--- name: "Anna May Wong" canonical: "https://film.one/person/anna-may-wong" roles: ["Actor"] born: "3 January 1905" died: "2 February 1961" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-19T22:05:13.801473+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Anna May Wong Actor. Born 3 January 1905 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Died 2 February 1961. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 3 January 1905, Los Angeles, California, USA - **Died:** 2 February 1961 - **Also known as:** Wong Liu Tsong, Anna Mae Wong, 黃柳霜 - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_May_Wong, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q232376, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0938923/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13341 ## Fi1m on Anna May Wong > Anna May Wong spent a career being handed small parts, silence and a death in the last reel, and made the small parts the thing you remember. Watch her listen in *Shanghai Express* and the leads fall away. In *Shanghai Express* (1932) Hui Fei sits across the compartment and listens. Josef von Sternberg gives her a handful of lines and a great deal of waiting, and Anna May Wong turns the waiting into the performance: a look held a beat too long, a face that has decided something before anyone else on the train has noticed there is a decision to make. Clive Brook, with all the dialogue, is furniture beside her. There is a stretch in the second half where the film is briefly hers, and it moved us more than the romance did, largely because of how little she was given and how completely she used it. That was the pattern, and she knew it. She began as an extra in 1919 while still at school, had her first lead in *The Toll of the Sea* (1922), and was properly noticed as the Mongol slave in *The Thief of Bagdad* (1924), a small part in a large picture that people came out talking about. Hollywood then did what it did. The leads went to white actors in make-up, the love scenes with white co-stars were kept from her, and she died. "I was killed in virtually every picture I appeared in. Pathetic dying seemed to be the best thing I did." She left for Europe in 1928, made three films with the director Richard Eichberg, and got in *Piccadilly* (1929) a leading part, Shosho, with the picture built around her rather than beside her. Sound was not kind. Her voice in the early talkies was heard as flat, and the silent-era acting, all eyes and the set of the mouth under hard light, had less room to work. She came back to America for *Shanghai Express*, was not cast in *The Good Earth* (1937), and moved into B-pictures, which were smaller and gave her more say. *Daughter of Shanghai* (1937) let her play the lead and be loved on screen by another Asian American actor, which the big studio pictures had never allowed. In 1951 she led a television series, *The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong*, the first Asian American to do so. What she does, when she is allowed, is hold still and let you work out what she is thinking, and she is usually a step ahead of the script. The blunt fringe and the level stare became a look, and the look was borrowed for a hundred Dragon Ladies and tragic Lotus Blossoms; the woman underneath it, sizing up everyone else on the train and finding them wanting, was hers. Start with *Shanghai Express*, where the film needs her far more than it admits. Then find *Piccadilly*. She dies in most of her pictures; the ones worth your evening are the ones that noticed she was alive first. ## Biography Anna May Wong, also known as Wong Liu Tsong, was an American actress. Born on 3 January 1905 in Los Angeles, California, she began her career as an extra in silent films before securing her first leading role as Lotus Flower in *The Toll of the Sea* (1922), one of the earliest Technicolor features. She gained wider recognition for her performance as the Mongol slave in *The Thief of Bagdad* (1924) and appeared as Tiger Lily in *Peter Pan* (1924). Wong worked extensively in Europe during the late 1920s, starring in *Piccadilly* (1929). She returned to the United States and played Hui Fei in *Shanghai Express* (1932). Her later credits include *Impact* (1949) and *The Savage Innocents* (1960). She also appeared on stage, radio and television, becoming the first Asian American to headline a US television series. Wong died on 3 February 1961 in Santa Monica, California. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com, americanhistory.si.edu.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Shanghai Express* (1932), Fi1m 80, as Hui Fei — [page](https://film.one/film/shanghai-express.md) ## Complete filmography (72) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood* (2019), as (archive footage) - *Dragon by the Tail* (1961), as A-Hsing - *The Barbara Stanwyck Show* (1960), series, as A-Hsing - *Danger Man* (1960), series, as Miss Lee - *Portrait in Black* (1960), as Tawny - *Just Joe* (1960), as Peach Blossom - *The Savage Innocents* (1960), as Hiku - *Adventures in Paradise* (1959), series, as Lu Yang - *The Letter* (1956), as The Woman - *The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp* (1955), series, Actor - *Producers' Showcase* (1954), series, as Chinese Woman - *Climax!* (1954), series, as Clerk, Mayli - *The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong* (1951), series, Actor - *Impact* (1949), as Su Lin - *Lady from Chungking* (1942), as Kwan Mei - *Bombs Over Burma* (1942), as Lin Ying - *Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery* (1941), as Lois Ling - *Island of Lost Men* (1939), as Kim Ling - *King of Chinatown* (1939), as Dr. Mary Ling - *When Were You Born* (1938), as Mei Lei Ming - *Dangerous to Know* (1938), as Madame Lan Ying - *Daughter of Shanghai* (1937), as Lan Ying Lin - *My China Film* (1936), Director, Producer - *Limehouse Blues* (1934), as Tu Tuan - *Tiger Bay* (1934), as Lui Chang - *Java Head* (1934), as Princess Taou Yuen - *Chu Chin Chow* (1934), as Zahrat - *A Study in Scarlet* (1933), as Mrs. Pyke - *Shanghai Express* (1932), as Hui Fei — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/shanghai-express.md) - *Daughter of the Dragon* (1931), as Ling Moy - *Flame of Love* (1930), Actor - *The Flame of Love* (1930), as Hai Tang - *The Road to Dishonour* (1930), as Hai-Tang - *Pavement Butterfly* (1929), as Hai-Tang - *Piccadilly* (1929), as Shosho - *Song* (1928), as Song - *Chinatown Charlie* (1928), as Mandarin's Sweetheart - *Across to Singapore* (1928), as Singapore Saloon Girl (uncredited) - *The Crimson City* (1928), as Su - *Souvenirs* (1928), as The Captain's Chinese Love - *Streets of Shanghai* (1927), as Su Quan - *The Devil Dancer* (1927), as Sada - *The Chinese Parrot* (1927), as Nautch Dancer - *Old San Francisco* (1927), as A Flower of the Orient - *Why Girls Love Sailors* (1927), as Delamar (scenes deleted) - *The Honorable Mr. Buggs* (1927), as Baroness Stoloff - *Mr. Wu* (1927), as Loo Song - *Driven from Home* (1927), Actor - *The Desert's Toll* (1926), as Oneta - *The Silk Bouquet* (1926), as Dragon Horse - *A Trip to Chinatown* (1926), as Ohati - *Fifth Avenue* (1926), as Nan Lo - *His Supreme Moment* (1925), as Harem Girl in Play (uncredited) - *Forty Winks* (1925), as Annabelle Wu - *Peter Pan* (1924), as Tiger Lily - *The Alaskan* (1924), as Keok - *The Fortieth Door* (1924), as Zira - *The Thief of Bagdad* (1924), as The Mongol Slave - *Lilies of the Field* (1924), Actor - *Thundering Dawn* (1923), as Honky-Tonk Girl - *Drifting* (1923), as Rose Li - *Mary of the Movies* (1923), as Anna May Wong (uncredited) - *The Toll of the Sea* (1923), as Lotus Flower - *The White Mouse* (1921), Actor - *Bits of Life* (1921), as Toy Sing, Chin Chow's Wife - *Shame* (1921), as Lotus Blossom - *Mother o' Mine* (1921), as (uncredited) - *A Tale of Two Worlds* (1921), Actor - *The First Born* (1921), Actor - *Outside the Law* (1921), as Chinese Girl (uncredited) - *Dinty* (1920), as Half Moon - *The Red Lantern* (1919), as Eurasian woman (uncredited) ## Gallery - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-75eaabebf47c.jpg) Anna May Wong — Paramount photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Anna_May_Wong_-_portrait.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Anna May Wong in a publicity photo for the 1924 film Peter Pan](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-3cec74feffca.jpg) Anna May Wong in a publicity photo for the 1924 film Peter Pan — Paramount pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/AnnaMayWong-peterpan-publicityphoto1924.jpg/1280px-AnnaMayWong-peterpan-publicityphoto1924.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Anna May Wong 1938 Portrait for Vitagraph Inc.](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-db07c1275ae6.webp) Anna May Wong 1938 Portrait for Vitagraph Inc. — Vitagraph Inc., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Anna_May_Wong_1938_Portrait.webp/1280px-Anna_May_Wong_1938_Portrait.webp?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Anna May Wong, silent film actress Subjects (LCTGM): actresses (1925)](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-50f297eb6cda.jpg) Anna May Wong, silent film actress Subjects (LCTGM): actresses (1925) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Anna_May_Wong%2C_silent_film_actress_%28SAYRE_11250%29.jpg/1280px-Anna_May_Wong%2C_silent_film_actress_%28SAYRE_11250%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-a5952b3795e0.jpg) Anna May Wong — Image via TMDB - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-1b3658dfa1a5.jpg) Anna May Wong — Image via TMDB - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-2235beea81ff.jpg) Anna May Wong — Image via TMDB - ![Anna May Wong in 1927](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-d732457f48b4.jpg) Anna May Wong in 1927 — photoplay, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/AnnaMayWong-photoplay-1927.jpg/1280px-AnnaMayWong-photoplay-1927.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Title: Actress Anna May Wong is presented a book on the history of Boston by Deputy Mayor John McMorrow and former Fire Commissioner Russel Codman Creator: City](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-db75f8c786ed.jpg) Title: Actress Anna May Wong is presented a book on the history of Boston by Deputy Mayor John McMorrow and former Fire Commissioner Russel Codman Creator: City — City of Boston Archives from West Roxbury, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Actress_Anna_May_Wong_%2813243485005%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-5b65dff67a98.jpg) Anna May Wong — Image via TMDB - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-f7c705b83248.jpg) Anna May Wong — Image via TMDB - ![Anna May Wong](https://film.one/media/person/1225771/gallery-f34b60f4df6b.jpg) Anna May Wong — Image via TMDB --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/anna-may-wong