Anna May Wong: podcast appearances and interviews

Wong Liu Tsong, known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress recognized as the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood and the first to gain international recognition. Born in Los Angeles to second-generation Taishanese Chinese American parents, she developed an early interest in films and aspired to become an actress from the age of 11. Wong's career encompassed vaudeville, silent films, sound films, television, stage, and radio. Her early work included roles in silent films such as The Red Lantern and The Toll of the Sea, one of the first color films, as well as appearances in Douglas Fairbanks' The Thief of Bagdad. During the 1920s, she achieved international stardom and became a fashion icon, notably embracing the flapper look and earning the title of the "world's best dressed woman" by the Mayfair Mannequin Society of New York. Frustrated by stereotypical supporting roles in Hollywood, she spent time in Europe during the late 1920s, starring in notable productions such as Piccadilly. Throughout the early 1930s, she returned to the United States to appear in several films including Shanghai Express and Daughter of Shanghai. In 1935, she faced a professional setback when MGM declined to cast her in a leading role due to racial discrimination, opting instead for a white actress in yellowface. She spent subsequent years touring China to deepen her cultural understanding and documented her experiences on film. During World War II, she contributed to the Chinese cause through her efforts and devoted less time to her acting career. Wong's television show The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong made history in 1951 as the first U.S. TV show starring an Asian American. She passed away in 1961 at the age of 56 from a heart attack. Her legacy has since been re-evaluated, highlighting her pioneering role and the challenges she faced in her Hollywood career.