The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING JAMES HONG
______
HON. JUDY CHU
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, February 28, 2022
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize James Hong, a venerable actor with one of the most prolific acting careers in Hollywood history. I was fortunate enough to meet with Mr. Hong in advance of his induction to the Hollywood Walk of Fame where he will receive his very own star commemorating his outstanding career. For nearly seven decades, Mr. Hong has been gracing our screens with his legendary performances, amassing over 672 credits since the outset of his career. At 92 years old, Mr. Hong has no intentions of slowing down.
Mr. Hong was born in 1929 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to parents who immigrated from China. His father owned a local herb store, one of only two stores within the city's Chinatown. It was within these walls that Mr. Hong's passion for the arts was cemented when, on weekends, local Chinese workers gathered at his father's store and watched as a young Mr. Hong put on performances for them.
While dreams of being an entertainer remained strong as ever, Mr. Hong's parents urged him to become an engineer, so he enrolled at the University of Minnesota to study civil engineering. But his studies were interrupted when he was drafted to the Korean War. While at training at Camp McClellan in Alabama, Mr. Hong did some impressions for his fellow soldiers and quickly caught the attention of the Camp's General. Mr. Hong was ordered to remain at the base to provide entertainment to the troops and coordinate public relations with the community, preventing him from being deployed to Korea during the war.
After his service, Mr. Hong completed his civil engineering degree at the University of Southern California and worked for the County of Los Angeles in road repair. Then in 1954, Mr. Hong appeared on Groucho Marx's radio show, ``You Bet Your Life,'' where he did impressions, including of Groucho himself. His appearance was so popular that the radio show received the second largest amount of fan mail for any episode. This appearance kickstarted Mr. Hong's incredible career in Hollywood and was one of the first of what would become hundreds and hundreds of credits, including ``Chinatown,'' ``Blade Runner,''
``Bonanza,'' ``Big Trouble in Little China,'' ``Soldier of Fortune,''
``Mulan,'' ``Seinfeld,'' ``The Big Bang Theory'' and so many more.
Unfortunately, Mr. Hong often faced discrimination on set, and many of the roles he was given were stereotypical, demeaning portrayals of Chinese people. Faced with the difficult choice of playing a character that was written in a racist manner or not working at all, Mr. Hong ultimately decided to continue his acting career, but worked tirelessly to bring complexity to roles that so frequently lacked humanity.
Taking his own experiences of discrimination, Mr. Hong set out to make the entertainment industry more accessible and humane, and to help expose Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) actors to opportunities. When given a script for the 1962 film ``The Confessions of an Opium Eater,'' Mr. Hong was taken aback by the stereotypical, negative depictions of Asian characters. So, he organized a group to approach the director to argue that a rewrite of the script was needed to make its AAPI characters more human. Even though the director ultimately refused a rewrite, Mr. Hong remained committed to advocating for better, more just representation.
These experiences eventually inspired Mr. Hong and fellow actor Mako Iwamatsu to form an acting troop for Asian American actors, which eventually turned into the renowned theater group, East West Players. Since its creation, East West Players has played an instrumental role in showcasing productions formulated, designed and executed by AAPI creators. On top of that, East West Players fostered a space for AAPI artists to express themselves freely and form a community. Mr. Hong's dedication to shedding light on the abilities and accomplishments of AAPI artists is clear from the group's alumni which include names like George Takei, John Cho, Daniel Dae Kim, Randall Park and countless others.
As one of the most accomplished actors in Hollywood history, James Hong has entertained and brought joy to innumerable viewers across the country and world. Not only has Mr. Hong committed his entire professional life to entertainment but has likewise dedicated himself to uplifting the abilities and careers of AAPI actors and has therefore paved the way for future generations of performers to come. It can be said with certainty that Mr. Hong has made an immeasurable, positive impact in the performing arts. It is my distinct honor to commemorate his career and life.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 36
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up