Episode 32: Anna May Wong Quarter American Women Series Quarter Miles Travel With Annita

Photo - U.S. Mint

Episode 32: Anna May Wong

Quarter American Women Series

Anna May Wong is on the U.S. Mint Women Series quarter.



In the early 1920’s acting roles for Asian Americans were limited.  Hollywood  was yet to have roles with leading ladies who looked like Anna May Wong. 



But, that didn’t stop her….. There is a story of a courages woman, who advocated for representation for multi-dimensional roles for Asian Americans.  



Anna May Wong would not stop… it would be her life’s journey and it is also her story…. And today I share her story with you. 



Anna May Wong was an American actress, the first Chinese American movie star, and the first Asian American to become an international star. Her long and varied career spanned both silent and sound film, television, stage, and radio.



Her life and love of film began early…. She always loved film.



Anna May Wong was a third generation immigrant, born on January 3rd, 1905. Her grandfather emigrated to the US in the 1850s to find work and raise his family.  It was at Anna May’s parent’s laundromat where she learned Chinese after school …. but even at an early age, learning a language wasn’t what was mostly on her mind. She felt her time was best spent skipping school for film. 



As early as nine years old, she was fascinated with movies and film. Visiting sets often to look and take it all in, she dreamed of her day as a movie star as the actors, producers and directors would go about their routines. 



Anna May once said “I would worm my way through the crowd and get close to the cameras.” Wong said. “I’d stare at these glamorous individuals and then I would rush home and do the scenes I had witnessed before a mirror.”



The curiosity and learning from being close up to the action, gave the young 14 year old Anna May,  the opportunity for her first role in 1919 as an extra in Red Lantern, a story of family drama, of loss and deceit, the film gave her a chance to share her talent and experience working in film.  



Her early films were silent, but her talent would shine through for all to see. Her style, elegance and expression of emotions showed her acting and performance strengths and skills. Wanting to put all of her efforts into an acting career, Anna May left high school in 1921 at the age of 16 to pursue a career in film.  She would devote her time and effort full time to becoming an actress.  



She was successful in finding a role in Bits of Life where she played Toy Ling’s wife and when she was 17 she was the leading  lady in the silent film The Toll of the Sea in 1922.  



Sadly, even with all of this success, America and Hollywood was not  



Her drive to become a recognizable and successful leading actress Wong auditioned for countless lead roles but found herself landing only supporting character or the typical Asian character many times in a stereotypical character.  



Times were very racially segregated in more areas than just film and theatre.  During this time in America there was discrimination and lack of opportunities in many parts of everyday life.  And, The mindset toward Asian migration at the time was negative in every way. Seeking of leading roles in a field so highly sought after by all races, it was no wonder she had difficulty finding leading roles. Laws at the time not only prevented interracial marriages, but it also forbade the kissing of interracial actors on screen. Because the majority of actors, especially leading ones, were white, Wong could never get into a leading romantic role either. 



“There seems little for me in Hollywood,” Wong once said l. “because rather than real Chinese, producers prefer Hungarians for Chinese roles. Pathetic dying seemed to be the best thing I did.”