly fisherman who is bullied by an arrogant relative of the Qiu Shan ministry. In the heat of the ensuing battle he kills the said man and is hence chased by the district's officials. Trying to use the waterway to shake off his enemies, Yu Quan finds a true friend in the old fisherman's bark-stearing daughter, Hu Feng Lian (Ting Hung) who becomes his loyal accomplice. As symbol for his gratitude, Yu Quan bestows Feng Lian with a Butterfly Chalice to reflect their eternal friendship bond...
The Butterfly Chalice
1965
10.0A Shaw Brothers comedy starring Peter Chen Ho and Grace Ting Ning.
Stranger Than Fiction
1963
5.5The year is 1937, just prior to the Japanese invasion of China. Painters Ju Rui and Lao San stumble upon He Hua, a woman sold into the sex industry at a local brothel.
Sons of the Good Earth
1965
8.0Spring Blossoms is a parable about the Chinese youth culture and what's important to the younger generation when it comes to romance. It starred a new wave of seventies, Shaw's beauties, Lily Li, Shu Pei-pei and Essie Lin-chia as single women looking for love. It's a triple-decker romantic bus ride on a road to nowhere speeding toward a low bridge.
Spring Blossoms
1968
7.0Linda Lin Dai and Fanny Fan join the dancing troupe of Kao Pao-shu. Linda and Kao's son Peter Chen, manager of the troupe, have misunderstandings and dislike each other.
Les Belles
1961
6.0War and time change everything. Their love becomes more than reunion, it becomes a reckoning with what was and what could've been. Part two of the wartime love story.
The Blue and the Black 2
1966
7.5The heroine, Liu Yanniang, is a beautiful and virtuous woman who is in love with her husband, Wang Zhengtu. However, because of her disagreement with her sister-in-law, Yuhuan, who was unfortunately killed, Yaniang was mistakenly accused of murder by the king's mother and her husband's son-in-law. The governor of Suzhou, Mr. Yan Wentian, is very strict with the king, but just when he finds a clue, the witness is killed again. Yen is not satisfied with his efforts, but he realizes that the murderer has already come to his doorstep.
The Midnight Murder
1967
6.5This 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
7.2The 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
7.1Li Qingqing, an orphan, just arrives in Hong Kong and becomes a singer who sacrifices everything for her man.
Love Without End
1961
10.0The winning couple of Linda Lin Dai and Peter Chen Hu light up the screen in the delightful Shaw Brothers musical Love Parade. The manager of a dance company places a personal ad in the newspaper. He receives a response but has no idea the woman is his top dancer, with whom he has an antagonistic relationship.
Love Parade
1963
9.0Su Fen, a young and frail girl, looked forward to her wedding with her fiancé, Li Kuo-liang. The happy couple's bliss was cut short when war broke out. Kuo-liang was summoned to fight at the front lines. In his absence, Su Fen discovered she had tuberculosis.
Too Late for Love
1967
7.0A Shaw Brothers production
The Lady and the Thief
1963
6.8Fan Chia-soo is a kind-hearted student whose heart is captured by the sweet song of Shen Feng-hsien. However, he is not the only one who has eyes for Shen. The General's henchmen are also determined to present the songstress to their superior as a gift. Fan received help from an unexpected quarter to save the woman he loves.
Between Tears and Smiles
1964
9.0Based on one particular storyline from The Water Margin, Three Sinners weaves an intriguing story of romance, treachery, and death, all within the context of the traditional Huangmei Opera. Yan Jun casts his real-life wife, the elegant Li Li Hua, star of such Shaw Brothers films as The Goddess of Mercy and Vermillion Door, as one of the title characters, a woman who finds herself in the middle of a stormy love triangle involving her controlling husband (director Yan Jun serving double duty in a starring role) and a passionate lover (Chen Yan Yan).
Three Sinners
1963
8.0Ling Yun plays the replacement hired for a popular band whose egotistic drummer quit to join a rival group. When the new arrival becomes a hit, he earns the jealous wrath of the predecessor. Meanwhile, the young drummer's mother is fervently against his music career. With the gorgeous Lily Ho as the manageress of the band and some terrific drumming set pieces, the whole thing, needless to say, comes off with a bang.
King Drummer
1967
NRA Shaw Brothers romantic comedy starring Peter Chen Ho and Patricia Lam Fung.
When the Poles Meet
1961
6.2A musical staring Carrie Ku Mei as a singer named Xiaoyun Shi, who comes to Hong Kong after a tour of other Asian countries, hoping to develop her career.
The Lark
1965
5.0A young girl runs away from her abusive father to join a group of circus performance, expecting that one day she would be a greatest trapeze artist. Later, she falls in love with one of the members of the circus staff who used to be a trapeze performer in previous times.
Trapeze Girl
1967
8.0Rich girl Chen Wen Chi starts a serious relationship with classmate Liu Ting Yi who comes from a poor family and whose elder sister is a dance hostess.
That Tender Age
1967
9.0It seems that Li Zhenfei was once an imperial concubine, who often found herself competing with her rival Madame Liu for the emperor's sole, undivided attention. When Li gives birth to the Emperor's child, the jealous Liu switches the boy with a cat and commands a servant named Kou Zhu to kill the baby. However, Kou Zhu ignores the order and gives the prince-to-be to the emperor's brother, a decision which eventually leads to the boy being adopted by the emperor himself! But as fate would have it, to go along with his new son, the emperor has a new wife as well - Madame Liu! As this strange new family unit is being constructed, poor Li Zhenfei has been confined to the forbidden palace, condemned to never see or speak to her son, the prince. But destiny reunites her with her son, but will this family reunion be a happy one? And will Madame Liu finally be punished for her treachery?
Inside the Forbidden City
1965
10.0Spy thriller set in occupied Shanghai. Li Lihua stars as the woman who is thrust into the role of nationalist freedom fighter when she discovers that her husband is a collaborator with the Japanese.
Squadron 77
1965
10.0A widow of four gave up two of her children to be raised by an uncle in Singapore. Many years later, just when the widow, now a house maid, is feeling contented by good news of her long gone son and daughter, she accidentally runs into his own son, now a lawyer, and ends up being looked down upon by him. It was a story about how traditional Chinese family and its value was impacted by the change of time. The movie depicted Macau in 1945 to Hong Kong in the mid-60s, moving from poverty after WWII to opulence. The human relationships became complicated and fragile. Many elements uniquely "Hong Kong", such as upper class Chinese, western religions, English speaking and a mixed-culture society are used to contrast the traditional, kind, enduring and forgiving love of a mother.
Bitter Sweet
1963
7.0The story of a self-disciplined singing girl who has different love endings and experiences.
The Coin
1964
7.0A drama by the Shaw Brothers studio.
Twilight Hours
1960
NRComedy of Mismatches begins with widow Sun who single-handedly raises her son Yu Lang (Chin Feng) and daughter Zhu Yi (Li Hsiang Chun). One day, Mother Sun sends her children to the temple, where Yu Lang encounters Hui Niang (Pat Ting). Artist Xu Ya is also at the temple, praying that his daughter Wen Gu (Carrie Ku) will find a good husband. Soon after, Wen Gu encounters nobleman's son Pei Zheng (Wai Mao) and the two fall in love at first sight.
Comedy of Mismatches
1964
NRA Shaw Brothers production
Malayan Affair
1960
8.0A young woman moves to rural Taiwan to live with her extended family during her parents' divorce. She and her two cousins navigate romantic complications and relations with the indigenous Taiwanese in this adaptation of a Chiung Yao novel.
Mist over Dream Lake
1968
10.0A Shaw Brothers comedy starring Margaret Tu Chuan and Paul Chang Chung,
Oh Boys! Oh Girls!
1961
10.0A Shaw Brothers romantic comedy starring Margaret Tu Chuan and Peter Chen Ho.
How to Marry a Millionaire
1960
6.5The husband-and-wife team of Ivy Ling Po and Chin Han returned to another Huangmei Opera classic after Lady General Hua Mu-Lan. Helmed by Chow Sze-loke and written by Chang Cheh, the story revolved around two intellectual siblings, Ching Feng-sheng (Chin Feng) and Ching Feng-hsiao (Ivy Ling Po), who were constantly abused by their stepmother Hsia (Kao Pao-shu). Feng-hsiao was engaged to Li Ru-lung (Chin Han) since birth, but the greedy Hsia forced him to forfeit the marriage. When Ru-lung refused, Hsia framed him for thievery and put him behind bars. To rescue her lover, Feng-hsiao dressed as a young man and went to the capital. She then used Ru-lung's name to enter the national exam and was ranked first place. Impressed by Feng-hsiao, the Emperor decided to let her wed the Princess (Fang Ying). On the wedding night, Feng-hsiao revealed the truth to the Princess...
The Female Prince
1964
9.0Huangmei Opera movies like The Pearl Phoenix are unique to 1960's Hong Kong culture, a product of the Swinging Sixties but considerably more in touch with their Chinese roots. This one is complete with a gender-bending tale where the male lead is played by female and the female lead poses as a man, plus movie queen Li Ching and the singing voices of Ivy Ling Po and Jing Ting. Sit back and enjoy!
The Pearl Phoenix
1967
1950s · 7 titles
A rural singsong film.
Sweet as a Melon
1956
9.01952 HK crime film.
The Dog-Murderer
1957
7.0Criminals use jiangshi corpses to smuggle illicit drugs.
Corpse-Drivers of Xiangxi
1957
8.0A Shaw Brothers romantic drama
Where Is My Bride?
1958
No known plot
The Thirteen Grand Tutors
1951
10.0The eldest daughter of an elderly couple, murders her lover and goes to jail. The youngest daughter, Yin Ni, is taken to her hometown to escape the scandal. While there, Yin Ni becomes involved with a painter, Xu Liang, and tragedy also falls upon her...
Heart Break Well
1955
9.0Loosely based on Maxim Gorky's The Lower Depths
The Frosty Night
1957
Behind the camera
6.4White Dragon must get a list with the names of rebel supporters to Prince Ma Tung, the leader of the rebellion. Trying to stop him in his mission is the evil Prime Minister, who naturally wants the list in order to crush his opposition. Adding another complication is the fact that Ma Tung wants to kill White Dragon in revenge for the humiliation Tung's father suffered in a duel against White Dragon years earlier.
Blood of the Dragon
1971
6.4White Dragon must get a list with the names of rebel supporters to Prince Ma Tung, the leader of the rebellion. Trying to stop him in his mission is the evil Prime Minister, who naturally wants the list in order to crush his opposition. Adding another complication is the fact that Ma Tung wants to kill White Dragon in revenge for the humiliation Tung's father suffered in a duel against White Dragon years earlier.
Blood of the Dragon
1971
6.4A martial arts master, Tseng Tien-Tu, is employed by master criminal Lung Tung Chien to transport a valuable jade horse. When the horse inexplicably goes missing, Chien demands Tseng's life savings as recompense, driving the uncomprehending Tseng insane. Two conniving con men, Li and Lung, try to convince Tseng that he was double-crossed by Chien, in an attempt to lead them to Chien's stockpile of swindled fortunes.
The Master Strikes
1980
6.4A martial arts master, Tseng Tien-Tu, is employed by master criminal Lung Tung Chien to transport a valuable jade horse. When the horse inexplicably goes missing, Chien demands Tseng's life savings as recompense, driving the uncomprehending Tseng insane. Two conniving con men, Li and Lung, try to convince Tseng that he was double-crossed by Chien, in an attempt to lead them to Chien's stockpile of swindled fortunes.
The Master Strikes
1980
6.4A martial arts master, Tseng Tien-Tu, is employed by master criminal Lung Tung Chien to transport a valuable jade horse. When the horse inexplicably goes missing, Chien demands Tseng's life savings as recompense, driving the uncomprehending Tseng insane. Two conniving con men, Li and Lung, try to convince Tseng that he was double-crossed by Chien, in an attempt to lead them to Chien's stockpile of swindled fortunes.
The Master Strikes
1980
7.2A man (Chang Yi) is looking for stolen money (gold coins) and seeking revenge for the death of his master.
The Cannibals
1972
6.4After a trio of rogues murder her sister and leave her nephew for dead, a skilled swordswoman seeks revenge upon them and soon discovers she has a dismaying connection to the main culprit.
Lady with a Sword
1971
4.3To free his girlfriend from her contract with a greedy madam, Shang Li (Don Wong) teams up with a cold-blooded thief called the Sparrow (Chiang-lung Wen) to hijack a large shipment of silver. But when the heist suddenly goes bad, Shang Li finds himself with blood on his hands and a price on his head. Martial arts superstars Angela Mao and Lieh Lo also star in this kung fu classic from writer-director Pao-Shu Kao.
The Damned
1977
4.3To free his girlfriend from her contract with a greedy madam, Shang Li (Don Wong) teams up with a cold-blooded thief called the Sparrow (Chiang-lung Wen) to hijack a large shipment of silver. But when the heist suddenly goes bad, Shang Li finds himself with blood on his hands and a price on his head. Martial arts superstars Angela Mao and Lieh Lo also star in this kung fu classic from writer-director Pao-Shu Kao.
The Damned
1977
6.0In her bid for domination of the kingdom, a wicked woman invites opponents to their doom at her 'Fairyland' estate.
The Jade Fox
1979
10.0Innocent girls are lured to Hong Kong and trapped in a prostitution ring.
The Virgin Mart
1974
5.3Filial daughter seeks revenge on father's killer. She must associate with dishonest people to finance her mission.
Win Them All
1973
NRA misguided youth falls into the bad company of an underground brothel syndicate but redeems himself on discovering that his mother was murdered by the syndicate's female boss.
Low Society
1976
NRA misguided youth falls into the bad company of an underground brothel syndicate but redeems himself on discovering that his mother was murdered by the syndicate's female boss.
Low Society
1976
10.0The police close in on "Miss Big Boss," the leader of a large drug organization centered in the Golden Triangle. Meanwhile, two kids find themselves on the run after witnessing the murder of an undercover police officer.
Female Fugitive
1975
10.0The police close in on "Miss Big Boss," the leader of a large drug organization centered in the Golden Triangle. Meanwhile, two kids find themselves on the run after witnessing the murder of an undercover police officer.
Female Fugitive
1975
A 1981 Hong Kong thriller from actress turned directed Kao Pao-Shu.
Seed of Evil
1981
A 1981 Hong Kong thriller from actress turned directed Kao Pao-Shu.
Seed of Evil
1981
