Famous Like Me > Actress > K > Nancy Kwan
Profile of Nancy Kwan
on Famous Like Me |
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| Name: |
Nancy Kwan |
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| Date of Birth: |
19th May 1939 |
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| Place of Birth: |
Hong Kong |
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| Profession: |
Actress |
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From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia
Nancy Kwan (born May 19, 1939 in Hong Kong) (pinyin: GuÄn JiÄqià n, Cantonese: Kwan Ka Shin) is a Eurasian actress.
Biography
Born to a Chinese father, architect Kwan Wing Hong and Scottish mother, model Marquita Scott. She is considered to be a sex symbol among her fans, as they feel she's beautiful because of her unusual, Eurasian appearance.
Kwan's family fled Hong Kong with her after 1941 during World War II and returned at the end of the war. She studied at Kingsmoor School in Glossop, England and dancing at the Royal Ballet School in England. She performed in Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty at Convent Garden. She completed her studies with a certificate to teach ballet.
While in England , producer Ray Stark spotted her. At the age of 18, she received the starring role of a free-spirited Hong Kong prostitute who captivates artist Robert Lomax (William Holden) in the film adaptation of The World of Suzie Wong (1960).
She followed it up the next year with the hit musical The Flower Drum Song (1961) and became one of Hollywood's most visible Asian actresses. She spent the 1960s commuting between the United States and Europe for film roles. She married Austrian ski instructor Peter Pock and gave birth to son Bernhard. Kwan return to her native Hong Kong in 1972 to be with her critically ill father. After his death, she married director-producer Norbert Meisel and returned to the United States.
Upon returning to the USA in 1979, she has had guest appearances and co-starring roles on numerous television productions, like ER. She has also hosted Miss Chinatown pageant in San Francisco, California. Today she is politically active as the spokeswoman for the Asian American Voters Coalition.
Selected filmography
- The World of Suzie Wong (1960)
- The Flower Drum Song (1961)
- The Main Attraction (1962)
- Tamahine (1963)
- Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. (1966)
- The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969)
- Night Creature (1977)
- Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)
Awards
- Golden Ring Award
- Historymaker for Excellence in the Performing Arts - Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles, California
Bibliography
- A Celebration of Life, Memories of My Son.
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