A LOOK BACK AT LEE LI-CHUN'S CAREER

For the past couple of decades, veteran actor Lee Li-chun has entertained Taiwanese audiences in films, on stage and TV or even in commercials, and he is still trying hard to take his performance to the next level.

Today at CTS, let's take a look back at his extraordinary career, and hear what he has to say about the art of acting.

No introduction of Taiwanese theater of the past few decades would be complete without a word on Lee Li-chun, a versatile character actor, great comedian, and occasional leading man.

He can easily inhabit a role in a wide range of genres, from period dramas

to comedy sketches

or even to a Shakespearean play.

In a 2008 Taiwanese production of Othello, Lee portrayed the title role opposite Jin Shi-jye's Iago in a clash of two acting titans.

And he found it a great challenge to convey the nuances of the Bard's language.

"I have to be extra careful with the lines

which are more than sheer repetitions.

They contain rich layers of meaning.

The more we manage to uncover them,

the closer we get

to the essence of Shakespeare's work."

Lee started his career as a TV actor, mostly appearing in variety show sketches.

His expressive body language and impeccable comic timing soon made him a popular comedian with the viewers.

In 1981, Lee was honored with a Golden Bell Award for his performance in a CTS drama inspired by Charlie Chaplin's timeless classic "City Lights." And the award was presented to him by the late John Ritter, of "Three's Company" fame, a comedian that Lee admires.

"The winner is...Lee Li-chun!"

"The ceremony that night was hosted by Teresa Teng.

And a foreign actor was invited to present the award.

It was John Ritter, star of 'Three's Company'

He was my hero, a great comedian.

The moment I received the award from him,

I realized how considerate the organizers were."

But Lee said that the reason behind his Golden Bell victory still befuddles him after 30 years.

"I broke character and laughed in a scene.

I did that, and still won the award!

I just found my lines so funny

And couldn't stop laughing.

Three cameras were rolling at the time.

I tried to move behind a fellow actor

To hide from the cameras.

And I still won the award!

The judges later explained that

I won because there were so few

'acid comedies' in Taiwan.

I don't know what that term means.

So 'acid comedy' it is."

In 1984, Lee met fellow actor Lee Kuo-hsiu, and playwright Stan Lai, who just returned from the U.S. after receiving his PhD in Dramatic Art a year ago.

The three of them were in discussion to produce a new stage play based on the traditional Chinese art form of comic dialogue, or Xiangsheng.

And the result, titled "That Evening, We Performed Xiangsheng," became a smash hit in 1985, and is now widely acknowledged as a comedic milestone.

"The three of us talked,

And said let's do a Xiangsheng play.

So we actually did one.

It was surprisingly popular,

wildly popular.

People kept asking for more.

In the end,

Kuo-hsiu had to call it quits.

He was vocally exhausted.

When he heard the show will extend its run,

He was consumed with fear,

And kept begging

'no more extension, please'"

In recent years, Lee expanded his career to China, appearing in many mainland-produced films and TV shows.

And despite being a well-respected thespian on both sides of the Taiwan Strait with decades of experience under his belt, Lee gives the impression that acting is still not easy for him.

"You don't have extra time to work on your performance.

So on the set, you must stay focused between takes.

Don't stop creating scenarios in your head.

Keep throwing "what-ifs" at yourself.

Your train of thought can't stop running.

If you relax and chat with others,

Then you'll have trouble when its your turn to act."

And the veteran actor's pursuit of great performances never ends.

"No matter how great a performance you've given,

you can't dwell on it.

As for your acting failure, no matter how bad it is,

You have to let it go.