Chen Qiang

Chen Qiang (; 1918 – 26 June 2012) was a Chinese film and stage actor and comedian best known for his performances as villains/antagonists in The Red Detachment of Women, The White Haired Girl and Devils on the Doorstep. Chen began his career as an actor in 1947 and has played more than 40 different characters since then. His second son, Chen Peisi, is also a well-known actor and comedian. Biography Chen was born Chen Qingsan to a poor family in Xujiahe Township of Ningjin County, in Hebei province. When he was a child, he relocated to Taiyuan, Shanxi with his parents. In 1936, he attended Taiyuan Youth Theatre and Xinsheng Theatre; both were progressive groups organized by the Communist Party of China. In 1938, he went to Yan'an to study acting at Lu Xun Academy of Arts. After graduating in 1939 he joined the Song and Dance Troupe of Shanxi-Chahaer-Hebei Border Region. Chen joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1942, and made his comedy debut in The Second Uncle.