Rose Quong
Encyclopedia
Rose Quong was a Chinese Australian
actor
, performer and writer
.
, Australia
to Chinese parents Chun Quong and Annie Moy Quong. She grew up in Australia
and was employed by the government and performed with the Melbourne Repertory Players until 1924, when she went to study acting in England
. She opened in several plays in 1924, receiving excellent reviews from critics. She worked in England
and France
before coming to the United States
for the first time in 1936 on tour. She returned to the United States
on a lecture tour in 1940 and remained permanently, settling in New York City
.
, and also delivered lectures on Chinese drama
, art, and culture. She performed primarily in theater, but had several film roles to her credit, including a small part in "Flower Drum Song
". The backbone of Quong's career in the United States
was a series of one-woman shows, consisting of recitations, dramatic readings, and scenes from plays. She authored two books: Chinese Characters: Their Wit and Wisdom, and a translation of P'u Sung-Ling's
Chinese Ghost and Love Stories. Her last role was in a 1971 film, "Eliza's Horoscope". To supplement her income as an actress, Quong occasionally took on other jobs, working as a secretary.
, and studied it for much of her life; her presentations frequently included material from the I Ching
. She also studied yoga
, astrology
, and Chinese history. A voracious reader, she maintained reading lists and took copious notes on her reading.
She died in New York City
in 1972.
Chinese Australian
Chinese Australian is an Australian of Chinese heritage. In the 2006 Australian Census, 669,890 Australian residents identified themselves as having Chinese ancestry, either alone or with another ancestry....
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, performer and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Early life
Rose Quong was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to Chinese parents Chun Quong and Annie Moy Quong. She grew up in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and was employed by the government and performed with the Melbourne Repertory Players until 1924, when she went to study acting in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She opened in several plays in 1924, receiving excellent reviews from critics. She worked in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
before coming to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the first time in 1936 on tour. She returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on a lecture tour in 1940 and remained permanently, settling in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Life in United States
She continued her acting career in AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and also delivered lectures on Chinese drama
Chinese drama
Chinese drama can refer to:* Chinese opera* Chinese television series...
, art, and culture. She performed primarily in theater, but had several film roles to her credit, including a small part in "Flower Drum Song
Flower Drum Song
Flower Drum Song was the eighth stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was based on the 1957 novel, The Flower Drum Song, by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee. The piece opened in 1958 on Broadway and was afterwards presented in the West End and on tour...
". The backbone of Quong's career in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was a series of one-woman shows, consisting of recitations, dramatic readings, and scenes from plays. She authored two books: Chinese Characters: Their Wit and Wisdom, and a translation of P'u Sung-Ling's
Pu Songling
Pu Songling was a Qing Dynasty Chinese writer, best known as the author of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.-Biography:Pu was born into a poor landlord-merchant family from Zichuan...
Chinese Ghost and Love Stories. Her last role was in a 1971 film, "Eliza's Horoscope". To supplement her income as an actress, Quong occasionally took on other jobs, working as a secretary.
Interests
Quong was deeply interested in Chinese philosophyChinese philosophy
Chinese philosophy is philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought. The majority of traditional Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States era, during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and...
, and studied it for much of her life; her presentations frequently included material from the I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
. She also studied yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, and Chinese history. A voracious reader, she maintained reading lists and took copious notes on her reading.
She died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1972.
External links
- Rose Quong's Biography
- The Rose Quong Papers, including correspondence, scrapbooks, recordings and writings, are available for research use at the Historical Society of PennsylvaniaHistorical Society of PennsylvaniaThe Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historical society founded in 1824 and based in Philadelphia. The Society's building, designed by Addison Hutton and listed on Philadelphia's Register of Historical Places, houses some 600,000 printed items and over 19 million manuscript and graphic items...
. - Rose Quong on IMDB