To celebrate my latest interview with ANNA WONG, the niece of Hollywood’s first Chinese-American Movie Star Anna May Wong (Episodes 69 & 70), I've put together this entertaining trivia list featuring some fun facts about her aunt’s amazing life and films for you to enjoy!
Anna May Wong, was born in Los Angeles in 1905 and against the wishes of her very conservative family, had been in films since 1919. She was the most popular Asian actor of her time and was constantly mentioned as one of Hollywood's most beautiful and best-dressed women. She only appeared in 17 sound films and only a handful of those as the star.
Anna attended Hollywood High School, where she became a photographer's model.
Wong was working at Hollywood's Ville de Paris department store when Metro Pictures needed 300 female extras to appear in Alla Nazimova's film “The Red Lantern” (1919). Without her father's knowledge, a friend of his with movie connections helped her land an uncredited role as an extra carrying a lantern.
In 1921, Wong received her first screen credit for “Bits of Life”, the first anthology film, in which she played the wife of Lon Chaney's character, Toy Ling, in a segment entitled "Hop"
In the 1930s, she toured in vaudeville and with her own one-woman show, traveling through Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries. In London, she had a widely praised nightclub engagement at the Embassy Club, where she sang and danced.
Spoke French and German fluently along with her native English and Chinese.
Wong overcame Hollywood's practice at the time of casting white actors to play Asian roles and became its first, and a leading, Asian-American movie star in the 1920s through the late 1930s.
Appearing in some 60 movies during her life, she was a top billed player for over 20 years, working not only in Hollywood, but also in England and Germany. In addition, she was a star of the stage and a frequent guest performer on radio, and would headline the first American television series concentrating on an Asian character, “The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong” (DuMont, 1951).
Her first starring role at the age of seventeen, was the first full length color movie “The Toll of the Sea” (1922). Written by Frances Marion, the story was based loosely on “Madama Butterfly”.
During production of “The Toll of the Sea” (1922), star Anna May Wong reportedly said, "This picture will never reach the screen.
At the age of 19, Wong was cast in a supporting role as a scheming Mongol slave in the 1924 Douglas Fairbanks picture “The Thief of Bagdad”(1924). Playing a stereotypical "Dragon Lady" role, her brief appearances on-screen caught the attention of audiences and critics alike. The film grossed more than $2 million and helped introduce Wong to the public.
Douglas Fairbanks originally considered making the film “The Thief of Bagdad” (1924) in color but, according to Anna May Wong, he decided against this at "the eleventh hour."
Anna May Wong performed the role of ‘Tiger Lily’ in the 1924 silent production of “Peter Pan”. Also in the cast was Cyril Ritchard who performed the role of Captain Hook on stage and in the television production of “Peter Pan” with Mary Martin.
In 1926, Wong put the first rivet into the structure of Grauman's Chinese Theatre when she joined Norma Talmadge for its groundbreaking ceremony, although she was not invited to leave her hand- and foot-prints in cement.
Tired of being both typecast and passed over for lead Asian character roles in favor of non-Asian actresses, Wong left Hollywood in 1928 for Europe.
“Piccadilly” (1929) was the last silent film for Anna May Wong.
During the 1930s, American studios were looking for fresh European talent. Ironically, Wong caught their eye, and she was offered a contract with Paramount Studios in 1930. Enticed by the promise of lead roles and top billing, she returned to the United States.
“Daughter of the Dragon” (1931) was the first American talking picture for both Anna May Wong and Sessue Hayakawa.
Also in the cast of ”Daughter of the Dragon” was Anna May Wong's sister, Mary Wong, who was making her film debut as uncredited "Chinese Girl."
Paramount spent a thousand dollars, far more than the costume costs of any other player, for Anna May Wong's elaborate Chinese gowns in “Daughter of the Dragon” (1931).
It is believed by some that Wong never kissed her leading man on the lips on screen but she does share just such a kiss with John Loder in “Java Head”. Such a scene was filmed for her film “Road to Dishonour” with John Longden but was deleted by censors who felt that moviegoers might be offended by an interracial kiss. Also in “Lady from Chungking”, Harold Huber, a Caucasian playing a Japanese general, kisses her on the lips as the scene fades, in the 63rd minute of the film.
Desperately wanted the role of O-Lan in the romance film “The Good Earth” (1937). However, due to her being ethnically Chinese and the male lead Paul Muni being Caucasian, she was turned down for the role. She was given an opportunity to play Lotus, a Chinese peasant girl, which she turned down.
China initially banned the movie “Shanghai Express” (1932), demanding its withdrawal from worldwide circulation. The ban was lifted when Paramount pledged not to make another film involving Chinese politics.
It was rumored that Marlene Dietrich and Anna May Wong were having an affair at the time of filming “Shanghai Express”. This has never been confirmed.
The film “Shanghai Express” was the highest-grossing film of 1932 in both the USA and Canada.
For her second film for Paramount, “Daughter of Shanghai”, Anna May Wong played the Asian-American female lead in a role that was rewritten for her as the heroine of the story, actively setting the plot into motion rather than the more passive character originally planned. The script was so carefully tailored for Wong that at one point it was given the working title "Anna May Wong Story."
“Jaa Head” (1934) is the only film of Anna May Wong's career where she was allowed to kiss a Caucasian man on-screen. She had filmed one for 1929's Piccadilly, but it was deleted from the final cut. The kiss was allowed here because the characters were already established as husband and wife. As a result, it was one of Anna May Wong's personal favorites.
“Daughter of Shanghai” (1937) was written and produced as a star vehicle for Anna May Wong. Earlier the same year she had been rejected for the lead in “The Good Earth” (1937), a role she strove to land. Losing the part to white actress Luise Rainer was a bitter pill for her to swallow.
“Daughter of Shanghai” is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong, Charles Bickford and Buster Crabbe. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which actor Anthony Quinn appeared.
Anna May Wong told Hollywood Magazine, "I like my part in this picture (“Daughter of Shanghai”) better than any I've had before ... because this picture gives Chinese a break --- we have sympathetic parts for a change! To me, that means a great deal."
Took her first and only trip to China in 1936. The trip was filmed and would later be broadcast on television in the 1950s including narration from Anna May.
The original play “On the Spot” premiered on Broadway at the Forrest Theatre on October 29, 1930, and ran for 167 performances. Anna May Wong starred (she reprised her role in the film “Dangerous to Know” (1938)), and the cast included Glenda Farrell, Arthur Vinton and Crane Wilbur.
The Warner Bros film “When Were You Born?” was meant to be the first in a low-budget franchise starring Anna May Wong as a amateur detective who uses astrology to solve crimes.
During World War II - when her film “Lady from Chungking (1942) was made - Anna May Wong went out of her way to clarify that she was of Chinese heritage and not Japanese. This included regularly supporting and doing volunteer work for organizations raising funds for Chinese resistance to the Japanese invasion and domination of China.
During World War II, with the negative attitude toward Asians, accomplished Chinese-American Hollywood star Anna May Wong was reduced to making only two feature films, including this one, both for the poverty row PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation). It would be the end of the decade before she would appear in another feature film.
She donated her salary from both films “Bombs over Burma” (1942) and “Lady from Chungking” (1942) to the then United China Relief.
“Lady from Chuingking” (1942), along with “Java Head” (1934) are the only films in which Anna May Wong was allowed to kiss a Caucasian man. In this film's case, she kisses the Japanese Gen. Kaimura who is played by Harold Huber, who is ethnically Russian.
“Impact” (1949) was the first film for Anna May Wong in seven years since “Lady from Chungking”. It would be her penultimate film, her final one, “Portrait in Black”, eleven years later.
She was the first Asian American Actress to have a series lead role for the show The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951) lasted for only 10 episodes. The role was specifically written for her. The kinescopes from the DuMont network were destroyed in the 1970s.
“Portrait In Black’ (1960) with Lana Turner was Anna May Wong's final film.
Producer Ross Hunter cast Anna May Wong in her first theatrical feature film since 1949. He had planned to cast her in a key role in his upcoming film version of "Flower Drum Song" (1961) but she suffered a fatal heart attack before principle photography began. She was replaced by Juanita Hall. Anna was only 56 years old when she passed away.
Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 1708 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960. Also there is a lifesize statue of her part of the Four Ladies Hollywood Gazebo which also features other actresses of color including Dorothy Dandridge. It is located at the Western Part of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Became the first Asian American to appear on US Currency October 19, 2022.
She was the inspiration for the character Lady Fay Zhu in "Babylon" (2022).
In 2023, Mattel released a Barbie doll modeled on Wong in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
A biopic from Working Title Films is in development, with British actress Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”) set to portray Wong
Trivia items from IMDB
To listen to my fascinating conversation with the niece of legendary movie star Anna May Wong - ANNA WONG - who has made it her life’s mission to keep her aunt’s legacy alive and increase awareness of Asian American issues to the public. on my podcast - click on the links below. Enjoy!
Episode 69 - HERE
Episode 70 - HERE
