Irene Yah-Ling Sun
Irene Yah-Ling Sun (born September 1, 1946) is an American actor. She is best known for her appearance as judoka Myrna Wong in the 1978 film Harper Valley PTA.
Early life
Sun was born on September 1, 1946, in Shanghai, China and raised in Taiwan; her family later moved to Manhattan, where she studied ballet.[1]
Career
Sun made her stage debut as a dancer in Flower Drum Song, followed by The World of Suzie Wong.[1]
Sun was a series regular in the short-lived Khan! (1975), as Anna, the daughter of the titular character (played by Khigh Dhiegh), helping her father solve crimes alongside her brother Kim (played by Evan C. Kim).[2] Other television guest spots include appearances in Hawaii Five-O, The Rockford Files, and Quincy, M.E.
She also helped assemble an extensive collection of memorabilia depicting how Asian Americans have been portrayed in popular culture along with her friend, the film editor, writer, and book dealer Yoshio Kishi. The collection was acquired by the Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program and Institute of New York University in 2003,[3] and a portion was exhibited in 2005 as "Archivist of the 'Yellow Peril'",[4] at NYU (Feb 3 – Jul 31)[5] and MoCA (Aug 16 – Dec 31).[6]
In 2017, Sun appeared in a nonspeaking role (as "Grandma") in a short public service spot commissioned by DDB San Francisco for Energy Upgrade California, directed by Bradley G Munkowitz (GMUNK).[7][8]
Personal life
She is an accomplished chef, specializing in Chinese dishes.[1]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | The Quest | China | Television movie/pilot episode for the subsequent television series |
| 1978 | The Courage and the Passion | Tuyet Berkle | Television movie |
| Harper Valley PTA | Myrna Wong | Credited as Irene Yah Ling Sun | |
| 1983 | Inspector Perez | Lisa Soong | Television movie |
| Savage in the Orient | Tap Lee | Television movie |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Chan Po Lin/Poh Lin | Episode: "The Journey of Poh Lin" |
| The Doctors | Nurse Lee Chan | Episode: "So Far from Home" | |
| 1966 | Preview Tonight | Zooney | Episode: "The Cliff Dwellers" |
| 1975 | Khan! | Anna Khan | 4 episodes |
| 1976 | Police Woman | Princess Hanako | Episode: "The Trick Book" |
| The Quest | China | Episode: "Welcome to America, Jade Snow" | |
| Hawaii Five-O | Lee Mei Liu | Episode: "Yes, My Deadly Daughter" | |
| Most Wanted | Ngo Luc Liu | Episode: "The Ten-Percenter" | |
| 1977 | The Rockford Files | Pham Vam Mai | Episode: "New Life, Old Dragons" |
| Quincy, M.E. | Takayo Kamura | Episode: "Touch of Death" | |
| 1978 | Hawaii Five-O | Marla Kahuana | Episode: "Deadly Courier" |
| The Incredible Hulk | May Chuan | Episode: "Another Path" | |
| 1980 | Hawaii Five-O | Nadira | Episode: "The Golden Noose" |
| Love of Life | Kim Soo Ling | ||
| 1981 | The Incredible Hulk | Tam | Episode: "East Winds" |
| Magnum, P.I. | Mitsu McWilliams | Episode: "The Taking of Dick Williams" | |
| 1982 | Magnum, P.I. | Marissa, the Singer | Episode: "Flashback" |
| 1983 | Family Ties | Tanly Nguyen | Episode: "I Gotta Be Ming" |
| 1984 | Airwolf | Nhi Houng | Episode: "Daddy's Gone a Hunt'n" |
| Call to Glory | Dieu Quang | Episode: "Go/No Go" | |
| 1986 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Tranh Sen | Episode: "The Man Who Died Twice" |
| 1991 | The New Adam-12 | Mrs. Lee | Episode: "Trick-or-Treat" |
| MacGyver | Loretta Fielding | Episode: "The Coltons" | |
| Secret Bodyguard | Aunt Edith | Episode: "Secret Bodyguard" | |
| 1997 | Sunset Beach | Mrs. Chang | 8 episodes |
| 2004 | The Stones | Joan | Episode: "Pilot" |
References
- ^ a b c Scott, Vernon (March 21, 1975). "Profile: 'Khan' costar thick in Asian charm". Denton Record-Chronicle. UPI. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Scott, Vernon (February 23, 1975). "Khigh Dhiegh: Charlie Chan's Successor?". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "Yoshio Kishi and Irene Yah Ling Sun Collection". Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program and Institute, New York University. August 25, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Hartocollis, Anemona (May 1, 2005). "In a West Side Apartment, a World". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ "Archivist of the 'Yellow Peril' (February 3 – July 31, 2005)". Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU. May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ ""Yellow Peril", 2005". Museum of Chinese in America. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ "Energy Upgrade California". GMUNK. April 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ Energy Upgrade California – GMunk on Vimeo