Marlon Brando George Englund 1956.jpg

Thu, 01/28/2016 - 06:14

Marlon Brando in Hong Kong (1956)

Description:

“Stewart Stern (at right) with Marlon Brando and producer George Englund in Hong Kong in 1956, searching for a story and forming the triumvirate that went on to make "The Ugly American" . (Courtesy of Stewart Stern)”

http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft0z09n7m0;chunk.id=d0e15100;doc.view=print

How did Marlon Brando feel this fantastic Asian town in his walking of the vibrant commercial avenue? Many movie stars have visited to Hong Kong for business or private, and Marlon Brando was not the exception. But in this case, he visited here with his friend, George Englund ( the director of his film, “The Ugly American (1963)” ) for developing their idea on the film in few of Asian countries. ( Hong Kong was not ”the stage” of this film.)  

The Ugly American:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056632/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

And I remembered Marlon Brando had played “A Countess from Hong Kong” ( 1967) with Sophia Loren, but ironically, against the title of this film, most of locations were done at the studios in UK.  

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061523/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_24

Gen

Date picture taken
1956
Author(s)

Comments

Marlon Brando was at the time touring parts of Asia with his friend and producer George Englund in March-April 1956 ostensibly researching for an upcoming script for a film, as well as film work in Japan.

He did a flying visit to Hong Kong, arriving from Manila on 13th March 1956, famously staying at the Repulse Bay Hotel and hosting reporters for an interview session, and later touring the Colony, before flying off to Bangkok on 15th March 1956. 

Sources:

Ta Kung Pao, digital page 4, 13th March 1956,

The Kung Sheung Evening News, digital page 4, 14th March 1956,

Wah Kiu Yat Po, digital page 6, 14th March 1956,

Ta Kung Pao, digital page 4, 14th March 1956,

Hong Kong Business Daily, digital page 5, 14th March 1956,

Wah Kiu Yat Po, digital page 6, 16th March 1956 and

The China Mail, page 10, 17th March 1956

The photo was taken on Wyndham Street just past the junction with Wellington Street. The SCMP Building with the columns can be seen on the left.