Special Report: The World of Nancy Kwan

Hold your ears, folks. It's showtime. People pay good money to see this movie. When they go out to a theater, they want cold sodas, hot popcorn and no monsters in the projection booth. Everyone pretend podcasting isn't boring.

Turn it off. Hey folks, welcome to a special episode of The Projection Booth. I'm your host, Mike White. On this.... I'm a girl and by me that's only great I am proud that my silhouette is curvy That I walk with a sweet and girlish.

Gait 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 really thought about it. I've been asked that question. Why not?

It seemed to be right. Timing's right. And that it happened. That's all. It's all about timing.

And it was the right time. How was that re-examining everything that had gone on in your life? It's like reliving one's life again. I said that in the book, in the beginning. It's like reliving 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. It's a fascinating story and just all the adversity that you had to overcome throughout all of those years. It never felt like there was a time where you had it easy. Oh, because like everyone else in Hollywood, are you talking 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, that must have played with your emotions so much.

Yeah, but I'm sure there have been other people, as for myself, that's what happened and you just have to deal with it and go along with it. When you're 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 he split up, but... That's the way it goes. Even the surroundings of when you got to play Susie Wong, it seemed like such an unbelievable story, just hanging out, watching the auditions before they bring you in. That was amazing. Yeah, 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 the studio himself. where they were testing all these Asian Chinese actresses from Hong Kong for the role of Suzy Wong. So I was home from school, actually, so I asked my father, I said, can I go and look? Some of my favorite Chinese actresses, they were testing for the role, so I would like to go and see it. So he arranged for me to go and see it.

I was standing there, sitting out of the way, just watching everything, and suddenly his voice says to me, listen. So I said, yeah. I said, oh, am I going to be kicked out now? So he said, you want to do a screening 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 a ballet dancer. I'm just here watching my favorite actresses test for the role. And they'll say, why don't you do a test? I said, no, I don't know.

I'm not an actress. She said, look, just sit down. We'll put the camera on you. We'll ask you a few questions. That's it.

So I sat down. And every question he asked me, I giggled and I was embarrassed. I sounded stupid, really dumb. I went home, I told my father, I said, I don't know what, but this guy asked me to do a screen test and all I did was giggle. A few weeks later, I get this, my father gets this letter from Ray Stark asking, would I like to go to Hollywood on a six-month contract and get paid as well and do a test? for the role of 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, as my father said, yeah, well, where are you going to stay? We don't know anyone in Los Angeles. So then Ray Stout said, look, there's a place called the Studio Club.

It doesn't exist today, but in the old days, everyone, when I was there, the first morning when I went down to breakfast, I saw those beautiful young women from all over the world all staying at the Studio Club. And apparently it's a place for women from all over the world who don't know anyone in Los Angeles. And I guess they want to feel safe or secure. We were looked after by this very strict lady, Miss Williams. Actually, she was great.

And that's where I stayed. That's where I got to know Hollywood. Did they put you through any acting classes or how did you pick up on your craft? Yes, I think that's what I was there for. I studied with Jeff Corey, very good acting coach.

He used to be an actor. Then during the 50s, I think it was banned as a communist. So during that time, he couldn't work as an actor. So he became an acting coach. So I studied with Jeff.

But he was the one I really remember best. And I did two more tests for The World of Suzy Wong, which, in the end, I did not get. Because Trance Nguyen, the original actress playing it on Broadway, on the stage play, she got the role. And so Ray Stubbs said, look, if you want to see America, you want to find out, you want to be in the film business, why don't you go? They're leaving a trip for the theater, the theater group, The World of Suzy Wong.

America. Of course, you're going from New York to Los Angeles. Why don't you do that? Join the show and see by the end whether you like acting, you want to stay in acting, or do whatever you like to do. So I thought that's a great opportunity for me to see America and then study some acting, be on stage every night in the play The World of Suzy Wong.

How was that for you to set so many fashion trends between what you wore 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 cheongsam. We call it cheongsam.

It's a Chinese dress. It's really not everyone wore it in Hong Kong. and the mark a little more, the daytime, and then they have nighttime channel sound. They can channel sound for every occasion. And so it's nothing unusual, but I wore it for the Lifetime magazine cover. And I guess what I wanted to talk about is that, 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, well, with so many people, but Jack Su in particular? I've always found him to be amazing. What was he like? Oh, I love Jack Su.

I mean, no, all of them were great. Miyoshi Yumeke, James McGenna, Jack Su, and, of course, Hermes Penn, who did the choreography for the show, for the film. He was Fred Stairs' choreographer on all of his films. So. It was wonderful.

It was a 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 it. And of course, I still have friends from Suzy Wong and Flower Drum Song.

I'm still not many, but we are. So we talk about it. We actually, about last year, went to a Flower Jumpsong reunion. We get these reunions every year. Try to put everyone together who was in Flower Jumpsong and have a big party.

Straight. The same touch. One of my favorite movies of yours is Walking the Edge. Can you tell me a little bit about what it was like making that movie? I loved seeing you as an action heroine.

They called me, I think, Clint Eastwood with a gun. It's almost amazing. Well, The Edge, actually, was directed by my husband. And it was great. And Robert Forster.

And he was a wonderful actor and very interesting actor. And we had some very good people in the cast, too. 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 got home at night. Just work together all day and everything is fine. And we don't discuss anything in the evening. So there's no 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.

A favorite role, the role of Susie Wong, of course, was my first role. And I had William Holden to work with, who was a 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 and the 60s as well.

But I loved when you would show up on things like Hawaii Five-0 or some of these other shows as well. It was always such a treat. Yeah, I remember Hawaii Five-0. I was very excited about it. And I loved working with Jack Lord.

I know some people said, oh, he's so difficult to work with. And I had no problems with Jack. I thought he was lovely. He's just very strict about his work. And he wanted to go well when he was the star of the show.

So, of course, he wanted to go perfect. And... It's difficult. He had a certain way of working, and some people find it very difficult to work with him. 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 usurped by a white person for an Asian role? When I came into the business, it was the tail end of the studio system, and they would suddenly do independent films. and realize that you can cast an Asian in an Asian role, not cast a Caucasian to make it to 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 to today, there are not enough people 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 there's so many young, very talented Asian actors. So I hope things will change more quickly.

It has changed, but slowly. Slowly. I loved your role in Dragon, the Bruce Lee 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 the fight coordinator, and Sharon Tate and I, he taught Sharon Tate and I how to fight in a scene, a kung fu 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 Lhasa School, and I went to Maryknoll. Lhasa 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 worked 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 shows and directs and great roles for Asians during that time. He opened it up much more. But he did very well for himself when he went back to Hong Kong.

And he always told me, he said, Nancy, I want to be a big star, big Asian 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. During that time, I was in Hong Kong, and we were having lunch.

And he said, I'm going back to Hollywood. I said, really? He said, yeah, I'm going to do this TV show called Kung Fu. It was written for me. I said, oh, I don't know, Bruce.

I don't know if they're ready for it. This was back in the 70s. I don't know if they're ready to have a Chinese or Chinaman in a series to see them every week in everybody's house, in their homes. He said, no, no, I bet you. So we bet $ 10 at He said he would get the role, and unfortunately, he passed before I could collect my $ 10.

Do you still use pearl cream to maintain your beautiful features? No, that was a long time ago. It was sold out, and then that was it. Oh, no, and then the person who produced, not produced it, the pearl cream came from China, but he was the one that sold it here. He had the 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 pretty much every film. Of course, there's different experiences. Some are much harder and some are not quite as difficult to work in. And with actors and then actors that you might not have the rapport with.

But No, I cannot complain, I must say. I really enjoyed my work, whatever I did. Did you ever have any pangs of regret or wonder what would have happened had you stuck with the dancing rather than having this terrific movie career? No. I wanted to be a ballet dancer, and then I ended up as an actor.

So maybe that's fate. 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, and 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. You take care. I'm a girl and by me that's only great I am proud that my silhouette is curvy That I walk with a sweet and girlish gait With my hips kind of swively and swervy.

I adore being dressed in something frilly. When my date comes to. Get me at my place. Out I go with my Joe or John or Billy. Like a Billy who is ready for the race.

When I have a brand new car. Hair do with my eyelashes all in curl. I float as the clouds on. Hair do, I enjoy. Being a girl.

When men say I'm cute and. Funny, and my teeth are a teeth but. Pearl I just laugh it off 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 a pound and a half of cream upon my face I'm strictly a female, female And my. Future I hope will. Be In the home of. A brave and free male Who'll enjoy being a guy, having. A girl Like me I enjoy being a girl.

I enjoy being a girl. ¶ ¶. When I hear the complimentary whistle. That greets my bikini by the sea I turn and I glower and I bristle But. I'm happy to know the whistle's 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'll enjoy being a guy Having a girl like me