Martin Fong (died 2014) was a film producer, director,
cinematographer, stylist, actor, celebrity photographer, and was
notable as one of the first major American tap dancers of Chinese
descent to dance on the Las Vegas strip.Fong was raised by
cinematographer James Wong Howe, A.S.C., who worked on over 130
movies, won 2 Academy Awards and received 16 Academy Awards
Nominations. Howe was also Fong’s godfather and mentor. Fong used to
display Howe’s original camera equipment from the film Gone With the
Wind in the foyer of his Hollywood, California mansion, along with
Howe’s projectors and editing equipment like Moviola devices, also
photographs of the sets and Howe working on Gone With the Wind,
Chinese language newspaper stories and photographs of himself with his
godfather. Fong collected Howe memorabilia with the intention to later
create a James Wong Howe museum.Fong studied martial arts under Bruce
Lee early in the career of both men. And, while Fong was in Hong Kong
making movies, Bruce Lee joined him on the set and substantially
helped him to understand the importance of camera angles in fighting
scenes.Fong began his acting career at the age of 8 in Hong Kong,
appearing in several films. Fong moved to America to be raised by
Howe. His first American acting job was in Never So Few, starring
Frank Sinatra, who introduced him to the Las Vegas strip and tap
dancing there. Fong appeared in Hawaiian Eye, The Islander, Run for
Your Life, then more extensively on the television series I Spy. Fong
can be seen in photographs consulting on espionage on the set of the
James Bond film Octopussy.
cinematographer, stylist, actor, celebrity photographer, and was
notable as one of the first major American tap dancers of Chinese
descent to dance on the Las Vegas strip.Fong was raised by
cinematographer James Wong Howe, A.S.C., who worked on over 130
movies, won 2 Academy Awards and received 16 Academy Awards
Nominations. Howe was also Fong’s godfather and mentor. Fong used to
display Howe’s original camera equipment from the film Gone With the
Wind in the foyer of his Hollywood, California mansion, along with
Howe’s projectors and editing equipment like Moviola devices, also
photographs of the sets and Howe working on Gone With the Wind,
Chinese language newspaper stories and photographs of himself with his
godfather. Fong collected Howe memorabilia with the intention to later
create a James Wong Howe museum.Fong studied martial arts under Bruce
Lee early in the career of both men. And, while Fong was in Hong Kong
making movies, Bruce Lee joined him on the set and substantially
helped him to understand the importance of camera angles in fighting
scenes.Fong began his acting career at the age of 8 in Hong Kong,
appearing in several films. Fong moved to America to be raised by
Howe. His first American acting job was in Never So Few, starring
Frank Sinatra, who introduced him to the Las Vegas strip and tap
dancing there. Fong appeared in Hawaiian Eye, The Islander, Run for
Your Life, then more extensively on the television series I Spy. Fong
can be seen in photographs consulting on espionage on the set of the
James Bond film Octopussy.
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