Other sources: Date of Birth: 1947.
Born in Nanjing, China, Lily Ho (He Li-Li) was discovered by director Yuan Chiu-Feng when he cast her in his film "Songfest" in 1963. Later she joined Shaw Brothers, and became a very popular movie star.
In the beginning of her career she was often cast as either the sexy character or the rebellious girl in films such as her Shaw Brothers' debut film "Till the End of Time" and her literal breakout and breakthrough performance in "The Knight of Knights" where she daringly appeared in the film half naked, making it one of the most memorable scenes in Chinese movies for its time.
She was equally able to perform excellently in martial arts films like "Angel With the Iron Fists" and Chang Cheh's "The Water Margin", and as caring characters in tender dramas such as "My Dream Boat" and "King Drummer". After "My Dream Boat" she was able to rub off the typecast sexy rebellious parts in the her classic female James Bondian film "The Angels Strikes Again" and the comedy "Of Wives and Mistresses". Moreover, whe she played a male role in "The 14 Amazons", she won an Asian Film Festival Outstanding Lead Female Performance Award in 1973.
Yet was her sultry, lesbian, love slave character to the seductive actress Betty Pei Ti in "Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan" that won her international critical acclaim. Then in 1974, just as her 11 years, about 40 films, movie career was peaking, she suddenly retired from film, married a boating business executive and concentrated on family life.
From the Celestial DVD release of "The Jade Faced Assasin". |