Nancy Hsueh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nancy Hsueh
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Hsueh in 1967
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| Born | February 25, 1941 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | November 24, 1980 (aged 39) Portland, Maine, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1945-1978 |
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Notable work
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Love is a Many Splendored Thing Targets |
Nancy Hsueh (February 25, 1941 – November 24, 1980) was an American actress. She was one of the first Asian American actresses to have a main role in a U.S. TV show. This show was called Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967). It was known for showing an interracial relationship between an Asian woman and a white man. Nancy also acted in movies like War Hunt (1962), Cheyenne Autumn (1964), and Targets (1968).
Contents
Nancy Hsueh's Acting Journey
Nancy Hsueh was born in Los Angeles, California. She started acting as a child. Her first two films were China's Little Devils (1945) and Intrigue (1947). Her father even helped with the movie Intrigue.
Early Roles in Films and TV Shows
In the early 1960s, Nancy appeared in a Korean War movie called War Hunt (1962). She was also in a Western film by John Ford called Cheyenne Autumn (1964). Because of her unique look, she was often cast in popular spy shows. These included The Man from U.N.C.L.E., I Spy, and The Wild, Wild West.
Breaking Barriers in Television
In 1967, Nancy got a big role in the CBS soap opera Love is a Many Splendored Thing. This show was meant to continue the story from a 1955 movie. The movie was about an interracial couple. Nancy played Mia Elliott, the daughter of that couple.
The TV show showed an interracial romance between Nancy's character, Mia, and a white American doctor. This was very new for television at the time. However, the show's creators decided to change the story. Nancy's character was written out of the series within a year.
Later Film Roles
Nancy's most famous film role was in Targets (1968). In this movie, she played the personal assistant to Boris Karloff. After this, she had only a few small parts in films and TV shows during the 1970s. Her last acting job was in the movie House Calls (1978).
Nancy Hsueh's Personal Life
Nancy Hsueh's father, Wei Fan Hsueh, was born in Nanking, China. Her mother, Evelyn Postal, had Native American and Scottish-Irish family roots. Nancy studied education at the University of California, Los Angeles.
On January 16, 1965, she married Daniel Carr. They had met while filming Cheyenne Autumn. Nancy Hsueh passed away in Portland, Maine, on November 24, 1980, when she was 39 years old.
Filmography
- China's Little Devils (1945) as Baby
- Intrigue (1947) as Mia, orphan girl
- Flower Drum Song (1961) as Girl (uncredited)
- War Hunt (1962) as Mama San
- Cheyenne Autumn (1964) as Little Bird (uncredited)
- Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. (1966) as Native Girl
- Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! (1967) as Joan Mavis (uncredited)
- Targets (1968) as Jenny
- House Calls (1978) as Gretchen
