EPISODE 86 -  “ANNA MAY WONG: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH” - 5/5/2025

Anna May Wong was once the most famous Chinese woman in the world. The trailblazing actress, philanthropist, and fashion icon appeared in over 60 films and was a celebrated star, yet, at the time, she was not allowed to kiss a Caucasian man on screen, which limited the roles she could take, and she was not allowed to buy a house in Beverly Hills. A strange dichotomy, indeed. In recent years, she has enjoyed a much-deserved resurgence. Known as a Trailblazer and a cultural icon, she paved the way for generations of Asian and Asian American actors by proving that talent and perseverance could transcend racist casting conventions. Her life and career continue to influence conversations about diversity, representation, and the politics of race in Hollywood. This week, she is our Star of the Month.

SHOW NOTES: 

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Sources:

Not Your China Doll (2924), by Katie Gee Salisbury;

Anna May Wong: From Laundryman’s Daughter to Hollywood Legend (2012), by Graham Russell Gao Hodges;

Anna May Wong: A Complete Guide to Her Film, Stage, Television, and Radio Work (2010), by Philip Leibfried and Chei Mi Lane;

Perpetually Cool: The Many Lives of Anna May Wong (2003), by Anthony B. Chan;

“Anna May Wong: 13 Facts About Her Trailblazing Hollywood Career,” April 30, 2024, By Minhae Shim Roth;

“Anna May Wong’s Long Journey from Hollywood to the Smithsonian,” March 2024, by Ryan Lintelman, Natural Museum of American History;

“Anna May Wong Will Be the First Asian American on US Currency,” October 18, 2022, by Soumya Karlamangla;

“Anna May Wong is Dead At 54; Actress Won Movie Fans in ’24; Appeared with Fairbanks in ‘Thief of Bagdad,’ Made Several Films Abroad,” February 4, 1961, The New York Times;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IBDB.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

Phantom Of The Opera (1943), starring Claude Rains, Eddy Nelson, & Suzanna Foster;

The Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946), starring Gale Sondergaard & Brenda Joyce;

White Savage (1943), starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Sabu;

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944), starring Maria Montez & Jon Hall;

It Grows On Trees (1952), Irene Dunne & Dean Jagger;

Impact (1949), starring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Helen Walker, & Anna May Wong;

The Red Lantern (1919), starring Alla Nazimova;

The Toll of the Sea (1922), staring Kenneth Harlan & Anna May Wong;

The Thief of Baghdad (1924), starring Douglas Fairbanks & Anna May Wong;

Picadilly (1929), starring Gilda Gray & Anna May Wong;

Daughter of the Dragon (1931), starring Anna May Wong and Warner Orland;

Shanghai Express (1932), starring Marlene Dietrich & Anna May Wong;

The Hatchet Man (1932), starring Loretta Young;

The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), starring Myrna Loy;

The Son-Daughter (1932), starring Helen Hayes;

Tiger Bay (1934), starring Anna May Wong;

Chu Chen Chow (1934), starring Anna May Wong;

Java Head (1934), starring Anna May Wong;

Limehouse Blues (1934), starring George Raft, Jean Parker, & Anna May Wong;

The Good Earth (1937), starring Paul Muni & Luise Rainer;

Daughter of Shanghai (1937), starring Anna May Wong & Philip Ahn;

King of Chinatown (1939), starring Anna May Wong & Sidney Toler;

Dangerous to Know (1938), starring Gail Patrick & Anna May Wong; 

Island of Lost Men (1939), starring Anna May Wong & J. Carrol Naish;

Bombs Over Burma (1942), starring Anna May Wong;

Lady From Chungking (1942), starring Anna May Wong;

Portrait in Black (1960), starring Lana Turner, Anthony Quinn, & Sandra Dee;

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