As a special treat for our Chinese Celebration, let us go to the cinema. But this is a cinema with a twist; it tells of a glamorous star, who we hope to remind you of, or perhaps introduce you to – the first Chinese-American star to become famous worldwide, who appeared in one of the first technicolour films ever shot in Hollywood, but saw her career brought prematurely to an end by (now thankfully) outdated censorship rules.
She appears on a large number of postcards, cigarette cards, and trade cards, and even a silk, as demonstrated by our wonderful images, which were supplied to us by Dennis Owyang. Sadly, many of these cards are only decorative backs, or plain ones, not descriptive ones. But, luckily, there are a few of those, which we can delightedly weave into our story….
She appears on a large number of postcards, cigarette cards, and trade cards, and even a silk, as demonstrated by our wonderful images, which were supplied to us by Dennis Owyang. Sadly, many of these cards are only decorative backs, or plain ones, not descriptive ones. But, luckily, there are a few of those, which we can delightedly weave into our story….
According to Carreras Limited`s “Famous Film Stars” card number 1, which says its front image is courtesy of Paramount, she was “Born in California, of Chinese parents” and “her real name is Wong Liu-Tsong.” Rothmans “Beauties of the Cinema”, one of the few circular shaped sets ever issued, elaborates this a bit and adds “Born in Los Angeles` Chinatown.” Strangely this Rothmans set is also available as a standard square shaped set. These same words are also used by Godfrey Phillips on “Film Stars” 21/50, where it also adds “…her real name is Wong Lui Tsong, which is Chinese for “Frosted Yellow Willow”. Godfrey Phillips other set, “Film Favourites”, slightly alters this by saying “Her name in Chinese means “Frosted Yellow Willows” in the plural – and it also says that “her hair is jet black and her eyes are lustrous dark brown”. which is agreed on by our Carreras card which tells us that “She has black hair, brown eyes, and is 5 ft 4 ins tall”.
One of the most complete card biographies of her appears on John Sinclair`s “Film Stars A Series of 54 Real Photos” 1/54 which even gives her actual date of birth, saying “Was born in Los Angeles on January 3rd 1907 (actually it was 1905) and her real name is Wong Lui Tsong. Height 5 ft 4 ½ in. Has black hair and blue eyes.”
The other is Gallaher “Portraits of Famous Stars” 8/48 which says “Born in California on January 3rd 1907 (again) this exotic Oriental has never been East, neither can she speak Chinese, but is equally at ease speaking English French and German. Her name in English is supposed to mean “frosted yellow willow”.
No card found so far says that she was actually the second of seven children.
The other is Gallaher “Portraits of Famous Stars” 8/48 which says “Born in California on January 3rd 1907 (again) this exotic Oriental has never been East, neither can she speak Chinese, but is equally at ease speaking English French and German. Her name in English is supposed to mean “frosted yellow willow”.
No card found so far says that she was actually the second of seven children.
She first appeared in a film in 1919, this was “The Red Lantern”, which starred Alla Nazimova, and she was an extra who carried one of the lanterns. It is not known whether the Carreras card is citing this film, but it does say “She began as an extra in silent films”. Or it could have been thinking of her second film “Outside the Law” (1920), with Lon Chaney, because again she was an extra. Actually, also appearing in that film as extras were two of her sisters, Bessie (who had already appeared in “Broken Blossoms” in 1919) and Lew Ying (Lulu) her eldest sister (who would not make another film until 1940). In fact you can see Lulu on a postcard with Anna May Wong - by Ross Verlag, it is card 6006/1. And you can see the original photograph from which that card was made by clicking HERE
The Rothmans card says “At 14 was much in demand for small Oriental parts. Played with Lon Chaney in “Bits of Life”. (A very similar reverse text appears on Phillips “Film Stars”, as well as on Premier Tobacco “Stage and Screen Personalities”, and on Facchino`s Reel Star Chocolate Wafers “Cinema Stars”, it is possible that this was the approved press release that was circulated to any card issuer). “Bits of Life” was released in 1921 and was an anthology of short stories. It is important to us because it is the first film that she was not simply an extra, she saw her name, "Anna May Wong", listed on screen as the credits rolled by. Sadly this film does not survive, like many silent cinema gems.
The Rothmans card says “At 14 was much in demand for small Oriental parts. Played with Lon Chaney in “Bits of Life”. (A very similar reverse text appears on Phillips “Film Stars”, as well as on Premier Tobacco “Stage and Screen Personalities”, and on Facchino`s Reel Star Chocolate Wafers “Cinema Stars”, it is possible that this was the approved press release that was circulated to any card issuer). “Bits of Life” was released in 1921 and was an anthology of short stories. It is important to us because it is the first film that she was not simply an extra, she saw her name, "Anna May Wong", listed on screen as the credits rolled by. Sadly this film does not survive, like many silent cinema gems.
In 1922, Anna May Wong starred in one of her best silent films, called “The Toll of The Sea”, a title she would use for her later autobiography. This is sometimes quoted as being the first technicolour film, but actually that honour goes to “The Gulf Between” (1917); however this was the first Technicolour film to be filmed in Hollywood, as well as the first shot by a new process that meant it could be shown on any projector, so additional equipment did not need to be sent with the film reels. And it still exists, for viewing, at : archive.org/details/TheTollOfTheSeanovember261922 Directed by Chester M. Franklin, it was written by Frances Marion, though heavily based on Madame Butterfly, with the action moved to China rather than Japan. In the film Anna plays “Lotus Flower”, a Chinese girl who finds an American man (Kenneth Harlan) cast up by the waves. The two fall in love, but he leaves her behind when he returns home, not knowing that he is also leaving his future son. He returns to China some time later, but with his wife, eventually they take the boy back with them, and it is suggested that Lotus Flower drowns herself in the ocean that had both given her happiness, and taken her son away. The “son” was played by Priscilla Moran.
I do not think this film is depicted on a cigarette card, but if you know different, please do tell us.
I do not think this film is depicted on a cigarette card, but if you know different, please do tell us.
In 1924 Anna May Wong was seen as “Tiger Lily” in the first ever film of the popular J.M. Barrie adventure “Peter Pan”. And the same year she played a slave girl to great acclaim in the Douglas Fairbanks extravaganza “The Thief of Baghdad”. Since this is Chinese New Year we will not mention her final scene, as doing so at this time is thought to be unlucky…
You can see her in costume, if you are lucky, on a picture postcard, it is by Beagles, and is highly prized.
The film is mentioned on several cards, Godfrey Phillips “Film Stars” says she “Made a hit as the slave girl in “Thief of Baghdad”, whilst our Carreras says “won fame in “The Thief of Bagdad” with Douglas Fairbanks” and John Sinclair says she “…appeared as an extra in the screen until Douglas Fairbanks gave her her first big chance as the slave girl…” (omitting a few films in between). Gallaher says “Achieved her first success as the slave girl in “The Thief of Bagdad” in 1924, a film made famous by Douglas Fairbanks, senr. (No.15 in this series).”
You can see her in costume, if you are lucky, on a picture postcard, it is by Beagles, and is highly prized.
The film is mentioned on several cards, Godfrey Phillips “Film Stars” says she “Made a hit as the slave girl in “Thief of Baghdad”, whilst our Carreras says “won fame in “The Thief of Bagdad” with Douglas Fairbanks” and John Sinclair says she “…appeared as an extra in the screen until Douglas Fairbanks gave her her first big chance as the slave girl…” (omitting a few films in between). Gallaher says “Achieved her first success as the slave girl in “The Thief of Bagdad” in 1924, a film made famous by Douglas Fairbanks, senr. (No.15 in this series).”
What some consider her greatest ever film was in 1929, called “Piccadilly”, and this did indeed bring her many new fans, especially because of the scene where she dances on a kitchen table. It is cited on the reverse of the Rothmans set, where it says she “Has acted in London and played in many British films, including “Piccadilly” and “Flame of Love” (released the following year, as “THE Flame of Love”) Is now under contract to Paramount”. The Sinclair set tells us that this film was also “her first talkie”. Godfrey Phillips “Film Favourites must have been issued at about this time as it starts by saying “That Anna May Wong is now starring in British pictures wll be welcome news to her many admirers on this side of the Atlantic. Her recent appearance on the English stage proved that she was, in person, as charming and attractive as her previous films had indicated.”
She had travelled to England to make Piccadilly for British International Pictures (B.I.P.) However this film suffered from strange censorship rulings which would eventually see her leave film for good. Here, it is openly told that she bewitches the nightclub owner, who leaves his girlfriend for her, but they are never intimate or even seen to kiss. This is because, at that time, inter-racial relationships were banned on screen.
She had travelled to England to make Piccadilly for British International Pictures (B.I.P.) However this film suffered from strange censorship rulings which would eventually see her leave film for good. Here, it is openly told that she bewitches the nightclub owner, who leaves his girlfriend for her, but they are never intimate or even seen to kiss. This is because, at that time, inter-racial relationships were banned on screen.
She spent some time touring in Germany, and appeared in “Shanghai Express” (1932) as Hui Fei, with Marlene Dietrich, which was later remade as Night Plane from Chungking (1943) and Peking Express (1951) Her time in Germany means that she appears on many German cigarette cards, as you will see on our display boards. However most of these do not carry any biographical text as they were designed to be stuck in special albums.
Her next film was "A Study in Scarlet" (1933) which was actually a Sherlock Holmes film - and she had second billing under Reginald Owen. This film was based on the first ever Sherlock Holmes story to feature both Holmes and Doctor Watson, and had been published in 1887 as part of a Christmas Annual. It appeared as a book the following year. However do not go looking for any of the book in the film, as it merely uses the names of some of the characters! And Anna May Wong appears only very briefly.
“Limehouse Blues” followed in 1934, she played Tu Tuan, she dances with George Raft, who is made up to resemble a more Chinese character, and the film also stars Jean Parker, (this is the last film mentioned on our Carreras and Gallaher cards).
Her next film was "A Study in Scarlet" (1933) which was actually a Sherlock Holmes film - and she had second billing under Reginald Owen. This film was based on the first ever Sherlock Holmes story to feature both Holmes and Doctor Watson, and had been published in 1887 as part of a Christmas Annual. It appeared as a book the following year. However do not go looking for any of the book in the film, as it merely uses the names of some of the characters! And Anna May Wong appears only very briefly.
“Limehouse Blues” followed in 1934, she played Tu Tuan, she dances with George Raft, who is made up to resemble a more Chinese character, and the film also stars Jean Parker, (this is the last film mentioned on our Carreras and Gallaher cards).
In 1934 she also made “Chu Chin Chow”, which features on the reverse of Phillips Film Stars and on their “Film Favourites”, where it says “Her new part of Zahrat in “Chu Chin Chow”, the Gainsborough Picture now being made at Islington by Walter Forde, is bound to give full scope to her very remarkable talents.” And in fact the Gallaher card says “Her portrait depicts her as Zahrat in the British Picture, “Chu Chin Chow”, which makes this the only card with a picture specifically identified to a film.
After that, she returned to the United States, at the height of her fame. She wanted very much to play the leading actress in the film of a popular book, by Pearl S. Buck, which was called “The Good Earth”, and it was written about a Chinese husband and wife. Unfortunately for Anna May Wong, the male lead was cast as Paul Muni, and he was an American of Austro-Hungarian descent. This meant that to comply with the current anti inter-racial rulings, his wife would have to be played by a white actress. The role was given to Luise Rainer, an American of German descent. Once filming started these stars then endured long stretches of being plastered in “yellow face” make up, and having their Western features concealed by hours of make up and special effects.
Anna May Wong was told that she could play a lesser role, of a scheming Chinese girl who wronged the couple`s son, but she turned it down.
Luise Rainer won the Best Actress Oscar.
Anna May Wong was told that she could play a lesser role, of a scheming Chinese girl who wronged the couple`s son, but she turned it down.
Luise Rainer won the Best Actress Oscar.
Anna May Wong never really regained her love of motion pictures after this, though she continued to act until 1960, appearing on stage and on television, where she presented “The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong”, (yes, using her actual birth name). This was a series of ten short films about an art dealer who was also a detective. In fact this was the first American television series with an Asian-American leading lady, and it also was the inspiration of many other series, still providing a staple of prime-time entertainment today, where a character has a seemingly normal job, but also investigates crimes as their sideline. Despite its importance to television history, the second series was never made and it appears all episodes of the first are lost.
In 1960 she became the first Asian American actress to be immortalised with a star on the Hollywood Walk of fame. She was already in frail health though,which had forced her to give up a plan to return to the big screen in "Flower Drum Song", a filmed version of the musical. She died on the third of February 1961, of a heart attack in her sleep, and is buried with her mother at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
In 1960 she became the first Asian American actress to be immortalised with a star on the Hollywood Walk of fame. She was already in frail health though,which had forced her to give up a plan to return to the big screen in "Flower Drum Song", a filmed version of the musical. She died on the third of February 1961, of a heart attack in her sleep, and is buried with her mother at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
To close, a couple of oddities -
Our Carreras card tells us that her “Favourite game is golf.” There seems no basis to this, unless anyone else knows more!
And there is a really unusual card, which may escape the attention of fans. This was issued with Sarony Cigarettes out of New Bond Street in London. Imagine yourself idly looking through the set of “National Types of Beauty”, 36 Actual Photographs, and suddenly you spot a familiar face. There is no title to the front, but if you persevere, and flip over, the back description says “The unique characteristics of the Oriental type of beauty are charmingly portrayed in this picture of Miss Anna May Wong, the popular Cantonese film Actress”
Our Carreras card tells us that her “Favourite game is golf.” There seems no basis to this, unless anyone else knows more!
And there is a really unusual card, which may escape the attention of fans. This was issued with Sarony Cigarettes out of New Bond Street in London. Imagine yourself idly looking through the set of “National Types of Beauty”, 36 Actual Photographs, and suddenly you spot a familiar face. There is no title to the front, but if you persevere, and flip over, the back description says “The unique characteristics of the Oriental type of beauty are charmingly portrayed in this picture of Miss Anna May Wong, the popular Cantonese film Actress”
We hope that you will now go off and hunt out a few of the films of this important leading lady, and maybe consider adding a few cards to your collection.
And thank you for reading.
And thank you for reading.
- the above was written specially for us by Mr. Mark Evans -
Now here is a selection of cigarette and tobacco cards, courtesy of Dennis Owyang
postcards issued by "Picturegoer" Magazine - look out for the copy of that magazine, dated from 1926, which features her biography, specially written. Also note the card on the right, which says "Photo by Dorothy Wilding", an English photographer of much note.
The card on the left below is also by Picturegoer, but the full colour one on the right was issued by Ross Verlag.