Willie Fung (3 March 1896 – 16 April 1945) was a Chinese-American film actor who played supporting roles in 125 American films between 1922 and 1944. Like many Chinese actors working in Hollywood during the era, he often played Japanese characters.[1]
Born in Canton, China,[2] Fung made a name for himself as an actor on the stage in San Francisco.[3] After moving to Los Angeles after his uncle's business collapsed during the depression, Fung — who was reportedly an acquaintance of Jean Harlow's[4] — made his film debut in 1922 in Hurricane's Gal. The majority of his roles were in Westerns and dramas.
Although he was relegated to often-cartoonish bit parts due to the racism of the day, behind the scenes, he made an impact by advocating for fairer treatment of actors by the studios. He reportedly also ran his own Chinese restaurant, the New Moon Café in East Hollywood, while maintaining his acting career.[5][6][7] Fung died of a coronary occlusion in Los Angeles on April 16, 1945 at the age of 49.[8] He is buried in Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[9][10]
^"No Fun for Willie Fung". The Wilkes-Barre Record. 11 March 1942. Retrieved 28 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Rielly, Edward J., ed. (2006). Baseball in the Classroom: Essays on Teaching the National Pastime. McFarland. p. 55. ISBN0-786-48152-8.
^"Ruth Will Not Act". St. Joseph News-Press. 20 November 1931. Retrieved 28 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Moore, Charles R. (20 May 1941). "Hollywood Film Shop". Wilmington Daily Press Journal. Retrieved 28 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Chinese Actor Has Odd Hobby". Spokane Chronicle. 21 August 1936. Retrieved 28 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Hollywood Stars "Hide"". The Pittsburgh Press. 13 March 1938. Retrieved 28 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"West Adams Heritage Association | in Historic West Adams, Los Angeles, California". www.westadamsheritage.org. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
^Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). Silent Film Necrology. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. p. 185. ISBN0-786-41059-0.
^Ellenberger, Allan R. (2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. p. 192. ISBN0-786-40983-5.
^"Notice to Creditors". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. 29 June 1945. Retrieved 28 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
willie, fung, march, 1896, april, 1945, chinese, american, film, actor, played, supporting, roles, american, films, between, 1922, 1944, like, many, chinese, actors, working, hollywood, during, often, played, japanese, characters, born, 1896, march, 1896canton. Willie Fung 3 March 1896 16 April 1945 was a Chinese American film actor who played supporting roles in 125 American films between 1922 and 1944 Like many Chinese actors working in Hollywood during the era he often played Japanese characters 1 Willie FungBorn 1896 03 03 3 March 1896Canton ChinaDied16 April 1945 1945 04 16 aged 49 Los Angeles California U S Resting placeAngelus Rosedale CemeteryOther namesWilly FungOccupationActorYears active1922 1944 Contents 1 Biography 2 Partial filmography 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditBorn in Canton China 2 Fung made a name for himself as an actor on the stage in San Francisco 3 After moving to Los Angeles after his uncle s business collapsed during the depression Fung who was reportedly an acquaintance of Jean Harlow s 4 made his film debut in 1922 in Hurricane s Gal The majority of his roles were in Westerns and dramas Although he was relegated to often cartoonish bit parts due to the racism of the day behind the scenes he made an impact by advocating for fairer treatment of actors by the studios He reportedly also ran his own Chinese restaurant the New Moon Cafe in East Hollywood while maintaining his acting career 5 6 7 Fung died of a coronary occlusion in Los Angeles on April 16 1945 at the age of 49 8 He is buried in Angelus Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles 9 10 Partial filmography EditYear Title Role Notes1922 Hurricane s Gal Sing1922 Broken Chains Chinese Man Uncredited1923 Thundergate Minor Role Uncredited1923 Her Temporary Husband Uncredited1924 The Breaking Point Chinese Cook Uncredited1924 The Iron Horse Chinaman Uncredited1924 Thundering Hoofs Cook Uncredited1926 The Blackbird Chinese Man Uncredited1926 Chip of the Flying U Chinese Cook Uncredited1926 The Two Gun Man Quong1926 The Road to Mandalay Man in Bar Uncredited1926 The Blackbird Chinese Man Uncredited1926 The Yellow Back Chinese1926 Twinkletoes Chinaman Uncredited1926 Tell It to the Marines Guard at door of besieged clinic Uncredited1927 Whispering Smith Rides Wong1927 Old San Francisco Chang Sue Lee s laughing servant Uncredited1928 The Way of the Strong Chinese Cook Uncredited1929 Chinatown Nights One of Riley s Henchmen Uncredited1929 The Far Call Wing1929 Where East Is East Servant Uncredited1929 The Black Book Tin Lung Serial1929 The Delightful Rogue Hi Lee the cook Uncredited1929 The Virginian Hong Uncredited1929 Shanghai Lady Bill Collector Uncredited1930 The Lone Star Ranger The Barber Uncredited1930 The Ship from Shanghai Shanghai Nightclub Patron Uncredited1930 Dangerous Paradise Wang Alternative title Two Against Death1930 The Bad One Uncredited1930 Shadow Ranch Camp Cook Uncredited1930 The Sea God Sin Lee1930 River s End Eskimo Uncredited1931 Gun Smoke Wong1931 Three Girls Lost Chinese Headwaiter Uncredited1931 Night Nurse Hospital Patient Uncredited1931 Chinatown After Dark Ling Chi Uncredited1931 West of Broadway Wing the cook1932 Union Depot Chinese Man Uncredited1932 Panama Flo Bartender at Sadie s Place Uncredited1932 Shanghai Express Train Engineer Uncredited1932 The Hatchet Man Notary Fung Loo Bomb maker Uncredited1932 Carnival Boat Chino Uncredited1932 The Mouthpiece Chinese Waiter Uncredited1932 Roar of the Dragon Chinese Sailor with Rifle Uncredited1932 The Painted Woman Dealer Uncredited1932 One Way Passage Hong Kong curio dealer Uncredited1932 Red Dust Hoy1932 The Mask of Fu Manchu Ship s Steward Uncredited1932 Self Defense Charlie1932 The Son Daughter Chinese Merchant Uncredited1933 The Bitter Tea of General Yen Officer Uncredited1933 The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble Ah Chung Uncredited1933 The Thrill Hunter Wong the Cook1933 Cocktail Hour Mori Uncredited1933 Don t Bet on Love Charley Lee Uncredited1933 The Narrow Corner Ah Kay Saunder s Servant1933 Tugboat Annie Chow the Cook Uncredited1933 Ladies Must Love Mr Wong Uncredited1933 Meet the Baron Chinese Man Uncredited1934 Gambling Lady Ching Syndicate Board Member Uncredited1934 Crime Doctor Wah Sing Uncredited1934 You Belong to Me Waiter Uncredited1934 A Lost Lady Forrester s cook1934 Happiness Ahead Chinese Headwaiter Uncredited1934 I Sell Anything Charlie Uncredited1934 Gunfire Camp Cook1934 Red Morning Ship s Steward1934 Sequoia Sang Soo1935 Ruggles of Red Gap Willie Chinese Servant Uncredited1935 Rocky Mountain Mystery Ling Yat1935 Chinatown Squad Driver Uncredited1935 Oil for the Lamps of China Kin1935 Shanghai Wang Credited as Willy Fung1935 Hop Along Cassidy Salem1935 China Seas Cabin Boy Ah Sing Uncredited1935 One Way Ticket Wing1936 Call of the Prairie Wong1936 Small Town Girl So So Alternative title One Horse Town1936 Yellowstone Chinese Cook Uncredited1936 The General Died at Dawn Bartender1936 White Hunter Wong1936 Happy Go Lucky Coolie Fisherman1936 Stowaway Chang1936 College Holiday Chinese Man in Junk Uncredited1937 We Who Are About to Die Kwong1937 Secret Valley Tabasco the Cook1937 Lost Horizon Bandit Leader at fuel stop over Uncredited1937 Git Along Little Dogies Sing Low1937 Top of the Town Prop Man Uncredited1937 Come on Cowboys Fong1937 Wee Willie Winkie Mohammet Dihn1937 The Red Rope Lee Chin the Cook Uncredited1937 The Big Shot Wu Ping the Dry Cleaner Uncredited1937 Jungle Menace Chiang Houseboy Serial1937 The Trigger Trio Ranch Cook1937 Wells Fargo Wang MacKay s Servant Uncredited1938 International Settlement Chinese Bartender Uncredited1938 Border Wolves Ling Wong1938 Sinners in Paradise Ping Alternative title Secrets of a Sinner1938 Pride of the West Sing Loo Uncredited1938 The Road to Reno Lame Duck Alternative titles The Lady and the RangerThe Ranger and the Lady1938 Too Hot to Handle Willie1939 Honolulu Wong1939 Nancy Drew Reporter Mandarin Cafe Proprietor Uncredited1939 The Gracie Allen Murder Case Houseboy Uncredited1939 6 000 Enemies Wang1939 The Girl and the Gambler Yen the Chinese Laundryman Uncredited1939 Maisie Lee1939 Lady of the Tropics Ling Uncredited1939 Hawaiian Nights Murphy1939 Hollywood Cavalcade Willie1939 Barricade Yen Cady s Major Domo1940 Viva Cisco Kid Houseboy Wang Uncredited1940 Buck Benny Rides Again Chinese Cook Uncredited1940 The Great Profile Confucius1940 Seven Sinner Charlie Shopkeeper Uncredited1940 The Letter Chung Hi1941 Saddle Mountain Roundup Fang Way1941 Badlands of Dakota Wong Lee Uncredited1941 Burma Convoy Smitty1941 The Gay Falcon Jerry1941 Public Enemies Lee Hong Alternative title Gangs of the City1942 North to the Klondike Waterlily1942 Captains of the Clouds Willie1942 The Tuttles of Tahiti Creditor Uncredited1942 Tarzan s New York Adventure Sun Lee the Chinese Tailor Uncredited1942 A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen Chinese Waiter Uncredited1942 The Spoilers Chinese Man in Jail Cell Uncredited1942 Meet the Stewarts Wong the Cook Uncredited1942 Tortilla Flat Chin Kee Fisherman Uncredited1942 Halfway to Shanghai Mr Wu1942 Flying Tigers Jim Gin Sling Waiter Uncredited1942 Destination Unknown Farmer1942 The Moon and Sixpence Tiara s Chinese Cook Uncredited1942 Seven Days Leave Les Brown s Houseboy Uncredited1942 The Black Swan Chinese Cook Uncredited1943 They Got Me Covered Chinese Laundry Man Uncredited1944 The Adventures of Mark Twain Chinese Man Uncredited final film role References Edit No Fun for Willie Fung The Wilkes Barre Record 11 March 1942 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Rielly Edward J ed 2006 Baseball in the Classroom Essays on Teaching the National Pastime McFarland p 55 ISBN 0 786 48152 8 Ruth Will Not Act St Joseph News Press 20 November 1931 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Moore Charles R 20 May 1941 Hollywood Film Shop Wilmington Daily Press Journal Retrieved 28 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Chinese Actor Has Odd Hobby Spokane Chronicle 21 August 1936 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Hollywood Stars Hide The Pittsburgh Press 13 March 1938 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link West Adams Heritage Association in Historic West Adams Los Angeles California www westadamsheritage org Retrieved 28 March 2021 Vazzana Eugene Michael 2001 Silent Film Necrology McFarland amp Company Incorporated Pub p 185 ISBN 0 786 41059 0 Ellenberger Allan R 2001 Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries A Directory McFarland amp Company Incorporated Pub p 192 ISBN 0 786 40983 5 Notice to Creditors Los Angeles Evening Citizen News 29 June 1945 Retrieved 28 March 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link External links EditWillie Fung at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willie Fung amp oldid 1129010748, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
