Tony Randall portrays multiple identities in George Pal’s fantasy set in 1800s Arizona. The title character, Dr. Lao, features Randall in yellowface as he cunningly switches between broken and code-speak English to challenge corruption and intolerant attitudes. Artist and sculptor Wah Ming Chang served on the team that created the film’s Oscar-nominated special visual effects (Jim Danforth received the nomination for this achievement). Chang was also on the team responsible for the Oscar-winning visual effects in The Time Machine (1960). An honorary Oscar was awarded to William Tuttle for his makeup work on 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, yellowface included. 

DIRECTOR: George Pal. WRITTEN BY: Charles Beaumont. CAST: Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, Arthur O’Connell, John Ericson. 1964. 100 min. USA. Color. English. 16mm. Print courtesy of the Joe Dante and Jon Davison collection at the Academy Film Archive.

November’s Oscar® Sundays are programmed as part of the series Hollywood Chinese: The First 100 Years, guest programmed by Arthur Dong.

Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation. 

Make It Dinner and a Movie

Fanny's Restaurant & Café

All guests who present a ticket for a film screening, Tuesday through Saturday (and the first Sunday of every month), receive 10% off all food and non-alcoholic beverages at Fanny's. Discount only applicable on the same day as the screening and cannot be redeemed for another screening or date. Dinner reservations can be made on OpenTable or Resy.