Grace Chang Explained

Grace Chang
Birth Name:	張玉芳
Birth Date:	1933 6, df=yes
Birth Place:	Nanking, Jiangsu, China
Other Names:	Ko Lan
Occupation:	Singer, Actress
Spouse:	Gao Fuquan
Module:	Child: yes T: 葛蘭 S: 葛兰 P: Gě Lán

Grace Chang (born 13 June 1933), known in Chinese as Ko Lan (葛蘭), is a Hong Kong actress and singer. She was a popular idol in the 1950s, especially among students and the middle class.^[1]

She was a renowned Cathay Organization actress with many successes including It Blossoms Again, The Wild, Wild Rose, and Mambo Girl. Chang appeared in 33 films during her eleven-year acting career. Her last actual appearance was in 1964 though she has provided vocals for soundtracks.

Biography

Chang was a Haining, Zhejiang native, born in Nanking and grew up in Shanghai. In 1949, Chang moved to Hong Kong with her father. The great singer-actress Chow Hsuan was her idol.^[1]

Chang's stage name was Ko Lan, an approximation of her English name Grace. She began vocal training in her childhood. Chang began her career with Taishan Pictures where she starred in her debut show, “Seven Sisters” in 1952.

In 1961, Chang married Kao Fuchuan in London, England. Chang retired from acting in 1964.

Filmography

• 1953 Seven Sisters
• 1954 Red Bloom in the Snow
• 1954 Blood-Stained Flowers
• 1954 It Blossoms Again
• 1955 Soldier of Fortune^[2]
• 1956 Surprise
• 1956 The ingenious Seduction
• 1956 The Long Lane
• 1956 Over the Rolling Hills
• 1956 The Story of a Fur Coat^[3]
• 1957 Mambo Girl^{[4] [5]}
• 1957 Booze, Boobs and Bucks
• 1957 Love and Crime
• 1957 Murder in the Night
• 1958 Torrents of Desire
• 1958 Golden Phoenix
• Crimes of Passion (1959)
• Spring Song (1959)
• 1959 Air Hostess - Lin Ke-Ping. in French.^[6]
• 1959 Our Dream Car - Lee Jiaying.^[7]
• My Darling Sister (1959)
• The Girl With a Thousand Faces (1960)
• The June Bride (1960)
• 1960 Forever Yours - Yu Liying.^[8]
• The Loving Couple (1960)
• Miss Pony-Tail (1960)
• The Wild, Wild Rose (1960)
• Sun, Moon and Star (1961)
• Sun, Moon and Star Part 2 (1961)
• Because of Her (1963)
• The Magic Lamp (1964)
• A Story of Three Loves Part 1 (1964)
• A Story of Three Loves Part 2 (1964)
• The Hole (1998) (soundtrack only)
• The Wayward Cloud (2005) (soundtrack only)
• Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang (2008) (soundtrack only)
• Crazy Rich Asians (2018) (soundtrack only)

Notes and References

1. Book: Law Kar. Frank Bren. Sam Ho. Hong Kong Cinema: A Cross-cultural View. 2004. Scarecrow Press. 978-0-8108-4986-0. 259–260.
2. Web site: Memories of the mambo girl . scmp.com . March 14, 2002 . April 18, 2021.
3. Web site: The Story of a Fur Coat . hkmdb.com . December 14, 1956 . April 18, 2021.
4. Book Chapter: The Mambo Girl . dukeupress.edu . May 2015 . 10.1215/9780822375623-005 . April 18, 2021.
5. Web site: Mambo Girl . sensesofcinema.com . Kevin . Lee . May 2008 . April 18, 2021.
6. Web site: Air Hostess . hkmdb.com . June 4, 1959 . April 18, 2021.
7. Web site: Our Dream Car . hkmdb.com . July 9, 1959 . April 18, 2021.
8. Web site: Forever Yours . hkmdb.com . April 7, 1960 . April 18, 2021.