James Wang was a Chinese actor and casting agent who worked in Hollywood from the 1910s to the 1930s. He is known for discovering actress Anna May Wong.
James Wang | |
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![]() James Wang, from a 1919 publication | |
Born | 1863 Zhili, China |
Died | April 20, 1935 Los Angeles, California, USA |
Occupation | Actor, casting agent |
Wang arrived in San Francisco around 1878 at the age of 18.[1] He told reporters he had been raised by missionaries in China, and that when he came to the United States, he began working as a minister at churches in Boston and New York City.[2][3][4][5]
He was accused of being a member of the Hip Sing Association — a Chinese-American street gang — in the early 1900s, although he was also an advocate for reform in New York City's Chinatown neighborhood, and offered up evidence that led to a number of police raids.[6][7]
Eventually he made his way to Los Angeles, where he pursued a career as an actor and a casting agent. He was often called on to procure Chinese talent by the major studios,[8] and it was in this capacity that he discovered a young Anna May Wong in Los Angeles's Chinatown neighborhood.[5]
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