The Story of the Wild West Madam Ah Toy

Welcome to the first in what I expect to be a new series of video essays from the China History Podcast. In our inaugural episode, we take a look at a little-known figure in Chinese-American history; Ah Toy, a divisive character who on one hand was an example of an immigrant success story, but on the other hand, attained that success through illicit means.
This episode also comes on the heels of a revival in interest in the Tong Wars, due in large part to the Cinemax series Warrior, and is relatable not only because of the time period lines in which it takes place but also because Ah Toy is one of the show's main characters.
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[@aaronlisle3773]

Have you guys seen, "Warrior" on Max? Ah Toy is one of the main characters on the series, she's a madam in Chinatown, she's a warrior, and I'm sure she's been highly fictionalized for the series, but this is the inspiration for that amazing character on Warrior

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

I recorded this Ah Toy episode years before Warrior came out. No one's sure about her but whoever she was, I bow in respect.

[@aaronlisle3773]

Warrior is a phenomenal series, based on an unused script written by Bruce Lee written a few years before he died. Well, Lee's daughter, Shannon, found the journal of ideas, or the "script" I don't think it was actually a script, but she took it to Justin Lin, and they had it produced with show runner Jonathan Tropper, from the successful Banshee series, and it's a martial arts crime drama, I don't want to give away too much, but it's literally the best thing I've ever seen on television and it has an amazing cast, superb writing, excellent acting, just give it a look

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

I never miss an episode. Great characters.

[@lavonnekelly9173]

Watching season three of Warrior right now...great story...

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

OMG, too funny! I just finished Season 3 last night. Check out The Brothers Sun next.

[@Hitherside]

A great story for Women's History Month! Lovin' the visuals too.

[@historyrhymespodcast9735]

Wow had no idea Ah Toy from Warrior was a real person. Great pod!

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

Thanks. Glad you gave it a listen.

[@kliuphoto]

This could be renamed "Ah Toy Story."
All joking aside, this was excellently assembled. I wonder if there are any other characters from Warrior that are based in reality. A piece on the Tong Wars would be amazing.

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

Ah Toy Story! I wish I had thought of that. One of these days I'm going to have to go check out Warrior. I already covered the Tong Wars of NY Chinatown. Still haven't covered San Francisco. That topic is on the To-Do List.

[@andyandys5356]

Dylan Leary and Nellie Devonport were based on real people, but with different names

[@georgetreepwood1119]

Great presentation.. I heard of Ah Toy in school in the book My Life as a Madam by Nell Kimball - turns out it was a fake Ah Toy operating in the 1890's...same gig different person.

[@WalkNZ]

Thanks for another great episode - Ah Toy sounds like she was a really tough cookie

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

If she lived at all.

[@RichMitch]

Loved the video aspect too, great effort

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

I'll tell my son. I was merely an Executive Producer.

[@deciovidalalves7351]

Grande mulher..de muita fibra, lutou bravamente pelos seus sonhos e liberdade

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

Ella fue una inspiración para muchas mujeres. Espero que su historia sea cierta.

[@0311ohrah]

Great story !

[@MrChopsticks1-x6g]

I’ve heard of Ah Toy from the tv show Warriors. It about Chinese immigrants and the Tong Wars of the 1870s. Nice tv show. How accurate are they?

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

If it came out of Hollywood, probably not too accurate.

[@monkeydlooffy]

It's based on Bruce Lee's writing so it might be more of an inspiration on the character rather than accurate representation.

[@huzhuiwei]

another corker - thanks for this

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

Haha, This Yank had to look up what a "corker" was. I should have remembered the meaning from all those BBC Football call-in shows I've listened to all these years! Glad you liked it.

[@PharoahsKingdom]

Never knew Ah Toy from Warrior was real

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

Probably was a real person but whether the legend and the woman were one and the same, no evidence tells us for certain.

[@RichMitch]

Only the haircuts change...

[@bradcha5413]

ah toy is much darker in real life

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

You could be right. Still waiting for that photo to surface one day.

[@bradcha5413]

@@ChinaHistoryPodcast oh I meant her back story is much darker

[@ChinaHistoryPodcast]

@@bradcha5413 I'm sure it is....