Although she had a college education and pressure from her father to study medicine, she rejected that.
She told a reporter from the Oregonian, "The subject didn't interest me.
I wanted adventure."

She traveled to China in 1922 and while there she got into acting, getting her first opportunity with the China Sun Motion Picture Company.
She was to perform in Rouge with them, but ended up with the British American Tobacco Company, where she acted in her first three films.

She stayed for several years, beginning a career in silent-picture movies.
Finding success, she decided to pursue acting in Hollywood.
She returned to the United States in 1929.

Where she had starred in movies in China, a young attractive urban woman, in Hollywood she was only able to get typed roles.
She was signed to play the leading role of a movie, Fools Luck with Hoot Gibson, announced November 17, 1929, but there is no information that the movie was made or released.
In her final two films she didn't have named roles.
She played the maid in The Man Who Came Back and a 
singer who sang "a Cantonese ditty in Fu Manchu's underground speakeasy" in The Mask of Fu Manchu.

Following her film career, she moved on to music, traveling and performing a mix of Blues and Chinese music.
Although she had a college education and pressure from her father to study medicine, she rejected that. She told a reporter from the Oregonian, "The subject didn't interest me. I wanted adventure."
She traveled to China in 1922 and while there she got into acting, getting her first opportunity with the China Sun Motion Picture Company. She was to perform in Rouge with them, but ended up with the British American Tobacco Company, where she acted in her first three films.
She stayed for several years, beginning a career in silent-picture movies. Finding success, she decided to pursue acting in Hollywood. She returned to the United States in 1929. 
Where she had starred in movies in China, a young attractive urban woman, in Hollywood she was only able to get typed roles. She was signed to play the leading role of a movie, Fools Luck with Hoot Gibson, announced November 17, 1929, but there is no information that the movie was made or released. In her final two films she didn't have named roles. She played the maid in The Man Who Came Back and a 
singer who sang "a Cantonese ditty in Fu Manchu's underground speakeasy" in The Mask of Fu Manchu.
Following her film career, she moved on to music, traveling and performing a mix of Blues and Chinese music.
Olive Young (actress)