Tsai Chin

Biography

Tsai Chin, an actress, singer, director, and teacher, was born in Tianjin and grew up in Shanghai and Hong Kong. She became the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art's first Chinese-born student, and under the name Irene Chow she took the title role in The World of Suzie Wong in London's West End. She played Lin Tang, daughter of Fu Manchu, in five films with Christopher Lee, and appeared in two James Bond films, including You Only Live Twice (1967) and Casino Royale. American audiences know her best as Auntie Lindo in The Joy Luck Club (1993). Her many other films include The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958), Blow-Up (1966), Red Corner (1997), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), and Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006). She won an Obie Award for Golden Child and later directed stage productions in Beijing and Hong Kong.

92years old

Turns 93 on November 30in 48 days

Born November 30, 1933Tianjin
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Also credited as Tsai Chin (actress) and Chin Ts'ai

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 63 years1957 to 2020

Genres

Drama48%, 11 films
Adventure39%, 9 films
Crime35%, 8 films
Thriller22%, 5 films
Action17%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Early training
At 17, Tsai Chin left Shanghai and was sent to England, where she studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She was the first Chinese student there and later became an Associate Member.
Big break
Tsai Chin's big break came when she chose the title role in The World of Suzie Wong over a lead in Flower Drum Song, after both shows arrived in London at the same time.
Beyond film
Tsai Chin recorded "The Ding Dong Song" for Decca in 1960, and the single became a hit, especially in Asia.
Behind the camera
Tsai Chin directed China's premiere production of Shakespeare's The Tempest in 1982, drawing on both Chinese theater tradition and Western internal acting.

Tsai Chin movies on Netflix

Lucky Grandma2020IMDb rating 6.3as Grandma
Abominable2019IMDb rating 7.0as Nai Nai (voice)
The Jade Pendant2017IMDb rating 5.7as Madame Pong
Now You See Me 22016IMDb rating 6.4as Bu Bu
She Lights Up Well2014IMDb rating 8.4as Grandma
A Leading Man2013IMDb rating 7.1as Grandma Lu Mei-An
Year of the Fish2007IMDb rating 6.4as Mrs. Su
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior2006IMDb rating 5.5as Grandma
Memoirs of a Geisha2005IMDb rating 7.3as Auntie
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer2003IMDb rating 5.4as Madame Lu
Titan A.E.2000IMDb rating 6.6as Old Woman (voice)
Red Corner1997IMDb rating 6.3as Chairman Xu
The Joy Luck Club1993IMDb rating 7.7as Lindo - The Mother
Sax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu1969IMDb rating 3.0as Lin Tang
The Blood of Fu Manchu1968IMDb rating 4.3as Lin Tang
The Vengeance of Fu Manchu1967IMDb rating 5.2as Lin Tang
You Only Live Twice1967IMDb rating 6.8as Ling, Chinese Girl in Hong Kong
Blow-Up1966IMDb rating 7.4as Thomas's Receptionist
The Brides of Fu Manchu1966IMDb rating 5.5as Lin Tang
The Face of Fu Manchu1965IMDb rating 5.8as Lin Tang
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness1958IMDb rating 7.2as Sui-Lan
Violent Playground1958IMDb rating 6.6as Primrose
The Bridge on the River Kwai1957IMDb rating 8.1as Tokyo Rose (voice)

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Joy Luck Club1993 Dramaas Lindo - The Mother
IMDb rating 7.720K votes
Now You See Me 22016 Action, Comedy, Thrilleras Bu Bu
IMDb rating 6.4366K votes
Abominable2019as Nai Naivoice
IMDb rating 7.047K votes
Memoirs of a Geisha2005as Auntie
IMDb rating 7.3174K votes
You Only Live Twice1967as Ling, Chinese Girl in Hong Kong
IMDb rating 6.8129K votes
Titan A.E.2000as Old Womanvoice
IMDb rating 6.667K votes
Red Corner1997as Chairman Xu
IMDb rating 6.320K votes
Lucky Grandma2020as Grandma
IMDb rating 6.31.9K votes

Most often with

Jesús Franco directed two of these films, Don Sharp two. Two actors appear in five of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Christopher Lee

Howard Marion-Crawford

Burt Kwouk

Francesca Tu

James Hong

Stanley Baker

Jesús FrancoDirector, 2 films Don SharpDirector, 2 films

Films together

Christopher Lee5 films together, 1965 to 1969
Christopher Lee's page
- Sax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu1969IMDb rating 3.0Chin as Lin TangLee as Fu Manchu
- The Blood of Fu Manchu1968IMDb rating 4.3Chin as Lin TangLee as Fu Manchu
- The Vengeance of Fu Manchu1967IMDb rating 5.2Chin as Lin TangLee as Dr. Fu Manchu
- The Brides of Fu Manchu1966IMDb rating 5.5Chin as Lin TangLee as Fu Manchu
- The Face of Fu Manchu1965IMDb rating 5.8Chin as Lin TangLee as Dr. Fu Man Chu
Howard Marion-Crawford5 films together, 1965 to 1969
Howard Marion-Crawford's page
- Sax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu1969IMDb rating 3.0Chin as Lin TangMarion-Crawford as Doctor Petrie
- The Blood of Fu Manchu1968IMDb rating 4.3Chin as Lin TangMarion-Crawford as Dr. Petrie
- The Vengeance of Fu Manchu1967IMDb rating 5.2Chin as Lin TangMarion-Crawford as Dr. Petrie
- The Brides of Fu Manchu1966IMDb rating 5.5Chin as Lin TangMarion-Crawford as Doctor Petrie
- The Face of Fu Manchu1965IMDb rating 5.8Chin as Lin TangMarion-Crawford as Dr. Petrie
Burt Kwouk3 films together, 1958 to 1967
Burt Kwouk's page
- You Only Live Twice1967IMDb rating 6.8Chin as Ling, Chinese Girl in Hong KongKwouk as Spectre 3
- The Brides of Fu Manchu1966IMDb rating 5.5Chin as Lin TangKwouk as Feng
- The Inn of the Sixth Happiness1958IMDb rating 7.2Chin as Sui-LanKwouk as Li
Francesca Tu3 films together, 1965 to 1968
Francesca Tu's page
- The Blood of Fu Manchu1968IMDb rating 4.3Chin as Lin TangTu as Lotus
- The Brides of Fu Manchu1966IMDb rating 5.5Chin as Lin TangTu as Lotus
- The Face of Fu Manchu1965IMDb rating 5.8Chin as Lin TangTu as Lotus
James Hong2 films together, 1997 to 2019
James Hong's page
- Abominable2019IMDb rating 7.0Chin as Nai NaivoiceHong as Yak Herdervoice
- Red Corner1997IMDb rating 6.3Chin as Chairman XuHong as Lin Shou
Stanley Baker2 films together, 1958 to 1969
Stanley Baker's page
- Sax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu1969IMDb rating 3.0Chin as Lin TangBaker as Running Man
- Violent Playground1958IMDb rating 6.6Chin as PrimroseBaker as Detective Sergeant Jack Truman
Jesús FrancoDirector, 2 films, 1968 to 1969
All films by Jesús Franco
- Sax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu1969IMDb rating 3.0Chin as Lin Tang
- The Blood of Fu Manchu1968IMDb rating 4.3Chin as Lin Tang
Don SharpDirector, 2 films, 1965 to 1966
All films by Don Sharp
- The Brides of Fu Manchu1966IMDb rating 5.5Chin as Lin Tang
- The Face of Fu Manchu1965IMDb rating 5.8Chin as Lin Tang
Also two films together13 more actors
- Tzi MaThe Jade Pendant (2017) and Red Corner (1997)
- Ric YoungThe Brides of Fu Manchu (1966) and The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)
- Douglas WilmerThe Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967) and The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966)
- Russell WongThe Jade Pendant (2017) and The Joy Luck Club (1993)
- Ken LeungYear of the Fish (2007) and Red Corner (1997)
- Maria RohmThe Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) and The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967)
- Wai Ching HoLucky Grandma (2020) and Year of the Fish (2007)
- Karin DorYou Only Live Twice (1967) and The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)
- Moultrie KelsallThe Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) and Violent Playground (1958)
- Michael ChowYou Only Live Twice (1967) and Violent Playground (1958)
- Richard GreeneSax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969) and The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968)
- Jesús FrancoSax Rohmer's The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969) and The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968)
- Brian YangThe Jade Pendant (2017) and She Lights Up Well (2014)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Tsai Chin's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$966 million

11 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.

11Worldwide figure
1US gross only
2Never in cinemas
9Figure not found

Top grosser

Now You See Me 22016Bu Bu$335 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Now You See Me 22016as Bu Bu
$335M34.7% of the total
2
Abominable2019as Nai Nai (voice)
$190M19.7% of the total
3
Memoirs of a Geisha2005as Auntie
$162M16.8% of the total
4
You Only Live Twice1967as Ling, Chinese Girl in Hong Kong
$112M11.5% of the total
5
The Bridge on the River Kwai1957as Tokyo Rose (voice)
$45M4.6% of the total
6
Titan A.E.2000as Old Woman (voice)
$37M3.8% of the total
7
The Joy Luck Club1993as Lindo - The Mother
$33M3.4% of the total
8
Red Corner1997as Chairman Xu
$22M2.3% of the total