According to the Xinmin Evening News, Li Zhiyu, a former professor at the Shanghai Theater Academy, died of illness in the early morning of December 5, 2021, at the age of 85. Just the day before, he had just celebrated his 85th birthday.
Li Zhiyu is a famous film actor and acting mentor in China. He was born on December 4, 1936 in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. His ancestral home is Changzhou, Jiangsu.
In 1962, as one of the first batch of theater performance graduate students in China, he graduated from the Acting Department of the Shanghai Theater Academy and stayed on to teach. In his educational career, he has cultivated a large number of outstanding performing talents, including Pan Hong, who has won the title of Golden Rooster Award several times, Song Jia, who has won the title of Hundred Flowers Award several times, You Yongzhi, who is known as the "Screen Tough Guy", and Ren Quan, Li Bingbing and other film and television stars.
In 1979, Director Yang Yanjin of Shanghai Film Studio directed the film "Distressed Laughter", and selected Li Zhiyu to play the male protagonist reporter Fu Bin, and the female protagonist was played by Li Zhiyu's student Pan Hong. The two play husband and wife in the play, cooperating with tacit understanding. In the film, Li Zhiyu presented a calm, subtle and restrained acting skill, which profoundly demonstrated Fu Bin's painful psychology of not being able to tell the truth in the special era, and won the praise of the audience. At the same time, Pan Hong also became famous because of this movie.
In 1980, Li Zhiyu successfully portrayed the role of poet Qiu Shi in "Bashan Night Rain" directed by Wu Yonggang, an old director of Shanghai Film Studio. Its deep, poetic performance is highly consistent with the overall style of the film. In the selection of the best actor at the first Golden Rooster Awards, Li Zhiyu was the only actor nominated.
Subsequently, in the movie "July Flowing Fire", he partnered with Chen Dashu and played the role of the male protagonist Wen Yuanqiao. In "After the Rain", the partner Gu Yongfei created the character of Bai Junmin. In 1982, he and Fang Shu co-starred in the film "Don't Forget Me" shot by the long film studio. In 1983, he played the role of Xu Xilin in the film "Qiu Jin" directed by Xie Jin.
In the 1980s, he was praised as the "Best Literati on Screen" for his often role as a mild-mannered literati in movies.
In 1985, Shanghai Film Studio remade the classic horror film "Midnight Song", and Li Zhiyu and his daughter Li Yun appeared in the film together, playing father and daughter. This is his first attempt to portray a villain role, and with his superb acting skills, He vividly reflects Li Xianchen's hypocrisy and brutality.
In addition, he also cooperated with student Pan Hong again in the movie "Well" shot by Eying Film Studio, and played a supporting role for student Song Jia in the movie "Purple Trace". In addition, he has also starred in various characters in movies such as "Fox Mystery Case", "High Friends Full seat", and "Superconductor".
In the 1999 TV series "Daming Palace Words" directed by Li Shaohong, the role of Li Zhizong of Tang Gaozong played by Li Zhiyu also left a deep impression on us.
In 1985, Li Zhiyu won the title of Emperor of the Third Golden Eagle Awards for playing the role of Xu Beihong in the TV series "Xu Beihong". In 1987, because of his outstanding performance, he was also rewarded by the Ministry of Culture for a promotion to the fourth level.
Li Zhiyu's family is a real film home. Many of his family members are film actors we know.
For example, his brother Li Wei is a famous film performance artist in China, who has created many classic roles in his life. Among them, Zhang Zhichen in "Spring in a Small Town", Tang Manager in "Stage Sisters", Hua Shaojie, an acrobatic artist in "Flying Knife Hua", Pan Lao Wu in "River Without Navigation", and Xu Mao, a rural old man in "Xu Mao and His Daughters", are all so deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
And his sister-in-law, that is, Li Wei's wife Zhang Ying, is also an actor in the film studio, and has played roles in movies such as "Night Voyage in the Sea of Fog", "Pen in Love", "Money Dream" and other movies familiar to the audience, and the performances are vivid.
Li Zhiyu's other brother, Li Nong, is a hard actor in the Shanghai Film Studio, who has played roles in movies such as "Heavy Light of the Earth", "Reconnaissance of crossing the river", "Tianluodi Network", "Red Sun", "The Record of the Big Knife", "Wind and Flow through the Ages" and other movies, known as "golden green leaves".
His wife, Hong Rong, is also an actor in the Shanghai Film Studio, starring in Xia Qianru in "The Young Generation" (remake version), Xinmei in "Sons, Grandsons and Seeds", Lu Yinghua in "Donggang Spy Movie", Ying Zi Ma in "Old Things in Seongnam", and Fang Gangmu in "Juvenile Offenders".
It is worth mentioning that his daughter Li Yun, who was also a popular movie star in the 80s, is known for her fresh temperament. Most of her roles in film and television dramas such as "Midnight Song", "On the Side of the Water", and "Angels and Devils" are mostly cold and beautiful women, leaving unforgettable memories for the audience.
In his later years, Li Zhiyu suffered from illness and lived in the hospital for many years, and his wife Hong Rong took good care of him.
His family and his students were deeply saddened by the news of his death.
His student Xiao Songjia (played by Nan Li in the TV series "Xiao Shede") said through the self-media platform: My performance enlightenment teacher, my mentor, an elegant gentleman, a restrained and low-key performance artist Li Zhiyu left us today. May he be in heaven without sickness, and in peace and tranquility. Teachers through the ages, your students will always love you.
Many fans and audiences who like him also express their deep remembrance of him. A netizen said: Shocked to hear bad news, strangle your wrist and sigh! Heavenly Gods: Please be kind to the "Bashan Night Rain" from the human world, and please give a shining star, named: Li Zhiyu... So that I can look up to the air to remember my beloved Mr. Li Zhiyu! Another netizen used the two movies that Teacher Li Zhiyu starred in before his death to remember: "Bashan Night Rain" has disappeared today, and there is no "Troubled Man" in the world. May Teacher Li Zhiyu go all the way.
Here, let us wish Mr. Li Zhiyu: all the way to the good.
Let's commemorate Mr. Li Zhiyu through a group of old photos before his death.
Above: Famous actor Li Zhiyu.
Above: Li Zhiyu took a photo in the 1980s.
Above: Li Zhiyu and student Pan Hong starred in the movie "Distressed Laughter" stills.
Above: Stills from the movie "July Flowing Fire" starring Li Zhiyu (cover of Popular Film Magazine, No. 7, 1981).
Above: Li Zhiyu and the little actor Mao Weihui played father and daughter in the movie "Bashan Night Rain".
Above: Li Zhiyu and Fang Shu take photos during the filming of "Don't Forget Me".
Above: Li Zhiyu and his daughter Li Yun.
Above: Li Zhiyu and his wife Hong Rong and student Song Jia.