JS
James Shigeta
Actor
Born June 17, 1929Died July 28, 2014 (85 years)
James Saburo Shigeta (June 17, 1929 – July 28, 2014) was an American actor, singer, and musician of Japanese descent. He was noted for his roles in The Crimson Kimono (1959), Walk Like a Dragon (1960), Flower Drum Song (1961), Bridge to the Sun (1961), Die Hard (1988), and Mulan (1998). In 1960, he won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, along with three other actors.
In his early career, Shigeta often played romantic male lead roles, which were almost nonexistent for an actor of Asian descent during his time, making him a trailblazer in Asian American representation in media. The Goldsea Asian-American Daily magazine listed him as one of the "Most Inspiring Asian-Americans Of All Time".
Before his Hollywood career he found success as a pop singer and performer abroad, especially in Japan and Australia.
In his early career, Shigeta often played romantic male lead roles, which were almost nonexistent for an actor of Asian descent during his time, making him a trailblazer in Asian American representation in media. The Goldsea Asian-American Daily magazine listed him as one of the "Most Inspiring Asian-Americans Of All Time".
Before his Hollywood career he found success as a pop singer and performer abroad, especially in Japan and Australia.
Filmography
| 2019 | Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood · as (archive Footage) |
| 2012 | The People I've Slept With · as Charles Yang |
| 2005 | Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV Series) |
| 2003 | Threat Matrix (TV Series) · as Kang Sok-Joo |
| 2000 | Brother · as Sugimoto |
| 1998 | Mulan · as General Li (voice) |
| 1997 | Drive · as Mr. Lau |
| 1996 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (TV Series) · as Dr. Yamashiro (voice) |
| 1996 | Space Marines · as Ambassador Nakamura |
| 1995 | Midnight Man · as Mao Mak |
| 1995 | Cybill (TV Series) · as Mr. Matsuzaki |
| 1994 | Cage II · as Tin Lum Yin |
| 1994 | Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die · as Det. Whoo |
| 1993 | seaQuest DSV (TV Series) · as Vietnamese President Chi |
| 1993 | Babylon 5 (TV Series) · as Taro Isogi |
| 1992 | |
| 1990 | China Cry: A True Story · as Dr. Sung |
| 1990 | Beverly Hills, 90210 (TV Series) |
| 1990 | Home from the Eastern Sea · as Narrator |
| 1989 | Dragnet (1989) (TV Series) · as Mr. Minn |
| 1989 | Cage · as Tin Lum Yin |
| 1988 | |
| 1988 | Mission: Impossible (1988) (TV Series) · as Ki |
| 1988 | Die Hard · as Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi |
| 1987 | Jake and the Fatman (TV Series) · as Mr. Koso Nakasone |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as Luc Li |
| 1984 | Airwolf (TV Series) · as Colonel Tranh Van Zung |
| 1983 | Masquerade (TV Series) · as Makko |
| 1983 | The Hitchhiker (TV Series) · as Nishi |
| 1982 | Matt Houston (TV Series) |
| 1982 | The Renegades · as Jimmy Lee |
| 1982 | Tomorrow's Child · as Donald Shibura |
| 1982 | T.J. Hooker (TV Series) · as Chow Duc Khan |
| 1981 | Simon & Simon (TV Series) |
| 1981 | Strike Force (TV Series) · as Leong |
| 1981 | The Greatest American Hero (TV Series) · as Colonel Shawn Liang |
| 1980 | Magnum, P.I. (TV Series) · as Dr. Richard Enoka |
| 1980 | Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb · as Field Marshal Abehata |
| 1979 | Samurai · as Takeo Chisato |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Bud's Father |
| 1977 | The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as General Lin Sun |
| 1976 | Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers (TV Series) · as Wizard Wong |
| 1976 | Once an Eagle (TV Series) · as Lin Tso-Han |
| 1976 | Midway · as Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo |
| 1976 | The Killer Who Wouldn't Die · as David Lao |
| 1975 | Matt Helm (TV Series) · as Tom Mccauley |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen (TV Series) · as Stephen Yang |
| 1975 | S.W.A.T. (TV Series) |
| 1974 | The Yakuza · as Goro |
| 1974 | Police Woman (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) · as Clement Chin |
| 1974 | The Questor Tapes · as Dr. Chen |
| 1973 | Lost Horizon · as Brother To-Lenn |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) · as Prosecutor |
| 1972 | Kung Fu (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Emergency! (TV Series) |
| 1969 | The Young Lawyers (TV Series) · as Lee Ahn |
| 1969 | Operation Heartbeat · as Chief Resident |
| 1969 | Medical Center (TV Series) · as Dr. Osaka |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Joseph Matsukino |
| 1968 | Manila, Open City · as Captain Murakami |
| 1968 | Nobody's Perfect · as Diver Toshi O'hara |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) · as Fong Sing |
| 1967 | Ironside (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Death Walks in Laredo · as Lester Koto |
| 1966 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) · as Shiki |
| 1966 | Paradise, Hawaiian Style · as Danny Kohana |
| 1965 | I Spy (TV Series) · as Tommy |
| 1964 | Carol for Another Christmas · as Japanese Doctor |
| 1964 | The Bing Crosby Show (TV Series) |
| 1963 | Burke's Law (TV Series) · as Sidney Ying |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits (TV Series) · as Maj. Jong |
| 1963 | The Lieutenant (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Flower Drum Song · as Wang Ta |
| 1961 | Bridge to the Sun · as Hidenari Terasaki |
| 1961 | Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) · as Captain |
| 1961 | Ben Casey (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Dr. Roy Shigera |
| 1961 | Kraft Mystery Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Cry for Happy · as Harue |
| 1960 | Walk Like a Dragon · as Cheng Lu |
| 1959 | The Crimson Kimono · as Detective Joe Kojaku |
| 1958 | Naked City (TV Series) · as James Kam |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Ward Toyama |