Filipinos in Hollywood book launched

The history of Filipino Americans in the entertainment industry is finally revealed in Carina Monica Montoya's new book entitled Filipinos in Hollywood.

The memoirs of Filipinos in Hollywood span more than 80 years, dating back to the early 1920s when the first wave of immigrants who were mostly males, arrived and settled in Los Angeles. Despite the obstacles and hardships of discrimination, these early Filipino settlers had high hopes and dreams for the future. Many sought employment in Hollywood, only to be marginalized into service-related fields, becoming waiters, busboys, dishwashers, cooks, houseboys, janitors, and chauffeurs. They worked at popular restaurants, homes of the rich and famous, movie and television studios, clubs and diners. For decades, Filipinos were the least recognized and least documented Asians in Hollywood. But many emerged from the shadows to become highly recognized talents, some occupying positions in the entertainment industry that makes Hollywood what it is today -- the world's capital of entertainment and glamour.

Author Carina Monica Montoya, who was born and raised in the Hollywood area, has collected these vintage images from the early Filipino families who settled in Hollywood, the Filipino community, and Los Angeles historical organizations. These remarkable photographs capture the spirit of and challenges faced by Filipinos in America, as well as their triumphs, recognition, and success in Hollywood. For more information on Filipinos in Hollywood, please visit www.filipinosinhollywood.com.

Montoya's interest in local history is personal; her father was one of the first young Filipino men to arrive, settle in Los Angeles and find work in Hollywood. She was thrilled by the opportunity to compile and edit this photographic history on behalf of her family, as well as for the Filipino community in Los Angeles who are all part of the history, the subject of this new book. She hopes that her work will bring back fond memories and inspire the telling of more colorful stories. Her fervor in writing this book has led her to currently undertake a second book on Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles.