Donald Duk
Encyclopedia
Donald Duk is a coming-of-age novel written by Frank Chin
and was first published in February 1991. It is about an eleven year old boy named Donald Duk dealing with the struggles of cultural identity as he learns to accept himself for who he is.
heritage. He is American born but has trouble finding the balance between accepting the American lifestyle and incorporating his Chinese heritage. Donald feels that his family completely oppresses American culture and he finds that ironic because they are living in America. He wants to be American and ignore his Chinese ethnicity. He often feels that Americans are prejudice against Chinese and since he was born in America, Donald feels he is American and therefore must reject the Chinese also.
chef father named King Duk, and a Chinese mother named Daisy Duk. Donald has two older twin sisters named Penelope and Venus Duk. From the start of the book we are told how embarrassed Donald is of his name and of being introduced with his family.
The story begins with Donald comparing himself to Fred Astaire
. Donald believes he dances as well as Fred and throughout the novel considers himself the real "Chinese Fred Astaire
" (91). Donald immerses himself in old black-and-white movies, and especially admires Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers
films. He envies the way "everyone" adores Fred when he dances. Donald wishes he could "live the late-night life in old black-and-white movies and talk with his feet like Fred Astaire
, and smile Fred Astaire
's sweet lemonade smile" (1).
Donald Duk's father, King, feels Donald dreams too much in black-and-white, wanting to become as American as possible. Donald is ashamed of the way his family rejects American culture and that even when they watch television "they make everybody on the TV look Chinese!" (91). Donald does not want to be like them, he considers himself American because he was born in America. Donald's father tells him, "I think Donald Duk may be the very last American-born Chinese-American boy to believe you have to give up being Chinese
to be an American
" (42).
As Donald and his family welcome the Chinese New Year
, Donald's best friend, Arnold Azalea, stays over at Donald's home in Chinatown
in order to observe Chinese culture and celebrate the new year. On the first day of the New Year, Donald's family begins to talk about Chinese
immigrants working on the Central Pacific Railroad
end of the Transcontinental Railroad
. Donald begins to have dreams of being a part of the Chinese men that built that railroad. Every night he dreams of the days getting closer to the Chinese men finishing and ending up at Promontory Summit. As these dreams progress, he is inspired to research the work the Chinese immigrants put into this track laying and found no credit had been given to the Chinese immigrants in American history books. Suddenly Donald finds himself claiming that white people are racists. Upon reaching this conclusion, King tells his son that not all white people are racist and that up to that point, Donald was the one that was ashamed of who he was. Donald realizes he can be American born and be influenced by his Chinese heritage.
The novel is set in Chinatown
in the city of San Francisco. The locations Donald visits in the book such as his father's Chinese restaurant, his home, Larry Louie's Dance Studio, the Frog twins' home, are all set in Chinatown
. The time period in the novel appears to be in the present time the novel was originally written, which was 1991. This appears evident because the narrator often makes references to famous stars of the 1930s and 1940s, to films, and to publications. The narrator seems to make these references from a modern present day point-of-view.
American
boy who lives in Chinatown
. "Donald Duk hates his name. He is not a duck. He is not a cartoon character"(1). Donald Duk wishes he was Fred Astaire
and aspires to be like him. He loves tap dancing and sometimes daydreams he is like Fred Astaire
. Donald Duk is ashamed of being Chinese and wishes he was only American
. He finds his culture stupid, boring and embarrassing. The story covers his search for identity and his path to accepting his culture.
Arnold Azalea is Donald Duk’s best friend and attends the same school as Donald Duk. He is white and is very fascinated by Donald Duk’s culture. He stays with Donald Duk for a couple weeks so he can spend Chinese New Year
with Donald Duk and his family. He can’t understand why Donald hates his culture and Chinese people so much.
King Duk is Donald Duk's father. King owns a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown
, of which he is the chef. He is recognized by his community as having the most authentic Chinese food. King is also the one who provides Donald with tough love rather than pity when Donald complains of the bullies in the neighborhood. King's response is,"You walk like a sad softie...you look like you want everyone to beat you up" (3). He is direct with Donald and refuses to allow him to linger in self-pity but rather provides him with insight to allow him to accept his heritage.
Daisy Duk is Donald's mother. She is the reasonable one in the family. Daisy keeps the balance within the family when Donald upsets his father with anti-Chinese remarks.
Penelope Duk is Donald's older sister. Penny has a twin sister named Venus. She is eccentric and likes to make pop culture references often when the mood is sour and in order to lighten it.
Venus Duk is Donald's other older sister. She is Penny's twin and with Penny, she discusses pop culture and both provide the book with a sense of humorous relief.
Uncle Donald Duk is Donald Duk's uncle. He provides a lighter tone when issues arise between Donald and his father. He provides Donald with insight into his heritage and helps him understand the accomplishments of his race in America. He is also especially the one to tell Donald of the work Chinese immigrants put into building the Central Pacific Railroad
. This information intrigues Donald and from that moment he begins to have dreams of helping to build the railroad as a Chinese immigrant.
Larry Louie is Donald's dance instructor. He is also known as "The Chinese Fred Astaire
." He keeps himself looking very thin in order to physically resemble Fred Astaire
. Larry Louie enjoys tap dance
but he also enjoys flamenco
and because of this, Donald feels he is the true "Chinese Fred Astaire
." Donald doesn't think that Fred Astaire
enjoyed flamenco
and therefore Larry Louie shouldn't either.
This story deals with the issue of cultural identity. Donald Duk is ashamed of being Chinese
and ridicules a lot of things about his culture in the beginning of the novel. As the novel progresses, however, he begins to accept who he is and embrace his culture.
Concept of Racism:
This novel also deals with the issues with racism. As Donald Duk accepts his culture more and more, he begins to see the racism around him more and more. He sees the racism in school with the way his teacher, Mr. Meanwright, portrays Asians as passive and noncompetitive. He sees it in the country's history, which doesn’t acknowledge the help of Chinese workers to build the Central Pacific Railroad
. He also sees it in himself. “What’s wrong with racists, anyway?" Mom asks. ‘We have been living with them for over a hundred years now, and we get along with them fine.” (p. 150) As time moves on this consciousness of racism allows him to appreciate the famous figures who tried to change this view and he learns to be proud of who he is.
Union Pacific Railroad
and sets the “legendary Kwan Kung as foreman of the Chinese laborers building the Central Pacific Railroad
” in the 1860s (Article can be found at http://www.49thparallel.bham.ac.uk/back/issue6/goldsteinshirley.htm). The book deals with the issue that these Chinese laborers didn’t get the credit they deserved for building the railroad. Although Kwan Kung, who is a famous general of “the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms
era of China,” (quoted from Kwan Kung's Wikipedia entry) wasn’t actually there when the railroad was built, the building of the railroad by Chinese workers did take place. It also references the lives and treatment of Chinese Americans who lived in Chinatown
during the mid/late 20th century. This book altogether deals with “racist U.S. exclusion laws, the nineteenth century exploitation of Chinese laborers, the distortion of classic Chinese philosophy and literature, the erasure of Chinese-American history, [and] the emasculating stereotypes of Chinese in the American media” (Article can be found at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2278/is_4_24/ai_63323859).
Barbara Stanwyck
(2)
Rita Hayworth
(2)
Ginger Rogers
(1)
Fred Astaire
(1)
Alec Guinness
(33)
Julio Iglesias
(59)
Katharine Hepburn
(162)
Bette Midler
(165)
Lily Tomlin
(165)
Shirley Temple
(165)
Joan Crawford
(170)
Frank Sinatra
(51)
Literature/Publications
"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
" (32)
Harper's Weekly
(127)
Illustrated Magazine (127)
Authors/Poets/Illustrators
Pearl Buck (135)
Robert Lowell
(156)
Norman Rockwell
(156)
Film/TV Shows
Sesame Street
(126)
The Good Earth
(135)
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
(69)
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
(69)
Ironside (TV series)
(51)
Flying Down to Rio
(44)
The Water Margin (21)
Characters
Robin Hood
(113)
Spider-Man
(113)
Batman
(113)
Robin (comics)
(113)
Donald Duck
(171)
Music
"To All the Girls I Loved" performed by Julio Iglesias
(59)
is an American Book Award
-winning author, this novel hasn’t received any awards.
Frank Chin
Frank Chin is an American author and playwright.- Life and career :Frank Chin was born in Berkeley, California, but was raised to the age of six by a retired Vaudeville couple in Placerville, California. At six his mother brought him back to the San Francisco Bay Area to live in Oakland Chinatown...
and was first published in February 1991. It is about an eleven year old boy named Donald Duk dealing with the struggles of cultural identity as he learns to accept himself for who he is.
Plot introduction
The plot deals with a twelve year old boy named Donald Duk, dealing with understanding and accepting his ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
heritage. He is American born but has trouble finding the balance between accepting the American lifestyle and incorporating his Chinese heritage. Donald feels that his family completely oppresses American culture and he finds that ironic because they are living in America. He wants to be American and ignore his Chinese ethnicity. He often feels that Americans are prejudice against Chinese and since he was born in America, Donald feels he is American and therefore must reject the Chinese also.
Plot summary
Donald Duk is a twelve-year-old Chinese-American. He is the son of a ChineseChinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
chef father named King Duk, and a Chinese mother named Daisy Duk. Donald has two older twin sisters named Penelope and Venus Duk. From the start of the book we are told how embarrassed Donald is of his name and of being introduced with his family.
The story begins with Donald comparing himself to Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
. Donald believes he dances as well as Fred and throughout the novel considers himself the real "Chinese Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
" (91). Donald immerses himself in old black-and-white movies, and especially admires Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
and Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
films. He envies the way "everyone" adores Fred when he dances. Donald wishes he could "live the late-night life in old black-and-white movies and talk with his feet like Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
, and smile Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
's sweet lemonade smile" (1).
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to be an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
" (42).
As Donald and his family welcome the Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
, Donald's best friend, Arnold Azalea, stays over at Donald's home in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
in order to observe Chinese culture and celebrate the new year. On the first day of the New Year, Donald's family begins to talk about Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
immigrants working on the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
end of the Transcontinental Railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
. Donald begins to have dreams of being a part of the Chinese men that built that railroad. Every night he dreams of the days getting closer to the Chinese men finishing and ending up at Promontory Summit. As these dreams progress, he is inspired to research the work the Chinese immigrants put into this track laying and found no credit had been given to the Chinese immigrants in American history books. Suddenly Donald finds himself claiming that white people are racists. Upon reaching this conclusion, King tells his son that not all white people are racist and that up to that point, Donald was the one that was ashamed of who he was. Donald realizes he can be American born and be influenced by his Chinese heritage.
Setting
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
in the city of San Francisco. The locations Donald visits in the book such as his father's Chinese restaurant, his home, Larry Louie's Dance Studio, the Frog twins' home, are all set in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
. The time period in the novel appears to be in the present time the novel was originally written, which was 1991. This appears evident because the narrator often makes references to famous stars of the 1930s and 1940s, to films, and to publications. The narrator seems to make these references from a modern present day point-of-view.
Characters in "Donald Duk"
Donald Duk is an eleven year old ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boy who lives in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
. "Donald Duk hates his name. He is not a duck. He is not a cartoon character"(1). Donald Duk wishes he was Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
and aspires to be like him. He loves tap dancing and sometimes daydreams he is like Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
. Donald Duk is ashamed of being Chinese and wishes he was only American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He finds his culture stupid, boring and embarrassing. The story covers his search for identity and his path to accepting his culture.
Arnold Azalea is Donald Duk’s best friend and attends the same school as Donald Duk. He is white and is very fascinated by Donald Duk’s culture. He stays with Donald Duk for a couple weeks so he can spend Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
with Donald Duk and his family. He can’t understand why Donald hates his culture and Chinese people so much.
King Duk is Donald Duk's father. King owns a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
, of which he is the chef. He is recognized by his community as having the most authentic Chinese food. King is also the one who provides Donald with tough love rather than pity when Donald complains of the bullies in the neighborhood. King's response is,"You walk like a sad softie...you look like you want everyone to beat you up" (3). He is direct with Donald and refuses to allow him to linger in self-pity but rather provides him with insight to allow him to accept his heritage.
Daisy Duk is Donald's mother. She is the reasonable one in the family. Daisy keeps the balance within the family when Donald upsets his father with anti-Chinese remarks.
Penelope Duk is Donald's older sister. Penny has a twin sister named Venus. She is eccentric and likes to make pop culture references often when the mood is sour and in order to lighten it.
Venus Duk is Donald's other older sister. She is Penny's twin and with Penny, she discusses pop culture and both provide the book with a sense of humorous relief.
Uncle Donald Duk is Donald Duk's uncle. He provides a lighter tone when issues arise between Donald and his father. He provides Donald with insight into his heritage and helps him understand the accomplishments of his race in America. He is also especially the one to tell Donald of the work Chinese immigrants put into building the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
. This information intrigues Donald and from that moment he begins to have dreams of helping to build the railroad as a Chinese immigrant.
Larry Louie is Donald's dance instructor. He is also known as "The Chinese Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
." He keeps himself looking very thin in order to physically resemble Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
. Larry Louie enjoys tap dance
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
but he also enjoys flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
and because of this, Donald feels he is the true "Chinese Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
." Donald doesn't think that Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
enjoyed flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
and therefore Larry Louie shouldn't either.
Major themes
Concept of Identity:This story deals with the issue of cultural identity. Donald Duk is ashamed of being Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
and ridicules a lot of things about his culture in the beginning of the novel. As the novel progresses, however, he begins to accept who he is and embrace his culture.
Concept of Racism:
This novel also deals with the issues with racism. As Donald Duk accepts his culture more and more, he begins to see the racism around him more and more. He sees the racism in school with the way his teacher, Mr. Meanwright, portrays Asians as passive and noncompetitive. He sees it in the country's history, which doesn’t acknowledge the help of Chinese workers to build the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
. He also sees it in himself. “What’s wrong with racists, anyway?" Mom asks. ‘We have been living with them for over a hundred years now, and we get along with them fine.” (p. 150) As time moves on this consciousness of racism allows him to appreciate the famous figures who tried to change this view and he learns to be proud of who he is.
Literary significance and reception
Although Donald Duk hasn’t won a book award, it is recognized by many critics as "a small master piece." (Tom Robbins, back cover of book) Donald Duk,“having sold 45,000 copies, many through college course adoptions” (Article can be found at http://www.clmp.org/indie_publishing/feldman.html) is appearing more and more in the education system as a required reading in high schools and colleges. The novel has been described as a “wonderful zany coming-of-age journey that deals with the interpenetration of Chinese Myth and American popular culture” (Kirkus Reviews, back of book).Allusions to History
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and sets the “legendary Kwan Kung as foreman of the Chinese laborers building the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
” in the 1860s (Article can be found at http://www.49thparallel.bham.ac.uk/back/issue6/goldsteinshirley.htm). The book deals with the issue that these Chinese laborers didn’t get the credit they deserved for building the railroad. Although Kwan Kung, who is a famous general of “the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era of China,” (quoted from Kwan Kung's Wikipedia entry) wasn’t actually there when the railroad was built, the building of the railroad by Chinese workers did take place. It also references the lives and treatment of Chinese Americans who lived in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
during the mid/late 20th century. This book altogether deals with “racist U.S. exclusion laws, the nineteenth century exploitation of Chinese laborers, the distortion of classic Chinese philosophy and literature, the erasure of Chinese-American history, [and] the emasculating stereotypes of Chinese in the American media” (Article can be found at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2278/is_4_24/ai_63323859).
Allusions to Other Works
ArtistsBarbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
(2)
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth was an American film actress and dancer who attained fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars...
(2)
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
(1)
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
(1)
Alec Guinness
Alec Guinness
Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE was an English actor. He was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played eight different characters. He later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai...
(33)
Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
(59)
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
(162)
Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
(165)
Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedienne, writer, and producer. Tomlin has been a major force in American comedy since the late 1960's when she began a career as a stand up comedian and became a featured performer on television's Laugh-in...
(165)
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
(165)
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
(170)
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
(51)
Literature/Publications
"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in England in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written in the vernacular, characterized by...
" (32)
Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor...
(127)
Illustrated Magazine (127)
Authors/Poets/Illustrators
Pearl Buck (135)
Robert Lowell
Robert Lowell
Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV was an American poet, considered the founder of the confessional poetry movement. He was appointed the sixth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress where he served from 1947 until 1948...
(156)
Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
(156)
Film/TV Shows
Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
(126)
The Good Earth
The Good Earth
The Good Earth is a novel by Pearl S. Buck published in 1931 and awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1932. The best selling novel in the United States in both 1931 and 1932, it was an influential factor in Buck winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938...
(135)
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
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Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of...
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Ironside (TV series)
Ironside (TV series)
Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the...
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Flying Down to Rio
Flying Down to Rio
Flying Down to Rio is a 1933 RKO musical film noted for being the first screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Astaire and Rogers were not the stars of the film, however, Dolores del Río and Gene Raymond were top-billed. Among the featured players Franklin Pangborn and Eric Blore are...
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The Water Margin (21)
Characters
Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
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Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
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Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
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Robin (comics)
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
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Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
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Music
"To All the Girls I Loved" performed by Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
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Awards and nominations
Although Frank ChinFrank Chin
Frank Chin is an American author and playwright.- Life and career :Frank Chin was born in Berkeley, California, but was raised to the age of six by a retired Vaudeville couple in Placerville, California. At six his mother brought him back to the San Francisco Bay Area to live in Oakland Chinatown...
is an American Book Award
American Book Award
The American Book Award was established in 1978 by the Before Columbus Foundation. It seeks to recognize outstanding literary achievement by contemporary American authors, without restriction to race, sex, ethnic background, or genre...
-winning author, this novel hasn’t received any awards.