Barbara Yu Ling

Barbara Yu Ling
Yu Ling in 1962 during filming of 55 Days at Peking
Born	Barbara Yu Ling Lee 4 November 1933/1938 Singapore
Died	6 April 1997 Camden, London, England
Other names	Barbara Lee, Barbara Lee Yuling, Yu Ling
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1957 – 1997
Spouse(s)	Ian Albery

Barbara Lee (4 November 1933/1938 – 6 April 1997), who used the stage name Barbara Yu Ling, was a Singapore-born actress of stage, screen, and television who was based in Britain from the 1950s. One of the first Singaporean Chinese actresses to gain attention in Europe, she appeared in productions of Madame Butterfly and The World of Suzie Wong. Among the films she appeared in were Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride (1973), and Hardware (1990). Her last film was Peggy Su! in 1997.

Lee was born in Singapore. Her father was a schoolteacher, and her mother died young. A protégée of Malcolm MacDonald, Britain's Commissioner-General to Southeast Asia, she worked as a teacher before moving to England in 1955 to study at London's Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art. MacDonald introduced Lee to Dame Sybil Thorndike, who aided Lee with her performing career. Her sister Dorothy Lee, who joined her in England, later became the wife and collaborator of illustrator Paul Goble.

Lee married British theatre producer Ian Albery in 1966; the couple had two sons. She died of cancer at her home in London on 6 April 1997.

Lee's first major acting role was the BBC's 1957 television production of the opera Madame Butterfly as Suzuki, although the actors' singing was dubbed by professionals.

In 1966 she had a co-starring role with Jeffrey Hunter in the Hong Kong-shot film Strange Portrait. She played a ballerina and girlfriend of the main character played by Hunter. The film was never released and is now believed lost. According to director Jeffrey Stone, the film was suppressed by the Hong Kong censors because of a scene in which Lee appeared partially nude.

In 1973 she had her most prominent film role, as cult leader Chin Yang in Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride. Author Paul Meehan commented that stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were "ably assisted by the quirky portrayals of Freddie Jones and Barbara Yu Ling in supporting roles."