Irene Yah-Ling Sun


Irene Yah-Ling Sun is an American actress. She is best known for her appearance as judoka Myrna Wong in the 1978 film Harper Valley PTA.

Early life

Sun was born on September 1, 1946, in Shanghai, China and raised in Taiwan; her family later moved to Manhattan, where she studied ballet.

Career

Sun made her stage debut as a dancer in Flower Drum Song, followed by The World of Suzie Wong.
Sun was a series regular in the short-lived Khan!, as Anna, the daughter of the titular character, helping her father solve crimes alongside her brother Kim. Other television guest spots include appearances in Hawaii Five-O, The Rockford Files, and Quincy, M.E.
She also helped assemble an extensive collection of memorabilia depicting how Asian Americans have been portrayed in popular culture along with her friend, the film editor, writer, and book dealer Yoshio Kishi. The collection was acquired by the Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program and Institute of New York University in 2003, and a portion was exhibited in 2005 as "Archivist of the 'Yellow Peril, at NYU and MoCA.
In 2017, Sun appeared in a nonspeaking role in a short public service spot commissioned by DDB San Francisco for Energy Upgrade California, directed by Bradley G Munkowitz.

Personal life

She is an accomplished chef, specializing in Chinese dishes.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963Armstrong Circle TheatreChan Po Lin/Poh LinEpisode: "The Journey of Poh Lin"
1963The DoctorsNurse Lee ChanEpisode: "So Far from Home"
1966Preview TonightZooneyEpisode: "The Cliff Dwellers"
1975Khan!Anna Khan4 episodes
1976Police WomanPrincess HanakoEpisode: "The Trick Book"
1976The QuestChinaEpisode: "Welcome to America, Jade Snow"
1976Hawaii Five-OLee Mei LiuEpisode: "Yes, My Deadly Daughter"
1976Most WantedNgo Luc LiuEpisode: "The Ten-Percenter"
1977The Rockford FilesPham Vam MaiEpisode: "New Life, Old Dragons"
1977Quincy, M.E.Takayo KamuraEpisode: "Touch of Death"
1978Hawaii Five-OMarla KahuanaEpisode: "Deadly Courier"
1978The Incredible HulkMay ChuanEpisode: "Another Path"
1980Hawaii Five-ONadiraEpisode: "The Golden Noose"
1980Love of LifeKim Soo Ling
1981The Incredible HulkTamEpisode: "East Winds"
1981Magnum, P.I.Mitsu McWilliamsEpisode: "The Taking of Dick Williams"
1982Magnum, P.I.Marissa, the SingerEpisode: "Flashback"
1983Family TiesTanly NguyenEpisode: "I Gotta Be Ming"
1984AirwolfNhi HoungEpisode: "Daddy's Gone a Hunt'n"
1984Call to GloryDieu QuangEpisode: "Go/No Go"
1986Scarecrow and Mrs. KingTranh SenEpisode: "The Man Who Died Twice"
1991The New Adam-12Mrs. LeeEpisode: "Trick-or-Treat"
1991MacGyverLoretta FieldingEpisode: "The Coltons"
1991Secret BodyguardAunt EdithEpisode: "Secret Bodyguard"
1997Sunset BeachMrs. Chang8 episodes
2004The StonesJoanEpisode: "Pilot"