O-LAN TO A T

I can’t look at the photo of German actress Luise Rainer accepting her Oscar for the role of O-Lan, the long-suffering Chinese wife in 1937’s “The Good Earth,” without recalling a story behind the scenes (“Thirties Something,” by David Gritten, Oct. 26).

One performer who desperately wanted to play O-Lan was Chinese American actress Anna May Wong, who had already made a name for herself at Paramount. Knowing she would never be considered for any lead white roles, Wong lobbied MGM to play one of Hollywood’s few positive Asian lead female characters. However, Paul Muni had already been cast as “The Good Earth’s” male lead, and an Asian actress could not be cast as O-Lan without being seen to condone miscegenation, thus violating the Hollywood Production Code.

In other words, the very talented Wong was considered ineligible for the role of a lead Chinese character because of her race. Instead, she was offered the supporting role of Muni’s unfaithful, deceitful second wife, which she flatly refused.

ROBERT PAYNE

Studio City