Willie Fung
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Willie Fung | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Fung in Secret Valley (1937) | |
| Born | 3 March 1896 |
| Died | 16 April 1945 (aged 49) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery |
| Other names | Willy Fung |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1922–1944 |
Willie Fung (3 March 1896 – 16 April 1945) was a Chinese-American character actor who played supporting roles in 125 American films from 1922 to 1944. Like many Chinese actors working in Hollywood during the era, he often played Japanese characters.[1]
Fung was born in Canton during the waning years of the Qing Dynasty.[2] He made a name for himself as an actor on the stage in San Francisco.[3] After moving to Los Angeles after his uncle's peanut[4] business collapsed during the Depression of 1920-1921, Fung made his film debut in 1922 in Hurricane's Gal. The majority of his roles were in Westerns and dramas.
Behind the scenes, he was an advocate for fair treatment of studio actors,[4] and was reportedly an acquaintance of Jean Harlow.[5] While maintaining his acting career, he ran his own Chinese restaurant: New Moon Café in East Hollywood.[6][7][4]
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]
Career
Willie Fung experienced racist typecasting throughout his career. As reported by American media historian Hal Erickson, "Chinese character actor Willie Fung spent his entire Hollywood career imprisoned by the Hollywood Stereotype Syndrome...Fung was the personification of the 'Yellow Peril' [...] buck-toothed, pigtailed, pidgin-English-spouting comedy relief."[11]
Despite being in 125 films over the course of 22 years of acting, his efforts were unappreciated during his time due to racism, and afterwards by critics and historians for having played racially stereotyped roles.[4]
