Divine Female Strength

Anna May Wong was born in Los Angeles, California in 1905. By 1919, (age 15) she was appearing in films in unaccredited roles. Her first credited role appears to have been in 1921 in a movie entitled “First Born.” In 1922 (at about age 17) she appeared in her first starring role as Lotus Flower in “The Toll of the Sea.” This was an early color, silent film. It used a two color method. Despite being third generation American in most if not all of her movies she played a non-American character. An IMDb biography suggests that the taboo against miscegenation limited her starring roles. Further during the 1930s Hollywood made up many “white” actresses and actors to play Asian roles. Anna never again was given a starring role in any other Hollywood film, but she did star both on the stage and in film in Europe.

The starring roles she had in Europe included the stage productions of “The Circle of Chalk” and in “On the Spot” in London and “The Chinese Dancer” in Vienna, in which she sang Chinese songs written by herself. Her starring roles in European films included “Road to Dishonour,” “Piccadilly,” “Pavement Butterfly and “Song.” Her divine strength is in her ability to succeed in film despite not having any family or other connections to the industry and despite the discrimination against “non-whites” at that time. I know people don’t write much on this board, but got carried away. Anna May Wong lived a very interesting life and I encourage people to find out more about her. Here is a still from “The Toll of the Sea:” https://farm1.staticflickr.com/483/19747736296_99955ff010.jpg.

Moonlight and Roses,

PS, Lakesailer, thanks for the reply on Candice M. and I agree with you.
 
Anna May Wong was born in Los Angeles, California in 1905. By 1919, (age 15) she was appearing in films in unaccredited roles.
(...)
Here is a still from “The Toll of the Sea:” https://farm1.staticflickr.com/483/19747736296_99955ff010.jpg.

Moonlight and Roses,

PS, Lakesailer, thanks for the reply on Candice M. and I agree with you.

Wonderfully strong pioneer!
http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/5373400/600full-anna-may-wong.jpg

The photographic style of the Scar Project with Candace M is too raw and chilling for me personally.
Although I do appreciate the strength of any person owning their scars. And owning their newfound beauty.
 
Hattie McDaniel was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1892 or 1895. While perhaps best known as an actress she started her career in entertainment as a singer and dancer, although she also did comedy. In 1910 she started performing in a minstrel show, and then went on to vaudeville in 1920 and radio in 1925. She started in the movies in 1932 with her first credited role being in 1934. Hattie acted in at least 90 movies, but her biggest role was as Mammy in the 1939 “Gone with the Wind.” It was for this role that she won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In 1952 she took on the title role in the “Beulah” TV show. Hattie’s strength is shown by her determination to further her career despite the overt racism of the time. But that is not all. She played the role of Mammy as an assertive and strong woman and made it believable and is quoted as saying “In playing the part of Mammy, I tried to make her a living, breathing character, the way she appeared to me in the book” and she certainly did. Mammy was one of, if not the most insightful and honest character in the whole movie, so there are two strong women, Hattie and Mammy. Here is a still from the movie showing Mammy in one of her assertive moods: http://img.over-blog-kiwi.com/1/05/16/82/20150223/ob_43d95e_hattie-mcdaniel.jpg.

Moonlight and Roses,
 
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