February 17th, 2015 2 comments a while back i posted some old postcards of san franciscos chinatown from the 1930s. Dancers mae tai sing and tony wing perform an elaborate floor show at forbidden city, a nightclub in chinatown, san francisco. Deepfocus productions forbidden city, usa arthur dong. Apr 11, 2014 forbidden city, usa captures the magic and glamour of a chinese american nightclub scene that peaked in san francisco during world war ii. A decadent night in the forbidden city at art deco preservation ball story by tony bravo photography by leah millis april 6, 2016 updated. Book title forbidden city, usa subtitle chinese american nightclubs, 19361970. Daily menu at forbidden city restaurant san francisco, california ca english the new york public library digital collections.
Forbidden city, usa ucla restoration demonstration youtube. Previously unpublished personal stories, along with over four hundred stunning images and rare artifacts, are presented in this sexy and insightful chronicle of asian american performers who defied racial and cultural barriers to pursue their showbiz dreams. The teamspirit sign by the side of the highway seems a good omen to loner morgan walsh, as he drives to what could be the most important visit of his lifea chance to join the north american pack. The golden age of chinese nightclubs the hampton press communication series trina robbins on. Former entertainers speak about breaking with their cultural traditions to perform, but having limited opportunities. Chinese american nightclubs, 19361970 arthur dong, lisa see. It was a walkup, on the second floor 363 sutter, occupying the space that had previously been one of americas premiere chineseowned night clubs, charlie lows forbidden city, which featured dancer coby yee. Forbidden citys frances quan chun kan is dead sfgate. A fascinating documentary about san francisco nightclub forbidden city, which, starting in the late 1940s and continuing through the early 60s, featured an allasian cast of singers, showgirls. Apr 12, 2014 forbidden city, usa captures the magic and glamour of a chinese american nightclub scene that peaked in san francisco during world war ii. While forbidden city seems to start out a bit slower than other books in the series, dont let that fool you. Forbidden city, usa hardcover edition by arthur dong chinese. Forbidden city, by william bell, is a historical fiction account of the tian an men square incident that occurred in china in 1989. Winner of the 2015 american book award and now available in collectible hardcover.
A decadent night in the forbidden city at art deco. The club was host to thousands of american servicemen, with acts such as the chinese ginger rogers. The forbidden city was a chinese nightclub and cabaret in business from the late 1930s to the. Contains film clips of acts at the forbidden city and interviews with performers and club owner charlie low. Former entertainers speak about breaking with their cultural traditions to.
Gary kamiya is the author of the bestselling book cool gray city of love. The forbidden city featured asian american singers, dancers, chorus lines, magicians, strippers, and musicians. But among the books that have been written about san francisco, these fourteen stand out as our favorites, depicting different eras in. Mckenna theatre, san francisco state university, san francisco 6. Nov 21, 2015 winner of the 2015 american book award and now available in collectible hardcover, forbidden city, usa captures the magic and glamour of the chinatown nightclub scene, which peaked in san francisco during world war ii. Forbidden city is a powerful and frightening story. For those interested in history, the forbidden city was a real nightclub located in san francisco and was the first chineseamerican nightclub located outside of san frans busy china town. Ronald reagan at charlie lows forbidden city, 363 sutter. San francisco s chinatown unexpectedly became a locus of immensely successful nightclubs in the 1940s. Tales of the city is the first novel in a series that first ran in the san francisco chronicle. May 31, 2016 the imperial masterworks of the national palace museum, taipei, originally housed in beijings forbidden city, logged many miles, were hidden from foreign invaders and survived the civil war between chinas nationalist and communist armies before finally being transported to taiwan for safekeeping. Forbidden city, usa received the art deco societys historic preservation award for preserving. San francisco native arthur dong is a multiawarding winning filmmaker and.
But among the books that have been written about san francisco, these fourteen stand out as our favorites, depicting different eras in a city that has. Chinatown nightclubs, 19361970 is at forbidden city nightclub, 363 sutter street, san francisco. The golden age of chinese american nightclubs exhibition opening main library, jewett gallery, april 12 july 6, 2014 it was the mid1930s. Nearly three decades later, forbidden city, usa returns to. In their prime, these nightclubs with allchinese entertainment received attention from major media and patronage by movie stars, public figures, and even heads of state. Forbidden book san francisco public library bibliocommons. See more ideas about night club, vintage burlesque and burlesque. The forbidden city nightclub, located at 369 sutter street in chinatown and run by charlie low, became one of the most famous entertainment places in san francisco.
Combining interviews with archival film and photographs, this program profiles forbidden city, an allchinese nightclub popular during the 1930s and 1940s in san francisco. Named a best documentary of the decade by the hawaii international film festival, forbidden city, usa reveals the heartfelt stories of entertainers at the world famous forbidden city nightclub, telling the true life stories that inspired both the musical flower drum song, and lisa sees novel, china dolls. Charlie low opened his legendary night club in san francisco in 1938, featuring exclusively asian performers who were wildly popular with visiting tourists during and after world war ii to the chagrin of conservative chinatown elders who frowned on outgoing young chinese women like singer frances chun, displaying their talents in public to. In the 1930s and 40s, audiences flocked to nightclubs to escape the problems of the day with a cocktail and a show. Meet the chinese sinatra, the chinese ginger rogers, the chinese fred astaire and witness the true life stories behind china dolls, lisas sees ny winner of the 2015 american book award, now in a. Talented grace, traditional helen, and defiant ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous forbidden city nightclub.
The situation only gets worse when hes bailed out by alphaelect. Forbidden city, usa ucla restoration demonstration. From the late 1930s to the early 1960s, chinese nightclubs fourished in san francisco s chinatown. Forbidden city, on the second floor of 363 sutter street, below stockton, was one of several chinese nightclubs in san francisco at the beginning of world war ii, and certainly one of the most successful. Prohibition was repealed and the great depression was waning, creating new opportunities and setting the stage for the rise of chinese american nightclubs and performers, which flourished. We are a publisher of quality books focusing on chinese history, culture, and arts. It was popular with military personnel who were transiting through san francisco. The 15 best bookstores in san francisco foursquare.
The sutter cinema was located on sutter street in downtown san francisco, just off of fashionable union square and a few blocks from chinatown. Then he wakes naked in the woods, surrounded by wolf tracks and a ring of suspicious cops. Sep 05, 2016 forbidden city, usa ucla restoration demonstration. Daily menu at forbidden city restaurant san francisco. Kan, a selftaught singer who grew up in san franciscos chinatown, was one of the stars in the 1930s and 40s at the internationally famous forbidden city on sutter street, the first club in. Arthur dong deepfocus productions forbidden city, usa. Forbidden city, usa takes you inside the glamorous world of chinatown nightclubs in world war ii. Five great books set in san francisco blog tripfiction. Nov 07, 2016 filmmaker and author, arthur dong center, with chinese american nightclub dancers l to r, coby yee and dawn leong, at the forbidden city, usa. Previously unpublished personal stories, along with over four hundred stunning images and rare artifacts, are presented in this sexy and insightful chronicle of asian american performers who defied racial and cultural barriers to pursue their showbiz. Forbidden city in san francisco chinatown the largest. Kan, a selftaught singer who grew up in san francisco s chinatown, was one of the stars in the 1930s and 40s at the internationally famous forbidden city on sutter street, the first club in. Jan 11, 2015 this weekend, visit san franciscos famed forbidden city in china dolls january 11, 2015 in this installment of weekend reads, jean kwok recommends lisa sees novel china dolls, about the. While it was doing business, from the late 1930s to the late 1950s, the forbidden city gained an international reputation with its unique showcase of exotic oriental performance.
May 05, 2016 named a best documentary of the decade by the hawaii international film festival, forbidden city, usa reveals the heartfelt stories of entertainers at the world famous forbidden city nightclub, telling the true life stories that inspired both the musical flower drum song, and lisa sees novel, china dolls. Forbidden city another struggle that hung liu addressed that might have affected her life in california was that in the 1800s, chinese women were shipped in and used as prostitutes around san francisco for miners tedford. The story is seen through the the eyes of alexander jackson, a seventeenyearold canadian boy. The forbidden city nightclub, san francisco 19431945 posted. The forbidden city was a chinese nightclub and cabaret in business from the late 1930s to the late 1950s, on the second floor of 363 sutter street in san francisco between chinatown and union square. Forbidden city, usa hardcover edition by arthur dong.
Feb 18, 2012 forbidden city nightclub, san francisco adongla. It picks up pretty quickly and we are on an everchanging road to answers. That was back when newspapers did cool things like run serialized fiction, on a regular basis. John philbrook, san francisco public library school library journal. A while back i posted some old postcards of san franciscos chinatown from the 1930s. Winner of the 2015 american book award, now in a luxurious hardc. A san francisco chinatown native, arthur dong is an oscarnominee, and a. Rodgers and hammerstein created a popular musical from the book in 1958, which has had. San franciscos chinatown unexpectedly became a locus of immensely successful nightclubs in the 1940s. The forbidden city is the worlds biggest and most extravagant palace complex ever built. Sep 27, 2017 the forbidden city is the worlds biggest and most extravagant palace complex ever built. Jewett gallery, san francisco public library 100 larkin street, civic center. The place was a host of nightclubs and entertainment places run by china see also lisa sees new book china dolls. For five centuries, it was the power center of imperial china and survived wars, revolution, fires, and.
This weekend, visit san franciscos famed forbidden city in china dolls january 11, 2015 in this installment of weekend reads, jean kwok. Ronald reagan at charlie lows forbidden city, 363 sutter st. We have another brief lull, more like the calm before the storm, later in the book that is giving us a chance to catch our collective breath before taking us. The golden age of chinese nightclubs records the recollections of nearly two dozen asian american performers who worked in san franciscos allchinese revues from the late 1930s through the 60s.
Documents the forbidden city, a san francisco nightclub of the 1930s and 1940s which featured chinese american entertainers. Forbidden city, usa captures the magic and glamour of the chinese american nightclub scene, which peaked in san francisco during world war ii. See more ideas about night club, city and san francisco. Forbidden city, usa captures the magic and glamour of a chinese american nightclub scene that peaked in san francisco during world war ii.
Imagine yourself sitting and reading a book in your air conditioned room but feeling like in a warzone. China rhyming blog archive the forbidden city nightclub. The imperial masterworks of the national palace museum, taipei, originally housed in beijings forbidden city, logged many miles, were hidden from foreign invaders and survived the civil war between chinas nationalist and communist armies before finally being transported to. It was located on the outskirts of san franciscos chinatown, and intended to cater to the curiosity of a largely white audience. Arthur dong author of forbidden city, usa goodreads. Am sure all others who remember these times in san franciscos chinatown will also enjoy this book. Chineseamerican nightclub scene that peaked in san francisco. Forbidden city, usa takes you inside the glamorous world of chinatown nightclubs in world war ii san francisco. A worlds fair is preparing to open on treasure island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Winner of the 2015 american book award and now available in collectible hardcover, forbidden city, usa captures the magic and glamour of the chinatown nightclub scene, which peaked in san francisco during world war ii.