Chinese actress and singer Bai Guang (June 27, 1921 – Aug 27, 1999). File photo

6. Bai Guang (June 27, 1921 – Aug 27, 1999)

Bai Guang initially came into the public eye for her portrayal of femme fatale characters on screen. Bai Guang distinguished herself from the pure and innocent images portrayed by most female celebrities and added more vitality to Shanghai's showbiz with her flirtatious and playful character. The wild image and somewhat-lazy mezzo voice took China by the storm. Her popularity at the time was comparable to that of Zhou Xuan.

A reviewer at the time wrote: "The audiences loves and hates the female villain, played by Bai Guang, to their bones. That flint of eyebrow and seductive glance made my heart beat faster than ever. That rich and deep singing voice intoxicated my ears and mind. In short, marvelous."

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