Yang Fan

Biography

Yang Fan, born in 1943 in Sichuan, China as Yang Guangxi, moved with his family to Taiwan at an early age and settled there. He became one of the most successful early Taiwanese actors in Hong Kong. He enrolled in acting studies at the film research institute founded by the general manager of Central Motion Picture Corporation and participated in the film "In the Streets and Alleys" directed by Li Xing. In 1966, he joined Shaw Brothers as a basic actor and signed a seven-year contract. In early 1970, he terminated his contract with Shaw Brothers and was hospitalized for depression that September; after recovery he returned to cinema and starred in several films. He later transitioned to television, joining China Television as a basic actor. In 1977, he developed mental health issues and his family decided to send him to a hospital for treatment, where he remained for 29 years. He passed away in October 2006 at the age of 63 from lung cancer.