# Chen Qiang (actor)

Chen Qiang (Chinese: 陈强; 1918 – 26 June 2012) was a Chinese film and stage actor and comedian best known for his performances as villains/antagonists in The Red Detachment of Women, The White Haired Girl and Devils on the Doorstep. Chen began his career as an actor in 1947 and has played more than 40 different characters since then.
His second son, Chen Peisi, is also a well-known actor and comedian.

## Biography

Chen was born Chen Qingsan (陈庆三; 陳慶三) to a poor family in Xujiahe Township of Ningjin County, in Hebei province. When he was a child, he relocated to Taiyuan, Shanxi with his parents. In 1936, he attended Taiyuan Youth Theatre and Xinsheng Theatre; both were progressive groups organized by the Chinese Communist Party. In 1938, he went to Yan'an to study acting at Lu Xun Academy of Arts. After graduating in 1939 he joined the Song and Dance Troupe of Shanxi-Chahaer-Hebei Border Region.
Chen joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1942, and made his comedy debut in The Second Uncle.
In 1945, he was cast as Huang Shiren, the despotic landlord, in the ballet play The White Haired Girl. His performance was so convincing, that an emotionally invested soldier in the audience almost shot him with a rifle in anger.
In 1947, he was an actor in Dongbei Film Studio, that same year, he participated in Leave Him to Fight Jiang.
In 1949, after the founding of the Communist State, he appeared as Lao Houtou, an old worker in The Bridge, which is the first feature film in the People's Republic. He also played as Yang Mingqing in The White Warrior.
He was transferred to Beijing Film Studio in 1953. At the same year, he appeared in the film Marriage.
In 1958 he starred in two films, He Beauty in the Picture and No Mystery Three Years Ago. And he had a supporting role in the film A Visit to Relatives.
In 1961, he starred as Nan Batian in Xie Jin's film The Red Detachment of Women, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Award at the 1st Hundred Flowers Awards and a Best Actor Award at the 3rd Asian - African Film Festival, in Indonesia, 1964.
In 1982, Chen Qiang co-starred with his son Chen Peisi in Sunset Street.
In 1986, he played the lead role as Laokui in the comedy film Father and Son.
In 1995, he won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 13th Golden Eagle Awards for his performance in When Something Amazing Happens.
On September 13, 2008, Chen won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 29th Hundred Flowers Awards.
On June 26, 2012, Chen died of apoplexy at Anzhen Hospital, in Beijing.

## Personal life

Chen had two sons, Chen Buda (陈布达) and Chen Peisi, and a daughter, Chen Lida (陈丽达).

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Chinese title | Role |
| 1948 | Leave Him to Fight Jiang | 留下他打老蒋 | An old farmer |
| 1949 | The White Warrior | 白衣战士 | Yang Mingqing |
| 1949 | The Bridge | 桥 | Hou Zhanxi |
| 1950 | The White Haired Girl | 白毛女 | Huang Shiren |
| 1953 | Marriage | 结婚 | Tian Gaohong |
| 1954 | A Resolution | 一件提案 | Si Laogang |
| 1958 | No Mystery Three Years Ago | 三年早知道 | Zhao Mantun |
| 1958 | Stories of Young Pioneers | 红领巾的故事 | Zhang Laogong |
| 1958 | He Beauty in the Picture | 画中人 | The emperor |
| 1958 | A Visit to Relatives | 探亲记 | Lao Qiantou |
| 1959 | Trial Trip | 试航 | Wang Wanshui |
| 1959 | Searching Evidences In Shipyard | 船厂追踪 | Laoqin |
| 1960 | Spring Blossoms | 春暖花开 | Guiying's grandfather |
| 1960 | Cloud Seeding | 耕云播雨 | Xiao Kuan |
| 1961 | The Red Detachment of Women | 红色娘子军 | Nan Batian |
| 1962 | Strange Adventure Of A Magician | 魔术师的奇遇 | Lu Huanqi |
| 1965 | Driving Test | 路考 | Laoliang |
| 1975 | Hai Xia | 海霞 | Wang Fa |
| 1976 | The Bright Pearls at Sea | 海上明珠 | Big Guo |
| 1978 | The Great River Flows On | 大河奔流 | Hai Qing |
| 1979 | What A Family | 瞧这一家子 | Laohu |
| 1982 | The Sea is Calling | 大海在呼唤 | Chen Hongye |
| 1982 | Princess Peacocks | 孔雀公主 | The emperor |
| 1983 | Sunset Street | 夕照街 | Lao Suntou |
| 1984 | Getting Rich in Their Own Way | 生财有道 | Big Li |
| 1986 | Father and Son | 父与子 | Laokui |
| 1987 | Erzi Runs an Inn | 二子开店 | Laokui |
| 1987 | | 招财童子 | The shopkeeper Ma |
| 1987 | Bits and Pieces | 点点滴滴 | Grandfather Yu |
| 1988 | Innocent Killer | 无罪杀手 | Fang Er'tou |
| 1988 | The Silly Manager | 傻冒经理 | Laokui |
| 1990 | Father, Son and the Old Car | 父子老爷车 | Laokui |
| 1990 | Eyes of the People | 九千六百万双眼睛 | |
| 1991 | A Gentleman's Revenge | 君子复仇 | Chen's father |
| 1992 | Father and Son Open A Bar | 爷儿俩开歌厅 | Laokui |
| 1994 | When Something Amazing Happens | 飞来横福 | Chen Yinsuo |
| 1994 | The Long March | 金沙水拍 | |
| 1995 | Her Majesty Is Fine | 太后吉祥 | His Royal Highness |
| 1997 | | 京都神探 | He's father |
| 1999 | A Beautiful Sunset of Life | 九九艳阳天 | Lao Suntou |
| 2001 | Devils on the Doorstep | 鬼子来了 | The hangman |

## Awards

| Year | Work | Award | Result |
| 1951 | The White Haired Girl | 6th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Special Recognition Award | Won |
| 1962 | The Red Detachment of Women | Hundred Flowers Award for Best Supporting Actor | Won |
| 1964 | The Red Detachment of Women | 3rd Asian - African Film Festival – Best Actor Award | Won |
| 1995 | When Something Amazing Happens | 13th Golden Eagle Awards – Best Supporting Actor Award | Won |
| 2008 | | 29th Hundred Flowers Awards – Lifetime Achievement Award | Won |