Josephine Siao
{{Short description|Hong Kong actress (born 1947)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{infobox person
| name = Josephine Siao
| image = Josephine Siao 1960s.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Siao in the 1960s
| native_name = {{lang|zh-Hant|蕭芳芳}}
| birth_name = Siao Loeng ({{lang|zh-Hant|蕭亮}})
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1947|3|13}}
| birth_place = Shanghai, China
| nationality = Australian
| alma_mater = Seton Hall University, Regis University
| occupation = Actress, television personality
| years_active = 1954–1997
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{marriage|Charlie Chin|1976|1978|reason=div}}
- {{marriage|Clarence Chang|1980}}
}}
| children = 2
| father = Xiao Naizhen
| mother = Cheng Fenghui
| awards =
{{Awards|award=Best Child Actor|year=1955|title=The Orphan Girl|role=Mui Kit (childhood)|name=Asia-Pacific Film Festival}}
{{Awards|award=Silver Bear for Best Actress|year=1996|title=Summer Snow|role=May Sun|name=Berlin International Film Festival}}{{Awards|award=Best Actress|year=1996|title=Hu-Du-Men|role=Lang Kim-sum|name=Asia-Pacific Film Festival}}
{{awards|award=Hong Kong Film Awards|name={{Awards|award=Best Actress|year=1988|title=The Wrong Couples|role=Wong Mui|year2=1996|title2=Summer Snow|role2=May Sun}}
{{Awards|award=Lifetime Achievement Award|year=2009}}}}
{{awards|award=Golden Bauhinia Awards|name={{Awards|award=Best Actress|year=1996|title=Summer Snow|role=May Sun}}}}
{{awards|award=Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards|name={{Awards|award=Best Actress|year=1995|title=Summer Snow|role=May Sun}}}}
{{awards|award=Asian Film Awards|name={{Awards|award=Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema|year=2007}}}}
{{awards|award=Golden Horse Awards|name={{Awards|award=Best Supporting Actress|year=1975|title=Girl Friend|role=Meng Ya-ping}}{{Awards|award=Best Leading Actress|year=1995|title=Summer Snow|role=May Sun|year2=1996|title2=Hu-Du-Men|role2=Lang Kim-sum}}}}{{awards|award=Golden Bell Awards|name={{Awards|award=Best Actress|year=1995|title=Autumn Water & Vast Sky|role=Hsiang I-hung}}}}
| module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes
| t = 蕭芳芳
| s = 萧芳芳
| p = Xiāo Fāngfāng
| j = siu1 fong1 fong1
}}
| module2 = {{infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| alias = Sister Fong-fong (芳芳姐)
| background = temporary
| origin = British Hong Kong
}}
}}
Josephine Siao Fong-fong {{post-nominals|MBE}} ({{Lang-zh|s=萧芳芳|t=蕭芳芳|p=Xiāo Fāngfāng|j=siu1 fong1 fong1}}; born March 13, 1947) is a Hong Kong film star who became popular as a child actress and continued her success as a mature actress, winning numerous awards including Best Actress at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival (for Summer Snow).{{cite web |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/1995/03_preistraeger_1995/03_preistraeger_1995.html |title=Berlinale: 1995 Prize Winners |access-date=1 January 2012 |work=berlinale.de}} Since retiring from show business (partly due to her increasing deafness), she has become a writer and a psychologist, known for her work against child abuse.
Born in Shanghai, Ciao emigrated to Hong Kong at the age of 2, and began her acting career at the age of 6. In 1955, she appeared alongside Bruce Lee in An Orphan's Tragedy. Her performance in The Orphan Girl (1956) garnered the Best Child Actor Award at the 2nd Southeast Asian Film Festival.https://www.avenueofstars.com.hk/en/ms-josephine-siao-fong-fong/ Ciao subsequently became one of the biggest teen idols in Hong Kong during the late 1960s, along with frequent co-star Connie Chan Po-chu. The two were often cast in wuxia films and contemporary dramas. Colourful Youth (1966), in which they both appeared, is credited with popularising Cantonese film musicals. Siao briefly retired from acting in 1968 to attend Seton Hall University in the US. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in communications in 1970, she returned to Hong Kong, where she went on to become one of the city's most prolific actresses. In 1982, she starred in Plain Jane to the Rescue, which became one of her most famous roles.https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3283491/who-josephine-siao-how-popular-hong-kong-actress-went-child-star-activist
Siao won the Best Actress Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards twice, for The Wrong Couples (1987) and Summer Snow (1995). Her performance in the latter also won her Best Actress at both the Berlinale and the Golden Horse Awards, while Hu-Du-Men (1996) saw her named Best Actress at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival and the Golden Horse Awards.https://www.avenueofstars.com.hk/en/ms-josephine-siao-fong-fong/{{cite web |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/1995/03_preistraeger_1995/03_preistraeger_1995.html |title=Berlinale: 1995 Prize Winners |access-date=1 January 2012 |work=berlinale.de}} Siao appeared in the critically acclaimed martial arts film Fong Sai-yuk (1993), where she played Miu Tsui-fa, the kung fu–fighting mother of the titular character, portrayed by Jet Li. She reprised her role in Fong Sai-yuk II (1993). Her other memorable martial arts films include Fist of Fury 1991 (1991) and Fist of Fury 1991 II (1992).
Biography
File:Avenue of Stars Siao Fong Fong.JPG]]
Siao was born as Siao Liang in Shanghai, with her ancestral home in Luzhi, Suzhou, Jiangsu. At the age of two, she was brought to Hong Kong by her parents.
Soon after her father died, at the age of six (1953), she began to become a child star to solve the family's financial problems. When she was 7 years old, she took on the first film and art film "Little Star Tears" (1954). In 1956, she performed "Aunt Mei" for the Shaw Brothers Company. Her famous work is "The Wandering Children" (1960) and this made her became one of the biggest teen idols in Hong Kong during the late 1960s, along with frequent co-star Connie Chan Po-chu. The two were often cast in wuxia films as disciples of the same master and sometimes—when Connie played the male lead—as young heroes in love. Back in the 1960s, Josephine's and Connie's fans maintained a heated rivalry. News of their fans getting into catfights was not uncommon in those days.
Unlike many child stars, Siao made a successful transition to adult stardom, remaining one of Hong Kong's most prolific and popular actresses. She was also one of the directors (co-directing with Leung Po-Chih, {{lang|zh|梁普智}}) and writers of Jumping Ash ({{lang|zh|跳灰}}). This film is regarded as a prelude to the Hong Kong New Wave in the 1980s by film critics.
Having largely missed out on formal education because of her acting career as a child, Siao pursued her studies in later years despite her increasing deafness and the demands of raising a family (she has two daughters by her second husband). During this time she made fewer films, but her output included highly praised work such as her award-winning performance in Summer Snow (1995) as a middle-aged widow trying to cope with her father-in-law's Alzheimer's Disease.
Western fans of martial arts films will probably know her best from the Fong Sai-yuk films made in 1993, in which she played Jet Li's kung fu–fighting mother. (These films were released on Western DVD as The Legend and The Legend II.)
Siao has been retired from show business since 1997 in favour of her work in child psychology. In particular, she is a noted campaigner against child abuse, and founded the End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation, which she now chairs, in 1999. She is also a published author.
Some of the milestones in her life include:
- 1970: Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and Asian Studies at Seton Hall University
- 1974: won the best actress award at Spain Film Festival and Taiwan Film Festival
- 1990: obtained a master's degree in child psychology from Regis University
- 1995: won the best actress award at the Berlin Film Festival for Summer Snow
- 1996: member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
- 2009: Life Achievement Award of the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards
Filmography
= Films =
This is a partial list of films.{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796196/ |title=Josephine Siao |access-date=15 April 2010 |publisher=imdb.com}}{{Cite web |url=http://chinesemov.com/actors/Josephine%20Siao.html |title=Josephine Siao |access-date=15 April 2010 |publisher=chinesemov.com}}
- 1954 Tears of a Young Concubine - Hsiao-Yu.
- 1955 An Orphan's Tragedy
- 1967 A Sweet Girl {{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4718&display_set=eng |title=A Sweet Girl |website=hkmdb.com |date=August 23, 1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}
- 1967 Blood Stains The Iron Fist - Ting Wai-Kuen.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4783&display_set=eng |title=Blood Stains The Iron Fist |website=hkmdb.com |date=December 21, 1967 |accessdate=August 6, 2021}}
- 1967 The Blue Bees {{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4777&display_set=eng |title=The Blue Bees |website=hkmdb.com |date=December 12, 1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}
- 1967 Diamond Robbery {{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4751&display_set=eng |title=Diamond Robbery |website=hkmdb.com |date=October 18, 1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}
- 1967 The Flying Red Rose {{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4649&display_set=eng |title=The Flying Red Rose |website=hkmdb.com |date=March 14, 1967 |accessdate=August 1, 2021}}
- 1967 The Golden Cat - Golden Cat.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4746&display_set=eng |title=The Golden Cat |website=hkmdb.com |date=October 11, 1967 |accessdate=August 1, 2021}}
- 1967 Happy Years - Mei-Yuk/Yuk.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4627&display_set=eng |title=Happy Years |website=hkmdb.com |date=February 8, 1967 |accessdate=July 31, 2021}}
- 1967 The Horrifying Adventure of a Girl {{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4620&display_set=eng |title=The Horrifying Adventure of a Girl |website=hkmdb.com |date=January 5, 1967 |accessdate=July 31, 2021}}
- 1967 How the Sacred Fire Heroic Winds Defeat the Fire Lotus Array - To Kuen-Yee.
- 1967 I Love A-Go-Go - So So.{{cite web |url=http://www.hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4655&display_set=eng |title=I Love A-Go-Go |website=hkmdb.com |date=March 22, 1967 |accessdate=August 1, 2021}}
- 1967 Lady in Pink - Kwok Siu-lan.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4743&display_set=eng |title=Lady in Pink |website=hkmdb.com |date=October 4, 1967 |accessdate=August 6, 2021}}
- 1967 The Lady Killer - Wong Fuk-Mui.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4668&display_set=eng |title=The Lady Killer |website=hkmdb.com |date=April 19, 1967 |accessdate=August 5, 2021}}
- 1967 Lau Kam Ding - the Female General {{cite web |url=https://www.senscritique.com/film/Lau_Kam_Ding_the_Female_General/25237603 |title=Lau Kam Ding - the Female General (1967) |website=senscritique.com |date=February 8, 1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4629&display_set=eng |title=Lau Kam Ding - the Female General |website=hkmdb.com |date=February 8, 1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}
- 1967 Lightning Killer - Fong Ching-Wah.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4683&display_set=eng |title=Lightning Killer |website=hkmdb.com |date=May 25, 1967 |accessdate=August 1, 2021}}
- 1967 Maiden Thief {{cite web |url=https://www.senscritique.com/film/Maiden_Thief/17138851 |title=Maiden Thief ,(1967) |website=senscritique.com |date=1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4660&display_set=eng |title=Maiden Thief |website=hkmdb.com |date=April 5, 1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}
- 1967 The Professionals - Kam Ngau, Gold Bull.{{cite web |url=https://www.senscritique.com/film/The_Professionals/17428978 |title=The Professionals (1967) |website=senscritique.com |date=1967 |accessdate=August 8, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4689&display_set=eng |title=The Professionals |website=hkmdb.com |date=June 16, 1967 |accessdate=August 8, 2021}}
- 1967 Rocambole - Ching Yuk-Chu.{{cite web |url=https://www.senscritique.com/film/Rocambole/17314136 |title=Rocambole (1967) |website=senscritique.com |date=December 13, 1967 |accessdate=July 27, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4778&display_set=eng |title=Rocambole |website=hkmdb.com |date=December 13, 1967 |accessdate=July 28, 2021}}
- 1967 Romance of a Teenage Girl - Kit-Fong.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4707&display_set=eng |title=Romance of a Teenage Girl |website=hkmdb.com |date=August 2, 1967 |accessdate=August 7, 2021}}
- 1967 Seven Princesses (Part 1) - Luk Sau-King.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4642&display_set=eng |title=Seven Princesses (Part 1) |website=hkmdb.com |date=March 1, 1967 |accessdate=June 7, 2021}}
- 1967 Seven Princesses (Part 2) - Luk Sau-King.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4645&display_set=eng |title=Seven Princesses (Part 2) |website=hkmdb.com |date=March 1, 1967 |accessdate=August 1, 2021}}
- 1967 Shaky Steps - Lui Suk-Chong.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4670&display_set=eng |title=Shaky Steps |website=hkmdb.com |date=April 26, 1967 |accessdate=August 5, 2021}}
- 1967 The Three Swordsmen {{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=11677&display_set=eng |title=The Three Swordsmen |website=hkmdb.com |date=1967 |accessdate=July 30, 2021}}
- 1967 You Are the One I Love - Law Oi-Lin.{{cite web |url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=4756&display_set=eng |title=You Are the One I Love|website=hkmdb.com |date=November 1, 1967 |accessdate=August 8, 2021}}
- 1974 Rhythm of the Wave
- 1976 Jumping Ash (1976) ({{lang|zh|跳灰}})
- 1978 Lam Ah Chun {{cite web |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7368811f |title=Lam Ah Chun
|website=bfi.org.uk |date=1978 |access-date=October 21, 2020}}{{dead link|date=October 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ({{lang|zh|林亞珍}})
- 1980 The Spooky Bunch
- 1982 Plain Jane to the Rescue
- 1982 The Perfect Match ({{lang|zh-Hant|佳人有約}})
- 1984 A Friend from Inner Space ({{lang|zh|奸人鬼}})
- 1987 The Wrong Couples
- 1991 Fist of Fury 1991
- 1992 Fist of Fury 1991 II
- 1992 Too Happy for Words ({{lang|yue-HK|兩個女人，一個靚，一個唔靚兩個女人}})
- 1993 Fong Sai Yuk
- 1993 Fong Sai-yuk II
- 1993 Always on My Mind ({{lang|zh-Hant|搶錢夫妻}})
- 1993 Kin Chan No Cinema Jack ({{lang|zh-Hant|陳健沒有傑克電影院}})
- 1995 Summer Snow
- 1996 Hu-Du-Men
- 1996 Mahjong Dragon ({{lang|zh-Hant|麻雀飛龍}})
Books
- {{lang|zh-Hant|洋相 : 英美社交禮儀}}. {{oclc|950437557}}.
Legacy
The Siao Fong-fong Performing Art Hall was established in 1998 at Shantang Street of Luzhi township in the Siao family's former residence.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0796196}}
- [http://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=2222&display_set=eng Josephine Siao Fong-Fong at hkmdb.com]
- [https://www.senscritique.com/contact/Josephine_Siao/77445 Josephine Siao at senscritique.com]
- [http://www.cinemasie.com/fiche/personne/josephinesiao/fiche.html Siao Fong Fong movies at cinemasie.com]
- [http://ecsaf.org.hk End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation (founded and chaired by Siao)]
{{s-start}} {{s-ach}}
{{succession box
| title = Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actress
| years = 1988
for The Wrong Couples
| before= Sylvia Chang
for Passion
}}
{{succession box
| title = Silver Bear for Best Actress
| years = 1995
for Summer Snow
| before= Crissy Rock
for Ladybird, Ladybird
| after = Anouk Grinberg
for Mon Homme
}}
{{succession box
| title = Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards for Best Actress
| years = 1995
for Summer Snow
share with Siqin Gaowa
| before= Joan Chen
for Red Rose, White Rose
| after = Maggie Cheung
for Comrades: Almost a Love Story
}}
{{succession box
| title = Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actress
| years = 1996
for Summer Snow
| before= Anita Yuen
for He's a Woman, She's a Man
| after = Maggie Cheung
for Comrades: Almost a Love Story
}}
{{succession box
| title = Golden Bauhinia Awards for Best Actress
| years = 1996
for Summer Snow
| before= None
| after = Maggie Cheung
for Comrades: Almost a Love Story
}}
{{succession box
| title = Hong Kong Film Awards Life Achievement Award
| years = 2009
| before= Raymond Chow
| after = Lau Kar-leung
}}
{{end}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Josephine Siao
|list =
{{GoldenBellAwardBestActress}}
{{GoldenHorseAwardBestActress 1981-2000}}
{{GoldenHorseAwardBestSupportingActress}}
{{Best Actress HKFA}}
{{Best Actress HKFCSA}}
{{Silver Bear for Best Actress}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Siao, Josephine}}
Category:20th-century Hong Kong actresses
Category:Actresses from Shanghai
Category:Chinese Civil War refugees
Category:20th-century Hong Kong women singers
Category:Hong Kong film actresses
Category:Hong Kong people with disabilities
Category:Hong Kong women psychologists
Category:Hong Kong psychologists
Category:Hong Kong television actresses
Category:Hong Kong women writers
Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Regis University alumni
Category:Seton Hall University alumni