Spencer Chan
Spencer Chan | |
|---|---|
| File:Screenshot from 1942 film Across the Pacific.jpg | |
| Born | Spencer Edward Chan March 28, 1892 Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Died | January 9, 1988 Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Education | University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Actor |
Spencer Chan was a Chinese American character actor who had a long career in film and television.[1]
Biography
Spencer was born in Los Angeles, California, to Kui Sing Chan (a pastor and court interpreter) and Loy Yau.[2] His parents were Chinese immigrants, and they owned a house in Los Angeles's Boyle Heights neighborhood. He attended college at the University of Southern California.[2] He began appearing in Hollywood films in the 1930s, and also worked as an interpreter and casting agent when a script called for Chinese actors.[3] Considered an "atmosphere" player, along with Willie Fung, Frank Chew, Richard Loo and more.[4]
Selected filmography
- Oh, Susanna! (1936) - Chinaman (uncredited)
- The General Died at Dawn (1936) - Killer (uncredited)
- Mad Holiday (1936) - Chinese Man (uncredited)
- Swing High, Swing Low (1937) - Cook (uncredited)
- Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937) - Chinese Freight Elevator Operator (uncredited)
- Trade Winds (1938) - Smoke Shop Customer (uncredited)
- The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) - Chinese Guest (uncredited)
- The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942) - Chauffeur / Chinese Servant (uncredited)
- Wake Island (1942) - Japanese Captain (uncredited)
- Across the Pacific (1942) - Mitsuko - Chief Engineer
- Destination Unknown (1942) - Chinese Servant (uncredited)
- Casablanca (1942) - Guest at Rick's (uncredited)
- The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943, Serial) - Kushimi's Henchman [Chs. 12-13] (uncredited)
- Lady of Burlesque (1943) - Chinese Cook (uncredited)
- Behind the Rising Sun (1943) - Japanese Swordsman (uncredited)
- The Purple Heart (1944) - Naval Aide (uncredited)
- Dragon Seed (1944) - Farmer (uncredited)
- Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Back to Bataan (1945) - Japanese Man (uncredited)
- First Yank Into Tokyo (1945) - Minor Role (uncredited)
- Lost City of the Jungle (1946, Serial) - Tribal Elder Councilman [Ch. 11] (uncredited)
- Little Mister Jim (1946) - Chinese Clerk (uncredited)
- Canyon Passage (1946) - Miner (uncredited)
- That Brennan Girl (1946) - Chinese Headwaiter (uncredited)
- The Beginning or the End (1947) - Japanese Naval Officer (uncredited)
- Shoot to Kill (1947) - Waiter (uncredited)
- Singapore (1947) - Electrician (uncredited)
- The Sea Hound (1947, Serial) - 'Cookie' Kukai
- The Chinese Ring (1947) - Chinese Officer (uncredited)
- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) - Proprietor (uncredited)
- State Department: File 649 (1949) - Chinese Man (uncredited)
- Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture (1949) - Chinese Townsman (uncredited)
- The Stratton Story (1949) - Waiter (uncredited)
- We Were Strangers (1949) - Celebrant (uncredited)
- Lust for Gold (1949) - Townsman (uncredited)
- The Great Sinner (1949) - Gambler (uncredited)
- The Doctor and the Girl (1949) - Man in Clinic (uncredited)
- And Baby Makes Three (1949) - Sidewalk Extra in Chinatown (uncredited)
- Malaya (1949) - Chinese Shipmaster (uncredited)
- The Reformer and the Redhead (1950) - Chinese Laundryman (uncredited)
- Timber Fury (1950) - Chung
- A Lady Without Passport (1950) - Storekeeper (uncredited)
- The Breaking Point (1950) - 1st Chinese Immigrant (uncredited)
- Woman on the Run (1950) - Chinese Waiter (uncredited)
- The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) - Chinese Cook (uncredited)
- Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison (1951) - Wong - the Warden's Houseboy (uncredited)
- China Corsair (1951) - Gambling House Extra (uncredited)
- The Law and the Lady (1951) - Chinese Servant (uncredited)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) - Scientific Delegate (uncredited)
- Valley of Fire (1951) - Chinese Waiter (uncredited)
- Hong Kong (1952) - Vendor (uncredited)
- Macao (1952) - Hood (uncredited)
- Cripple Creek (1952) - Ah Fong (uncredited)
- Big Jim McLain (1952) - Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
- April in Paris (1952) - Delegate (uncredited)
- Forbidden (1953) - Dr. Chin (uncredited)
- World for Ransom (1954) - Club Patron (uncredited)
- A Star Is Born (1954) - Actor at Payroll Window (uncredited)
- This Island Earth (1955) - Dr. Hu Ling Tang (uncredited)
- Blood Alley (1955) - Villager (uncredited)
- Trial (1955) - Man at Defense Fund Rally (uncredited)
- The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956) - Passerby on Street (uncredited)
- Flight to Hong Kong (1956) - Reporter (uncredited)
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) - Minor Role (uncredited)
- Man of a Thousand Faces (1957) - Chinese Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
- The Hunters (1958) - Bartender (uncredited)
- Hong Kong Confidential (1958) - Boat Passenger (uncredited)
- Never So Few (1959) - Merchant (uncredited)
- Ice Palace (1960) - Asian Worker (uncredited)
- Walk Like a Dragon (1960) - Man at Slave Auction (uncredited)
- Twenty Plus Two (1961) - Bartender (uncredited)
- Flower Drum Song (1961) - Doctor Chou (uncredited)
- Two Weeks in Another Town (1962) - Commuter at Airport (uncredited)
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - Foreign Official (uncredited)
- Once a Thief (1965) - Chinese Priest (uncredited)
- The Phynx (1970) - Meeting Guest (uncredited)
- One More Train to Rob (1971) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Herbie Rides Again (1974) - Man at Building Presentation (uncredited)
- Zandy's Bride (1974) - Chinese Vendor #2 (uncredited) (final film role)
References
 | This biographical article related to cinema of the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- ^ Landesman, Fred (2015-08-13). The John Wayne Filmography. McFarland. ISBN 9781476609225.
- ^ a b Ford, Sydney (28 Jun 1912). "Women's Work; Women's Clubs". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Riesel, Victor (25 Oct 1947). "Coast Communists Seek Control of Film Unions". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Slide, Anthony. (2012). Hollywood unknowns : a history of extras, bit players, and stand-ins. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-61703-475-6. OCLC 777251346.