Betty Loh Ti

Betty Loh Ti
Chinese name	樂蒂 (traditional)
Chinese name	乐蒂 (simplified)
Pinyin	Lè Dì (Mandarin)
Jyutping	Lok6 Dai3 (Cantonese)
Birth name	Hsi Chung-yi (奚重儀)
Born	(1937-07-24)24 July 1937 Shanghai, China
Died	Hong Kong
Years active	1953–1968
Spouse(s)	Peter Chen Ho (1962–1968)
Awards Golden Horse Awards Best Actress 1963 The Love Eterne

Hsi Chung-yi (24 July 1937 – 27 December 1968), known by her stage name Betty Loh Ti, was a Hong Kong actress originally from Shanghai, China. Often described as a 'Classic Beauty', she was very popular with moviegoers in the 1960s.

Biography

Born in Shanghai as Hsi Chung-yi (simplified Chinese: 奚重仪; traditional Chinese: 奚重儀; pinyin: 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.

Loh started her acting career in 1952 and appeared 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 (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.

Her brother Kelly Lei Chen was also an actor with MP&GI. Loh married actor Peter Chen Ho in 1962, but they divorced six years later. During the same year, Loh died of a drug overdose. Several sources mention that she committed suicide, although this information is subject to debate. Peter died two years later in New York City of colon cancer. He was 40.

Major films

The Enchanting Shadow

In 1960, The Enchanting Shadow (倩女幽魂) 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

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

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'.

Filmography

Her films for Great Wall Film Production Limited were as follows:

• The Peerless Beauty (1953)
• Tales of the City (1954)
• Loves of the Youngsters (1955)
• Diamond Thief (1955)
• The Apartment for Women (1956)
• Sunrise (1956)
• Three Loves (1956)
• A Widow's Tears (1956)
• The Song of Harmony (1957)
• Suspicion (1957)
• The Chivalrous Songstress (1957)
• Love Affairs of a Confirmed Bachelor (1959)

Her films for The Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Limited were as follows:

• The Magic Touch (1958)
• Love Letter Murder (1959)
• The Adventures of the Thirteenth Sister (1959)
• The Deformed (1959)
• The Malayan Affair (1960)
• Back Door (1960)
• Love Thy Neighbour (1960)
• The Enchanting Shadow (1960)
• When the Peach Blossoms Bloom (1960)
• The Rose of Summer (1961)
• The Pistol (1961)
• The Bride Napping (1962)
• Dream of the Red Chamber (1962)
• Mid-Nightmare (Part One) (1962)
• Mid-Nightmare (Part Two) (1963)
• Revenge of a Swordswoman (1963)
• The Love Eterne (1963)
• My Lucky Star (1963)
• The Dancing Millionairess (1964)
• The Story of Sue San (1964)
• Sons of the Good Earth (1965)

Her films for Motion Picture and General Investments Limited (MP&GI) were as follows:

• A Beggar's Daughter (1965)
• The Longest Night (1965)
• The Lucky Purse (1966)
• Lady in the Moon (1966)
• A Debt of Blood (1966)
• The Magic Fan (1967)
• Darling, Stay at Home (1968)
• Travels with a Sword (1968)
• Red Plum Pavilion (1968)

See also

• Cinema of Hong Kong

External links

• The Classic Beauty, Betty Loh Ti – a website done by the fans of Betty in Taiwan
• Betty Loh Ti at the Internet Movie Database
• HK cinemagic entry

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