Bruce Wong (born Tung Soon Wong; March 11, 1909 – November 1, 1953) was a Chinese American character actor, filmmaker, and restaurateur who worked in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s.
Biography
Early Life
Bruce Wong was born in Los Angeles County, California, as Tung Soon Wong to parents who had immigrated to Southern California from China. One of his brothers, Beal Wong, also became an actor.
Filmmaking
In 1936, after raising money in San Francisco, Wong produced a nine-reel Cantonese-language film titled Sum Hun (also known as Heartaches) for the Chinese market. The film was produced under his own production company, Cathay Pictures, and was shot in California over eight days. It starred Wai Kim and was directed by Frank Tang. This film was intended to capitalize on what Wong saw as a significant opportunity in the Chinese film market.
Acting Career
Plans to make subsequent films did not materialize, and Wong turned to acting instead. He appeared in numerous films between 1937 and 1950, mostly in supporting or background roles. His filmography includes titles such as Daughter of Shanghai (1937), The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939), Destination Tokyo (1943), The Purple Heart (1944), and Appointment with Danger (1950).
Personal Life and Business
Wong was married to Genevieve, and the couple had several children. In addition to his work in Hollywood, Wong owned and operated at least two restaurants in Los Angeles: Chinese Village Cafe at 745 N. Main Street, and the Ming Room at 358 S. La Cienega Boulevard. Chinese Village Cafe was sold shortly before his death.
Death
Bruce Wong died on November 1, 1953, in Los Angeles County, California, at the age of 44.
Selected Filmography
As producer:
- Sum Hun (1936)
As actor (partial list):
- Devil's Playground (1937)
- West of Shanghai (1937)
- Daughter of Shanghai (1937)
- International Settlement (1938)
- North of Shanghai (1939)
- The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939)
- Song of the Islands (1942)
- Submarine Raider (1942)
- Busses Roar (1942)
- Time to Kill (1942)
- Crash Dive (1943)
- We've Never Been Licked (1943)
- Behind the Rising Sun (1943)
- Jack London (1943)
- Destination Tokyo (1943)
- Up in Arms (1944)
- The Purple Heart (1944)
- Nob Hill (1945)
- Appointment with Danger (1950)
Note: The name "Bruce Wong" is also shared by several other contemporary individuals, including a head of data platform at Databricks, a University of Melbourne researcher, an executive director of the Ada County Highway District in Idaho, and the founder of the Bruce Wong Foundation. This entry covers the historical figure most commonly documented in encyclopedic sources.
