| Biography |
From IMDB:
Born in Shanghai, China, of a banker father and a painter mother. The family left China when Irene was one year old when the Communists took over in 1949. They lived in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and later immigrated to New York City where Irene attended Mamoroneck Elementary and studied Ballet. She was a teenage dancer in "Flower Drum Song (1961)", directed by Henry Koster. He urged her go back to school and study acting. For the next 20 years she played an assortment of "native girls" and "daughter roles", and was the TV spokeswoman for "Chevron Island" Standard Oil, as well as "Hawaiian Punch". She became a leading actress and worked with some of the biggest names in the business, from Elvis Presley to John Wayne to Jeff Bridges.
The 1990s saw Irene mature into roles as professionals, such as doctor, lawyer and mother. For the past decade Irene has been a successful realtor in Beverly Hills. Her success in both acting and real estate requires special skills and, most of all, perseverance. Irene is a single mother to Yasmine and a yoga practitioner for 25 years. She teaches Bikram yoga for the Beverly Hills Department of Parks. |