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简介

Yan Shunkai (June 6, 1937 – October 16, 2017) was a renowned Chinese performing artist and principal actor at the Shanghai Huaji Opera Troupe. Born in Shanghai in 1937 to a family originally from Echeng in Hubei Province, he graduated in 1963 from the Acting Department of the Central Academy of Drama and was assigned to the Shanghai Huaji Opera Troupe. He made his film debut in 1981 starring as Ah Q in "The True Story of Ah Q," for which he won Best Actor at the 6th Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Cane for Best Actor at the International Comedy Film Festival in Vevey, Switzerland. He pioneered the "sketch comedy" format on China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala in 1983. He performed many comedy sketches on successive Spring Festival Galas, including "Difficult Brothers" with Huang Hong in 1990, "The Character Zhang San" in 1993, and "Love Your Father as Your Son" with Zhang Kaili in 1999. He also directed and produced works including the 1988 film "The Inside Story of Ah Tan." He had a prolific career in film, television, and comedic theatre until his death at Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai on October 16, 2017, at the age of 80.