Unsatisfied with his achievements in skits, Zhao later began his career as an actor and director of films and TV series. The Male Dean of Women, in which he invested personally and played the leading role, won the 1998 nation-level "Huabiao Award" and the Award for Excellent Leading Actor. As an aside, for the prosperity and development of art, Zhao established the Benshan Art Company.

In the spring of 2002, Liu Lao Gen, the first TV series in which Zhao acted as the director and the leading actor, debuted on CCTV Channel-1, gaining an unprecedented audience rating. Following the success of Liu Lao Gen, he directed the sequel Liu Lao Gen II, which was also a huge success. Later, he shot another TV series Ma Dashuai and its sequel Ma Dashuai II.

In June 2005, Zhao Benshan started his new role as chairman of the Chinese Super League team Liaoning. He will help Liaoning build a training base in Hainan (island province in South China), which also will serve as a holiday resort, and cooperate with the club to establish a soccer academy, the first ever in China, at his movie production base.

Zhao is currently a First Class National Actor of the Tieling Folk Art Troupe, a member of the Chinese Ballad Singers Association, vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Ballad Singers Association, commissary of the All-China Youth Federation, a member of the People's Political Consultative Conference, and an image ambassador of Tieling City.

Author: Jessie

All rights reserved. Reproduction of text for non-commercial purposes is permitted provided that both the source and author are acknowledged and a notifying email is sent to us.