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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0938923
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q232376
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Filmography (Movies)
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:13/10/2019
Golden Gate Girls
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/04/2013
Anna May Wong - Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times and Legend
Character:Herself (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2007
Dragon by the Tail
Character:A-Hsing
Release Date:30/01/1961
Portrait in Black
Character:Tawny
Release Date:27/07/1960
Just Joe
Character:Peach Blossom
Release Date:01/07/1960
The Savage Innocents
Character:Hiku
Release Date:20/03/1960
Impact
Character:Su Lin
Release Date:20/03/1949
Lady from Chungking
Character:Kwan Mei
Release Date:21/12/1942
Bombs Over Burma
Character:Lin Ying
Release Date:05/06/1942
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
Character:Lois Ling
Release Date:24/03/1941
Island of Lost Men
Character:Kim Ling
Release Date:16/08/1939
King of Chinatown
Character:Dr. Mary Ling
Release Date:17/03/1939
When Were You Born
Character:Mei Lei Ming
Release Date:18/06/1938
Dangerous to Know
Character:Madame Lan Ying
Release Date:11/03/1938
Daughter of Shanghai
Character:Lan Ying Lin
Release Date:17/12/1937
Hollywood Party
Character:Herself
Release Date:03/04/1937
Anna May Wong visits Shanghai, China
Character:self
Release Date:01/01/1936
Limehouse Blues
Character:Tu Tuan
Release Date:11/12/1934
Tiger Bay
Character:Lui Chang
Release Date:01/09/1934
Java Head
Character:Princess Taou Yuen
Release Date:31/07/1934
Chu Chin Chow
Character:Zahrat
Release Date:01/05/1934
A Study in Scarlet
Character:Mrs. Pyke
Release Date:14/05/1933
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
Character:Self
Release Date:20/10/1932
Hollywood on Parade
Character:Self
Release Date:05/06/1932
Shanghai Express
Character:Hui Fei
Release Date:12/02/1932
Daughter of the Dragon
Character:Ling Moy
Release Date:24/09/1931
Flame of Love
Character:
Release Date:19/09/1930
The Flame of Love
Character:Hai Tang
Release Date:26/02/1930
The Road to Dishonour
Character:Hai-Tang
Release Date:26/02/1930
Elstree Calling
Character:Herself / Katherina in Taming of the Shrew
Release Date:06/02/1930
Pavement Butterfly
Character:Hai-Tang
Release Date:09/04/1929
Piccadilly
Character:Shosho
Release Date:01/02/1929
Song
Character:Song
Release Date:21/08/1928
Chinatown Charlie
Character:Mandarin's Sweetheart
Release Date:15/04/1928
Across to Singapore
Character:Singapore Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Release Date:07/04/1928
The Crimson City
Character:Su
Release Date:07/04/1928
Souvenirs
Character:The Captain's Chinese Love
Release Date:15/02/1928
Streets of Shanghai
Character:Su Quan
Release Date:15/12/1927
The Devil Dancer
Character:Sada
Release Date:03/11/1927
The Chinese Parrot
Character:Nautch Dancer
Release Date:23/10/1927
Old San Francisco
Character:A Flower of the Orient
Release Date:04/09/1927
Why Girls Love Sailors
Character:Delamar (scenes deleted)
Release Date:17/07/1927
The Honorable Mr. Buggs
Character:Baroness Stoloff
Release Date:24/04/1927
Mr. Wu
Character:Loo Song
Release Date:26/03/1927
Driven from Home
Character:
Release Date:15/01/1927
The Desert's Toll
Character:Oneta
Release Date:14/11/1926
The Silk Bouquet
Character:Dragon Horse
Release Date:25/06/1926
A Trip to Chinatown
Character:Ohati
Release Date:06/06/1926
Fifth Avenue
Character:Nan Lo
Release Date:24/01/1926
His Supreme Moment
Character:Harem Girl in Play (uncredited)
Release Date:12/04/1925
Forty Winks
Character:Annabelle Wu
Release Date:02/02/1925
Peter Pan
Character:Tiger Lily
Release Date:29/12/1924
The Alaskan
Character:Keok
Release Date:14/09/1924
The Fortieth Door
Character:Zira
Release Date:25/05/1924
The Thief of Bagdad
Character:The Mongol Slave
Release Date:18/03/1924
Lilies of the Field
Character:
Release Date:29/02/1924
Thundering Dawn
Character:Honky-Tonk Girl
Release Date:05/11/1923
Drifting
Character:Rose Li
Release Date:26/08/1923
Mary of the Movies
Character:Anna May Wong (uncredited)
Release Date:27/05/1923
The Toll of the Sea
Character:Lotus Flower
Release Date:22/01/1923
The White Mouse
Character:
Release Date:06/11/1921
Bits of Life
Character:Toy Sing, Chin Chow's Wife
Release Date:26/09/1921
Shame
Character:Lotus Blossom
Release Date:31/07/1921
A Tale of Two Worlds
Character:
Release Date:13/03/1921
The First Born
Character:
Release Date:30/01/1921
Outside the Law
Character:Chinese Girl (uncredited)
Release Date:06/01/1921
Dinty
Character:Half Moon
Release Date:21/11/1920
The Red Lantern
Character:Eurasian woman (uncredited)
Release Date:04/05/1919
Television Appearances
Asian Americans
Character:Self (archive footage)
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Character:A-Hsing
Danger Man
Character:
Adventures in Paradise
Character:Lu Yang
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Character:
Producers' Showcase
Character:Chinese Woman
Climax!
Character:Clerk
Climax!
Character:Mayli
The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong
Character:
Images
