Noel Toy


Noel Toy was an American burlesque performer famous for her fan dance and bubble dance, initially at the Forbidden City nightclub in San Francisco, California. Later, she acted in films and on television.

Early years and career

Toy was born in San Francisco, California. She was the first of eight children born to parents who immigrated from Canton, China. Toy's parents opened a laundry in Inverness, California, where they were the only Chinese residents.
She performed her routines at the Stork Club and other venues in New York City, before returning to San Francisco, where she was most famous at the Forbidden City nightclub. In her later years, Toy had many small parts in films and television, including a role in Big Trouble in Little China and frequent portrayals of Korean villagers in M*A*S*H.

Personal life

Toy met and married a soldier and actor named Carleton Young in 1945, who became enamored with the dancer after seeing her perform at Latin Quarter nightclub in New York. They remained married until her husband's death in 1994. They had no children.

Filmography