Frank Tang (born Dai Jung Tong) was a Chinese-American character actor, filmmaker, community leader, and restaurateur[1] who was best-known for directing the 1936 Cantonese-language film Sum Hun.[2]
Frank Tang | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dai Jung Tong November 27, 1905 San Francisco, California, USA |
| Died | June 29, 1968 (aged 62) Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Occupation | Actor, film director |
| Spouse(s) | Birdie |
| Relatives | Kam Tong (brother) |
Frank was born in San Francisco into a big Chinese-American family. His parents, Yee Tong and Wong Shee, were immigrants. His brother Kam Tong would also become an actor.[3]
He began his career in Hollywood in the late 1920s, and he got a rare chance to work as a director in 1936, when he teamed up with Bruce Wong and Esther Eng to make the Cantonese-language American film Sum Hun. He'd appear in over a dozen films afterward in smaller roles, in addition to serving as a technical advisor.[4]
Later in life, he owned and operated a restaurant called Tang's in Los Angeles's Chinatown neighborhood.[3] He died in 1968 at the age of 62 after an illness, and was survived by his wife, Birdie, and several siblings.[5]
As director:
As actor:
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