Anna May Wong
Also Known As: Wong Liu Tsong, Anna Mae Wong, 黃柳霜
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.
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
Birthday: January 03, 1905
Deathday: February 02, 1961
Adult: No
Gender: Female
Popularity:
Known For:
Shanghai Express
Overview: A beautiful temptress re-kindles an old romance while trying to escape her past during a tension-packed train journey.
Genres: Drama Romance War Crime History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1932-02-12
Popularity:
Golden Gate Girls
Overview: The film traces the life and times of Esther Eng, a San Francisco native known as Hong Kong’s first “directress.” She directed 10 Cantonese talkies.
Genres: Documentary History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2013-04-01
Popularity:
Impact
Overview: After surviving a murder attempt, an auto magnate goes into hiding so his wife can pay for the crime.
Genres: Thriller Drama Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1949-03-20
Popularity:
The Thief of Bagdad
Overview: A recalcitrant thief vies with a duplicitous Mongol ruler for the hand of a beautiful princess.
Genres: Romance Adventure Fantasy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1924-03-18
Popularity:
A Study in Scarlet
Overview: In London, a secret society led by lawyer Thaddeus Merrydew collects the assets of any of its deceased members and divides them among the remaining members. Society members start dropping like flies. Sherlock Holmes is approached by member James Murphy's widow, who is miffed at being left penniless by her husband. When Captain Pyke is shot, Holmes keys in on his mysterious Chinese widow as well as the shady Merrydew. Other members keep dying: Malcom Dearing first, then Mr. Baker. There is also an attempt on the life of young Eileen Forrester, who became a reluctant society member upon the death of her father. Holmes' uncanny observations and insights are put to the test.
Genres: Crime Mystery Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1933-05-14
Popularity:
Why Girls Love Sailors
Overview: Stan is a sailor whose girl gets kidnapped by a rough sea captain. Stan dresses in drag and seduces the captain but the captain's wife catches him. Stan and his girl beat a hasty retreat as the captain's wife fires off a parting shot.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-07-17
Popularity:
Portrait in Black
Overview: A pair of lovers plot to kill the woman's rich husband.
Genres: Drama Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-07-27
Popularity:
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
Overview: Chinese ventriloquist Gordon Cobb is murdered by a gang of jewel thieves. Baffled by the contradictory clues, Inspector Queen asks his son Ellery to help out.
Genres: Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1941-03-24
Popularity:
Piccadilly
Overview: A young Chinese woman, working in the kitchen at a London dance club, is given the chance to become the club's main act.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1929-02-01
Popularity:
Bombs Over Burma
Overview: The film tells the story of Chinese guerrillas fighting for the Allied cause in Burma during Early in World War II, Chungking schoolteacher Lin Yang is recruited to help with the dangerous mission of protecting the Allied supply line from Burma into China. In spite of the danger involved, her determination to help is strengthened when one of her young students is killed in a Japanese air raid. Some time later, she is part of a group of Allied representatives departing from Lashio, on a bus traveling the Burma Road back to China. A bridge outage forces them to spend the night in a monastery along the way, and during the night they watch in horror as a supply convoy of trucks is bombed by Japanese planes. The timing and accuracy of the raid brings them to realize that either one of their group, or perhaps the priest in the monastery, is really an enemy agent
Genres: Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-06-05
Popularity:
Elstree Calling
Overview: A series of 19 musical and comedy "vaudeville" sketches presented in the form of a live television broadcast hosted by Tommy Handley (as himself).
Genres: Music Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1930-02-06
Popularity:
The Toll of the Sea
Overview: A young Chinese woman saves an American man washed up onto the shore and the two fall in love, only for him to have second thoughts.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-01-22
Popularity:
Lady from Chungking
Overview: During World War II, Chinese guerrillas fight against the occupying Japanese forces. A young woman is the secret leader of the villagers, who plot to rescue two downed Flying Tigers pilots who are currently in the custody of the Japanese. The rescue mission takes on even more importance with the arrival of a Japanese general, which signals a major offensive taking place in the area.
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-12-21
Popularity:
Daughter of Shanghai
Overview: A Chinese-American woman tries to expose an illegal alien smuggling ring.
Genres: Crime Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-12-17
Popularity:
Daughter of the Dragon
Overview: At her Chinese father's bidding, a woman goes to murder an enemy and meets a Scotland Yard detective.
Genres: Crime Drama Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-09-24
Popularity:
Mr. Wu
Overview: When Mandarin Wu's unmarried daughter becomes pregnant by a young Englishman, he seeks vengeance.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-03-26
Popularity:
Anna May Wong - Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times and Legend
Overview: Documentary of Anna May Wong, a Chinese-American woman who endured many hardships and heartaches to become an international star of film, stage and television.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-01-01
Popularity:
Peter Pan
Overview: Peter Pan enters the nursery of the Darling children and, with the help of fairy dust, leads them off to Never Never Land, where they meet the nefarious Captain Hook.
Genres: Family Adventure Fantasy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1924-12-29
Popularity:
Across to Singapore
Overview: While Joel and his older ship's captain brother Mark are at sea, the latter is abandoned in Singapore by devious ship's mate Finch who, upon their return, convinces the townspeople that Joel abandoned his brother. Joel, determined to not only find Mark but to see justice done, returns the ship to Singapore.
Genres: Adventure Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1928-04-07
Popularity:
Tiger Bay
Overview: Michael is a young Englishman abroad who deliberately visits a tough Chinese district of Tiger Bay to test his strength. He falls in love and battles a protection racket.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-09-01
Popularity:
Song
Overview: After committing a murder for his lover, Gloria, the famous painter Jack is forced to go underground. In the harbor district, he saves the poor Malaysian girl Song in front of two intrusive sailors. She loves him for it, and together Song and Jack appear in the tingle dungeon of the port, he as a knife artist, she as a dancer.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: de
Release Date: 1928-08-21
Popularity:
Chu Chin Chow
Overview: Musical retelling of the "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" Arabian Nights tale.
Genres: Music Fantasy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-05-01
Popularity:
Limehouse Blues
Overview: Fresh from Chinatown in New York, Harry Young has taken over the illegal import business in the seamy Limehouse district of London, where he cold-bloodedly disposes of rivals and runs a smoky nightclub. He falls for a low-class, white pickpocket, diminishing his pride in the Chinese half of his heritage and sparking the jealousy of the nightclub's moody star performer.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-12-11
Popularity:
The Devil Dancer
Overview: An English explorer disturbed by the practices of an isolated tribe attempts to rescue a native girl he has become fascinated with. THE DEVIL DANCER was highly praised at time of release for its exquisite cinematography, especially in the use of light and shadow. The film received an Academy Award nomination in this category. Sadly, it is among the lost. No prints or negatives are known to survive.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-11-03
Popularity:
Island of Lost Men
Overview: A Chinese general's daughter tracks her father to a slave-labor tyrant's jungle empire.
Genres: Crime Drama Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-08-16
Popularity:
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
Overview: A history of anti-Asian racism and yellowface in Hollywood after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2019-10-13
Popularity:
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
Overview: Eddie Kane wanders round the studio back-lot, opening various doors to see which stars pop out.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1932-10-20
Popularity:
Java Head
Overview: The port city of Bristol, England, in the 1800s is home to Java Head, a sailing ship line company. The owner has two sons. One, a handsome seafarer, is in love with a local girl, but cannot marry her due to a long-running feud between their fathers. After a lengthy voyage, he returns with a very exotic, noble Chinese wife, which scandalizes the conservative town. His other son, a "landlubber", seeks to convert to steamships, to the disgust of his father. Even worse, he is secretly dealing in contraband.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-07-31
Popularity:
When Were You Born
Overview: A San Francisco astrologer correctly predicts a ship passenger's death and then helps the police look for the murderer.
Genres: Mystery Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-06-18
Popularity:
Hollywood Party
Overview: Elissa Landi and Charley Chase host an East Asian themed garden tea party in Hollywood. After introducing a few Hollywood luminaries who are attending the party, they present a number of musical and/or dance performances to entertain the crowd. This set of performances also includes ethnic Chinese actress Anna May Wong modeling some fashions she brought back from her first ever trip to China. Through it all, one of the guests, already inebriated, is having a few problems mixing and serving the cocktails he wants.
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-04-03
Popularity:
Dangerous to Know
Overview: Racketeer Steve Recka, art patron and political power-maker, rules his town and Madame Lan Ying, his beautiful friend and hostess (read:mistress), with an iron hand. He meets Margaret Van Kase, a socialite not impressed by his power nor his wealth, having no money herself, and Steve makes frantic efforts to win her and turns away from the loyal Lin Yang.
Genres: Crime Drama Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-03-11
Popularity:
King of Chinatown
Overview: A Chinese-American surgeon faces a moral dilemma after operating on the mob boss in charge of vice and protection rackets in her city's Chinatown.
Genres: Action Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-03-17
Popularity:
The Red Lantern
Overview: Mahlee and Blanche Sackville are half-sisters, Blanche the daughter of an Englishman and his wife, Mahlee of the Englishman and his Chinese mistress. Mahlee rejects her people and attempts to find a life for herself among the Europeans. But she finds the color line impossible to pass and returns to lead her Chinese people in rebellion.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1919-05-04
Popularity:
Old San Francisco
Overview: In San Francisco, a villainous landowner with underworld connections seeks to steal the property of an old Spanish family.
Genres: Drama History Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-09-04
Popularity:
Outside the Law
Overview: Silent Madden and his daughter Molly have left the criminal underworld of San Francisco thanks to the wise teachings of Chang Low, a Confucian master. But the evil Black Mike Sylva is determined to frame Madden to avenge a mistake from the past…
Genres: Crime Drama Romance Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1921-01-06
Popularity:
Hollywood on Parade
Overview: A short featuring many stars
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1932-06-05
Popularity:
The Alaskan
Overview: An Alaskan defies robber barons intent on corrupting the new state.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1924-09-14
Popularity:
The Chinese Parrot
Overview: The plot is motivated by a pearl necklace, which has caused the death and/or ruination of all its owners. The second screen appearance of detective Charlie Chan
Genres: Mystery Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-10-23
Popularity:
The Flame of Love
Overview: A Chinese troupe star and the Grand Duke's adjutant fall in love, to tensions from both sides' respective comrades.
Genres: Music Romance Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1930-03-07
Popularity:
The Road to Dishonour
Overview:
Genres: Drama Music
Original Language: de
Release Date: 1930-02-26
Popularity:
Just Joe
Overview: A shy detergent factory employee unexpectedly finds his feet.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-07-01
Popularity:
His Supreme Moment
Overview: John Douglas, a down-on-his-luck engineer, takes his sweetheart, Sara Deeping, to a play starring Carla King, and he falls in love with the actress.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1925-04-12
Popularity:
Dinty
Overview: Dinty is a newsboy whose fight to care for his ailing mother leads him into conflicts with the other boys on the street and then with drug smugglers in Chinatown.
Genres: Adventure Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1920-11-21
Popularity:
Pavement Butterfly
Overview: In this, her second silent film with Eichberg, Wong plays Princess Butterfly, an exotic Parisian fan dancer whose “death leap through a circle of naked swords” act goes tragically wrong. Blamed for the impalement of a fellow performer, she runs away and takes shelter with a handsome but starving painter who she brings luck.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: de
Release Date: 1929-04-09
Popularity:
Drifting
Overview: In Shanghai, an American girl who helps runs an opium ring meets an American agent disguised as a mining engineer. The two fall in love, and she has to determine where her loyalties lie.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-08-26
Popularity:
The Savage Innocents
Overview: An Eskimo who has had little contact with white men goes to a trading post where he accidentally kills a missionary and finds himself being pursued by the police.
Genres: Drama Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-03-20
Popularity:
The Crimson City
Overview: Gregory Kent is on the run for a crime he did not commit.
Genres: Action Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1928-04-07
Popularity:
Flame of Love
Overview: French language version. A Chinese cabaret singer will do whatever it takes to save her brother when he is sentenced to death for trying to save her from a lecherous Duke.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: fr
Release Date: 1930-09-19
Popularity:
The Desert's Toll
Overview: Frank Darwin needs to convince Muriel he didn't kill her Father, as claimed by Jasper and Oneta.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1926-11-14
Popularity:
Fifth Avenue
Overview: When her cotton crop is burned, Barbara Pelham, a beautiful southern girl, comes to New York to find work as a fashion designer, staying with Mrs. Kemp, a woman she meets on the northbound train. In Mrs. Kemp's house, Barbara encounters Peter Heffner, a wealthy stockbroker, and discovers from him that she has taken up residence in a whorehouse. There is a police raid, but Barbara escapes arrest and returns home. Heffner's son, Neil, goes south to inspect some family property and there meets Barbara, with whom he falls in love. They decide to be married, and she accompanies him to New York, where she meets the elder Heffner for a second time. He denounces her as a whore, but Barbara goes to Mrs. Kemp, who explains the misunderstanding to everyone's satisfaction.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1926-01-24
Popularity:
Shame
Overview: William Fielding, a young widower, is living in Shanghai with his little boy, David. A young Chinese woman looks after the child, and Foo Chang, a trader, lusts after her. Because he believes she is David's mother, he kills Fielding. Fielding's faithful secretary, Li Clung, takes the boy to San Francisco to be raised by his grandfather. As an adult, David (also played by Gilbert) fights against opium trafficking with Li Clung's help.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1921-07-31
Popularity:
Bits of Life
Overview: This film combines four short films under the title Bits Of Life. The Bad Samaritan is taken from a story in Popular Magazine in which the son of a Chinese father and a white mother is sold into slavery by his father. The boy becomes a criminal and a cunning but cruel thief. The one time he stops to help a lady in distress he is thrown in jail. Wesley Barry is the young boy and Lon Chaney the grown-up criminal.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1921-09-26
Popularity:
Mary of the Movies
Overview: Mary's kid brother needs an operation and, in order to pay for it, Mary goes to a Hollywood studio and applies for a job as an actress. Mary is given a job as a waitress in the commissary, and gets to meet 40 actors, actresses and directors, none of whom tip big enough to enable Mary to earn enough money to pay for an operation. Will Mary become an actress and make some big money?
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-05-27
Popularity:
The Fortieth Door
Overview: Aimee is a young girl betrothed to a rascal, Hamid Bey. An American archeologist, Jack Ryder, arrives to help the girl escape ending up in Bey's harem, but it takes the boy ten episodes to finally succeed.
Genres: Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1924-05-25
Popularity:
Forty Winks
Overview: The Butterworth family attorney Gaspar Le Sage, and a suitor for the hand of Eleanor Butterworth, persuades a beautiful adventuress, Annabelle Wu, to help him steal the official plans for the coastal defense of California from Eleanor's brother, Lieutenant Butterworth.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1925-02-02
Popularity:
A Trip to Chinatown
Overview: A young hypochondriac who believes that he has only a week to live. His name, by the way, is Welland Strong. He decides to visit his uncle in the short amount of time he has left in the world. Eventually Strong winds up in Chinatown.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1926-06-06
Popularity:
The Silk Bouquet
Overview: This obscure silent melodrama, directed by the veteran Harry J. Revier, was filmed entirely in San Francisco with an all-Asian cast that included Chinese-born Jimmy B. Leong and Hollywood's own Anna May Wong.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1926-06-25
Popularity:
Driven from Home
Overview: A father throws his daughter out of the house when she marries a man he doesn't approve of. In addition, she also finds herself being lusted after by the sinister owner of an opium den.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-01-15
Popularity:
The Honorable Mr. Buggs
Overview: Mr. Buggs is an insect collector. A beautiful and mysterious Asian woman (the lovely Anna May Wong) brings him a rare specimen, but she is actually a wanted thief who has stolen a valuable brooch.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-04-24
Popularity:
Streets of Shanghai
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1927-12-15
Popularity:
Souvenirs
Overview: Loves of a ship's captain on the high seas!
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1928-02-15
Popularity:
Chinatown Charlie
Overview: A likeable pickpocket happens to stumble onto a white slavery ring while plying his trade in Chinatown.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1928-04-15
Popularity:
Lilies of the Field
Overview: A young mother, Mildred, doesn't know that her husband Walter is cheating on her. One night she attends a party with a friend of her husband's, and the man gets drunk and begins groping her when they get home. Her husband sees this and uses it as an excuse to sue his wife for divorce. In the ensuing trial he wins, due to fraudulent evidence, and gets custody of the child. Complications ensue.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1924-02-29
Popularity:
The First Born
Overview: Loey Tsing, the first love of Chan Wang, is sold into slavery by her father. Although Chan marries another, he still loves Loey; only the birth of a son relieves his unhappiness. He adores little Chan Toy even though he finds nothing to like about his wife.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1921-01-30
Popularity:
Thundering Dawn
Overview: Jack Standish feels responsible for the failure of the partnership with his father and goes to the South Seas where he falls prey to alcohol, is seduced by Lullaby Lou, a vamp, and tricked by a brutal plantation owner, Gordon Van Brock.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-11-05
Popularity:
The White Mouse
Overview: Sergeant Blake of the Northwest Mounted Police is sent to the border to break up a ring of smugglers who are bringing illegal Chinese immigrants into Canada. The ring is led by Ah Ming, a "half-breed" who goes by the name of Dr. Lawler. When Blake encounters Lawler, he is experimenting on a white mouse.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1921-11-06
Popularity:
A Tale of Two Worlds
Overview: A white child is adopted and raised by a Chinese citizen and brought to San Francisco, where no one surmises that she is actually not Chinese.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1921-03-13
Popularity: