Kelly Lai Chen's life was marked by significant events from a young age. When he was just four years old, the Japanese invasion of Shanghai led to his father's untimely death. His mother, struggling to care for her children, took them to live with her parents.
Tragedy struck again a few years later when Kelly's mother also passed away, leaving him in the care of his grandfather. The family lived in the same building as the renowned Tianchan Theatre, which was run by Kelly's grandfather. This was a significant part of Kelly's life, as it provided him with a sense of stability and familiarity.
However, their lives were disrupted once more when the communist army advanced on Shanghai in 1949. Kelly's grandfather, concerned for their safety, decided to send his wife and grandchildren to Hong Kong for a while. Kelly ended up staying in Hong Kong for an extended period, which ultimately led to his entry into the film industry.
Kelly's debut in the 1956 film "Qing shan cui gu" marked the beginning of his long and successful career in the film industry. He went on to work with MP & GI (later Cathay) Studio, producing and acting in numerous films. In the late 1960s, he co-founded the Golden Eagle film production company with his sister Betty Loh Ti, director Chiu-Feng Yuan, and writer Fan Yi.
Despite the company's success, it was ultimately forced to close down due to the decline of the Cathay Studio and the death of Kelly's sister. Kelly then left the film industry and joined a film processing company, specializing in color film processing.
Later, when the opportunity arose to join a new film processing lab, Kelly took it and became the manager of the Cine Art Laboratory for over 20 years. In 1996, he made a small appearance in the film "Goo waak jai 2: Ji maang lung gwoh gong," and in 2000, he made a guest appearance in "Fa yeungnin wa."
