Lotus Long

Acteur

18 juli 1909 — 14 september 1990 (81 years)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lotus Long (born Lotus Pearl Shibata, July 18, 1909 – September 14, 1990) was an American actress.

Long was born in New Jersey to a father of Japanese ancestry and a mother of Hawaiian ancestry. She came to Southern California during the 1920s to act in Hollywood films, and usually portrayed ethnic Asian female characters in supporting roles. She used the name "Lotus Long" for stage and film. Because of her adopted surname, people generally assumed that she was of Chinese ancestry – something she later relied on to avoid mass incarceration in American internment camps with other persons of Japanese ancestry, both legal permanent residents and American citizens, during World War II.

She appeared in the MGM docudrama Eskimo (1933) as wife of the main character. Under the stage name Lotus Long as Moonflower in the 1934 film The Mysterious Mr. Wong and as the murder victim, Princess Lin Hwa, in 1939's Mr. Wong in Chinatown. She also starred alongside Keye Luke in Phantom of Chinatown as Win Len, Dr. Benton's secretary, whereas Keye Luke played Mr. Wong, this time known as Detective James Lee Wong.

She was also credited under the name Karen Sorrell in the films Flight into Nowhere (1938) starring Jack Holt and Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938) starring Peter Lorre. She was uncredited as a "native girl" in the film The Real Glory (1939) starring Gary Cooper and David Niven.

One of her more infamous roles would be as Tokyo Rose in Lew Landers' film, Tokyo Rose (1946), which also starred Keye Luke, Edwin Luke, Richard Loo, Byron Barr, and Osa Massen.

Long had one writing and producing credit, for the film The Tahitian (1956) made with her husband, James Knott. The Tahitian was filmed on location with a largely native cast.

In Timothy Tau's short film bio-pic Keye Luke, Lotus Long is portrayed by Mei Melancon, who is also of mixed ancestry (Japanese, Chinese and French), and who was inspired by the real-life figure of Tokyo Rose (Iva Toguri) to get into acting.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Het Heldhaftig avontuur
    Het Heldhaftig avontuur1939
  • The Mystery of Mr. Wong
    The Mystery of Mr. Wong1939
  • The Mysterious Mr. Wong
    The Mysterious Mr. Wong1934
  • Phantom of Chinatown
    Phantom of Chinatown1940

Known For

  • Phantom of Chinatown
    Phantom of Chinatown1940
  • De raadselachtige Mr. Moto
    De raadselachtige Mr. Moto1937
  • The Mysterious Mr. Wong
    The Mysterious Mr. Wong1934
  • Eskimo
    Eskimo1933
  • The Mystery of Mr. Wong
    The Mystery of Mr. Wong1939
  • Mr. Wong in Chinatown
    Mr. Wong in Chinatown1939
  • Sing Sing Nights
    Sing Sing Nights1934

Cinematografie

1946
Tokyo Rose · as Tokyo Rose
1942
Flying Tigers · as Children's Matron (uncredited)
1940
Phantom of Chinatown · as Win Lee, Benton's SecretaryOp Plex
1939
The Real Glory · as Young Native WomanOp Plex
1939
Mr. Wong in Chinatown · as Princess Lin Hwa
1939
The Mystery of Mr. Wong · as DrinaOp Plex
1938
Mysterious Mr. Moto · as Lotus Liu
1938
1937
Think Fast, Mr. Moto · as Lela Liu
1937
China Passage · as Lia Sen
1936
The Sea Spoilers · as Marie
1935
Last of the Pagans · as Lilleo
1934
The Mysterious Mr. Wong · as MoonflowerOp Plex
1934
Sing Sing Nights · as Li Sung
1933
Eskimo · as Iva (uncredited)