Chao Lei (1953-1966) was honored as the “King of Actors” of Shaw’s Mandarin films. He was also most sought-after during the wave of Huangmei Opera movies. Right after Chao Lei signed with Shaw’s as contract actor in 1953, he was given leading roles, collaborating with many first-rate lead actresses. He had played opposite Teresa Li in Diau Charn (1958) and Betty Loh Ti in The Enchanting Shadow (1960), etc. Chao Lei, Linda Lin Dai and Li Han-hsiang formed the “Iron Triangle” and made The Kingdom and the Beauty (1959), which achieved a record high box office for Huangmei Opera movies of the 1950s. In 1971, he left the movie industry and started his own business. He died of illness at the age of 68 in Hong Kong in 1996.