Google honors actress Anna May Wong with new Doodle

Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Google is celebrating actress Anna May Wong on the 97th anniversary of her film The Toll of the Sea which was her first leading role.

Wong, born in 1905 in Los Angeles as Wong Liu Tsong, is the first-ever Chinese American movie star in Hollywood.

The actress would hang around movie studios asking for roles and came up with her stage name Anna May Wong at the age of 11.

Wong moved to Europe in 1928 and starred in plays and movies such as Piccadilly, and The Flame of Love before returning to the U.S.

She then starred in one of her biggest films, 1932's Shanghai Express. Wong also became the first-ever Asian-American to land a leading role in a U.S. television series with the release of The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong.

Wong, who appeared in more than 50 movies, earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. She died in February 1961 at the age of 56.

Google's homepage features black and white artwork of Wong by Doodler Sophie Diao that chronicles her life and career.