Saturday, January 11, 2020

A Chinese New Year 2020 Posting: Lin Dai (林黛): Love Without End (不了情)


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She was one of the greatest Chinese screen actresses from the 60's and graced the movie limelight for years. For many movies that she had appeared in, the shows became box-office hits. 

Chinese New Year 2020 this time around is exactly a month away from Christmas 2019. Our super star was born on the 26th of December and I remember that some of her movies were always shown around this season.

Lin Dai had a large following of fans many years ago and was credited with nearly 40 top films in her short acting history of about 15 years. In Singapore, her fans included those from the English, Malay and even Indian speaking groups. Now that's information to think about. 

She starred in blockbusters like, The Kingdom and The Beauty (1959). Madam White Snake (1962) and Love Without End (1961), and without an iPhone to book from home nor a credit card to *chope seats, a fan needed to follow a queue that wound around the Capitol building just to buy tickets for her show. 

Stamped and sealed as one of the most talented, delightful and beautiful actresses from China, Lin Dai made movies under the Shaw Brothers banner which was based mainly in Hong Kong. She could fit herself into many roles, being a classic beauty from Old China and a dancing belle in a modern nightclub. Lin Dai was versatility and adored by the masses.

But famous as she became Lin Dai passed away after taking her own life at age 29. That's youth in agony truly a tragedy. 
Her movies are still around to watch so whenever we listen to the first line, Wang bu liao, wang bu liao... (cannot forget, cannot forget) of the hit song, Bu Liao Qing (不了情) , we remember Lin Dai and still love her, without end.

A Happy Lunar New Year My Dear Readers.

*chope: Singlish (Singapore English) means: to reserve a place.
Image result for lindai kingdom and beauty
Lin Dai starred in The Kingdom and The Beauty (1959). It was in full technicolour. Below: Les Belles (1961) movie and Love Parade (1963).

Images: Google and Shaw Brothers.
Image result for lindai movie posters
Image result for lindai movie posters

23 comments:

Henk Madrotter said...

She made some beautiful music:

https://madrotter-treasure-hunt.blogspot.com/search/label/lin%20dai%20%28miss%20linda%29

FREDA HANUM (TEEPEES KEYBOARDIST) said...

Lin Dai was indeed such a beautiful and an unforgetable Hong Kong actress to the world, what a tragedy she left the world at such a young age.

I have been trying to get this movie Madam White Snake still couldn't.

This is another interesting article on Lin Dai.

Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year in advance Andy.🧨💥🧧😊

STEPHEN HAN (TOP CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS BLOG) said...

This missive brings back fond memories of a beautiful mandarin actress,Lin Dai.Sad her marriage life was in shatters and ended her life.I shall always remember her in Life Without End.

WINSTON KOH (SINGS CLIFF RICHARD) said...

The song Love Without End sang by orginal singer Ku Mei.

JIMMY APPUDURAI CHUA said...

with Peter Cheng Ho?

facebook chats said...

Yes. Wow! You're a Peter Chen Ho fan too?


Jimmy Appudurai-chua Andy Young
oh yes...

Jimmy Appudurai-chua Andy Young
and Wang Yu

Andy Young Wah
Jimmy, you know the One Armed Swordsman? Man, so you must know Chen Pei Peii? :-)

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks Freda for the interesting comment. Yes Lin Dai came, did her part and left too soon.
And Stephen Han with Jimmy.

Henk too. Mighty nice of you to drop in.
Yes, I do read your blog.

The rest of the FB group who have been so supportive.

Thanks to all.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, Winston. Carrie Ku Mei.
Thanks for info.
Didn't know you like Chinese songs too.

JACKIE LADY said...

Ah, the famous Lin Dai.
I used to watch the old movies with my grandma...
and Lin Dai's name and the song Bu Liao Qing is familiar to me.
So sad she died early.
Like Zhou Xuan, Ruan LingYu
Pity.

STEPHEN HAN said...

The last time I saw Carrie Ku Mei was at the present OG building in Orchard Road.
She was then holding a sale of her beautiful paintings about 15 years back,she was around 50 yr old.The smart phone was not invented yet,or else I could have a picture with her.

OLIVER (DRUMMER & FORMER SEC. SCHOOL PRINCIPAL) said...

Thanks for the posting.
You don't have to be or know Chinese to appreciate Lin Dai.
That's why she's a legend.

WAYNE WEN HING said...

Depressing song Andy

LIM KUAN MIN said...

Lin Dai was my mum's favourite actress of all time.
She said others past or present pale in comparison. ��

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks Min.T
hat's true although Li Li Hua is comparable.

LIM KUAN MIN said...


Yes Li Li Hua too but Lin Dai ranked higher in her list of only 2 all time greats in Chinese cinema history. Why? You have to ask her.😆

facebook chats said...

Thanking
Freda Hanum
Rose Khoo
Victor Ho
for sharing this Lin Dai posting on Facebook.

FL said...

Actress Lin Dai is my mother's favorite. In the early sixties, people in our parents generation loved to collect pictures of Chinese actresses, my mum included. Especially, the cardboard calendar(with a pic of an actress) and also, the monthly calendar with 12 pics of various actresses of those era, and I remember calendars with Lin Dai was in popular demand then. That's how I learned to know the actresses of the sixties with calendars displayed within our home of "kampong" years ! Just sharing with all readers, esp the younger generations.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

My dear FL
Now that you mentioned the cardboard calendar, I remember.
It is true that these stand-up calendars were and still are popular today.
The ones with movie star pictures became a collector's item.

Thanks so much for the nostalgia trip FL.
You are always a contributor with a long list of 60's exclusives that you remember.

Thanking others too for their comments and information.

JENNIE LAW said...

Lin Dai eyes sparkle..Natural beauty..Sad that she commited suicide.

facebook chats said...

Thanks to the following LIN DAI fans
who appreciate this post:

Freda Hanum
Stephen Han
Winston Koh
Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Peter Cheong
John Cher
Rose Khoo
Charlie Yap Locomotion
Ann Rowena Lim
Jennie Law
Yen Chow
Koh Sui Pang
Lim Kuan Min
Daniel Dharanee Kannan
Tracy Ng
Ho Victor
Tan Ser Kiong
Jalani Mohamed
Althea Lim
Joey Koh
Roop Singh
Lata Latifah
Michael Fonseca
Kokkoonjim Boey
Tan Andrew

facebook chats said...

AND TO ERICBRONSON WONG WHO HAS SUPPORTED
MY FACEBOOK POST FOR SOME TIME NOW.

FREDA HANUM (TEEPEES KEYBOARDIST) said...

It's my pleasure.
She was my late mother's favourite star and my favourite actress.
Like to keep it in my timeline too.
Thank you for this article Andy. 😊

facebook chats said...

Jody Clunies-Ross McCully
Moody Cash

Thanks to the above too
For liking this post.