SHE'S CHINESE AND PRETTY AND PANTALETTED
The pantalette gown has reached the Pacific Coast. The first person to wear it in Oregon was Jue Quon Tai, the belle of Portland's Chinatown and daughter of a wealthy Chinese merchant. Miss Jue has stage aspirations.
— Evening Public Ledger, March 24, 1915
In August I'll be picking up the threads of Jue Quon Tai's fascinating story, which I started telling nearly a year ago and then left dangling in midair. Since then, I've been contacted by members of her family and have gathered more information and material about her life. In the meantime you can refresh yourself about her 1915 vaudeville debut here.
3 comments:
Loving this post. It's so interesting to find out about these fascinating people who have been and gone. I am currently painting a portrait of Chinese/American burlesque performer Noel Toy, you can see it in it's first stages on my blog or website. Jue Quon Tai was certainly a pretty girl***
Loved the Jue Quon Tai Part 1 post. It's a shame we can't hear this voice that had everyone raving but at least we have the pictures! I also think it's cool that she insisted on her identity as Chinese American. I wonder if in the one interview they changed up her quotes to make her sound "more Chinese" since she was born and educated in the states.
-- Hi Gemma! Glad to introduce you to Jue Quon Tai. She was considered among the best dressed women of Hollywood during the 1930s when she was renowned for the parties that she and her husband, director Harry Lachman, hosted at their Beverly Hills home. More on this later, including some fab photos.
BTW, I love your portrait of Noel Toy! You really captured her likeness.
-- Zombielace, I really wish I could hear Tai's singing. But as far as I know she never made any recordings. She actually wanted to become a Western opera singer and in later years never mentioned her quite lengthy vaudeville career. Stay tuned!
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