Willie Fung (3 March 1896 – 16 April 1945) was a Chinese-American film 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.

Biography

Born in Canton, China, Fung made a name for himself as an actor on the stage in San Francisco. After moving to Los Angeles after his uncle's peanut business collapsed during the depression, Fung — who was reportedly an acquaintance of Jean Harlow — made his film debut in 1922 in Hurricane's Gal. The majority of his roles were in Westerns and dramas.

Willie Fung

Behind the scenes, he was an advocate for fair treatment of studio actors. While maintaining his acting career, he ran his own Chinese restaurant: New Moon Café in East Hollywood.

Willie Fung

Fung died of a coronary occlusion in Los Angeles on April 16, 1945 at the age of 49. He is buried in Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Willie Fung

Career

Willie Fung experienced racist typecasting throughout his career. As Hal Erickson scaldingly said: "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."

Despite being in 125 films over the course of 22 years of acting, his time and effort lacked respect from his peers, and he was frowned upon by critics and historians.

Partial filmography

References

External links

Willie Fung at All Movies Guide

Chinese male film actors

Chinese male silent film actors

American male film actors

American male silent film actors

20th-century American male actors

Male Western (genre) film actors

1896 births

1945 deaths

Burials at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery

Chinese emigrants to the United States

Male actors from Guangdong

Male actors from Guangzhou

20th-century Chinese male actors