Ge Cunzhuang

Gé Cúnzhuàng, born January 13, 1929, in Dongwan Ai Village, Raoyang County, Hebei Province. Due to limited family economic means, he did not complete elementary school and began working in manual labor. At age ten, the family moved to Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province, seeking livelihood in the Manchurian region. After the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Gé Cúnzhuàng worked as a laboratory technician at Qiqihar Railway Hospital. In 1947, he joined the Wenhua Troupe in Qiqihar and began performing in the arts. In 1949, he was transferred with the troupe to the Northeast Film Studio, officially starting his career as a film actor. In 1953, he was transferred to the Beijing Film Studio Actor Troupe.

In the early stages of his acting career, Gé Cúnzhuàng mostly played minor, unnamed roles. His first appearance was in the film "Zhao Yiman," in a collective half-length shot, brief but of significant importance. Subsequently, he gradually played supporting roles or minor characters with names, such as his first credited role in "No. 6 Gate," and playing the traitor Yang Shouye in "Plains Guerrilla," a role with few screen appearances but memorable character images.

In 1959, Gé Cúnzhuàng starred in the film "Mine Lamp," playing Manager Tian Dao, marking his official entry into the film industry. That same year, he appeared as Li Zhiteng in the red-themed film "The Song of Youth," and played the role of Qingshui in "Grain." In 1960, he played the antagonist Feng Lanxi in "Red Flag Spectrum," beginning to be recognized by audiences for his "villain" roles. He continued expanding his acting range, and in 1963 played the villain Gui Tian in "Little Soldier Zhang Ga," with the influential line "Your conscience is very bad."

During the 1960s, Gé Cúnzhuàng participated in several important films, including "Red River Waves," "Xiao Er Hei’s Wedding," and "Youth Luban." In 1974, he played the enemy Chief of Staff in "North-South Campaign," with a performance considered a classic. In 1975, he starred as Professor Sun in the comedy "Breakup," vividly showcasing a scene explaining the function of horse’s tail, which gained wide acclaim. In his later years, he took part in numerous works, including the TV drama "Huang Chenggen" and the film "Fights for the Lion King" in the "Once Upon a Time in China" series.

After China's reform and opening up, Gé Cúnzhuàng remained active in film and television. In the 1980s, he starred in films such as "Flowing Red Skirt on the Street" and "Martial Arts Chronicles." In the 1990s, he played Qi Shibaishi in "Zhou Enlai – Great Friend," earning the Best Supporting Actor award at the Golden Rooster Awards. After 2000, he gradually reduced his work volume, focusing on "green leaf" roles—a reference to supporting characters. In 2004, he appeared as the Chinese envoy to France in the commemorative film "My France Years," celebrating Deng Xiaoping’s centenary, demonstrating his enduring acting prowess.

Gé Cúnzhuàng was not only influential in the entertainment industry but also actively engaged in philanthropy. In 2009, he was named one of China's top ten charitable stars. In 2010, he donated to the earthquake disaster areas in Yushu, Qinghai Province, and served as the image ambassador for the "Chinese Respect for the Elderly Film Base." Family-wise, his son, Gé Yu, is also a renowned actor. In June 2012, Gé Cúnzhuàng was hospitalized after a stroke. His condition initially improved, but he eventually passed away shortly thereafter.