Crime Queen "Dragon Lady" is an evil character in the comic "Terry and The Pirates". She was also known as Madam Deal. Her real name is Lai Choi San, a real-life 20th century pirate.
The character was created by Milton Caniff, and appeared in the movie serial, comic books, and TV series. The original comic [including character introduction] ran from Oct 21, 1934 to Feb 25, 1973.
In the original story Terry Lee is a 10 year old American boy who turns up in China to find a lost treasure left by his grandfather; by the time he leaves the east nearly 25 years later he is a grown man and a Captain; he raises to the rank of Colonel and in his last mission manages to being down a smuggler of illegal drugs from entering the United states. The Dragon Lady first appeared in December 1934, in the first Sunday strip story.
She began as a stereotypically beautiful seductive and evil Asian, but as the comic strip became more realistic, the character grew more complex.
Summary[]
She is a woman who is dedicated to two things: making herself rich [succeeds] and tries to seduce all American hero Terry Lee [fails]. As a comic relief she has a stereotype sidekick who is blind without his glasses; reads gambling forms; and dresses like Chinese people did in 1900!
Various actresses played the Dragon Lady in the radio series of Terry and the Pirates (1937-1948), including Agnes Moorehead, Adelaide Klein and Marion Sweet. In the 1940 film serial, the part was played by Sheila Darcy. Gloria Saunders (1927-1980) was cast as the Dragon Lady in the brief 1953 television series, with John Baer in the title role.
Trivia[]
- The original cartoonist also was Milton Caniff who also drew the stereotypical all American hero Colonel Steve Canyon.
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