James Hong: An actor's guide to longevity

James Hong: An actor’s guide to longevity

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A sitdown interview with James Hong can morph unexpectedly into an episode of “Dancing With the Character Actors.” “Should we dance a little?” Hong suggested. “You have to think, ‘This is a 92-year-old man,’ too!”

James Hong is no ordinary 92-year-old man. And while he can clearly cut the rug, what’s truly astounding is a Hollywood career currently in its 68th year.

“I’ve been an actor since 1953 or ‘54,” he said. “Probably the only living guy that has worked with Groucho Marx!”

That’s where it began, with Groucho. Today, 445 screen credits later, Hong has been in “Chinatown,” “Blade Runner,” “Bonanza,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and a memorable episode of “Seinfeld.” The list goes on and on.

Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz said, “You might have been in more TV and films than anyone else ever.”

“I would think so, for major movies and TV,” Hong replied. “There’s some guys that have been in stage plays and such.”

“Acch, who goes to plays?”

Forget the 445 credits – that he even has four credits is a tribute to his fierce determination.

James Hong, now 92, has more TV and movie credits than virtually anyone. CBS News

The son of Chinese immigrants, Hong was born in Minneapolis in 1929. “It was Chinatown. But in Minneapolis, Chinatown consists of two Chinese stores!”

“And one of ’em was your dad’s?”

“Yeah. He had an herb store, and we lived on the second floor.”

As a young boy, Hong didn’t speak much English. That made him a target in school: “I think my class was, you know, probably 500 kids. I was the only Asian student. So, the bullies would pick on me and beat me up so because, you know, bullies are bullies, right? They’ll pick on the underdog.”

Hong’s parents wanted him to be an engineer; that’s what he studied in college. Then, he was drafted to fight in the Korean War.

Mankiewicz asked, “What was it like to be a Chinese American in the Army?”

Hong said, “One of my Army fellow mates there said to me, ‘You know, James, I think you might have a problem, because if you are in an American Army outfit [and] charge the Koreans, they will shoot you because you’re an American. And if you retreat, the Americans will shoot you also, because they think you are a ‘gook’ dressed in an American outfit!’ So, he got me a little bit perturbed with that statement, you know?”

Veteran actor James Hong with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz. CBS News

Hong entertained troops by doing impressions. He got laughs … and then he got an idea. After the war, he moved to Los Angeles where he pursued his new dream: show biz.

A big break came when he appeared on Groucho Marx’s radio show, “You Bet Your Life”:

Marx: “Where are you from, Jim?”

Hong: “Minneapolis, Minnesota.”

Marx: “Minnesota! Listen, I thought you might be, because Hong is a fine, old Scandinavian name!”

Next came small parts on TV, often demeaning. He was the Chinese solider, the Chinese prisoner, and the guy running a Chinese laundry.

Mankiewicz said, “You didn’t play fully-rounded characters; you played stereotypes, and that’s it.”

“If you didn’t play the roles that were given to you, you would be not working at all,” said Hong. “And, so, in a sense, in order to keep up my craft, I had to take these roles as the Chinese railroad worker or laundryman and so forth.”

Though he was getting more work, Hong was also forced to confront racism. One incident still stings:

“That’s a very hurtful thing,” he sighed. “I was in London doing the son of Charlie Chan. J. Carrol Naish was Charlie Chan.”

Naish, who was of Irish ancestry, had to have his eyes made up daily to appear Oriental. “That got under his skin,” Hong said.

“So, one day he was on camera; I was off camera. I missed one line. He says, ‘What is this, a school for Chinese actors?’ And you know, I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do. He started to advance me. I had my fist clenched. I thought he was gonna slug me with something, you know? He walked past, and had me fired.

“And I went to his dressing room and apologized. I said, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Naish, you know, I missed the line.’ He wouldn’t forgive me. He had me fired.”

Hong shrugged. “I don’t talk about it. it just hurts too much.”

Mankiewicz asked, “So, essentially he had you fired because you had the audacity to be of Chinese descent in a movie filled with Chinese people?’

“That’s right. I think he just was very prejudiced.”

By the 1970s, Hong had already amassed a few hundred credits, including playing Faye Dunaway’s butler in “Chinatown.” He’s also in the sci-fi cult classic “Big Trouble in Little China,” a role he happily recalls.

More recently, he’s been in every iteration of “Kung Fu Panda,” and this year Hong will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He is a living character actor legend, and a champion for standing up against racism and fighting the stereotypes faced by Asian Americans in Hollywood and beyond.

Hong said, “In every role I played, I tried to make it a human being. And that’s why I think I kept working, because I think not only the studio, but the people saw that James was portraying a Chinese as a real person, and not just a cliché character.”

“It’s not easy to do, to impart humanity into a character that is written so stereotypically,” said Mankiewicz.

“Yes. That’s true.”

At 92, the characters keep coming. And Hong already has projects lined up to add to those 445 credits.

“Are you gonna retire?” asked Mankiewicz.

Hong replied by reciting: “Whether it is nobler in the mind that suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, to die… Okay, what was the question now?”

“I think we have our answer. You’re not retiring.”

“What’s that word?”

“I mean, if I were making a movie, I’d hire you for something. You’d be the first person I’d hire!”

“Yeah. Well, it has to be at least double scale, okay?”

“Well, then you’re out,” Mankiewcz laughed.

“I knew it!”

For more info:

Story produced by Gabriel Falcon. Editor: Joseph Frandino.

Watch Sunday Morning Season 2022 Episode 0123:

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S2022 E0123 62min TV-PG

Sundays on CBS

Hosted by Jane Pauley. In our cover story, Mark Whitaker looks into suggestions to limit the wealth of the super-rich. Plus: Mo Rocca talks with Christine Baranski, star of “The Good Fight” and “The Gilded Age”; Ben Mankiewicz sits down with 92-year-old character actor James Hong; Serena Altschul explores the history of Architectural Digest magazine; David Pogue visits a Smithsonian exhibition on the future; David Martin examines Vladimir Putin’s intentions in Ukraine; and Luke Burbank joins a hardy band of swimmers in the chilly waters of San Francisco Bay. Air Date: Jan 23, 2022

30 Most Anticipated Films of 2022

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The pop culture forecast for 2022 is looking mighty fine, and we’re previewing everything we’re excited about this year with a series of lists. Just so you have it all in one place, we’ve also published our Most Anticipated Albums, Most Anticipated TV Shows and Rising Artists to Watch roundups. Plus, look out for our list of Most Anticipated Heavy Albums soon.

Writing about the upcoming year in film while the world is once again caught up in a new wave of COVID requires a certain kind of blind optimism that relatively soon, case numbers will get lower, vaccines will keep doing their best to keep us safe, and going to the movies will eventually stop feeling just a little bit scary. Barring all of that, we can at least put our faith in the industry continuing to adapt in terms of distribution strategies, so we can see at least a few of the movies listed below. (Unless, of course, they get pushed again.)

It’s an exciting year, not just because of long-awaited sequels and new takes on superheroes that promise to revolutionize the genre yet again. It’s a year when women will get more opportunities to make strides behind the camera, a year where we’ll see Johnny Knoxville once again sustain some serious physical injury for our entertainment, and a year when — God help us all — there will be a new Avatar movie. (Unless, of course, it gets pushed again.)

We’ll also see Tom Cruise jump off buildings and fly planes, Baz Luhrmann take on Elvis, and an eclectic awards race that could see Martin Scorsese facing off against Steven Spielberg and Darren Aronofsky. We’ll see some dazzling CGI and multiple Michelle Yeohs. Unless, of course, it all gets pushed again. But for right now, there are 30 reasons here to be very excited about the year to come — and even more beyond what made this list.

— Liz Shannon Miller

Jackass Forever (February 4th)

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Writers: Andrew Weinberg, Colton Dunn, Derrick Beckles, Eric André, Knate Gwaltney, Nick Kreiss, Sarah Sherman, Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, Spike Jonze

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, Danger Ehren, Preston Lacy

As the first Jackass film in more than a decade — 12 years, to be exact — Jackass Forever is the long-awaited fourth and final entry in the film franchise that started with nine friends pulling pranks and wild stunts on MTV back in the early 2000s. It’s since grown into a monolith of hedonism and debauchery, and this latest edition will surely be no exception as Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, and the rest of the gang are joined by celebrity guests ranging from Machine Gun Kelly and Tyler, the Creator to Eric André, Tony Hawk, and more. — Glenn Rowley

Death on the Nile (February 11th)

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Writer: Michael Green

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, Letitia Wright

Death on the Nile isn’t a top-shelf Agatha Christie mystery like And Then There Were None or Murder on the Orient Express, but the twists and turns are still quite good, and the swoon-worthy locales have ensured its place among her most-adapted works. Following his 2017 take on Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh returns as a far-too-handsome Poirot. Beyond its starry cast, this movie has the ignominious distinction of being Armie Hammer’s final blockbuster role before his many abuse allegations consign him to the dustbin of history. — Wren Graves

The Batman (March 4th)

Director: Matt Reeves

Writers: Matt Reeves, Peter Craig

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell

Numerous release and production delays due to COVID finally behind us, we’re about to get our third live-action Batman in a decade. We’ve been excited for The Batman since Ben Affleck was still attached, but even more so once Matt Reeves took over writing and directing duties in 2017. With an all-star cast playing the largest group of A-list Bat-characters seen on screen together since Batman & Robin (including Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler, Colin Farrell as Penguin) and a gritty, Year One feel, this has the makings of a reboot that could live up to the Nolan-Verse. — Ben Kaye

Turning Red (March 11th)

Director: Domee Shi

Writers: Julia Cho, Domee Shi

Cast: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, James Hong

Pixar’s first film of 2022 is Turning Red, which follows a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl named Mei who turns into a giant red panda whenever she feels a strong emotion. If that concept doesn’t win you over, then we suggest watching the trailer, which makes this film seem like the most hilarious movie Pixar has ever made. Not only is the film set to be a heartwarming coming of age story, it’s also a 2000s-era period piece and is the first Pixar film to be solely directed by a woman. Although the theatrical release has recently been suspended in favor of a Disney+ release, Turning Red has all the promise of being one of Pixar’s most inspired projects. — Paolo Ragusa

Everything Everywhere All at Once (March 25th)

Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Writers: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis

Count us in as ride-or-die for Daniels (aka the directing pair of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), who split audiences with their vulgar yet heartfelt farting-corpse dramedy Swiss Army Man. Now they’re back with even more kaleidoscope mayhem, as a middle-aged woman (Michelle Yeoh) tries to get her taxes done only to find herself skipping across universes to stop a plan to destroy all of existence. If Marvel’s got you sick of multiverses, this might be a decent palate-cleanser. And, well, we could always use more Michelle Yeohs in our lives. — Clint Worthington

Owners Say GG’s Dry Cleaners May Reopen Soon

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By MADDY VITALE

The owners of GG’s Diamond Cleaners have been through an ordeal that might have closed their shop for months. A winter storm dumped 14 inches of snow on Ocean City on Jan. 3, leading to the roof partially collapsing.

The dry-cleaning business at 609 Asbury Ave. is a staple for locals. Owners James and Hee Hong over the years have developed a relationship with their customers. Judging by the outpouring of support for the Hongs, they are appreciated for what they do for the community.

The Hongs, of Upper Township, said in a statement through their son, Dr. Andrew Hong, an Ocean City dentist, that they hope to reopen by the end of the month.

“Currently, we are not open and are cleaning and remodeling the business. We will not know until Tuesday about an exact date, but we are hoping to reopen at the end of this month,” the Hongs said in a statement.

On Saturday, people were busy inside GG’s, but the store remained closed, as it has been since Jan. 4. No one was injured in the incident, and the building was unoccupied at the time.

A portion of what made up GG’s dry-cleaning operations was knocked down this past week. No further information was provided by the Hongs about the building that was demolished. However, the main building and storefront for GG’s still stands and does not appear to have suffered damage from the roof collapse.

Over the last few weeks, the community has come together to help the Hongs get through the difficult time.

On Saturday, Mayor Jay Gillian said this of the Hongs: “We have worked closely with the owners and we will continue to help in any way we can.”

The Hongs have had their dry-cleaning business in downtown Ocean City for decades, and loyal customers and others who felt for the family gave donations.

Generosity started with Catherine Panico, whose husband, dentist Dr. William Panico, works with Dr. Hong. Catherine set up a GoFundMe page for the Hongs after the dry-cleaning business closed down. Donations came pouring in.

Jilly’s Boardwalk and downtown shops co-owner Jody Levchuk, who is also a city councilman, hosted two fundraisers for the Hongs and is hosting another at Jilly’s Arcade on Jan. 25.

The mayor and other members of City Council have given sizable donations to the Hong family.

The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce and a host of residents and businesses also donated to the family. OCNJ CARE, a nonprofit organization that helps those in the community who need assistance, also provided support for the Hongs.

The Hongs said that they are so appreciative of all that the people in Ocean City have done on behalf of them and their business.

“We thank the Ocean City community for their support — please pray for us as we continue to move on,” the Hongs said in their statement. “God bless.”

Art Basel in Hong Kong Announces 137 Galleries, Most in Satellite Booths, for 2022

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The fair aims to return in March, but backup dates in May were also announced.

Art Basel in Hong Kong 2021. Courtesy Art Basel.

The majority of galleries taking part in Art Basel in Hong Kong will participate via ‘satellite booths’ when the fair returns from 24 to 26 March 2022.

Art Basel in Hong Kong introduced satellite booths—which are staffed by the fair instead of the galleries—last year to accommodate exhibitors whose staff were unable to enter Hong Kong due to travel restrictions introduced to combat Covid-19.

At time of writing, Hong Kong has suspended flights from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and the Philippines. Visitors from most other countries are required to quarantine for 21 days at a designated quarantine hotel.

Eighty-two out of 137 galleries taking part in Art Basel in Hong Kong will show works in satellite booths this year, including Berlin’s Esther Schipper, New York’s Gladstone Gallery, Seoul’s Kukje Gallery, and Beijing’s Hive Center for Contemporary Art. That’s up from 57 out of 104 galleries in 2021.

Marc Spiegler, Global Director of Art Basel, said, ‘It is inspiring to see the amazing commitment and surging number of galleries participating in our Hong Kong show.’

Art Basel in Hong Kong 2021. Courtesy Art Basel.

While participation is up from 2021, it remains down significantly from 2019, when over 240 galleries exhibited at Art Basel in Hong Kong.

Among the highlights of this year’s main galleries section, according to Art Basel, are a survey of Rasheed Araeen by London’s Rossi & Rossi, new works by Zheng Guogu and Pak Sheung Chuen shown by Guangzhou’s Vitamin Creative Space, and David Hockney’s photographic drawings presented by Chicago’s Gray.

Highlights of the fair’s Insights section, which focuses on artists from the Asia-Pacific, include a presentation of Wang Chuan’s lockdown paintings by Chengdu’s A Thousand Plateaus Art Space, James T. Hong’s two-channel landscape film by Hong Kong’s Empty Gallery, and works by Norio Imai reaching back to the 1960s presented by Antwerp’s Axel Vervoordt Gallery.

Eighteen galleries will show in the fair’s Discoveries section, which presents solo shows by emerging artists. They include Mexico City gallery Maia Contemporary’s presentation of paintings and sculptures by Cisco Jiménez, which incorporate obsolete devices such as boomboxes and record players, and monochrome paintings by Surinamese artist Xavier Roblesde Medina presented by New York gallery Catinca Tabacaru, which also has spaces in Bucharest and Harare.

Art Basel will also persist with its Art Basel Live digital initiative, which includes virtual walkthroughs, Online Viewing Rooms, social media broadcasts, and livestreamed conversations. —[O]