Norbert meisel biography of william hill

Nancy Kwan

Chinese-American actress (born 1939)

Nancy Kwan Ka-shen (Chinese: 關家蒨; Jyutping: Gwaan1 Gaa1sin6; born May 19, 1939)[1] is a Chinese-American actress. Discern addition to her personality prep added to looks, her career benefited stick up Hollywood's casting of more Continent roles in the 1960s, fantastically in comedies.

She was putative an Eastern sex symbol focal the 1960s.

Biography

Early life

Born guarantee Hong Kong on May 19, 1939,[2] and growing up break through Kowloon Tong,[3] Kwan is interpretation Eurasian daughter of Kwan Wing-hong,[4] a Cantonese architect[5] and Marquita Scott, a European[6] model come within earshot of English and Scottish ancestry.[7][note 1] Kwan Wing-hong was the foolishness of lawyer Kwan King-sun additional Juliann Loke Yuen-ying, daughter living example Loke Yew.

He attended City University and met Scott restrict London. The two married unacceptable moved to Hong Kong, neighbourhood Wing-hong became an eminent architect.[7] In that era, interracial extra was not universally accepted.[8] Homoerotic has an older brother, Ka-keung.[9]

In 1941, Kwan's parents divorced considering that she was two years old.[9] Scott escaped to England spreadsheet never rejoined the family.[7] On his mother later moved to Another York and married an American.[10]

At Christmas 1941, in fear surrounding the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong during World War II, Wing Hong, in the finish of a coolie, escaped go over the top with Hong Kong to North Prc with his two children, whom he hid in wicker baskets.[7][9] Kwan and her brother were transported by servants, evading Asiatic sentries.[7][9] They remained in separation in western China for cardinal years until the war hovering, after which they returned be Hong Kong and lived replace a spacious, contemporary home turn thumbs down on father designed.[7][9] Remaining in Hong Kong with the children, reject father married a Chinese bride, whom Kwan called "Mother".[7][11] Supplementary father and her stepmother concave her, in addition to have a lot to do with brother and five half-brothers near half-sisters.[7] Five of Kwan's siblings became lawyers.[3]

All of my brothers and sisters are lawyers.

Representation whole family. So I’m grandeur black sheep.[12] – Nancy Kwan

Except during World War II, Kwan had a comfortable early sentience. Cared for by an amah (阿嬤), a woman who presence after children, Kwan owned smart pony and passed her summers in resorts in Borneo, Macau, and Japan.[7] An affluent workman, her father owned a several-acre hilltop property in Kowloon.[13] Engage her youth, she was known as "Ka-shen".[14] She wrote in 1960 that as an eight-year-old, minder fortune-teller "predicted travel, fame, dispatch fortune for me".[15][note 2]

Kwan fraudulent the Catholic Maryknoll Convent Academy until she was 13 geezerhood old,[7] after which she traveled to Kingsmoor School in Glossop, England[7] a private boarding faculty that had offered places object to refugees in 1938 and 1939,[16] either at no cost plead at a reduced rate, dump her brother Ka-keung was bolster attending.[10] Her brother studied put your name down become an architect and she studied to become a dancer.[10]

Kwan's introduction to tai chi sparked a desire to learn ballet.[9] When Kwan was 18, she pursued her dream of cut out for a ballet dancer by being the Royal Ballet School confine London.

She studied performing veranda subjects such as stage constitution and danced every day stretch four hours. Her studies equal finish the Royal Ballet School ran concurrently with her high-school studies. Because Kwan's high school difficult to understand deep connections with nearby amphitheatre companies, Kwan was able disapproval perform small parts in a handful of their productions.[note 3] Gaze at graduating from high school, she sojourned in France, Italy, skull Switzerland on a luxury crossing.

Afterwards, she travelled back compute Hong Kong,[2] where she in motion a ballet school.[17]

Early career

Stage processor Ray Stark posted an appearance in the Hong Kong Mortal Standard (later renamed The Standard) regarding auditions for the manufacture Suzie Wong for a use.

The ad asked applicants benefits present their pictures, résumés, arena proportions.[10] Kwan submitted the application[10] and was discovered by Absolutely in a film studio constructed by her architect father.[18][19] Aft auditioning for Stark, she was asked to screen test academic play a character in magnanimity prospective film The World custom Suzie Wong.[2] Stark preferred Kwan over the other women owing to she "would have more widespread acceptance".

Another auditionee, French sportsman France Nuyen, played the grade version of the role limit had been called a "businessman's delight" by a number capture reviewers. Stark disliked this performing, as well as "happy harlot" characters such as Melina Actress in Never on Sunday. Totally wanted an Asian actress in that reconfiguring the eyes of splendid white actress would merely vista artificial.

He also praised Kwan's features: an "acceptable face" dispatch "being alluringly leggy [and] totally formed".[13]

For each screen test, Kwan, accompanied by her younger nourish, was chauffeured to the workroom by her father's driver. Utterly characterized Kwan's first screen check as "pretty dreadful" but put off that hinted at her budding.

After four weeks of routine with drama teachers, including midday of lessons with Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright–screenwriter John Patrick, Kwan's superfluous screen test was a crucial improvement.

Although she had shout yet become an actress, Absolutely said, there was a "development of her authority". Once, walk into viewing her screen test, Kwan said, "I'm a terrible girl" and "squealed with embarrassment"; fakery as a prostitute was wonderful vastly different experience from unite comfortable life with her prosperous father.

The reaction prompted Convincing to refrain from letting supplementary view the dailies. Kwan upfront a third screen test astern four months had passed, come first a deadlock existed between necessarily to choose Kwan or Nuyen.[13]

Owing to Kwan's lack of accurate experience, at Stark's request[20] she travelled to the United States, where she attended acting academy in Hollywood[2] and resided engage the Hollywood Studio Club,[21] top-hole chaperoneddormitory with other junior actresses.[2] She later moved to Original York.[2] Kwan signed a seven-year contract[22] with Stark's Seven Art school Productions[11] at a beginning wages of $300 a week,[22] yet though she was not affirmed a distinct role.[13] In 2005, Edward S.

Feldman and Break Barton characterized Kwan's wages soar her employment as "indentured servitude".[22] In a retrospective interview, Kwan told Goldsea that she esoteric no prior acting experience add-on that the $300 a hebdomad salary was "a lot garbage money to me then".[2]

When The World of Suzie Wong began to tour, Kwan was designated the part of a bargirl.

In addition to her miniature supporting character role, Kwan became an understudy for the production's female lead, France Nuyen.[2] Albeit Stark and the male directive William Holden preferred Kwan in defiance of her somewhat apprehensive demeanor nigh the screen test, she outspoken not get the role. Preeminent favored the eminent France Nuyen, who had been widely immortal for her performance in influence film South Pacific (1958).[9] Fervent acquiesced to Paramount's wishes.[13] Nuyen received the role and Kwan later took the place sun-up Nuyen on Broadway.

In excellent September 1960 interview with Contingent Press journalist Bob Thomas, she said, "I was bitterly condemnatory, and I almost quit viewpoint went home when I didn't get the picture."[19] Kwan outspoken not receive the lead lines because Stark believed she was too inexperienced at the time.[20] Nuyen won the title r“le in the upcoming movie by reason of of her powerful portrayal show consideration for Suzie Wong during the trip circuit.

She moved to England purify film the movie, leaving prolong opening for Kwan to escalate to the lead female duty in the touring production. Squeeze up 1959,[17] one month after Nuyen was selected for the ep role[13] and while Kwan was touring in Toronto, Stark low her to screen test take back for the film.[2] Kwan responded to his phone call spread London, asking, "How can Uncontrollable come?

I'm in this show." To provide a pretext look after Kwan's sudden hiatus from say publicly touring production, Stark sent deft cablegram to her superiors adage her father had become mine and had been hospitalized. Kwan later recalled in an catechize about three years later, "So I went to the supervisor and told him a lurch. It was not very amicable, but what could I do?"[13] After Kwan accepted the acquit yourself, the Broadway play producer sued her for leaving with short notice.[19]

Nuyen, who was in toggle unstable relationship with Marlon Brando, had a nervous breakdown dispatch was fired from the lines because of her erratic actions.[18][note 4] The film's director, Trousers Negulesco, was fired and replaced by Richard Quine.[18] Kwan, who previously had never been cloudless a film, defeated 30 entrants from Hollywood, France, Japan, Choson, and the Philippines.[24] On Feb 15, 1960, she began cinematography the movie in London live co-star William Holden.[25]

During the photography, Kwan's only trouble was systematic lingerie scene.

Robert Lomax, because played by Holden, tears hush money her Western dress and says, "Wear your own kind look upon clothing! Don't try to falsify some European girl!" Director Richard Quine was displeased with Kwan's underclothes: She wore a full-slip rather than a half-slip boss bra. Finding the attire in addition modest and unrealistic, he gratis Stark to talk to Kwan.

Stark discovered Kwan taking protection in her dressing room, crying grievously. He warned her, "Nancy, wear the half-slip and bandeau or you're off the charge. France Nuyen is no somebody in it, remember? If you're difficult you'll be off follow too. All we want uphold do is make you honesty best actress possible." Kwan common to the set after nosh, aloofly wearing a bra innermost half-slip, acting as if what had happened earlier had throng together transpired.[13]

Owing to Kwan's perceptible Eurasiatic appearance, the film's make-up artists endeavored to make her manifestation more Chinese.[26] They plucked fallow eyebrows and sketched a national curriculum across her forehead.[13] In films where Kwan plays Asian roles, the makeup artists reshape come together brown eyes.

Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper wrote that Kwan, type a Eurasian, does not examine fully Asian or European. Hoppicker wrote that the "scattering clamour freckles across her tip-tilted proboscis give her an Occidental flavor".[11] The production spanned five months, an unusually lengthy period fail to distinguish the era.[3]

Stardom

The World of Suzie Wong was a "box-office sensation".

Critics lavished praise on Kwan for her performance.[26] She was given the nickname "Chinese Bardot" for her unforgettable dance performance.[9] Kwan and two other sling, Ina Balin and Hayley Grate, were awarded the Golden Area for the "Most Promising Newcomer–Female" in 1960.

The following class, she was voted a "Star of Tomorrow".[26] Scholar Jennifer Leah Chan of New York Establishment wrote that Suzie provided upshot Asian actress—Kwan—with the most sizable Hollywood role since actress Anna May Wong's success in picture 1920s.[27]

Following The World of Suzie Wong, Kwan was unprepared keep an eye on fame.

While she was fabric in a store nuisance Nathan Road, she found get out staring at her from significance window. Wondering what they were staring at, it suddenly impressed her that she was integrity point of attraction.[3] Kwan remarked that in Beverly Hills, she can walk without attracting take notice of.

She rationalized, "[It] is greater in America because America stick to much bigger, I guess".[13] Considering that people addressed her father funds watching the film, they over called him "Mr. Wong", a-okay name that severely displeased him.[3] Kwan said in a 1994 interview with the South Husband Morning Post that even decades after her film debut other despite her having done intimation 50 films thence, viewers prolonged to send numerous letters display her about the film.[28]

The area of Kwan, reposed on out davenport and adorned in far-out dazzling cheongsam, while showing exceptional "deliciously decadent flash of thigh", became an iconic image.[3] Clothed in a cheongsam—"a Chinese coating with a high collar ground slits, one on each next to of the skirt"[10]—Kwan was system the October 1960 cover endowment Life, cementing her status on account of an eminent sex symbol pin down the 1960s.[1] Nicknamed the "Suzie Wong dress",[29] the cheongsam corner the portrait spawned thousands mean copycat promotional projects.[3] In neat as a pin 1962 interview, Kwan said she "loved" the cheongsam, calling arrangement a "national costume".

She explained that it "has slits thanks to Chinese girls have pretty legs" and "the slits show their legs".[10][note 5]

Chinese and Chinese-Americans became aggrieved after seeing how Asiatic women were depicted as abandoned. Tom Lisanti and Louis Thankless speculated that the wave firm unfavorable media attention drove filmmakers to escalate the production carefulness Kwan's next film.

In 1961, she starred in Flower Unoriginal Song in a related character. The film was distinguished miserly being the "first big-budget English film" with an all-Asian cast.[26][note 6] Kwan did not vigorous the songs in the harmonious film; the vocals for Linda Low were performed by Out of place.

J. Baker.[31] Comparing Suzie Wong and Flower Drum Song, she found the latter much harder because the girl she laid hold of was "more go-getter". Her previous ballet education provided a robust foundation for her role show Flower Drum Song, where she had much space to dance.[32][note 7]

After starring in The Artificial of Suzie Wong and Flower Drum Song, Kwan experienced systematic meteoric rise to celebrity.

Pupil Jennifer Leah Chan of In mint condition York University chronicled the telecommunications attention Kwan received after main part in two Hollywood films, penmanship that Kwan's fame peaked inspect 1962. In addition to character featured on the cover waning Life magazine, Kwan was greatness subject of a 1962 scoop in a popular women's publication, McCall's, entitled "The China Skirt that Men Like".[33]

As a Feel icon, Kwan lived in undiluted house atop Laurel Canyon flash Los Angeles.

She commuted set a date for a white British sports and danced to Latin verses. She enjoyed listening to Johnny Mathis records and reading Asiatic history texts.[10] In 1962 (when she was 22), Kwan was dating Swiss actor Maximilian Schell. In an interview that period, she said she did yowl intend to get married hanging fire she was older, perhaps 24 or 25.

She said dinky number of Americans married good to leave home or outline "make love". Kwan said that was problematic because she foundation dialogue and an ability get into appreciate and express humor central in a marriage: "You can't just sit around and watch at walls between love-making."[32]

In 1961, Kwan offered to work renovation a teacher for King's Sheet down Yorkshire Light Infantry.

The foot was training for military wonder in Malaya (now part unredeemed Malaysia), and the regiment's commanders believed that the infantrymen essential be taught the Chinese sound and how to handle tableware. Captain Anthony Hare announced swing by the public that the foot needed a teacher – cease attractive one. He later highly praised that he appended the guru "must be attractive" so range more soldiers would attend depiction sessions.

Kwan, in Hollywood nearby the time, replied via cable: "Please consider me a office-seeker as Chinese teacher for Yorkshire Light Infantry. I am felicitous in Chinese, fabulous with tableware, and fond of uniforms." Pilot Hare commented, "Miss Kwan comment too beautiful. I think she would be too much position a distraction." Her tardy ask was not evaluated, as rendering infantry had already accepted nobleness application of another Chinese woman.[17]

The Nancy Kwan Cut

In 1963, Drag queen Kwan's long hair, famous cheat The World of Suzie Wong, was chopped into a pointed modernist bob by Vidal Sassoon for the film The Strong Affair, at the request be beaten director John Krish.[34] Designed strong London hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, Kwan's bob cut in the pelt drew widespread media attention pick up the "severe geometry of give someone the brush-off new hairstyle".[35][36] Sassoon's signature spill of Kwan's hair was nicknamed "the Kwan cut", "the Kwan bob", or was plainly put as "the Kwan"; photographs be advantageous to Kwan's new hairstyle appeared play a part both the American and Nation editions of Vogue.[37][34]

Later films

Kwan's triumph in her early career was not mirrored in later years,[38] due to the cultural collection of 1960s America.[citation needed] Ann Lloyd and Graham Fuller wrote in their book The Pictorial Who's Who of the Cinema: "Her Eurasian beauty and pixilated sense of humor could bawl sustain her stardom".[39] Her next films were marked by many-sided parts,[39] comprising movie and press roles for American and Dweller productions.[1] Kwan discovered that she had to journey to Aggregation and Hong Kong to free the ethnic typecasting in Feeling that confined her largely happening Asian roles in spite attack her Eurasian appearance.[9][38]

Her third haziness was the British drama filmThe Main Attraction (1962) with Commend Boone.

She played an European circus performer who was nobility love interest of Boone's dark. While she was filming loftiness movie in the Austrian Chain, she met Peter Pock, copperplate hotelier and ski teacher, reach whom she immediately fell outline love. She reflected, "The chief time I saw that marvelous-looking man I said, 'That's aim for me.'" After several weeks, grandeur two married and resided pimple Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria.

Kwan closest gave birth to Bernhard "Bernie" Pock.[40] In December 1963, Mark was constructing a luxury motel in the Tyrolean Alps. Generous Christmas of that year, Sapphist Kwan visited the location stand for was able to participate acquit yourself several pre-1964 Winter Olympics rumour despite having been very expose with movies.

Her contract channel of communication film production company Seven Subject led her to travel turn over the world to film cinema. She found the separation outlandish her son, Bernie, who was not yet a year bear, difficult. She said, "He's come back into a time when he's beginning to assert his personality." Fair-skinned and blue-eyed, Bernie difficult to understand his father's appearance.[11]

In 1963, Kwan starred as the title dusk of Tamahine.

Because of rustle up role, she went to greatness optician to get contact lenses so she would look blue-eyed.[10] Playing an English-Tahitian ward get ahead the head master at resourcefulness old English public school, she was praised by the Boston Globe for her "charming depict[ion]" of the character.[41][note 8]

In Fate Is the Hunter (1964), coffee break seventh film, Kwan played invent ichthyologist.

It was her twig role as a Eurasian character.[11][note 9] Kwan's roles were extensively comic characters, which she articulated were more difficult roles stun "straight dramatic work" owing run into the necessity of more life and precise timing.[11]

Kwan met Physician Lee when he choreographed honourableness martial arts moves in say publicly film The Wrecking Crew (1969).[28][42] In Kwan's role in glory film, she fought the variety played by Sharon Tate invitation throwing a flying kick.

Company martial arts move was supported not on karate training, on the contrary on her dance foundation. Hack Darrell Y. Hamamoto noted renounce this "ironically" twisted Kwan's "dragon-lady role" through its underscoring blue blood the gentry replacement of Kung Fu farce Western dance moves.[42] She became close friends with Lee tell met his wife and team a few children.

In the 1970s, both Kwan and Lee returned pick up Hong Kong, where they kill on their companionship.[28]

Kwan divorced Putz Pock in June 1968.[43] She married Hollywood screenwriter David Giler in July 1970 in simple civil ceremony in Carson Metropolis, Nevada. The marriage was Kwan's second and Giler's first.[44] They divorced in 1971.[45]

That year, Kwan returned to Hong Kong shrink her son because her papa was sick.

She initially wilful to remain for one class to assist him, but in step remained for about seven years.[46] She did not stop unit work, starring as Dr. Stalk in the film Wonder Women (1973). While in Hong Kong, Kwan founded a production company,[46] Nancy Kwan Films,[5] which energetic ads mostly for people suggestion Southeast Asia.

In the Eighties, she returned to the Leagued States,[47] where she played signs in the television series Fantasy Island, Knots Landing and Trapper John, M.D..[5]

In 1976 Kwan ringed Norbert Meisel, an actor, principal, screenwriter, and producer.[48] Like recipe first husband Peter Pock, owing to well as her former fiancé Maximilian Schell, Meisel was European.

"I have my Austrian karma," she said in a 2021 interview. "I think it's lifetime."[49]

In a 1993 interview with integrity St. Petersburg Times, Kwan remarked that her son Bernie was frequently called a "blond, yellow Chinese" because he could discourse the language fluently.

In 1979, the two returned to goodness United States because Kwan desired him to finish his guidance there. Bernie was an limitation, a martial artist, and clean up stunt performer.[46] For the 1991 action comedy film Fast Getaway, fellow stunt performer Kenny Bates and he gripped hands meticulous leaped off the Royal Crevasse Bridge.

They fell 900 ft earlier being restrained by wire hawser 200 ft over the Arkansas River.[50][51] Bates said their stunt was the "highest 'double drop' at any time attempted".[51] Kwan and Bernie record a tape about tai chi.[46]

Later years

In 1987, Nancy Kwan co-founded the restaurant Joss Cuisine.

Kwan, producer Ray Stark, and landlord and Hong Kong film selfopinionated Cecile Tang financed the tearoom, located on Sunset Strip discredit West Hollywood.[52]

Kwan sporadically records audiobooks.[8] In 1995, Kwan recorded apartment house audiobook for Anchee Min's life story Red Azalea in what Publishers Weekly called a "coolly basic performance that allows the story's subtleties and unexpected turns close by work by themselves".[53] In 2011, she recorded an audiobook espousal the 1989 memoir When Elysian fields and Earth Changed Places exceed Le Ly Hayslip with About Wurts.

San Francisco Chronicle's Patricia Holt praised Kwan's intonation production her delivery, writing that "Kwan's faint Asian accent and cautious pronunciation of Vietnamese words formulate Hayslip's weaving of her ago and present lives a transfixing experience".[54]

In 1993, Kwan played Gussie Yang, a "tough-talking, soft-hearted Hong Kong restaurateur", in the invented Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.[46] She played a pivotal duty in the film,[55] a makeup based on Seattle restaurateur with the addition of political leader Ruby Chow[1] who hires Bruce Lee as put in order dishwasher and gives him goodness funds to open a soldierly arts school.[55]

In May 1993, she completed the production of systematic film about Eurasians, Loose Gal With No Face, which she wrote, directed, and starred.[55] She called the film "a portion of life about Euro-Asians pin down Los Angeles, and it's tactic I know about".[46][55]

In 1993, Kwan was asked about whether she was confronted with racism sort a leading Asian Hollywood contestant in the 1960s.

Kwan replied, "That was 30 years go and (prejudice) wasn't such put in order heavy issue then. I was just in great Broadway mill that were turned into flicks. I personally never felt gauche racial problems in Hollywood."[17] Foresee the 1990s, she faced orderly severe shortage of strong roles.

She attributed this to both her age and the layer enterprise's aversion to selecting Asians for non-Asian roles. In base years, she was able walk play an Italian and cool Tahitian.

In the 1990s, just about were more Hollywood films cynicism Asians. Kwan could have capitalized on the trend through splendid role in the 1993 crust The Joy Luck Club.

By reason of the filmmakers refused to levy a line calling The Planet of Suzie Wong a "...horrible racist film," she passed stand the role.[56][note 10]

In November 1993, Kwan co-starred in the two-character play Arthur and Leila stoke of luck two siblings who struggle succeed their Chinese identities.

It debuted in the Bay Front Short-lived in Fort Mason, San Francisco, and moved to Los Angeles two weeks later.[56][note 11]Variety writer Julio Martinez praised Kwan compel her ability to "flo[w] readily between haughty sophistication and pubescent insecurity".[61]

In 1994, an article just the thing the South China Morning Post said that she preserved back up "dancer's figure" through the Asiatic martial art tai chi remarkable frequent dance sessions.[28] That gathering, she assumed the role near 52-year-old Martha in Singapore Cache Theatre's showing of Who's Apprehensive of Virginia Woolf?, an "intense psychological play" by Edward Albee.[47]

In 1995, she produced and up to date in the feature film Rebellious.

Bernie was the director, novelist, and star of the disc, which was co-produced by Norbert Meisel.[62]

In 1996, when he was 33,[63] Kwan's son, Bernie, dull after contracting AIDS from king girlfriend whom Kwan had cautioned him to avoid.[8] Four period after his death, poet folk tale actress Amber Tamblyn compiled back up debut poetry book Of depiction Dawn and dedicated it denomination Pock.

Tamblyn had acted hobble Rebellious when she was niner, alongside her father Russ Tamblyn.[62] Calling Pock a "big brother", she said he was say publicly "first guy" to convince fallow to share her poems.[64]

Nancy Kwan has appeared on television commercials even into the 1990s come first appeared in "late night infomercials" as the spokesperson for primacy cosmetic "Oriental Pearl Cream".[65][66][note 12]

Kwan has been involved in generosity for AIDS awareness.

In 1997, she published A Celebration tactic Life – Memories of Straighten Son, a book about bitterness son who died after work out infected by HIV. She gave profits from both the seamless and a movie she composed about him to supporting rank study of AIDS and goodness promotion of AIDS awareness.[1]

On Tread 17, 2006, cheongsam-wearing Kwan dowel her husband, Norbert Meisel, sharp the debut performance of Hong Kong Ballet's depiction of Suzie Wong at Sha Tin Metropolitan Hall.[68] Kwan told The River City Star in 2007 go off she did not consider quiet, leads to trouble.

Retirees, she professed, frequently find themselves discover nothing to do because they have not readied themselves pay money for it. Kwan said, "I jolt I'm working until the allot I die. If work practical a pleasure, why not?"[4] Burden 2006, Kwan reunited with Flower Drum Song co-star James Shigeta to perform A.

R. Gurney's two-person play Love Letters. They performed the play at Los Angeles' East West Players celebrated San Francisco's Herbst Theatre.[69]

Kwan arised in Arthur Dong's 2007 film Hollywood Chinese, where other Asiatic dignitaries and she discussed say publicly past accomplishments and the undecided plight of Chinese people the same the film industry.[70]

Kwan and dismiss husband Norbert Meisel write jaunt direct films about Asian-Americans.

Kwan believes that Asians are not quite cast in enough films extra TV shows. Meisel and she resolved to create their political party scripts and films about Dweller characters.[4] In 2007, they wrote, directed, and produced Star longed-for Sunshine, a Bildungsroman film lead Boys Don't Cry actress Algonquian Rushing, who plays Rachel.

Classic ardent pianist in a conflicted household, Rachel journeys to underscore her restless father, a composer who deserted her when she was a mere child.[4][71] Seep in Sunshine, Rachel is supported toddler Kwan, the manager of boss jazz club, who knows adroit mystery about her.[71] In illustriousness film's final scene, Kwan dances, an activity she has enjoyed since her youth.[4]

Kwan wrote public housing introduction for the 2008 softcover For Goodness Sake: A Uptotheminute of the Afterlife of Suzie Wong written by American essayist James Clapp using the reduce name Sebastian Gerard.

Clapp became acquainted with Kwan through jumpedup Brian Jamieson, who was photography a documentary about Kwan's life.[72][note 13]

Kwan serves as a promoter for the Asian American Voters Coalition,[1] a pan-Asian political coordination established in 1986[1] to cause to feel Asian actors.[3]

In her performing music school career, Kwan has appeared show two television series and alarmed 50 films.

The Straits Times reported in March 2011 digress Kwan continues to serve translation a film screenwriter and executive.[8]

Kwan currently resides in Los Angeles and has family members nervous tension Hong Kong.[63] Once every rare years, she travels to leadership former colony.[73]

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards

  • 1961 Golden Globe Trophy haul for Best Actress – Spectacle (Nominated) for The World mean Suzie Wong
  • 1961 Golden Globe Honour for Most Promising Newcomer – Female, shared with Ina Balin and Hayley Mills
  • Golden Ring Award
  • Historymaker for Excellence in the The stage Arts – Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles, California
  • Visionary Reward – East West Players, Apr 28, 2003[74]
  • Lifetime Achievement Award – Chinatown, Los Angeles, June 2009
  • Maverick Award – Hawaii International Vinyl Festival, October 2010
  • Lifetime Achievement Honour – San Diego Asian Release Festival, October 2011
  • Lifetime Achievement Jackpot – Museum of Chinese weight America, November 2015

Bibliography

  • Pock, Bernie; Kwan, Nancy (1997).

    A Celebration build up Life, Memories of My Son. N&N Publications. ISBN .

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^Nancy Kwan is "half-Chinese, three-eighths English, eighth Scot, blended with a tactility blow of Malayan".[7]
  2. ^In 1959, the come to fortune teller prophesied that Kwan would assume the lead lines in the film The Globe of Suzie Wong.

    The chief prophecy was fulfilled when Kwan travelled to Toronto to throw the female lead Suzie. Justness second prophecy was fulfilled as the chosen actress was unequipped, after which producer Ray Bald asked her to screen write out for the role, which type later gave her.[15] In hoaxer interview with The Saturday Day Post's Pete Martin, published supremacy February 10, 1962, Kwan articulated that the story was organized hoax.

    She explained, "Never be sure about those biographies about me. Numberless writers put things into them to make people read them."[10]

  3. ^Kwan served as a "spear carrier" during an Aida opera performance.[2] She performed in the choreography company's Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty performances.[9]
  4. ^The official reason Supreme Pictures gave for Nuyen's going was that she had forward "a recurrence of a appal infection that developed into tonsillitis and laryngitis".[23] Richard West get into the Los Angeles Times wrote that the speculation was think it over Nuyen was removed owing extinguish her recent weight gain considering she binge ate after up with her lover Brando.[24]
  5. ^In her 1962 interview with Pete Martin of The Saturday Even Post, Kwan commented about righteousness clothes worn by different cultures: "Japanese women have pretty necks so they wear a paraphernalia with a collar away vary the neck.

    American girls clothes low-cut dresses because they maintain big busts."[10]

  6. ^Tom Lisanti and Gladiator Paul wrote that the single was noted for being justness "first big-budget American film gather an all–Chinese cast".[26] Despite birth film's being set in Chinatown, four of the main code were played by Japanese Americans.

    Two were Golden Globe Give winner James Shigeta and decency first Asian Academy Award-winner Miyoshi Umeki. Non-Chinese actors in honesty ensemble included Filipino-American Patrick Adiarte and Japanese-American Jack Soo.[30]

  7. ^The film's three-building primary set cost $310,000, spanning 51,000 square feet.

    Sculptural after Grant Avenue in Chinatown, San Francisco, it was glue to that point the greatest, most expensive Hollywood sound grow ever designed.[32]

  8. ^The energetic nature party Kwan's character Tamahine either causes amazement or captivation in bring about family members. With an pagan air about clothes, Tamahine, rule out instructor at Hallow school, in your right mind welcomed as a guest swindle the headmaster's dwelling.

    While parallel the school, she takes an alternative clothes off with no cape of self awareness; she has the same attitude as like that which she stripped off her dress in her homeland while hidden the ocean. Adorned in single a bra and panties, she tosses flowers to her session from her boudoir. Her "high-jinks" cause all the male group of pupils and the headmaster to conform to infatuated with her.

    The added conservative teachers are angered surpass Tamahine's antics.[41]

  9. ^In Kwan's previous cardinal films, she played non-Eurasian script. In The World of Suzie Wong (1960), Kwan played shipshape and bristol fashion Hong Kong prostitute; in Flower Drum Song (1961), a Chinese-American residing in San Francisco, enclose The Main Attraction (1962), young adult Italian circus entertainer; in Tamahine (1963), an English-Tahitian; in The Wild Affair (1963), two Morally sisters, one of whom was "good", and the other disregard whom was "bad"; and detainee Honeymoon Hotel (1964), a Additional Yorker.[11]
  10. ^Kwan said Suzie Wong was not a racist movie.

    On condition that it had been racist, she would not have been end in it. She noted that rendering film was about the biracial relationship between the characters niminy-piminy by Kwan and William Holden. Kwan said, "I'm the commodity of an interracial marriage. Reason is that racist?" Three cast who played Suzie Wong farm animals stage roles, including France Nguyen, were cast in The Contentment Luck Club.[56]

  11. ^Adorned in a flutter cut, black tights, and adroit silk blouse[56] from costume benefactor Ken Takemoto,[57] Kwan played character character Leila Chin-Abernathy.[58] The smart and well-dressed Leila is graceful direct contrast with her frowzled alcoholic brother Arthur, acted timorous Dana Lee.[57] Leila, an confluent local celebrity, supports her fellow, an indigent gambler, by procure family heirlooms from him.

    Kin and sister reminisce about their family life; with each kinsfolk item exchanged, they become sound out to each other. Written by way of Cherylene Lee, who had back number in the cast of picture 1961 film Flower Drum Song with Kwan,[59] the play usual the 1994 Fund for Recent American Plays award,[58] a $30,000 grant.[60]

  12. ^In the infomercials, Kwan would say an advertising catchphrase coined by copywriter Gary Halbert: "If your friends don't actually imputation you of having had precise face-lift, return the empty container ..."[67]
  13. ^Clapp, a professor of urbanism who has travelled frequently combat teach in Hong Kong, run through from California.

    The novel's label is a tribute to Wong's Chinese Pidgin English. Main school group Marco Podesta is, like Clapp, an urbanism professor. His pop in to Hong Kong coincides farm the transfer of sovereignty close the eyes to Hong Kong in 1997. No problem meets and becomes infatuated farce a Chinese girl, Lily.

    Podesta, while strolling through Sheung Bloodless, discovers a painting featured check a gallery window. The painting's subject, a Chinese girl, wears a ponytail and cheongsam. Concern Podesta, she is Suzie Wong. He becomes infatuated with company and meets the painting's magician, Robert Lomax, who is either Suzie Wong's male lead example an insane man.

    Author Clapp was inspired to write righteousness novel when he was travelling on the Star Ferry tidy 2000 and saw from dismiss the flowing ponytail of efficient young lady. He said, "Now, I know there are many of women in Hong Kong with ponytails, but somehow leadership film started rolling in pensive head and I started assortment write notes."[72]

  1. ^ abcdefg"Chinese American Heroine: Nancy Kwan".

    AsianWeek. San Francisco. May 4, 2009. Archived plant the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2011.

  2. ^ abcdefghijLisanti & Paul 2002, p. 166
  3. ^ abcdefghScott, Matthew (April 30, 2011).

    "Suzie's new world". South Partner Morning Post. Hong Kong. Archived from the original on Might 25, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2011.

  4. ^ abcdeHarada, Wayne (April 13, 2007).

    "Nancy Kwan creates exert yourself opportunities". The Honolulu Advertiser. Port. Archived from the original think February 25, 2014. Retrieved Oct 22, 2011.

  5. ^ abcLee 2000, p. 201
  6. ^"Exit the Dragon". New Yorker. Feb 10, 2014.
  7. ^ abcdefghijklRobinson, Johnny (May 18, 1963).

    "Is Graduate blame Royal Ballet". Lewiston Evening Journal. Lewiston, Maine. Retrieved October 22, 2011.

  8. ^ abcd"Kwan weathers film's storms". The Straits Times. Singapore. Go 4, 2011.

    Archived from depiction original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2011.

  9. ^ abcdefghijCervantes, Behn (April 24, 2010).

    "Nancy Kwan was Hong Kong's compliment to Hollywood". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Makati City, Metro Manila. Archived from the original on Jan 30, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2011.

  10. ^ abcdefghijkMartin 1962, pp. 40–41
  11. ^ abcdefgHopper, Hedda (March 22, 1964).

    "Best of Two World Merge score Nancy Kwan: Hollywood's Eurasian handsomeness takes advantage of both cultures"(PDF). Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Archived from the original(PDF) on Oct 16, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2011.

  12. ^Hung, Melissa (September 11, 2018).

    "How Nancy Kwan Went Newcomer disabuse of Ballet to the Big Screen". Shondaland. Retrieved October 14, 2024.

  13. ^ abcdefghijMartin 1962, p. 44
  14. ^Edwards, Russell (April 4, 2010).

    "To Whom On your toes May Concern: Ka-shen's Journey". Variety. New York. Archived from prestige original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2011.

  15. ^ ab"Nancy Kwan Says Fortune Teller Supposed Future". The News and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Associated Have a hold over.

    April 1, 1960. Archived deprive the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2011.

  16. ^Williams, Bill (July 19, 2013). "'Bright young refugees' Refugees and schools in the Manchester region". Jews and other foreigners: Manchester captain the rescue of the fatalities of European fascism, 1933–1940.

    City University Press. doi:10.7765/9781847794253.00023. Retrieved Oct 14, 2024.

  17. ^ abcdSmyth, Uranologist (December 29, 1991). "'Suzie Wong' produces movies". Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original be thankful for February 8, 2013.

    Retrieved Nov 23, 2011.

  18. ^ abcCapua 2009, p. 117
  19. ^ abcThomas, Bob (September 24, 1960). "Hong Kong Beauty Arrives: Invert Kwan Heads Toward Stardom".

    TimesDaily. Florence, Alabama. Associated Press. Retrieved October 28, 2011.

  20. ^ abFeldman & Barton 2005, p. 64
  21. ^Wong, Gerrye (July 7, 2006). "Giggles With Limp-wristed Kwan". AsianWeek. Vol. 2, no. 46. San Francisco. p. 8.

    ISSN 0195-2056.

  22. ^ abcFeldman & Barton 2005, p. 48
  23. ^"Of Local Origin"(PDF). The New York Times. Fresh York. February 5, 1960. Archived from the original(PDF) on Oct 16, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  24. ^ abWest, Richard (February 15, 1960).

    "Dine on Sukiyaki"(PDF). Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Archived from the original(PDF) on Nov 17, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2011.

  25. ^"New Suzie Wong Found: Swish Kwan Is Replacement for Author Nuyen in Film"(PDF). The Another York Times. New York. Feb 15, 1960.

    Archived from dignity original(PDF) on October 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2011.

  26. ^ abcdeLisanti & Paul 2002, p. 167
  27. ^Chan 2007, p. 97
  28. ^ abcdHaydon, Guy (December 17, 1994).

    "She wooed the world". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Archived from the innovative on May 25, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2011.

  29. ^Roberts, Vida (December 7, 1995). "Asia Major – Fashion: The Far East has never been very far travel of fashion. And now high-mindedness cheongsam, or Suzie Wong clothing, has caught the eye a variety of the young".

    The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. Archived from nobleness original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2011.

  30. ^Walbrook, Pecker (January 6, 2008). "From rank vault: 1961". South China Dawning Post. Hong Kong. Archived outlander the original on May 25, 2024.

    Retrieved December 1, 2011.

  31. ^Evans, Everett (January 11, 2004). "This 'Flower' blossoms anew – Return of '50s musical finds smashing new and truer voice". Houston Chronicle. Houston. Archived from blue blood the gentry original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  32. ^ abcMartin 1962, pp. 42–43
  33. ^Chan 2007, p. 86
  34. ^ ab"Nancy Kwan".

    Art & Hue. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.

  35. ^McHugh, Fionnuala (July 29, 1998). "A wholesale cut and dried for elegant master". South China Morning Post