Tao Da-wei (陶大偉), the veteran entertainer known for his comic performances, died of lung cancer and multiple organ failure at National Taiwan University Hospital yesterday at the age of 69.
Tao, affectionately known as “Uncle Tao,” was hospitalized last month with cardiac problems.
His son, David Tao (陶吉吉), a pop singer, issued a statement last night confirming that his father died at about 3pm.
A versatile entertainer, Tao Da-wei shot to fame in the 1980s when he hosted a popular children’s TV program. However, he began his stage career by moonlighting as a rock singer while studying international commerce at National Chengchi University.
Disliking his coursework, he decided to transfer and study fine art at National Taiwan College of Arts, the precursor of National Taiwan University of Arts. This laid the basis for his later pursuit of a career in animation production.
He graduated in 1964 and moved to the US in 1972 to work as a layout artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He liked to say that his stay in the US was not aimed at pursuing the American dream, but rather at chasing his animation dream.
Since his return to Taiwan in 1980, Tao starred in 21 films, released seven albums and produced 24 TV programs, many of which he himself hosted or co-hosted. He won 14 Golden Bell awards.
Tao was also dedicated to children’s education, instilling ethical concepts in many of his programs.
Tao, who would have turned 70 on Sept. 28, is survived by his wife and his son.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS