Ho-Kau Chan (; 1932 – 23 July 2021Obituary粵劇花旦陳好逑離世 ) was a Hong Kong actress and Cantonese opera singer. She was credited with over 130 films.
Early life In 1932, Chan was born in Hong Kong. Chan's ancestral hometown is Panyu district, Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Her given name at birth has a well-known meaningThe modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: For our prince a good mate she. and therefore special pronunciation ()hou3 zau2 among scholars.
Chan's father, Chan Kai-hung, founded the Kwok Sing Theatre where she was a student first under Pak Kit-Cho (born Ha Park-Cheung;) among a group of tutors while in grade school untilGoogle Book Search keyword 「在九龍深水埗基隆街的二三三號三樓創辦了一間國聲戲劇社,..如鄧肖蘭芳、夏伯祥、... 當時的陳好逑是在協智唸書,她課餘之暇,常常到國聲劇社去。」 the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in 1941.
After the war, she continued training under Tang Chiu Lan-Fong (Langfong Cantonese Opera School) while in high school and then, as urged by Jiang Ling (江陵) the newspaper editor, mostly under Fen Juhua (aka Fan Guk-Fa) in Chiu Ciu Academy (see John Lone) for over a decade since 1955.
Career Chan started her Cantonese opera singing career by working her way to the top from humble beginnings, notwithstanding her father's connections. Her choice was well received by veterans including Sit Kok-sin and leading actress Cheung (). (Note:- There is no information on record available yet as to how Chan met Sit or Cheung in 1951.)
Chan was on her debut tour overseas (Singapore) in September 1951 with Siu-Lei Chun, Chun's sister and their mother. Eventually, spent months and years in Singapore and Vietnam before earning job offers in Hong Kong to join well-known or established troupes. Starting in 1953, she worked with , a student of Sit, before returning to Vietnam in May 1954 for the last trip that ended in August 1955. Settling down back in Hong Kong, she was hired as the second female lead to work with Lai-Zhen Yu by Ching Wa-HangLeng Wah Hang (as Ng Hei) in How Ng Hei Slew His Wife to Prove His Allegiance (1955)(), the female Guan Yu.
Chan became notable and joined the Hing Sun Sing Opera Troupe (慶新聲劇團) in 1962 as a Hua Dan or lead female Cantonese opera singer. She then joined the Chung San Sing Opera Troupe (頌新聲劇團) in 1965 until the male lead retired. Chan is known for her role as a married woman or woman warrior opposite this particular co-lead generally.
As an agile, experienced matriarch during the United States tour in 1967, Chan managed to pickup where this male lead left off. The mixed crew, of both local backgrounds and from Hong Kong like Chan, continued onto a second term contract to work for months while waiting for Yam Kim Fai and Bak Sheut Sin to arrive in 1968. To tie over, she worked with a very senior retired performerXin Ming Ri Bao(), 16 October 1967，page 5.「林家聲陳好逑鬧翻 陳氏宗親杯葛家聲」(father of Lowell Lo) in Seattle, then a younger Hong Kong performer who was originally scheduled to be the next male lead but arrived without his co-lead, having herself invited another male lead from Hong Kong to join her.
Chan is otherwise also known for Huashan (lively girl) roles such as Hongniang, Tam Kee-yee and Pan Jinlian on stage opposite generations of various co-leads since 1960. She had similar roles also in 1962 film Battle at Sizhou, for example, as Clam Spirit. In "The Capture of the Evil Demons", Chan's all-action persona finds full expression in her role as Clam Spirit, showcasing her talent for spin-ups, ribbon dancing and banner-waving. (aka Battle at Sizhou)
In 1953, Chan crossed over as an actress in Hong Kong films. Chan first appeared in A Battle in An Old City, a 1953 film directed by Chang Mung-Wan. Chan appeared in many Cantonese opera films including as Madam Wong in The Precious Lotus Lamp (1956-1958, three episodes), Love and Hate (aka The Feud) (1956), The Naughty Princess and Her Lover (aka Between You and Me) (1957), and The Fox-Spirit's Romance (aka The Strange Fox) (1957). Chan's last film was Secret Agent No. 1, a 1970 Crime film directed by Walter Tso. Chan was credited with over 130 films.
In 1961 film Three Battles to Secure Peace for Nation, Chan established her woman warrior status opposite future fellow co-lead on stage for the next thirty plus years. Acrobatic pose () stemmed from fighting scene of this film had become classic movementsCompeting on stage in 1967 repertoire Who Should Be the Commander-in-Chief?, Practice martial arts as childhood companions by the Purple Bamboo Forest in 1964 film The Pitiless Sword and Fighting as enemies in Three Battles to Secure Peace for Nation. on stage.
Chan was compared by some to Christa Ludwig.Book name "Criticism of Music - Memorandum of Chinese Music" published by Sima Qin () in 2016,
Repertoire |*| Chan was the female lead of original cast since 1962 in the following partial list. The show must go on for weeks or months in those years she spent overseas.
Title Notes/*1The Battling Sounds1963 film version*2The Pitiless Sword (aka Paragons and Heroism)1964 film version*3Uproar in Jade Hall*4A Chronicle Written in Blood*5Who Should Be the Commander-in-Chief?*6Romance and Hatred Second debut in 1984, 18 years since first debut7Time To Go Home《胡不歸》8The Marriage of the Top Scholar《花染狀元紅》9Enlightenment of Goddess of Mercy(aka From Miaoshan to Guanyin) )hkej.com/dailynews/culture/article/1609652 published 18 July 2017, Review, Stage Performances - Chinese Opera Festival 2017.中國戲曲節2017. 逑姐．情虔．得道 LifeStyle Journal10The Predicament of Zhu Bian's Homecomingsee Discography++*11Hongniang the matchmaker in the West Chamber(aka Interrogating the Red Maid)Debut on stage for 1986 Chinese New YearBy playwright Qin Zhong-ying*12Xi ShiDebut on stage in 1986 per Modern Times Weekly, 27 June 1986 (page 31) and 30-31 October 2009 Gala concert to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China*13Zhou Yu (as Xiao Qiao) Debuted in August 1987, duet included.14Fan Lihua Executing Own Son at the Gate1999 Hong Kong Art Festival, Cantonese Opera-An All-Star Night, Lei-fa Reprimanding her son (title per list of "Past Hong Kong Arts Festival Cantonese Opera Programmes" in Cantonese Opera Treasures published for 2010 event)*15Lu Meng-zheng - A Poor Scholar(1998)Renowned actress Chan Ho-kau is a leading contemporary expert in interpreting the operatic role of 'Ching-yi'. She has been absent from the stage for a long time. 02 March 1999 Fantastic Cantonese Opera "Lu Meng-zheng -- A Poor Scholar"HK Arts Festival Past Programmes-1998*16The Riverside Pavilion (as Tam Kee-yee)See Guan Hanqing*17The Return of Lady Wenji (as Lady Wenji)See Cai Yan*18The Three Sieges of Zhu Village() as Wu Sam NeungBy playwright Poon Cheuk in 1971.*19Theft of the Red Pongee() as Miss Hung SiuLam Kam-tong () as Kunlun Nu, the character Sit had. By playwright Poon Cheuk in 1972.*20Mirror of the Universea.k.a. The Cosmic Mirror*21Judge Yin (of Hell) and Judge Yang (on Earth), aka Judge of Hell and Guillotine JudgeAn episode of Peking opera collection Zha Panguan in Cantonese opera debuted in 1999.22The Dream Encounter Between Emperor Wu of Han and Lady Wa23Wang Bao Chuan (see Lady Precious Stream)Title role for female lead, support role for male lead.As Chun Fa (Credit - Ho Kau Chan) 24Sizhou City (Peking opera)Yang Paifeng (), Red Plum Pavilion or Hongmei Ge, ( ), Yin Yang River (《陰陽河》), , Sin Chew Jit Poh 22 May 1966, Page 16.25Yin Yang River (Peking opera)
According to her co-lead in Ho Siu Lin Opera Troupe, Chan had a habit of not speaking up to playwrights even when she did not like the scripts. () Lu Meng-zheng - A Poor Scholar from 1998 returned a few times while the debut was funded by HK Arts Festival.
Some playwrights only found their scripts not returning to stage for over a decade or decades. Other playwrights never realized because they died soon after the debut. For example, Ho Siu Lin Opera Troupe debuted two more scripts in 1998, Yu Zhou Feng () in July and A Thorn Hairpin () in November, without public funding.
Filmography Films This is a partial list. 1953 A Battle in an Old City 1956 The Precious Lotus Lamp - Madam Wong (wife of the male lead character) 1956 Love and Hate (a.k.a. The Feud) 1957 The Naughty Princess and Her Lover (a.k.a. Between You and Me) 1957 The Precious Lotus Lamp (The Sequel) - Madam Wong 1957 The Fox-Spirit's Romance (a.k.a. The Strange Fox) 1958 The Precious Lotus Lamp (Part 3, Concluding Episode) - Madam Wong 1958 A Buddhist Recluse for 14 Years (as Lu Qiao ) 1958 The Tragic Story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (a.k.a. Butterfly Lovers, as the maid Rén Xīn ) 1959 Hell or Paradise (as Lam Ah Ching, reflecting the debut overseas in 1951) 1959 Tragedy of the Emperor's Daughter (film adaptation of The Flower Princess) 1959 Fan of Fragrant Wood (as maid, the matchmaker) 1960 Spring Lamps Festival (as Sheung Siu-chong) 1960 Ten Schoolgirls (vocal & as always "food in the mouth and sleep" girl) 1961 Three Battles to Secure Peace for Nation 1961 Leung Hung Yuk's Victory at Wong Tin Tong (as Han Soeng-tak, elder son of Han Shizhong) 1961 Female General Mrs. Yang 1961 Secret Book (Part 1, Part 2) (a.k.a. The Magic Crane) - Lee Ching Luen 1962 Secret Book (Part 3, Concluding Episode) 1962 Knight of the Victory Marked Flag (a.k.a. Banners of Victory) 1962 Battle at Sizhou (as Clam Spirit opposite Fan Guk-Fa, her master) 1962 The Royal Wedding in the Palace (as Ying Ying, the head Lady-in-waiting)Mrs. Au-yeung Thanked Fund-raising Effort, Page 13, Wah Kiu Yat Po, 6 January 1963 (a.k.a. 1962 ) 1963 The Battling Sounds 1963 The Iron Wild Goose (Part 1)The Iron Wild Goose (Part 1), Hong Kong Cinemagic, detail plot 1963 The Iron Wild Goose (Part 2)The Iron Wild Goose (Part 2), Hong Kong Cinemagic, detail plot 1963-64 The Golden Hairpin (Part 1-4), a.k.a. Jade Hairpin Oath by Wolong Sheng (credited as gam1 tung4) 1964 The Pitiless Sword 1965 (Part 1, Part 2 Concluding Episode) 1965 Wu-lin-di-yi-jian (the sequel) 1965 Story of the Sword and the Sabre (Part 3, Part 4) 1966 Night of the Opera Stars (a.k.a. Goddess of Mercy Celebrates Her Birthday at Xiang Shan) – Documentary
Theater Performance Since 1940
Hong Kong 1949, Myrica Branch Troupe () 1949, Wah Tak Leisure Amusement () 1953, Troupes performed including Hung Wan Opera Troupe in Red Strawberry and a Broken Heart and Da Hao Cai Opera Troupe with Sun Ma Sze Tsang or as male lead. 1957, Kok Sing Troupe in July - Lady White Snake, as second lead actress (Lady Green Snake, )A role Chan reprised in - SpotlightPostbills of 1957, October 2018 MPWeekly
Abroad 1959, Former Singapore Badminton Hall with Ho Fei-Fan()Article and Advertisement, Nanyang Siang Pau, 5 April 1959, Page 8.(), Nanyang Siang Pau, 15 April 1959, Page 6. - Nanyang Siang Pau articles indicate that Chan as the female lead of this troupe prepared for the following night performance after finishing that night performance. Chan worked with her supporting female lead until 4am before going to bed. This tour was well received and the supporting actress joined Chan for the 1967 tour.
Since 1960
Hong Kong As Hua Dan or lead female actress since 1962 in:- Hing Sun Sing Opera Troupe (慶新聲劇團) Chung San Sing Opera Troupe (頌新聲劇團)
Abroad 1967, Kun Lun Troupe () End of initial term contract Postbills for October 1967 performance in San Francisco. 1) Repertoire/titles - #1 to #8 listed above (See ) - Beauty Fades From Twelve Ladies' Tower - Goddess of the Luo River - Wang Bao Chuan - The Dream Encounter Between Emperor Wu of Han and Lady Wa - Liang Zhu Hen () - Return of the Swallows - A Serenade - The Smile of a Beauty - Mò lù xiāo láng - Qián chéng wàn lǐ (revised) - Others 2) A crew of mixed backgrounds for this United States tour. - while the organizer mentioned a different name as the next male lead, according to press report. - Actress Cheung, Chan first met in early 1950s.