To Sam Ku

Biography

To Sam Ku, also known as "Silver Mouse", was born in 1895 in Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, China. She was the wife of Zhou Jinbo, manager of a Cantonese opera troupe in Guangzhou, and was widowed in the 1950s. She began her career in Shanghai and British Malaya as a leading Cantonese opera actress, where Shanghai critics praised her well-proportioned figure and clear singing voice likened to spring orioles. In 1935, she launched her film career, mainly appearing in Cantonese-language films, often playing roles such as matchmakers, madams, and landladies. She also performed opera and theatrical works in Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam, transitioning to comedic roles. In 1950, she received an honorary medal from the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China for her role in the film "Tears of the Pearl River". She also represented a pharmaceutical company at a trade fair in 1955. She retired from acting in the 1970s but made a television appearance in 1979. She passed away on 13 March 1983 in Hong Kong due to a cerebral hemorrhage.