Beulah Quo

Beulah Quo (April 17, 1923 - October 23, 2002) was a Chinese-American actress and activist born in Stockton, CA. The spelling of her last name changed from Kwoh to Quo because she was constantly asked if KWOH was a radio station. She starred in many film and T.V series beginning from the mid 1950s. Her work was more known in General Hospital (1963), Chinatown (1974) and Brokedown Palace (1999).^[1] She was also am advocate for Asians to be on screen by founding a few organizations doing just that.

Early life

Quo received a bachelor' degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and her master's from the University of Chicago. In the 1940s, while working in China as a teacher, Quo had to escape Communism on a US destroyer along with her husband, Edwin Kwoh, and infant son. After resettling, she also worked at the Chinese YWCA building which is now the Chinese American National Museum and Learning Center^[2]

Television and film career

While teaching sociology at a community college in Los Angeles, CA, director Henry King was looking for an Asian dialect coach and instead hired Quo to play a small role in Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1953). Since then she has played over 100 roles in television series and movies, as well as film. One of her notable television roles was in General Hospital, where she stayed for six years and played a housekeeper and confidante named Olin in 1963. There were other uncredited appearances that she made throughout her career in her earlier work including the first film Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, Two Weeks In Another Town (1962), and Gypsy (1962). Her final featured film role was in Forbidden City in 2001 as Mrs. Lee, while her last T.V appearance was in 2002 Law and Order: Criminal Intent.^[3]

Quo co-starred in a made for T.V drama, An Apple, An Orange didn’t make a lot of static for what the story was about. It was a story on 2 immigrants and their differences in cultural, sociological and philosophical viewpoints while in their midlife experience.^[4] It aired on OEBPS - Oregon Public Broadcasting. The author and dramatist, Diane Johnson, won an O. Henry Award for it.

Activism

In 1965, The East West Players, the first Asian-American repertory theater in the U.S, was co-founded by Quo with 8 other actors including James Hong to not only build a bridge between East and Western audiences but it captivated almost half Asians and the other half Non-Asians audiences.^[5] To this date, the East West Players continues to advocate for diverse representation and strips down stereotypes of Asian-Americans in Hollywood and across mass media.

In answering the question posed by a moderator, Dr. Wilbur Pan, about why there are zero to no representations of Asians on TV shows, Quo’s answer was that there has to be conscious –raising to begin the change.^[6]

On the task of bringing public awareness to bring justice, Quo was heavily involved in the high profile and racially driven Vincent Chin case by producing a play to honor him entitled Carry The Tiger To The Mountain in July 1998.^[7] It was based on a true story in Detroit, of a Chinese-American man that was beaten to death by 2 white men for mistaking him for a Japanese man. It premiered in West Virginia where Quo played his mother, Lily Chin, and it was later performed in Los Angeles by the East West Players.

In 1997, Quo – commissioned a musical project called "Heading East: California Asian Pacific American Experience" (CAPAE) to uproot programs and activities that promote and commemorate the history of Asian/Pacific American in California for the past 150 years.^[8]

Quo continues to dismiss any statements that Asians in leading roles are not “bankable” and points out the Haing S. Ngor, casted in The Killing Fields(1984) won the Oscars for best supporting actor, while Pat Morita was nominated for his role in The Karate Kid (1984) for best supporting actor as well in 1985.^[9]

Awards/nominations and honors

1978 Nominated for Outstanding Single Performance by a supporting actress in “Meeting of Minds” where Quo also co-narrated the audiobook version ^[10][11]

1990 Lifetime Achievement Award “The Jimmie” by the Asian Pacific American Artists –recognized for her outstanding work on The Sand Pebbles (1966), MacArthur (1977), and Chinatown (1974)She also won a local Emmy award for her achievements on “James Wong Howe-The Man and His Movies,” documentary on the award winning cinematographer James Wong Howe^[12]

Throughout the following years, Beulah has been awarded and honored: 1986 Honored at YMCA (LA) with Silver Achievement Award for her civic leadership and volunteerism ;1997 Drama – Logue Award for outstanding performance on stage role in Ikebana by Alice Tuan; 1999 She was selected as the 45th Districts Woman of the Year; 2002 Honored at CHSA Half of Heaven: Women of Honor for her work in the performing arts and media; (unknown year) California Public Education Hall of Fame placement;(unknown year) Committee of 100’s Pioneer Award [2].

Death

On Oct 23, 2002, Beulah Quo died of heart failure during routine surgery in La Mesa, CA. Survived by her husband, Edwin; daughter Mary Ellen Shu; son, Stewart Kwoh and five grandchildren, she was 79 years old.^[13] Throughout her lifetime, she’s enjoyed cooking, Tai Chi, and also judged two Miss Universe competitions. The East West Players have a very active Beulah Quo & Edwin Kwoh Endowment set up to promote theater education [5]. Due to Quo’s trailblazing influence, activism, and impact on Asian/Pacific Islanders’ role in T.V. and film, NBC did a tribute to her on their Law and Order: Criminal Intent aired on Oct 27, 2002 [2], a few days after her death.

Filmography

Films and television appearances are from IMDb

Notes