Linda Wong – Inducted 1998
Porn’s First Asian Star
In the early 70’s when the porn industry was beginning to come into its own creating a big buzz among adults it also would begin to break many barriers, besides hardcore sex. It would bring about the first interracial sex scenes that were both lauded and panned by viewers and critics. It would bring on board the first Latina porn star in Vanessa Del Rio that was also panned in some narrow minded circles. In 1975 the growing porn audience was introduced to its first Asian star in the person of Linda Wong. Once again prejudices showed as there were some who felt only whites belonged in porn.
She was born Linda Carol Ching in Hawaii on September 13, 1951. Her family moved first to Mill Valley then San Bruno, in the San Francisco area. Linda had an uneventful and pretty conventional childhood> She was a very popular teenager, did extremely well in school with always high marks. In 1969 she was voted Homecoming Queen at Kennedy High School. After graduation she began to get work as a fashion model and then spent some time as a dancer on the Broadway stage in New York.
She went back to the west coast and put her modeling and dancing aside. She took a job as a bookkeeper and legal secretary in the San Francisco office of famous celebrity attorney Melvin Belli. Linda led a pretty straight life and had a closed mind when it came to porn movies. However, because of her earlier modeling work, exotic looks and sultry demeanor she caught the eye of porn producers around town. After giving the idea some very serious consideration Linda decided it was worth giving a try just to see what it might really be like. Once she found out that was the end of being a legal secretary. Linda was now on a new career path that was about to change everything.
At age 24 and with the new stage name of Linda Wong she made her debut in the 1975 film “Black Silk Stockings”. She immediately began to get noticed for her exotic Asian look and sensual sexuality. That debut would be followed by a number of classics such as “China Lust”, “Easy Alice”, “Baby Face”, “Oriental Babysitter” and ‘China De Sade’. Linda would become the first Asian superstar in porn and co-star with such names as Annette Haven, Leslie Bovee and Candida Royalle. Her performances were always enthusiastic and her pleasure of sex was very obvious. She co-starred with two of the 70’s biggest names, John Holmes and Georgina Spelvin in the classic, “Jade Pussy Cat”. In each film her exotic, sultry look would take over the screen and her all out sexual performances always produced major excitement for viewers.
Directors, producers and cast members in her films were quick to see she had one more important thing besides her sexual talents and exotic looks. Linda was blessed with natural talents of an accomplished actress. Ms. Wong could deliver lines very well and convincingly, thus making her characters and scenes extremely realistic and believable. There was no question Linda was much more than a one dimensional performer.
With everything going well for Linda, including a big spread in Playboy in 1980, she suddenly dropped out of the industry in 1982. The word was Linda had gotten into a very serious relationship and the boyfriend gave her the ultimatum……him or adult films. In 1985, with the relationship over, Ms. Wong returned with the self titled “The Erotic World of Linda Wong”. Now in her mid 30’s she had become much more sensual and sexual and what a blessing that was. Many say this film was the best performance of her adult career, truly defining her and also as one of porn’s early MILFs.
Unfortunately that’s when things began to unravel and head downhill. She had gotten into a very abusive relationship and through it became addicted to heroin. In 1987 Ms. Wong was facing some very serious personal, medical and legal problems and again dropped out of the industry. Sadly, Linda Wong died from what was ruled an accidental overdose on December 17, 1987 at the young age of 36. It was truly sad her death would put an early end to one of porn’s real pioneers who still had much to offer as a star and a person. While she only did about 50 films in her career, she will always hold the distinction of being porn’s first Asian female star. To those who worked with her she was the consummate pro on the set.
In 1998 she was inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame. In 2011, Complex Magazine ranked her at #25 in their list of “The Top 50 Hottest Asian Porn Stars of All Time”. Hopefully, in due time, AVN will finally add Ms. Wong to their Hall of Fame where she belongs. Most of her films are available on DVD so fans, old and new, can see and enjoy Asian beauty Linda Wong and her great performances. In addition you can check out www.lindawongxxx.com that will bring back a lot of great memories.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN