seeking info about gene wang - old-time radio and early tv writer, producer etc
willdave davenant
I'm trying to get some biographical information on Gene Wang who was a
script writer for "old time" radio and early tv. He seemed to specialize
in mystery/detective shows. He was associated with such radio shows as
The Thin Man, Mr Malone and Perry Mason. Perhaps his most noteworthy efforts
involved the classic Perry Mason television series from the late 50s and
early 60s.
I'm not sure he was Asian-American, but it seems reasonable to assume so
til proven otherwise.
As far as birth and death stats go, I believe these are his:
Social Security Death Index (Ancestry.com) lists: EUGENE WANG (born)
04 Apr 1914 (Died) Jul 1971 Last known Address Beverly Hills, Los
Angeles, CA 90212) SSN 116-03-3141 (Originally issued in New York).
Like many other people associated with the Perry Mason series, Mr Wang
may have been an attorney. I've seen a reference to this, but haven't
been able to verify.
I've tried the writer's guild, the LA public library, www.us.imdb.com etc.,
but haven't really been able to pin much down on him.
I think he was a noteworthy figure if he was Asian given his involvement
in the entertainment business and I'd like to know more about him.
As an aside, if any of you are familiar with the classic Perry Mason show,
currently viewable on the Hallmark channel, www.hallmark.com, you may have
noted that Asian Americans are frequently featured on this show. Other than
Hawaii Five-O, this is the only tv show that I can recall for which this
is true, well, other that Garrett Wang on Voyager. Any thoughts on this?
wd
Otto Mation (Caroline Freisen)
davenant) wrote:
>
>As an aside, if any of you are familiar with the classic Perry Mason show,
>currently viewable on the Hallmark channel, www.hallmark.com, you may have
>noted that Asian Americans are frequently featured on this show. Other than
>Hawaii Five-O, this is the only tv show that I can recall for which this
>is true, well, other that Garrett Wang on Voyager. Any thoughts on this?
>
>wd
Stereotypes aside, Star Trek and Bananza come immediately to mind.
And then what was David Carradine's Kung Fu-ey thing about the
grasshoppers... '-) Carradine may not have Oriental ancestry, but
much of the rest of the cast did.
Jacques E. Bouchard
news:ce13qvsf722egtlca...@4ax.com:
> Stereotypes aside, Star Trek and Bananza come immediately to mind.
Was that the western with the monkeys? I loved that show...
jaybee
Otto Mation (Caroline Freisen)
<jacques_e_bo...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
Monkeys? I don't remember any monkeys, but then there are probably a
lot of Bonanza episodes I haven't seen. There was Ben Cartwright,
Hoss and Little Joe, and the older berother who was there for a
while... Can't remember his name. And then there was Hop Sing, the
cook. Often the most endearing character on the show.
IMO :)
David M. Geshwind
<1bc81a58.03103...@posting.google.com>...
B. D. Wong on Law & Order: SVU
Many on Magnum P.I.
Many on Kung Fu and Kung Fu, Next Generation
"House Boy" on Bachelor Father
Hop Sing on Bonanza
The Houskeeper/Nanny on Courtshp of Eddie's Father
Margaret Chu (sp?) short lived sit-com.
Seinfeld had a couple of recurring characters.
M*A*S*H and AfterM*A*S*H
Kayko O'Brien on ST: DS9 (Rosalind Chao of [After] M*A*S*H)
Gung Ho
St. Elsewhere and ER have both had several featured AsAm MD's and nurses
(as well as occassional patients). ER currently has had Ming-Na - Dr. Chen
for last four seasons.
I presumed by Asian Americans you actually meant Oriental (Japanese,
Korean, Chinese).
Because there are also Indian, Iranian and Arabic characters/actors that I
have not included.
This is just off the top of my head. I am sure there are others.
-- dmg
David M. Geshwind
Jacques E. Bouchard
> On 31 Oct 2003 00:28:56 GMT, "Jacques E. Bouchard"
><jacques_e_bo...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
>
>>"Otto Mation (Caroline Freisen)" <otto....@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
>>news:ce13qvsf722egtlca...@4ax.com:
>>
>>> Stereotypes aside, Star Trek and Bananza come immediately to mind.
>>
>>
>> Was that the western with the monkeys? I loved that show...
>
>
>
> Monkeys? I don't remember any monkeys, but then there are probably a
> lot of Bonanza
Who's talking about "BOnanza"?
jaybee
Joe Myers
[snip]
> ... There was Ben Cartwright,
> Hoss and Little Joe, and the older berother who was there for a
> while... Can't remember his name.
Adam. Pernell Roberts. "Trapper John, MD"
Joe Myers
"Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing), better known as
'Number Two Son' in 25 Charlie Chan films."
Otto Mation (Caroline Freisen)
<acaesq...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>B. D. Wong on Law & Order: SVU
>Many on Magnum P.I.
>Many on Kung Fu and Kung Fu, Next Generation
>"House Boy" on Bachelor Father
>Hop Sing on Bonanza
>The Houskeeper/Nanny on Courtshp of Eddie's Father
>Margaret Chu (sp?) short lived sit-com.
>Seinfeld had a couple of recurring characters.
>M*A*S*H and AfterM*A*S*H
>Kayko O'Brien on ST: DS9 (Rosalind Chao of [After] M*A*S*H)
>Gung Ho
>St. Elsewhere and ER have both had several featured AsAm MD's and nurses
>(as well as occassional patients). ER currently has had Ming-Na - Dr. Chen
>for last four seasons.
>
>I presumed by Asian Americans you actually meant Oriental (Japanese,
>Korean, Chinese).
>Because there are also Indian, Iranian and Arabic characters/actors that I
>have not included.
>
>This is just off the top of my head. I am sure there are others.
>
> -- dmg
>
>David M. Geshwind
Let's don't forget Ming Tsai on the Food Network, all of the Iron
Chefs including Fearless Leader Takeshi Kaga, and the defenders
Hiroyuki Sakai, Masahico Kobe, Masaharu Morimoto, Chen Kenichi, and
Fokusaburo Michiba, and then the original Wok in the Park with Martin
Yan of Yan Can Cook...!
Hey, we're hitting pay dirt here.
Caroline
rbro...@gmail.com
rbro...@gmail.com
rbro...@gmail.com
>
> I'm trying to get some biographical information on Gene Wang who was a
> script writer for "old time" radio and early tv. He seemed to specialize
> in mystery/detective shows. He was associated with such radio shows as
> The Thin Man, Mr Malone and Perry Mason. Perhaps his most noteworthy efforts
> involved the classic Perry Mason television series from the late 50s and
> early 60s.
>
> I'm not sure he was Asian-American, but it seems reasonable to assume so
> til proven otherwise.
>
Thanks. Ronna
mbmon...@gmail.com
BTW,if you know of a photograph of him, I would be interested in seeing it. I've looked his name up online, but haven't had any luck.
dmwa...@gmail.com
I’m sorry for the group message but I could not read your email address.
Thanks,
David Wang
Dmwang339 at gmail.com
joy....@gmail.com
I have done some research on Gene Wang - here is what I have found in terms of biographical facts.
Born Eugene Wang (pronounced "Vhang") on April 4, 1914 in NYC. Parents were Leo and Anna Wang, who were both Jews from Austria.
Wang grew up in Brooklyn, attended Eastern District High School, and graduated in January 1931. He then attended the University of Florida, studying law. This was during the days when some schools offered an undergraduate curriculum in law. While at University of Florida he wrote and edited the school paper, The Florida Alligator (occasionally contributing a column called "Wang Doodles"), and was also the associate editor of the 1935 yearbook, The Seminole.
Wang graduated from law school in 1935. On September 23, 1938 he married Sylvia Marvel Galaton in NYC. On July 29, 1943, they had a son, Peter Heywood Wang, who was born in NYC.
At some point after 1945 Wang and his family moved from NYC to Los Angeles. On November 8, 1948, Wang's wife Sylvia died. On August 29, 1952 Wang was remarried to Twila Harris. The marriage lasted until around 1961 and ended in divorce. Twila Harris was remarried to Rudy Cole in 1962, and again to Frank Danzig in 1969.
Wang's son, Peter, married Florence C. Welsh on May 22, 1970 in Riverside, CA.
Wang died on July 7, 1971. His obituary asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Motion Picture Relief Fund.
Peter Wang and his wife had a son, Patrick Galaton Wang, who was born on March 3, 1975.
Peter Wang worked for many years as a history instructor at Cabrillo College. I believe he still lives in Aptos, CA with his wife, Florence. If you search "Peter Wang" and "Aptos" on Google the second or third hit should be an article about him.
If anyone is interested I have collected some photos and articles supporting much of the above in a Google photo folder which I am happy to share.