Tsai Chin (; born 1 September 1933) is a Chinese actress, singer, director, teacher and author best known in America for her role as Auntie Lindo in the film '' The Joy Luck Club''. Her career spans more than six decades and three continents. She starred onstage in London's West End in ''

The World of Suzie Wong ''The World of Suzie Wong'' is a 1957 novel by British writer Richard Mason. The main characters are Robert Lomax, a young British artist living in Hong Kong, and Suzie Wong, the title character, a Chinese woman who works as a prostitute. ...

'' and on Broadway in '' Golden Child''. Tsai Chin appeared in two

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...

films, 39 years apart: as a

Bond girl A Bond girl is a character who is a love interest or female companion of James Bond in a novel, film or video game. Bond girls occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Xenia Onatopp, o ...

in '' You Only Live Twice''; and in '' Casino Royale''. She also appeared in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...

television series ''

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, an ...

'' episode " The Only Light in the Darkness" (2014) as Lian May and in the feature film ''

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ''Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'' is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 25th film ...

'' (2021) as Waipo. Her single, "The Ding Dong Song," recorded for

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...

, hit the top of the music charts in Asia. She was the first acting instructor to be invited to teach acting in China after the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goa ...

, when China's universities re-opened. In China, she is best known for her portrayal of

Grandmother Jia Grandmother Jia ( zh, t=賈母, p=Jiǎ Mǔ), née Shi, so often also called Dowager Shi ( zh, s=史太君, p=Shǐ Tàijūn) or simply the Dowager, is a major character in the 18th century Chinese novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. She is the daugh ...

in the 2010 TV drama series '' The Dream of Red Mansions''.

Early life

Tsai Chin was born on 1 September 1933, in

Tianjin Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popu ...

(Tientsin), China, where her father was on tour. She is the third daughter of the

Peking opera Peking opera, or Beijing opera (), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became fully developed and recognize ...

actor and singer

Zhou Xinfang Zhou Xinfang (14 January 1895 – 8 March 1975), also known by his stage name (meaning "Qilin Boy") was a Chinese actor and musician who was a Peking opera actor who specialized in its "old male" (, ''laosheng'') roles. He is considered one of ...

(1895—1975) and Lilian Qiu (AKA Lilian Ju; 1905–1968). Chin has a brother, restaurateur Michael Chow. She grew up in

Shanghai French Concession The Shanghai French Concession; ; Shanghainese pronunciation: ''Zånhae Fah Tsuka'', group=lower-alpha was a foreign concession in Shanghai, China from 1849 until 1943, which progressively expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. T ...

, where (under her western name, "Irene Chow") she received a multi-lingual education at The Convent of the Sacred Heart, Mctyeire School (中西女中) in Shanghai and King George V School in Hong Kong. During her childhood, Tsai Chin was witness to colonial occupation,

Japanese invasion of China The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific The ...

Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on main ...

and the Communist take-over in 1949.

Education

At the age of 17, she left Shanghai and was sent to England to study at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she was the first Chinese student in the art academy. Tsai Chin later became an Associate Member of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She earned a master's degree at

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

in Boston, Massachusetts.

Career

Early years

Tsai Chin's first significant film role came when she was cast in the film '' The Inn of the Sixth Happiness'' (1958), in which she played the adopted daughter of Ingrid Bergman's character. Her big break, though, arrived when two Broadway shows came to London at the same time. Initially, Tsai Chin was cast as one of the two leads in the musical ''

Flower Drum Song ''Flower Drum Song'' was the eighth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on the 1957 novel, '' The Flower Drum Song'', by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee. It premiered on Broadway in 1958 and was then performed in the ...

''. However, she also auditioned for the play ''

'' for which she was offered the title role. The ''Daily Mail'' quoted Chin as saying, "I had a terrible decision to make." She opted to star as Suzie Wong at The Prince of Wales Theatre, London (1959–1961), where she saw her name in lights for the first time. The play, generally panned by the critics, was a commercial hit. Chin drew good reviews, with Milton Shulman of the Evening Standard saying, "Tsai Chin is a lovely creature with all the vivacity, simplicity and gusts of unpredictable Eastern temperament."

Harold Hobson Sir Harold Hobson CBE, (4 August 1904 – 12 March 1992) was an English drama critic and author. Early life and education Hobson was born in Thorpe Hesley near Rotherham then in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He attended Sheffield Gramm ...

of the ''Sunday Times'' said, "Tsai Chin who has cool clear beauty and considerable talent." To compensate Tsai Chin for not being able to do the musical ''Flower Drum Song'', producer, Donald Albery granted her request to sing a song in ''The World of Suzie Wong''. She chose a lyrical Chinese song, "Second Spring" (第二春), which was translated into English as "The Ding Dong Song", by

Lionel Bart Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was a British writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's " Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical ''Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his wor ...

. Tsai Chin recorded the song in 1960 for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. ...

in London. The single, arranged and conducted by music director Harry Robinson, became a hit, particularly in Asia. Tsai Chin followed this success by recording several more singles and two LPs, later incorporating many of these songs, written specifically for her, into a cabaret act which she performed from 1961 to 1966. As well as touring her cabaret show throughout the United Kingdom, she also performed in London's most exclusive venues, including the Dorchester, the Savoy, the Society, and frequently Quaglino's and Allegro, sharing a bill with

David Frost Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was a British television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...

, then at the start of his illustrious career. Her cabaret act was also aired on television in Switzerland and the Netherlands. ''Variety'' called her a "Savvy entertainer, with most of her material tailor-made for her personality." London's ''Evening News'' was "impressed…by the way she held her audience, wasn't a murmur not even the clatter of one piece of cutlery." * ''The World of Tsai Chin'' (1962) LK 4501 (mono and stereo) * ''The Western World of Tsai Chin'' (1965) LK 4717 (mono)

1960s

Apart from her singing, she played Juicy Lucy in ''

The Virgin Soldiers ''The Virgin Soldiers'' is a 1966 comic novel by Leslie Thomas, inspired by his own experiences of National Service in the British Army. It was Thomas' debut novel; he had previously published an autobiography. ''The Virgin Soldiers'' sold mil ...

'' alongside

Lynn Redgrave Lynn Rachel Redgrave (8 March 1943 – 2 May 2010) was an English actress. She won two Golden Globe Awards throughout her career. A member of the Redgrave family of actors, Lynn trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962. B ...

(1969), directed by John Dexter; helped to "assassinate"

Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...

in '' You Only Live Twice'' (1967); worked for

Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...

on '' Blowup'' (1966) and for

Fred Zinnemann Alfred ''Fred'' Zinnemann (April 29, 1907 – March 14, 1997) was an Austrian Empire-born American film director. He won four Academy Awards for directing and producing films in various genres, including thrillers, westerns, film noir and pla ...

in ''

Man's Fate ''Man's Fate'' (French: ''La Condition humaine'', "The Human Condition") is a 1933 novel written by André Malraux about the failed communist insurrection in Shanghai in 1927, and the existential quandaries facing a diverse group of people associ ...

''(1969), when the MGM studio unfortunately collapsed before filming barely started. From 1965 to 1969, she made five films opposite

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultim ...

as Lin Tang, daughter of

Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu () is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character featured in cinema, television, radio, co ...

, a Chinese archvillain intent on dominating the world. As soon as she was in the position to do so, she fought to make Asian roles more truthful. Her stage work at this time included leading roles in ''The Gimmick'', with Donald Sutherland, at Criterion Theatre, West End (1962); ''The Magnolia Tree'', at Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh (1966); ''Mrs. Frail in Love for Love'', by William Congreve, in Watford (1970); and touring the United Kingdom in the title role of ''The Two Mrs. Carrolls'' (1969), with Paul Massie. Tsai Chin made her television debut in the popular British hospital drama, ''Emergency Ward 10'', ITV, then '' Dixon of Dock Green,'' BBC (1965), ''The Man of The World'' (1963), ''International Detective'' (1960) ITV, and ''The Troubleshooters ''(1967). In 1962, she traveled to New York City for the first time to guest star for a Christmas special ''The Defenders''. In 1964 she had a recurring role in ''TW3'', short for ''That Was The Week That Was'', a popular satirical comedy show which was at the time a new concept in television presented by David Frost and produced by Ned Sherrin. She also co-starred with Roy Kinnear and Lance Percival in ''Five Foot Nine Show,'' and later starred in her own show, ''On Your Own'' for ITV (1965). She was invited to sing on a myriad of variety shows, talk shows and even game shows during this time. Her popularity was so high at that time that she even had a Chinese leopard in the London Zoo named after her. The

started in 1966. China shut itself off from the rest of the world and artists were purged, which eventually claimed the lives of both her parents; describing the 1960s in 2020 she said "While we in London began swinging and loving, China began swinging but hating. My parents suffered and died."

1970s

She said "Another problem for minority actors is that we don't often work with beautiful dialogue. And there were less chances of working with great directors and actors. That's when you can learn a lot." In 1972, Tsai Chin portrayed Wang Guangmei in ''The Subject of Struggle'', a

docudrama Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television and film, which features dramatized re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of documentary and drama and "a fact-based representation of real event". Docudramas typic ...

directed by

Leslie Woodhead James Leslie John Woodhead, OBE (born 1937) is a British documentary filmmaker. For his National Service commencing in 1956, he served in Fife at the Joint Services School for Linguists where he was taught Russian. He was posted to West Berli ...

, for Granada. Her performance as Wang, wife of

Liu Shaoqi Liu Shaoqi ( ; 24 November 189812 November 1969) was a Chinese revolutionary, politician, and theorist. He was Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee from 1954 to 1959, First Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1956 to 1966 and ...

, Chairman Mao's chief rival, and the film about her trial by the Red Guards were unanimously praised. "It's all brilliantly done" ''The Sunday Times;'' Of Chin's performance: "Played superbly,"

Clive James Clive James (born Vivian Leopold James; 7 October 1939 – 24 November 2019) was an Australian critic, journalist, broadcaster, writer and lyricist who lived and worked in the United Kingdom from 1962 until his death in 2019. This film would signify the end of the first phase of Tsai Chin's acting career. In London, Tsai Chin suffered financial ruin in London and had mental health problems, influenced by her parents' deaths. She only felt able to return to China after Mao's death. In the mid-1970s, Tsai Chin went to America and became a member of The Cambridge Ensemble, a multi-racial experimental group in what was then known as "the finest theater in Boston." Under the direction of Joann Green, she was given the opportunity to play strong women in western classics, such as Klytemnestra in ''The Oresteia'' (1977), with Tim McDonough as Agamemnon. Kevin Kelly of ''The Boston Globe'' said, "Tsai Chin is ice-wonderful." Jon Lehman of ''The Patriot Ledger'' said, "great performance, a portrayal which shows us why Clytemnestra is one of the great woman characters of all time." In 1977, she played Hester Prynne in ''The Scarlet Letter'', again with Tim McDonough as Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale. Ken Emerson of ''The Boston Phoenix'' said: "It takes a prodigiously gifted and subtle actress to follow Hawthorn's stage directions." Arthur Friedman in ''The Real Paper'' said, "Chin's portrayal is great because it reaches the heart without stooping to sentimental theatrics." Tsai Chin began taking courses in Shakespearean studies at Harvard University. This was followed by her full-time enrollment at

, where she earned a master's degree in drama in 1980. She later received Tufts University Alumni Association for Distinguished Service to Profession in 1994. To supplement her scholarship, she taught acting and made her director's debut in Harold Pinter's ''The Lover'' (1979). Her Master's project was Ugo Betti's ''Crime on Goat Island, ''which starred fellow student Oliver Platt, and was her entry to American College Theatre Festival (1980). The end of the 1970s coincided with the end of the

in China. Mao died in 1976, artists and intellectuals were reinstated, and universities closed for ten years reopened. Tsai Chin became the first drama coach invited from abroad by the Minister of Culture to China since the Moscow Arts Theatre's withdrawal in the fifties.

1980s

On 29 March 1980, Tsai Chin met with her father's colleague

Cao Yu Cao Yu (, September 24, 1910 — December 13, 1996) was a Chinese playwright, often regarded as one of China's most important of the 20th century. His best-known works are '' Thunderstorm'' (1933), '' Sunrise'' (1936) and ''Peking Man'' (1940) ...

(曹禺). The meeting took place in New York City, when Arthur Miller had hosted the playwright at Columbia University's School of International Affairs. This meeting resulted in an invitation to her by the Chinese Cultural Department to return to her home country after a quarter of a century's absence to teach class at The Central Academy of Dramatic Art (中央戏剧学院), in Beijing in 1981. Prior to leaving for China, Jill Tweedie wrote an article about her in ''The Guardian'': "After the age of 40, the little Suzie Wong Sex Kitten has remade herself into a mature, knowledgeable, exciting and excited human being." In 1982, she directed China's premiere production of William Shakespeare's ''The Tempest'', "drawing inspiration from China's theatre tradition and Western internal acting." After working in China, Tsai Chin returned to London, where she spent most of the decade serving as a cultural liaison between China and the United Kingdom, where, among many projects, Chin helped connect the British Arts Council with the theater arts in China and introduced Peking Opera productions. During this time she made many trips to Hong Kong to help transform

Hong Kong Repertory Theatre Hong Kong Repertory Theatre () is the oldest and largest professional theatre company in Hong Kong. Founded in 1977, it is registered as a non-profit organisation: some of its funding comes from the government. Among its repertoire are many well- ...

to a fully professional theater company, teaching and introducing the works of

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

to Hong Kong students. In Hong Kong, she directed the Asian premiere production of ''The Seagull'' (1982) and later Shakespeare's ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

''(1988), as well as serving as consultant to The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (1993). In 1988, her autobiography, ''Daughter of Shanghai'', commissioned by Carmen Callil of

Chatto & Windus Chatto & Windus is an imprint of Penguin Random House that was formerly an independent book publishing company founded in London in 1855 by John Camden Hotten. Following Hotten's death, the firm would reorganize under the names of his business ...

, was published in England and became a worldwide best-seller.

Polly Toynbee Mary Louisa "Polly" Toynbee (; born 27 December 1946) is a British journalist and writer. She has been a columnist for ''The Guardian'' newspaper since 1998. She is a social democrat and was a candidate for the Social Democratic Party in the 1 ...

of ''The Guardian'' said, "The world of Tsai Chin has been a good deal more interesting than ''The World of Suzie Wong'', the play that made her into a star." Richard West of ''The Sunday Telegraph'' wrote, "An extraordinary and occasionally tragic life story." Beth Duff in ''New York Times Book Review'' wrote, "Captivating account…skillfully interwoven the glamour and despair." Jean Fritz in the ''Washington Post'' and ''International Herald Tribune'': "The heart of this book lies in her conflict as she tried to feel at home in two cultures…that is her triumph." In 1989, ''Daughter of Shanghai'' was voted "One of the Ten Best Books of the Year (十本好书)" by Hong Kong TV Cultural Group. At the end of the 1980s, Tsai Chin resumed her acting career by returning to London's West End in David Henry Hwang's ''

M. Butterfly ''M. Butterfly'' is a play by David Henry Hwang. The story, while entwined with that of the opera ''Madama Butterfly'', is based most directly on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a Peking opera singer. ...

'' (1989), starring

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

and

Glen Goei Glen Goei (; born 22 December 1962) is one of Singapore's leading film and theatre directors. His broad ranging body of work embraces the full gamut of the performing and visual arts and includes film, theatre, musicals, large scale shows, Wor ...

, directed for the second time by John Dexter. It was during this production that

Amy Tan Amy Ruth Tan (born on February 19, 1952) is an American author known for the novel '' The Joy Luck Club,'' which was adapted into a film of the same name, as well as other novels, short story collections, and children's books. Tan has written ...

, author of '' The Joy Luck Club'', walked into her dressing room at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London.

1990s

In 1990, Tsai Chin played the title role in Henry Ong's one-woman drama, ''Madame Mao's Memories '' in London, which was particularly ironic due to the fact that Chin's father was personally purged by Madame Mao and Chin's mother died due to the brutality of the Red Guards. The play, directed by Glen Goei and performed at The Latchmere, was the hottest ticket in town.

Sheridan Morley Sheridan Morley (5 December 1941 − 16 February 2007) was an English author, biographer, critic and broadcaster. He was the official biographer of Sir John Gielgud and wrote biographies of many other theatrical figures he had known, includin ...

in the ''Herald Tribune International'' said: "She brings to this study of Madame Mao in defeat a tremendous dramatic courage and intensity….It is Tsai Chin's triumph to make us do rather more than just hate her." In her autobiography, she remarked, "I was determined to be a good deal fairer in my representation of her than she ever was of my father." Tsai Chin's final United Kingdom acting performance was in ''Bodycount'' by Les Smith, for Rear Window, Channel 4 (1993). In 1993, Tsai Chin took on a role that would energize her acting career and change her life yet again when she played the role of Auntie Lindo in the hugely popular ''The Joy Luck Club.'' When ''Joy Luck Club'' came out, she received rave notices. "Gene Siskel said of her performance, 'I hope Academy voters don't overlook her because she's not a household name. I am going to repeat her name.'" Those words were repeated in both ''Variety ''and ''Hollywood Reporter'' under the title "Memo to the Academy" Janet Maslin of ''The New York Times'': "Despite its huge cast, the film is virtually stolen by Tsai Chin." But the film received not a single award in any category. The day after the award ceremonies, on the front page of ''The New York Times'' Arts & Leisure section, Maslin again wrote, "Did Disney back too many actresses?" Chin relocated to Los Angeles at the age of 62.

Hollywood

After moving to Hollywood, Tsai Chin was immediately given the lead in a one-hour television pilot ''Crowfoot ''(1994) by '' Magnum, P.I.'' producer

Donald P. Bellisario Donald Paul Bellisario (born August 8, 1935) is an American television producer and screenwriter who created and sometimes wrote episodes for the TV series ''Magnum, P.I.'' (1980), ''Tales of the Gold Monkey'' (1982), ''Airwolf'' (1984), ''Quant ...

. The series did not get picked up. In 1995, she played Brave Orchid in

Maxine Hong Kingston Maxine Hong Kingston (; born Maxine Ting Ting Hong;Huntley, E. D. (2001). ''Maxine Hong Kingston: A Critical Companion'', p. 1. October 27, 1940) is an American novelist. She is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, wher ...

's ''The Woman Warrior'', directed by

Sharon Ott Sharon Langston Ott (20th century) is a director, producer and educator who worked in regional theaters and opera throughout the United States. Two plays she directed, ''A Fierce Longing'' and Amlin Gray's ''How I Got That Story,'' each won an ...

, for which she received the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle Award. Next, Tsai Chin played the role of Eng Sui-Yong in

David Henry Hwang David Henry Hwang (born August 11, 1957) is an American playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and theater professor at Columbia University in New York City. He has won three Obie Awards for his plays '' FOB'', '' Golden Child'', and '' Yel ...

's Tony-nominated '' Golden Child'', directed by

James Lapine James Elliot Lapine (born January 10, 1949) is an American stage director, playwright, screenwriter, and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for ''Into the Woods'', '' Falsettos'', and '' Passion''. He ...

, which ultimately went to Broadway, Longacre Theatre (1995–1998), and for which she won an Obie Award and was nominated for The Helen Hayes Award. Laurie Winer, ''Los Angeles Times'', commented on her performance as first wife: "Her descent into opium addiction is quite harrowing." Ben Brantley, ''The New York Times'': " hinsuggests an Asian version of Bette Davis." Other performances included roles in three

Chay Yew Chay Yew () is a playwright and stage director who was born in Singapore. He was artistic director of the Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago from 2011 to 2020. Career Yew's breakthrough work came from his early plays ''Porcelain'' and ''A La ...

plays: ''Half Lives'', directed by Tim Dang at East West Players (1996); ''Wonderland'', at La Jolla Playhouse; and adaptation of

Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936), known as Federico García Lorca ( ), was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblemat ...

's ''

The House of Bernarda Alba ''The House of Bernarda Alba'' ( es, La casa de Bernarda Alba) is a play by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. Commentators have often grouped it with ''Blood Wedding'' and ''Yerma'' as a "rural trilogy". Garcia Lorca did not incl ...

'', playing Maria Josefa, the mad mother to

Chita Rivera Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...

's Bernarda, directed by Lisa Peterson at Mark Taper Forum (2002). Other work at this time included: the voice of Popo in the daytime Emmy Award-winning ''Popo and The Magic Pearl'' (1996); an eccentric Madame Wu in the TV drama '' The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer'' (2003); and Grandmother Wu in ''Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior'' (2006), starring

Brenda Song Brenda Song (born March 27, 1988) is an American actress. Born in California, Song began her career at the age of six, working as a child model. She made her screen debut with a guest appearance on the sitcom '' Thunder Alley'' (1995), and ...

as Wendy Wu. In 2003 and 2004, Tsai Chin performed at the Hollywood Bowl, in China Night, reciting poetry backed by a hundred-piece orchestra, conducted by John Mauceri, the founder of Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. She was a guest in numerous television series, most notably the recurring role as Helen,

Sandra Oh Sandra Miju Oh (born July 20, 1971) is a Canadian–American actress. She is best known for her starring roles as Rita Wu on the HBO comedy '' Arliss'' (1996–2002), Dr. Cristina Yang on the ABC medical drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005 ...

's frivolous mother, in ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...

'', and recently '' Royal Pains''. Tsai Chin made numerous indie films and many features, notably appearing as Chairman Xu in ''

Red Corner ''Red Corner'' is a 1997 American mystery thriller film directed by Jon Avnet, and starring Richard Gere, Bai Ling and Bradley Whitford. Written by Robert King, the film is about an American businessman in China who ends up wrongfully on tria ...

'' (1997), Auntie in ''

Memoirs of a Geisha ''Memoirs of a Geisha'' is a historical fiction novel by American author Arthur Golden, published in 1997. The novel, told in first person perspective, tells the story of Nitta Sayuri and the many trials she faces on the path to becoming and w ...

'' (2005), and Madame Wu in the James Bond thriller '' Casino Royale'' (2006). In 2008, she was offered a role of the Dowager Jia (贾母) in a lavish adaptation of ''

Dream of the Red Chamber ''Dream of the Red Chamber'' (''Honglou Meng'') or ''The Story of the Stone'' (''Shitou Ji'') is a novel composed by Cao Xueqin in the middle of the 18th century. One of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, it is known fo ...

'' (红楼梦), China's most beloved classic novel from the eighteenth century. This was her first time back working as an actress in China and she spent more than one year completing the 50 episodes (2010). Back in Los Angeles, Tsai Chin accepted the title role of a woman suffering from Alzheimer's in ''Nani'', an AFI thesis film directed by Justin Tipping, which won the Student Academy Award and DGA Student Film Award (2012). In 2014, she appeared in Marvel's ''

'', reuniting with her ''Joy Luck Club'' co-star, Ming Na, to play Melinda May's mother. Tsai Chin appeared in two episodes of HBO's ''Getting On''. Her autobiography, ''Daughter of Shanghai'', has been published in ten versions.

Filmography

Film

* ''

The Bridge on the River Kwai ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle. Although the film uses the historical setting of the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943, th ...

'' (1957) "Tokyo Rose" (voice) * '' Yangtse Incident'' (1957) "Sampan girl" * '' The Inn of the Sixth Happiness'' (1958) "Sui Lan" * '' Violent Playground'' (1958) "Primrose" * ''

The Treasure of San Teresa ''The Treasure of San Teresa'' (German: ''Rhapsodie in Blei'') is a 1959 British-West German thriller film directed by Alvin Rakoff and starring Eddie Constantine, Dawn Addams and Marius Goring. It was based on a play by Jeffrey Dell. The film i ...

'' (1959) "1st girl in fight" * ''

The Cool Mikado ''The Cool Mikado'' is a British musical film released in 1963, directed by Michael Winner (who makes a short appearance as an airline passenger à la Hitchcock near the start of the film), and produced by Harold Baim, with music arranged by Ma ...

'' (1962) "Pitti Sing" * '' The Face of Fu Manchu'' (1965) "Lin Tang" * ''

Invasion An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing ...

''(1966) "Nurse Lim" * '' Blowup'' (1966) "Receptionist" * ''

The Brides of Fu Manchu ''The Brides of Fu Manchu'' is a 1966 British/West German Constantin Film co-production adventure crime film based on the fictional Chinese villain Dr. Fu Manchu, created by Sax Rohmer. It was the second film in a series, and was preceded by ...

'' (1966) "Lin Tang" * ''

The Vengeance of Fu Manchu ''The Vengeance of Fu Manchu'' is a 1967 British crime thriller adventure film directed by Jeremy Summers Jeremy Summers (18 August 1931 – 14 December 2016) was a British television director and film director, known for his directorship of ...

'' (1967) "Lin Tang" * '' You Only Live Twice'' (1967) "Ling" (appearing with her brother, Michael Chow) * ''

The Blood of Fu Manchu ''The Blood of Fu Manchu'' (german: Der Todeskuss des Dr. Fu Man Chu, lit=The Death-Kiss of Dr. Fu Manchu, es, Fu-Manchú y el beso de la muerte), also known as ''Kiss of Death'', ''Kiss and Kill'' (U.S. title) and ''Against All Odds'' (orig ...

'' (1968) "Lin Tang" * ''

The Castle of Fu Manchu ''The Castle of Fu Manchu'' (german: Die Folterkammer des Dr. Fu Man Chu, lit=The Torture Chamber of Dr. Fu Manchu, es, El castillo de Fu-Manchu) is a 1969 film and the fifth and final Dr. Fu Manchu film with Christopher Lee portraying the tit ...

'' (1969) "Lin Tang" * ''

'' (1969) (unfinished) * ''

'' (1969) "Juicy Lucy" * ''

Rentadick ''Rentadick'' is a 1972 British comedy film, directed by Jim Clark and starring James Booth, Richard Briers, Julie Ege, Ronald Fraser and Donald Sinden. It is a spoof spy/detective picture, the plot of which involves attempts to protect a new ...

''(1972) "Madam Greenfly" * '' The Joy Luck Club'' (1993) "Auntie Lindo" * ''

'' (1997) "Chairman Xu" (dir. Jon Avnet) * ''The Magic Pearl'' (1997) "Popo" voice * ''Journey from the Heart'' (1999) "Grandma Lee" * ''The Gold Cup'' (2000) "Ma" * '' Titan A.E.'' (2000) "Old woman" (voice) * '' Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity'' (2002) "Hun Ping Wong" * '' The Interpreter'' (2005) "Luan" * ''

'' (2005) "Auntie" * '' Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior'' (2006) "Grandma Wu" * '' Casino Royale'' (2006) "Madam Wu" * '' Year of the Fish'' (2007) "Mrs. Su" * ''Nani'' (2011) "Nani" * ''

A Leading Man ''A Leading Man'' is a 2013 American drama film written and directed by Steven J. Kung as his feature film debut, starring Jack Yang, Heather Mazur, and Tsai Chin. The film is distributed by Mance Media, and premiered on October 17, 2013, at ...

'' (2012) "Lo Mei An" * '' Now You See Me 2'' (2016) "Bu Bu" * '' The Jade Pendant'' (2016) "Madame Pong" * ''

Lucky Grandma ''Lucky Grandma'' is a 2019 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Sasie Sealy, co-written by Angela Cheng, and starring Tsai Chin. ''Lucky Grandma'' is the director's debut feature film. Plot In New York City's Chinatow ...

'' (2019) "Grandma" * '' Abominable'' (2019) "Nai Nai" (voice) * ''

'' (2021) Waipo

Television

* ''

International Detective ''International Detective'' is a 1959 British TV series.INTRIGUED BY TRIVIA ART FLEMING -- THE ORIGINAL HOST OF TV'S JEOPARDY!' -- FINDS HAPPINESS NEAR THE OCEAN IN LIGHTHOUSE POINT.: EWS/SUN-SENTINEL EditionRODRIGUEZ-FLORIDO, LOURDES. Sun Sentin ...

'' (1960) (TV series) "Suma Hau" * '' The Defenders'' (1961) (TV series) "Parma Gideon" * '' Man of the World'' (1963) (TV series) "Souen" * ''

That Was The Week That Was ''That Was the Week That Was'', informally ''TWTWTW'' or ''TW3'', is a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack (aka John) Duncan, and pr ...

'' (1963) (TV series) * ''The Five Foot Nine Show'' (1964) (TV) * ''On Your Own'' (1965) (TV) * '' Dixon of Dock Green'' (1965) (TV series) "Ana Man Ning" * ''The Troubleshooter'' (1967) (TV series) * ''The Subject of Struggle'' (1971) (TV docudrama) "Wang Kwangmei" * ''Window: Bodycount'' (1973) (TV) * ''

Chicago Hope ''Chicago Hope'' is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000. The series is set in a fictional private charitable hospital in Chicago, Illino ...

'' (1994) (TV series) * '' Crowfoot ''(1994) (TV series) "Det. Lisa Ishima" * ''

Byrds of Paradise The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

'' (1994) (TV series) "Teacher" * ''

Sisters A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...

''(1994) (TV series) "Rita Kwan" * '' The West Side Waltz'' (1995) (TV) * ''

Due South ''Due South'' is a Canadian crime comedy-drama television series created by Paul Haggis, and produced by Alliance Communications from its premiere on April 26, 1994, to its conclusion after four seasons on March 14, 1999. The series starred P ...

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Aust ...

"Mrs Lee" (1995 TV Series) * '' Under Suspicion'' (1995) (TV series) * ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tatto ...

'' (1998) (TV series) "Rita" * ''

Strong Medicine ''Strong Medicine'' is an American medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict that aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It was created and produced in part by Whoopi Goldberg, who made cameo ...

'' (2001) (TV series) "Jin Jae" * '' The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer'' (2003) (TV) "Madam Wu" * '' Avatar: The Last Airbender'' (2005) (TV series) "Aunt Wu" (voice) * ''

'' (2005) (TV series) "Mrs. Helen Rubenstein" * '' The Evidence'' (2006) (TV series) "Joon Huang" * ''Chasing the Hollywood Dream'' (2005) (TV) * ''Hollywood Chinese'' (2007) (TV documentary) * '' Side Order of Life'' (2007) (TV series) "Mai Thuy" * '' The Dream of Red Mansions'' (original title: ''Hong Loumeng'' 红楼梦) (2010) Leading role: "The Dowager Jia (贾母)" 50 episodes – China * '' Royal Pains'' (2012) (TV series) "Mrs. Sesumi" * ''Nice Girls Crew'' (2012) (Web series) "Lady Lee" * '' Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (2014) (TV series) Lian May * '' Getting On'' (2014) (TV series) "Ruth Lee" * ''

We Bare Bears ''We Bare Bears'' is an American animated sitcom created by Daniel Chong for Cartoon Network. The show follows three bear brothers, Grizzly, Panda, and Ice Bear, and their awkward attempts at integrating with the human world in the San Francisc ...

'' (2018) (TV series) "Linda" (voice) * '' The Three-Body Problem'' (TBA)

Stage work

* ''The Final Ace'' (1956) "Jennie"; New Lindsey Theatre, London * ''The Chinese Classical Theatre'' (1957) "Compere"; The Drury Lane, London * ''Princess and the Swineherd'' (1957) "Princess"; Arts Theater, London * ''Ali Baba'' (1958) "Princess"; Dundee Repertory Theatre, Doncaster, UK * ''The World of Suzie Wong'' (1959) Title role; Prince of Wales Theatre, London * ''Night of 100 Stars'' (1960) Revue sketch in aid of Actor's orphanage, led by Lord Olivier, London * ''The Gimmick'' (1962) "Gabby Lee"; Criterion Theatre, London * ''The Magnolia Tree'' (1966) "Kesa"; Royal Lyum, Edinburgh * ''The Two Mrs. Carrols'' (1969) Title role; UK tour * ''Love For Love'' (1970) "Mrs. Frail"; Palace Theatre, Watford, UK * ''Fanshen ''(1976) "Hu Hsueh-chen"; The People's Theatre, Boston * ''The Orestaia'' (1977) "Clytemnestra"; The Cambridge Ensemble, Boston * ''Agamemnon ''(1977) "Clytemnestra"; Norfork Prison for Lifers, Massachusetts * ''The Scarlet Letter'' (1977) "Hester Prynne"; The Cambridge Ensemble, Boston. (Best performance, ''The Real Paper'') * ''Puntila and Matti'' (1977) "Eva"; The Cambridge Ensemble, Boston * ''Br'er Rabbit'' (1978) "Sister Terrpin"; The Cambridge Ensemble, Boston * ''M. Butterfly'' (1989) "Suzuki" "Comrade Chin"; Haymarket Theater, Leicester, UK; Shaftesbury Theatre, London * ''Madame Mao'' (1990) "Madame Mao"; Liverpool Playhouse * ''Madame Mao's Memories'' (1990) "Madame Mao"; Latchmere Theatre, London * ''The Woman Warrior'' (1995) "Brave Orchid"; James A. Doolittle Theatre, Los Angeles (LA Drama Critics Circle Award) * ''Fishes ''(1995) "Mother," "Fish"; Taper Lab New Work Festival, Los Angeles * ''Golden Child'' (1996) "Eng Sui-Yong"; The Public Theater, New York * ''Half Lives'' (1996) "woman"; East West Players, Los Angeles * ''Golden Child''--"Eng Sui-Yong": (1997) South Coast Repertory; (1989) Victoria Theatre, Singapore; (1998) ACT, San Francisco; (1998) The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. (nom. Helen Hayes Award); Longacre Theater, New York. * ''Fabric ''(1999) "Auntie Suni"; Singapore Arts Festival * ''Wonderland ''(1999) "Woman"; La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, California * ''House of Bernarda Alba'' (2002) "Maria"; Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles * ''China Night'' (2003–04) Hollywood Bowl * ''The Vagina Monologues'' (2007) "I Was There in the Room"; Aratani Japan Asian Theater, Los Angeles

Discography

* ''The Ding Dong Song/The Second Spring'' (第二春) F-11192 (7" single) * ''The Chinese Charleston/How Shall I Do It?'' F-11489 (7" single) * ''Buttons and Bows/Woa Yaw Nee'' F-11595 (7" single) * ''Any Old Iron/School in Cheltenham'' F-11737 (7" single) * ''Good Morning, Tokyo'' (1964 Tokyo Olympic theme for British Television)/''I Love A Man'' (from "Maggie May") F-12039 (7" single) * ''The World of Tsai Chin'' (LP) * ''The Western World of Tsai Chin'' (LP)

Directing

* ''The Journey'' (1978) Boston Public Schools * ''The Lover'' (1979) Tufts University * ''Crime on Goat Island'' (1980) Tufts University * ''The Tempest'' (1981) Central Academy of Dramatic Art, Beijing (中央戏剧学院) * ''The Seagull'' (1982) Hong Kong Repertory Theatre * ''Twelfth Night'' (1987) Hong Kong Repertory Theatre

Teaching

* Drama Therapy (1963) Holloway Prison, London * Theatre workshop for adolescents in Chinatown (1976) Boston * Acting instructor (1977–1979) Tufts University Drama Department, Medford, Massachusetts * Workshop for Title VII Theatre Arts Staff (1978) The School Committee of the City of Boston * Acting instructor (1981) Central Academy of Dramatic Art, Beijing (中央戏剧学院，表演系78班) * Master Class (1982) Shanghai Academy of Dramatic Art, Shanghai (上海戏剧学院)

Awards

* Associate Member, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London (1964) * Voted one of London's "Women of the Year" (1964) * The London Zoo names Chinese leopard "Tsai Chin" (1965) * ''The World Who's Who of Women'', Cambridge, England (1973) * Honorary Board of National Center for Women in Performing and Media Arts,'' ''Boston (1978) * Distinguished Service to Profession, Tufts University Alumni Association (1994) * Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (1995) ''The Woman Warrior'' * Obie Award (1997) ''Golden Child'' * Helen Hayes Award nominee (1998) ''Golden Child'' * Ammy Lifetime Achievement Awards * Achievement Award (2007) Chinese Performing Arts Foundation, San Francisco

References

External links

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Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsai, Chin 1933 births Living people Chinese emigrants to England Actresses from Tianjin Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Chinese women singers 20th-century Chinese actresses 21st-century Chinese actresses Chinese film actresses Chinese television actresses Tufts University alumni Actresses from Shanghai Chinese emigrants to the United States Alumni of King George V School, Hong Kong