Anna May Wong

Anna May Wong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961) was the first truly notable Chinese American Hollywood actress. Born Wong Liu Tsong ({{zh-cp|c=黃柳霜|p=Huáng Liǔshuāng}}) in Los Angeles, California, a daughter of a laundryman, she began playing bit parts as a teenager. Her first role was in the silent film, The Red Lantern (1919) with Alla Nazimova, as an uncredited extra. Her ethnicity prevented her from getting choice parts, especially romantic ones due to the Hays Code anti-miscegenation rules. When MGM was casting for The Good Earth (1937), she was passed up for the lead female role of O-lan because Paul Muni, an actor of European descent, was to play Wang Lung, O-lan's husband. Even though Muni was to wear heavy make up to look Asian, industry regulations prevented her from playing romantic roles opposite actors of different ethnicity. Instead, the role Wong hoped for went to Luise Rainer.

Partial filmography

• The Red Lantern (1919) uncredited
• The Toll of the Sea (1921) as Lotus Flower
• The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
• Peter Pan (1924) as Tiger Lily
• Piccadilly (1929) as Shosho
• Shanghai Express (1932) as Hui Fei
• A Study in Scarlet (1933)
• Dangerous to Know (1937)
• Daughter of Shanghai (1937)
• Impact (1949)
• Portrait In Black (1960)