STUDY IN CHINA GLOBAL (SCG)Betty Loh Ti (乐蒂 Lè Dì), was born on 24 July, 1937. She was a Chinese actress who was often described as the “Classic Beauty”. In the 1960s, she was popular among both Chinese and Western filmgoers. She died on 27 December, 1968, at the age of 31.
Biography
Born in Shanghai, Chinese as Xi Zhongyi(奚重仪 Xī Zhòngyí), Betty was raised by her maternal grandmother following her parents’ death. With her family, she left Shanghai in 1949 and settled in Hong Kong.
Betty started her career in the film industry in 1952 and played in 44 films until her death in 1968. During this period, she joined three film production companies: Great Wall Film Production Limited (1953–1958), The Shaw Brothers(邵氏 Shào shì, Hong Kong) Limited (1958–1964), and Motion Picture and General Investments Limited (1964–1968). In her 44 films, she played varied roles which showcased her skill as an actress.
She married the actor Peter Chen Ho(陈厚 Chén Hòu) in 1962. Her brother Kelly Lei Chen was also an actor with MP & GI. Several sources mention that she committed suicide, although this information is subject to debate.
In April 1968, Betty declared that she would not take martial films.
Major films
The Enchanting Shadow (倩女幽魂 qiàn nǚ yōu hún )
In 1960, The Enchanting Shadow was shown at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. The film produced by the Shaw’s Brother Production is the first Mandarin film in colour to take in a major international film festival. An enthusiastic reception was given by the Cannes audience to the film, and Betty was praised as ‘The Most Beautiful Star of the East’.
Dream of the Red Chamber(红楼梦 Hónglóu mèng)
In 1962, she played the role of Lin Daiyu in this film, based on the world-renowned piece of literature of the same name written by Cao Xueqin during the Qing Dynasty, the love tragedy of the graceful girl with her cousin Jia Baoyu. Though the play was not well received, fans were touched by her performance.
The Love Eterne(梁山伯与祝英台 Liáng Shānbó yǔ Zhù Yīngtái)
In 1963, Betty Loh Ti became the Best Actress of Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan for her role in the legendary blockbuster The Love Eterne. This film had broken the box office record in many South East Asia countries, Taipei even became “the crazy city”.
