Special Report: The World of Nancy Kwan

0:00... Hold your ears, folks. It's showtime! People pay good money to see this movie. When they go out to a theater, they won't cold-s bonus hot popcorn... ...in no monster's, in the projection booths. Everyone pretend podcasting isn't boring. Cut it off. Cut it off. Hey folks welcome to a special episode of the Protection booth Amory House Mike White on this... I'm a girl and by me that's only great. I am proud that my silhouette is curvy, that

1:02I walk with a sweet and girlish gate with my hips kind of swively and swirly. Thank you so much for allowing me to talk with you today. I'm so thrilled I've been a fan of your work for gosh as long as I can really remember. I know I've been here forever so it seems like so. So when it comes to your new book The World of Nancy Kwan why now? Why write this particular memoir at this point in your life? I haven't been thought about it. I've been asked that question. Why not? They seem to be right, timings right and that it happened. That's all. It's all about timing and it's the right time. I was that re-examining everything that had gone on in your life. It's like really living once life forgets and the book in the beginning. It's like really living your life because you have to go from the beginning kind of and follow along. But I thought it was interesting. Reliving my life again.

2:04It's a fascinating story and just all the adversity that you had to overcome throughout all of those years and never felt like there was a time where you had it easy. Oh, because that everyone else in Hollywood that when I just talked about in the film business. In the film business even in life with all the stuff that your dad had to go through the way your mom would drop in and out of your life and that must have played with your emotions so much. Yeah, but I'm sure there have been other people for us for myself. That's what happened and you just have to deal with it and go along with it. Now, what are you younger? You don't really realize what's happening. You're just going along and as you grow older, hopefully you'll have a better understanding of what happened. In my case with my mother and my father, he never really talked about it. So I really don't know what happened. Why is that up? But that's the way it goes. Even the surroundings of when you got to play Suzy Wong, it seemed like such an unbelievable

3:09story just hanging out watching the auditions before they bring you in. That was amazing. Yeah, that's that's what happened really. I think in the right place at the right time, that's why we say it. And I just happened to be there at the studio because my father actually designed a studio where they were testing all these Asian Chinese actresses from Hong Kong for the world to Suzy Wong. So I was home from school work. So I asked my father, I said, can I have a look? Can I sell my favorite Chinese actresses? They were testing for the role. So I would like to go and see it. So you're going to be doing going to see it. I was standing there, drinking out of the way, just watching everything and studying his voices to be this. So yeah, I said, oh, if I'm going to be kicked out now. So he said, you want to do a screen test? I said, oh, no, I'm a ballet dancer because at that time I was studying ballet at the Royal Ballet School in London. I said, no, I'm

4:10a ballet dancer. I'm just here watching my favorite actresses test for the role. And I'll say, what do you do a test? I said, I don't know, I'm not an actress. Suzy, look, just down. We'll put the camera on you. We'll ask you a few questions. Let's see. So I said down. And every question he asked me, I giggled and I was embarrassed. I sounded stupid. Really dumb. What's going on? I told my father, I don't know what, but this guy asked me to do a screen test and I said, it was giggled. Well, a few weeks later, I get this, my father gets his letter from Ray Stark asking, would I like to go to Hollywood on a six months contract and get paid as well? And do a test for the world as Suzy Wong. So I said to my father, I said, I want to go. I've never been to Los Angeles. Never been to America. I said, it's my father's sense. Yeah, well, where you want to stay? We don't know anyone in Los Angeles. So then they said, look, there's a place called the studio club. It doesn't exist

5:16today. But in the old days, everyone, when I was there, the first morning when I went down to breakfast, I saw these those beautiful women from all over the world, or staying at the studio club. And apparently, a place for women from all over the world, we don't know anyone else, Angeles. And I guess they want to say for secure, we were looked after by this very strict lady, Miss Williams, true action. She was great. And that's why I stayed. And that's why I got to know Hollywood. Did they put you through any acting classes or how did you pick up on your craft? Yes, I did. That's what I was there for. I studied with Jeff Corey, very good thing coach. He used to be an actor. Then during the 50s, I then drew the, it was bad as a commonist. So during that time, he couldn't work. So he as an actor, so he became an acting coach. So I studied with Jeff.

6:18But he was the one I really remember. And I did two more tests for the world as to see what I'm which in the end, I did not get because trans-lewing the original actions playing on the on Broadway on the stage in the stage play. She got the role. And so they said, look, if you want to see America, you want to find out if you want to be in the film business, why don't you go, they leave you for the theater, or the theater group, the world is the world, America across the country from New York to Los Angeles. If you want to do that, join that show and see by the end, whether you like acting, you want to stay in acting, or do whatever you like to do. So it's a great opportunity for me to see America. And then study some acting beyond stage every night on the end of playing the world as to see what. How was that for you to set so many fashion trends between what you

7:22wore in Suzy Wong and then eventually your haircut as well? That must have been really wild to set these trends. The dress I wore, the life magazine, I think it was 1960 or something, it was a yellow chongsam, we call it chongsam is a Chinese dress, that's really not everyone wore it in Hong Kong and the market a little more, the daytime and then they have nighttime chongsam, they get chongsam for every occasion. And so it was nothing unusual, but I wore it for the lifetime magazine cover, and I guess I want to talk to about it, so wow, that started a fashion trend for a while, I think. With Flower Drum Song, it was such an amazing collection of so many of the Asian actors that were working at that time. Can you tell me what it was like working with while with so many people, but Jackson Su in particular, I've always found him to be amazing, what was he like? I love Jackson Su, I mean, no, all of them are great, Mio Si Humeki, James Hange, Jackson,

8:26and of course Hermes Penn, who did the choreographer for the show, for the film, he was trying to stare at the choreographer on his films, so it was wonderful, it was wonderful opportunity to be in a film like that and work with so many talented people, and of course the producer, Ross Hunter. When it comes to writing your own story, do you remember all of this or do you have to actually interview other people that were there at the same time? I remember a lot of them, and of course I still have friends for Su Si Hume and Flower Drum Song, I still not many, but we are, so we talk about it, and we actually about last year went to a Flower Drum Song reunion, we get these reunions every year, try to put everyone together who was in Flower Drum Song and have a big party, straight, the same touch. One of my favorite movies of yours is Walking the Edge. Can you tell me

9:30a little bit about whether it was like making that movie? I loved seeing you as an action heroine. Yeah, they call me, I think Clint Eastwood with a gun. I thought I was amazing. What? The ejection was directed by my husband and it was great and Robert Forster, and he was a wonderful actor, a very interesting actor. We had some very good people in the cast still, it was a very good experience. I tell you, you get to do comedy, action, and everything else in between. How was that working with your husband as your director? We never talked about the film, when we go home at night, just work together on the day and everything is fine, and we don't discuss anything in the evening, so we just know disagreement, or argument, it worked out very well. You've been in so many things over the years, what were some of your favorite roles to do? I don't know, I could ask that question, and I have moments in films, I can't favorite roles. The one of Susie Wong, of course, was my first role, and I had William Holden

10:36to work with. He was the master of all masters. He was a great actor and a wonderful person, so I learned from the best. Yeah, you did so much TV in the 70s, on the 60s as well, but I loved when you would show up on things like Hawaii 5.0, or some of these other shows as well, was I was such a treat. Yeah, I remember Hawaii 5.0, I was very excited about it, and I loved working with Jack Lawrence. I know some people said, oh, he's so difficult to work with, and I had no problems with it, I thought he was loving. He just made sure that the ball is work, and he wanted to go well, when he was a staffed filter of the show, so of course he wanted to go 50. And it's difficult. He had a certain way of working, and some people find it very difficult to work with but I had no problems. I thought it was great. There was quite a long time, and still, there are roles that are meant for Asian people that are being played by white people. Did you ever get disturbed by a white person for an Asian role? When I came into the business,

11:42it was the tail end of the studio system, and there were suddenly independent films, and realized that you can cast an Asian in an Asian role, not cast a Caucasian to make it look like an Asian in an Asian, playing an Asian. So I didn't have that problem, because I started in a very good position too. I started my first film, so I think even till today, they're not in us. Asian writers, producers, directors, to really come up some great roles, because there are a lot of talented Asian actors today, television and films, they do more television nowadays than films. And they're so really young, very talented Asian actors. So I hope things will change more quickly. It's had changed, but slowly, I loved your role in Dragon, the Bruce

12:45Lee story, and that was such a powerful film, and you had such a great role in that. Bruce was a friend of mine. We worked together on the Ranking Crew. He was a fight coordinator, and Sharon Tadenay, he taught Sharon Tadenay how to fight in a scene, a goalful fight in a scene. Bruce Lee was also from Hong Kong, and we were both in Hong Kong at the same time. He went to La Sa School when I went to Merino. La Sa was a Catholic School for Boys, and I was in a Catholic School for Girls. But I didn't know him from Hong Kong. I only met him when we came here when we were here. And I'm so sad that he died so early in life, and yet so much to offer still, I think he was just getting into things, and I think he would have done some great films and directs and great roles for Asians during that time. He opened it up much more, but he did very well for himself when

13:48he went back to Hong Kong. And he always told me, is it let's say I would be a big star, big ease in my martial arts star when I get back to Hong Kong. And it's true, that's what he became. Yeah, I always felt so bad for him with Kung Fu being again, white guy coming in and playing that role. Dring at time I was in Hong Kong, and we were having lunch, and he said, I'm going back to Hollywood. I said, I'm going to do this TV show called Go Go Food. It was written for me. I said, I don't know, bros, I know they're ready for this. This was back in the 70s. I don't know if they're ready for have a Chinese or a Chinese in a series to see them every week in everybody's house and their homes. Is it not all I bet you? So we bet $10. He said he would get the role. And unfortunately, he passed before I could collect my $10. Do you still use Pro Cream to maintain your beautiful features? No, that was a long time ago.

14:51No, we it was sold out, and then that was it. Oh no, and then the person who produced, not produced the bill, Pro Cream came from China, but he was the one that sold it here. He had to franchise or whatever. He passed away. So that was it. So I asked about some of your favorite roles, do you have any least favorite roles? I have favorite moments. And not really actually, I've enjoyed every, too much of his film. Of course, there's different experiences. A summer much harder and something that's not quite as difficult to work in. And actors and then actors that you might not have to be poor, but no, I cannot complain, I must say. I really enjoyed my work, whatever I did. Did you ever have any things of regret or wonder what would have happened? Had you stuck with the dancing rather than having this terrific movie career? No, it just, I wanted to be about a dancer and then I ended up as an actor. So that's maybe that's fate.

15:55You have one, you choose one direction and fate turns you to the next one. To another direction. I might not have ever gotten to see you as a dancer, but I'm glad I got to see you as an actress. Very lovely meeting you too. I'm talking to you. Very great talking with you. Thank you so much for your book. I really appreciate it. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Ms. Kwan, it was so great talking with you. Thank you so much. Lovely talking to you too. JTK. I really, when my date comes to get me at my place, out I go with my Joe Orton or Billy,

17:04like a Billy who is ready for the race, when I have a brand new hairdo with my eyelashes all in curl. I float as the clouds on air do I enjoy being a girl. When men say I'm cute and funny and my teeth are a tea but pearl I just love it up like honey I enjoy being a girl. I flip when a fella sends me flowers I drool over dresses made of lace. I talk on the telephone for hours with the pound and a half of cream upon my face.

18:04I'm strictly a female female and my future hope will be in the home of a brave and free male. Who would enjoy being a guy having a girl by me? I enjoy being a girl. I enjoy being a girl.

19:29When I hear the complimentary whistle that greets my bikini by the sea, I turn and I glower and I whistle but I can't be to know the whistles meant for me. I'm strictly a female female and my future I hope will be in the home of a brave and free male. Who would enjoy being a guy having a girl by me?