Anna May Wong
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2020 · Asian Americans as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 · Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood as (archive footage)
- 2013 · Golden Gate Girls as Self (archive footage)
- 2007 · Anna May Wong - Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times and Legend as Herself (archive footage)
- 1960 · The Barbara Stanwyck Show as A-Hsing
- 1960 · Danger Man as
- 1960 · Portrait in Black as Tawny
- 1960 · Just Joe as Peach Blossom
- 1960 · The Savage Innocents as Hiku
- 1959 · Adventures in Paradise as Lu Yang
- 1955 · The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as
- 1954 · Climax! as Clerk
- 1954 · Climax! as Mayli
- 1951 · The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong as
- 1949 · Impact as Su Lin
- 1942 · Lady from Chungking as Kwan Mei
- 1942 · Bombs Over Burma as Lin Ying
- 1941 · Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery as Lois Ling
- 1939 · Island of Lost Men as Kim Ling
- 1939 · King of Chinatown as Dr. Mary Ling
- 1938 · When Were You Born as Mei Lei Ming
- 1938 · Dangerous to Know as Madame Lan Ying
- 1937 · Daughter of Shanghai as Lan Ying Lin
- 1937 · Hollywood Party as Herself
- 1934 · Limehouse Blues as Tu Tuan
- 1934 · Tiger Bay as Lui Chang
- 1934 · Java Head as Princess Taou Yuen
- 1934 · Chu Chin Chow as Zahrat
- 1933 · A Study in Scarlet as Mrs. Pyke
- 1932 · Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 as Self
- 1932 · Hollywood on Parade as Self
- 1932 · Shanghai Express as Hui Fei
- 1931 · Daughter of the Dragon as Ling Moy
- 1930 · Flame of Love as
- 1930 · The Flame of Love as Hai Tang
- 1930 · The Road to Dishonour as Hai-Tang
- 1930 · Elstree Calling as Herself / Katherina in Taming of the Shrew
- 1929 · Pavement Butterfly as Hai-Tang
- 1929 · Piccadilly as Shosho
- 1928 · Song as Song
- 1928 · Chinatown Charlie as Mandarin's Sweetheart
- 1928 · Across to Singapore as Singapore Saloon Girl (uncredited)
- 1928 · The Crimson City as Su
- 1928 · Souvenirs as The Captain's Chinese Love
- 1927 · Streets of Shanghai as Su Quan
- 1927 · The Devil Dancer as Sada
- 1927 · The Chinese Parrot as Nautch Dancer
- 1927 · Old San Francisco as A Flower of the Orient
- 1927 · Why Girls Love Sailors as Delamar (scenes deleted)
- 1927 · The Honorable Mr. Buggs as Baroness Stoloff
- 1927 · Mr. Wu as Loo Song
- 1927 · Driven from Home as
- 1926 · The Desert's Toll as Oneta
- 1926 · The Silk Bouquet as Dragon Horse
- 1926 · A Trip to Chinatown as Ohati
- 1926 · Fifth Avenue as Nan Lo
- 1925 · His Supreme Moment as Harem Girl in Play (uncredited)
- 1925 · Forty Winks as Annabelle Wu
- 1924 · Peter Pan as Tiger Lily
- 1924 · The Alaskan as Keok
- 1924 · The Fortieth Door as Zira
- 1924 · The Thief of Bagdad as The Mongol Slave
- 1924 · Lilies of the Field as
- 1923 · Thundering Dawn as Honky-Tonk Girl
- 1923 · Drifting as Rose Li
- 1923 · Mary of the Movies as Anna May Wong (uncredited)
- 1923 · The Toll of the Sea as Lotus Flower
- 1921 · The White Mouse as
- 1921 · Bits of Life as Toy Sing, Chin Chow's Wife
- 1921 · Shame as Lotus Blossom
- 1921 · A Tale of Two Worlds as
- 1921 · The First Born as
- 1921 · Outside the Law as Chinese Girl (uncredited)
- 1920 · Dinty as Half Moon
- 1919 · The Red Lantern as Eurasian woman (uncredited)