Yam Bing-yee entered Cantonese opera at age 11.
Trained under her cousin Yam Kim-fai, she started with small roles, eventually earning the sobriquet "The Queen of Second Lead Actresses". She made her film debut in 1948 and appeared in over 200 films, many of them opera films with historical settings. She has a versatile acting range and often played the second lead role, such as the loyal maid or an ignored cousin.