Zhao Benshan

Categories: Chinese actors | Chinese directors

Zhao Benshan (赵本山;pinyin:Zhào Běnshān) (born 1957) is a Chinese skit and sitcom actor, and recently turned director.

Born in Shizui Cottage in Lianhua County in Tieling, Liaoning, in a peasant family, he was orphaned when he was only 6. Apprenticed to his uncle, he learned many local traditional performance arts, including Er hu, Er Ren Zhuan etc.

He gained some popularity in local areas, which caught attention of Jiang Kun, a famous Chinese Xiangsheng artist, who recommend him to the 1987 Chinese New Year's Gala, a TV program broadcast all around China. After his first appearance, he had appeared in each Gala show every year. Some of his highlights included "Yesterday, today and Tomorrow", and "Fixing up the house".

Since the turn of the century, Zhao had also turned attention towards acting and directing sitcoms, appearing as the main character in Liu Laoger and Ma Dashuai, and their sequals. Some of his associates in acting are Gao Xiumin and Fan Wei.

External links

Zhaobenshan's home - The Official Zhao Benshan Website(Chinese Only)de:Zhao Benshan zh:赵本山