13 Facts About Chen Yanyan

Chen Yanyan, born Chen Jianyan, was a Chinese actress and film producer in the cinema of Republic of China, British Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Chen Yanyan returned each day after attending the Sacred Heart Girls School and struck up a conversation with Cai Chusheng who was to shortly direct his own films.

Chen Yanyan was given a chance to appear in the film as a screen test by the director Sun Yu.

Chen Yanyan's appearance was not included in the film as she had been cast as a prostitute and she looked too young for that to be acceptable.

Chen Yanyan's father was persuaded but he insisted that she never discussed her work at home and that she would not use the family's name.

Chen Yanyan left for Shanghai with her mother as a chaperone and within three years she was an acknowledged star known as "The Swallow" with a particular appeal to college students.

Chen Yanyan had a very good Mandarin accent which was useful as sound appeared in Chinese movies in the 1930s.

Chen Yanyan co-starred in the film Three Modern Women which told of three archetypal women competing for the love of the hero.

Chen Yanyan stayed in Shanghai and worked for the Xinhua Film Company where she again became a bankable star in their films.

Chen Yanyan made two films and the company ended at the same time as the marriage.

Chen Yanyan produced two films herself, "Love Fiesta", in 1957 and in 1961 "Shark of the Pacific".

Chen Yanyan won a best supporting actress award in 1961 at the Asian Film Festival for her appearance in the 1961 film "Misfortune".

Chen Yanyan retired from films in 1972, but she still appeared on TV.