James Hong – Maria McClay

December 6, 2021December 11, 2021

Never So Few

1959

*Director*	John Sturges
*Producer*	Millard Kaufman
*Production Company*	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
*Release Date*	December 7th, 1959
*Cast*	Frank Sinatra (Cpt. Tom Reynolds), Gina Lollobrigida (Carla Vesari), Peter Lawford (Cpt. Grey Travis), Steve McQueen (Corporal Bill Ringa), Richard Johnson (Cpt. Danny de Mortimer), Paul Henreid (Nikko Regas), Brian Donlevy (General Sloan), Dean Jones (Sgt. Jim Norby), Charles Bronson (Sgt. John Danforth), Philip Ahn (Nautaung of the Kachin), Robert Bray (Colonel Fred Parkson), George Takei (Soldier in Hospital), Kipp Hamilton (Margaret Fitch), James Hong (General Chao), Mako (Soldier in Hospital), Maria McClay (Jeanine)

In 1943 Burma, a unit of American and British forces under the Office of Strategic Services joins with the native Kachin to hold back the Japanese Army. The unit, under the joint command of American captain Tom C. Reynolds (Frank Sinatra) and British captain Danny De Mortimer (Richard Johnson), with guidance from Kachin leader Nautaung (Philip Ahn), remains frustrated by their grueling duty, limited supplies and lack of medical care.

While Maria’s role is a short one as French speaking Eurasian girl Jeanine at wealth business man Nikko Regas’ Burmese country retreat at the base of the Himalayan mountains, it allowed to her to share the screen with two of the all-time greats, Frank Sinatra and Paul Henreid.

In fact, the entire movie’s cast is a veritable smorgasboard and who-is-who of movie stardom, both current at the time and newly arising. Besides Sinatra and Henreid this movie features the unforgettable Gina Lollobrigida, a younger Steven McQueen and Charles Bronson as well as the inimitable George Takei and the ever-present James Hong, who probably shared the screen with Maria more than any other actor.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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December 4, 2021December 8, 2021

Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing

1955

*Director*	Henry King
*Producer*	Buddy Adler
*Production Company*	20th Century Fox
*Release Date*	August 18th, 1955
*Cast*	William Holden (Mark Elliot), Jennifer Jones (Dr. Han Suyin), Torin Thatcher (Humphrey Palmer-Jones), Isobel Elsom (Adeline Palmer-Jones), Murray Matheson (Dr. John Keith), Virginia Gregg (Anne Richards), Richard Loo (Robert Hung), Soo Yong (Nora Hung), Philip Ahn (Third Uncle), Donna Martell (Suchen, Suyin’s Sister), Maria McClay (Rosie Wu – uncredited), Ashley Cowan, James Hong

Mark Elliot (William Holden) plays an American reporter covering the Chinese civil war in 1949 Hong Kong. While undergoing a trial separation from his wife, he meets Dr. Han Suyin (Jennifer Jones), a widowed physician from mainland China. As they fall in love with each other they experience disapproval from both her family and his friends about their interracial romance.

The fact that this film touches on racial issues prevalent at the time, while at the same time employing the use of Yellow Face by picking Jennifer Jones to play Dr. Han Suyin creates an absurd sense of both approval of the film taking a rather progressive stance for the 1950s, and severe discomfort and sadness in the face of the reality of 1950s Hollywood, which would almost exclusively use white actors only for any lead and supporting roles, regardless of the characters’ ethnicities.

Maria had a minor uncredited role in this particular movie as Rosie Wu, the giggly and somewhat out of control date of a British sailor played by Ashley Cowan, whom she accompanies to the hospital for treatment by Dr. Han Suyin, after having bit him. Apparently this is something her character had done before as the doctor scolds her for doing it again despite telling her not to the last time around.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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March 12, 1962December 9, 2021

S01 E24 – Square Cop (1962)

87th Precinct

*Director*	James Sheldon
*Producer*	Winston Miller, Boris D. Kaplan
*Production Company*	Hubbell Robinson Productions, Revue Studios, MCA TV
*Aired*	March 12th, 1962, NBC
*Cast*	Robert Lansing (Det. Steve Carella), Ron Harper (Det. Bert Kling), Gregory Walcott (Det. Roger Havilland), Norman Fell (Det. Meyer Meyer), Lee Tracy (Otto Forman), Jack Hogan (Johnny Forman), Dennis McCarthy (Joe), Paul Genge (The Lieutenant), Paul Smith (Ed), Victor Creatore (Edward), Faye Nuell (Millie Haines), Allen Jung (Mike), James Hong (Mike II), Maria Tsien McClay (Mary), Gene Roth (Cassidy), William Bakewell (Mr. Somers), Dorothy Kingston (Mrs. Somers)

Veteran patrolman Pat Forman, who is due to retire in a few days, is out on the beat showing the ropes to his replacement, Eddie Haines. A jangling burglar alarm sends them running to a
supermarket where Eddie is gunned down by the fleeing thief. What does Pat Forman know and how is he involved in this crime?

Maria plays Mary, a shop clerk and reluctant eye witness to a murder, being interviewed by the detectives. Understandably she is rather worried about retribution from the mob and about having to go to court and testifying in public. The detectives try to reassure her.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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October 1, 1959December 9, 2021

S02 E01 – To The Manner Born (1959)

Bat Masterson

*Director*	John Rich
*Producer*	Frank Pittman, Andy White
*Production Company*	Ziv Television Programs, Metro Goldwyn Mayer
*Aired*	October 1st, 1959, NBC
*Cast*	Gene Barry (Bat Masterson), Myron Healy, Audrey Dalton, Jack Hogan, Ernestine Barrier, David Thursby, James Hong, Maria Tsein (sic) (Card Dealer)

An old friend asks Bat to San Francisco to look into the background of her daughter’s fiancée. Bat learns she is a frequent visitor at a casino where she seems to win but her fiancée seems to lose – even his life. Maria appears as a card dealer employed by the casino who refuses to hand more chips to the dubious fiancée, when he busts out and finds himself broke at the table.

This is one of Maria’s more limited roles with very few lines and not a lot of screen time. On the other hand she gets to wear a rather fancy outfit while staring down Bat Masterson as she deals the House 21 and takes his money.

One thing that must be pointed out is that whoever was responsible for proof reading the credits messed up greatly and left her name on screen as “Maria Tsein” instead of “Tsien”.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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March 30, 1956December 9, 2021

S01 E10 – Local Hero (1956)

The Man Called X

*Director*	Leon Benson
*Producer*	Eddie Davis, Maurice Unger
*Production Company*	Ziv Television Programs
*Aired*	March 30th, 1956, WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, Channel 10
*Cast*	Barry Sullivan (Agent Ken Thurston), Marie Tsien (Sou Hei), Rolfe Sedan, Alex Montoya, Stella Lynn, George T. Lee, James Hong, Leslie Banning, Harold Fong, W. T. Chang, Joy Lee, Sammee Tong, Edwin Luke, Lawrence Ung

Maria’s character, Sou Hei, finds herself with her husband among a group of refugees, desperately trying to escape from China. But a no-good traitor lurks among them. Agent Ken Thurston, the man called “X”, played by Barry Sullivan, is assigned to find the rat in the group and help them make it across the border alive. Among them a suspicious white lady, and thinly veiled love interest for Mr. X, whom none of the other members of the group trust as far as they could throw her.

*Maria McClay as Sou Hei, expressing her distrust of the suspicious white lady in no uncertain terms: “She must die too!”*

Compared to other shows and movies of the era, including many of the ones Maria appeared in, this episode has a surprisingly low amount of yellow face, though it is certainly not free of it. It also features a surprisingly high number of non-white actors in speaking roles.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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