Anna May Wong, Acting - KorPlix:Korean Person Archives

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Anna May Wong
Acting

Anna May Wong
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1905-01-03,Los Angeles, California, USA
Gender
Female
Biography
Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress whose long career spanned both silent and sound films, television, stage, and radio. Apart from being recognized as the the first Chinese-American movie star, as well as the first Asian-American to become an international star, she was also seen as an acclaimed fashion icon due to her being the one of the early stars to embrace the flapper look. Born near the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles to second-generation Chinese-American parents, Wong became infatuated with the movies at an early age and quit education to focus on beginning an acting career. After landing parts as uncredited extras in silent films, she had her first leading role in The Toll of the Sea (1922), one of the first movies made in color. Her role in Douglas Fairbanks' The Thief of Bagdad (1924) helped her achieve international stardom. Tired of being offered stereotypical supporting roles, she left Hollywood for Europe in the late 1920s, where she starred in several plays alongside notable names like Laurence Olivier. She made her final silent film in Britain titled Piccadilly (1929), which earned her wide praise. Her first talkie, The Flame of Love (1930), was recorded in three languages: English, French and German. She spent the first half of the 1930s traveling between the United States and Europe for film and stage work. Wong was featured in films of the early sound era, such as Daughter of the Dragon (1931) and Daughter of Shanghai (1937), and with Marlene Dietrich in Josef von Sternberg's Shanghai Express (1932). These films brought her more and more fame, which she used to express her staunch political views. Although she advocated for Chinese-American causes and criticized the stereotypical roles she played, Chinese press and critics continued to view her as a disgrace to the country. After experiencing the most severe disappointment of her career, when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer refused to consider her for the leading Chinese role in the film The Good Earth (1937), and instead chose a white German actress in yellowface, Wong spent the a year touring China, visiting her family's ancestral village, and studying Chinese culture. Returning to Hollywood, she starred in several B movies that portrayed Chinese-Americans in a positive light in the late-1930s. As World War II rolled around, she focused less on her film career and decided to devote her time and money in helping the Chinese against Japanese invasions. Returning to the public eye in the 1950s with several television appearances, she started her own detective mystery television show titled The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951), the first U.S. television show starring an Asian-American. She was scheduled to return to film in Flower Drum Song (1961) but she died of a heart attack. For decades after her death, Wong was remembered mostly for the stereotypical roles she was given although critics have begun to reevaluate her life and career. In 2022, Wong became the first Asian-American to be depicted on American coinage when the quarters with her image on them went into circulation. In 2023, Mattel released a Barbie doll modeled on Wong in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Filmography

Shanghai Express

6.9

Shanghai Express
1932-02-12

Golden Gate Girls

5.5

Golden Gate Girls
2013-04-01

6.1

Impact
1949-03-20

The Thief of Bagdad

7.3

The Thief of Bagdad
1924-03-18

A Study in Scarlet

5.5

A Study in Scarlet
1933-05-14

Why Girls Love Sailors

5.9

Why Girls Love Sailors
1927-07-17

Portrait in Black

5.7

Portrait in Black
1960-07-27

Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery

5.3

Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
1941-03-24

6.4

Piccadilly
1929-02-01

Bombs Over Burma

5

Bombs Over Burma
1942-06-05

Elstree Calling

5.1

Elstree Calling
1930-02-06

The Toll of the Sea

6.2

The Toll of the Sea
1923-01-22

Lady from Chungking

5.2

Lady from Chungking
1942-12-21

Daughter of Shanghai

5.3

Daughter of Shanghai
1937-12-17

Daughter of the Dragon

5.1

Daughter of the Dragon
1931-09-24

5.5

Mr. Wu
1927-03-26

Anna May Wong - Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times and Legend

0

Anna May Wong - Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times and Legend
2007-01-01

7

Peter Pan
1924-12-29

Across to Singapore

6.8

Across to Singapore
1928-04-07

6.4

Tiger Bay
1934-09-01

8

Song
1928-08-21

4.3

Chu Chin Chow
1934-05-01

Limehouse Blues

4.2

Limehouse Blues
1934-12-11

The Devil Dancer

0

The Devil Dancer
1927-11-03

Island of Lost Men

5.7

Island of Lost Men
1939-08-16

Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood

5.6

Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
2019-10-13

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3

0

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
1932-10-20

6

Java Head
1934-07-31

When Were You Born

5.188

When Were You Born
1938-06-18

Hollywood Party

6.3

Hollywood Party
1937-04-03

Dangerous to Know

6.5

Dangerous to Know
1938-03-11

King of Chinatown

5.9

King of Chinatown
1939-03-17

The Red Lantern

6

The Red Lantern
1919-05-04

Old San Francisco

5.7

Old San Francisco
1927-09-04

Outside the Law

6.2

Outside the Law
1921-01-06

Hollywood on Parade

3

Hollywood on Parade
1932-06-05

0

The Alaskan
1924-09-14

The Chinese Parrot

0

The Chinese Parrot
1927-10-23

The Flame of Love

5.5

The Flame of Love
1930-03-07

The Road to Dishonour

0

The Road to Dishonour
1930-02-26

0

Just Joe
1960-07-01

His Supreme Moment

0

His Supreme Moment
1925-04-12

5.2

Dinty
1920-11-21

Pavement Butterfly

6

Pavement Butterfly
1929-04-09

6.2

Drifting
1923-08-26

The Savage Innocents

6.713

The Savage Innocents
1960-03-20

The Crimson City

0

The Crimson City
1928-04-07

0

Flame of Love
1930-09-19

The Desert's Toll

0

The Desert's Toll
1926-11-14

0

Fifth Avenue
1926-01-24

Mary of the Movies

0

Mary of the Movies
1923-05-27

0

Shame
1921-07-31

0

Bits of Life
1921-09-26

A Trip to Chinatown

0

A Trip to Chinatown
1926-06-06

The Fortieth Door

0

The Fortieth Door
1924-05-25

0

Forty Winks
1925-02-02

Driven from Home

0

Driven from Home
1927-01-15

Chinatown Charlie

0

Chinatown Charlie
1928-04-15

Streets of Shanghai

0

Streets of Shanghai
1927-12-15

The Honorable Mr. Buggs

6

The Honorable Mr. Buggs
1927-04-24

The Silk Bouquet

0

The Silk Bouquet
1926-06-25

0

Souvenirs
1928-02-15

Lilies of the Field

0

Lilies of the Field
1924-02-29

0

The First Born
1921-01-30

Thundering Dawn

0

Thundering Dawn
1923-11-05

The White Mouse

0

The White Mouse
1921-11-06

A Tale of Two Worlds

5.5

A Tale of Two Worlds
1921-03-13

7.4

Danger Man
1960-09-11

The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong

0

The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong
1951-08-27

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

6.7

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955-09-06

2.7

Climax!
1954-10-07

Adventures in Paradise

5.7

Adventures in Paradise
1959-10-05

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

6.2

The Barbara Stanwyck Show
1960-09-19

2.7

Climax!
1954-10-07

Asian Americans

0

Asian Americans
2020-05-11