RL
Richard Loo
Actor
Died November 20, 1983 (80 years)
Richard Loo (October 1, 1903 – November 20, 1983) was an American film actor who was one of the most familiar Asian character actors in American films of the 1930s and 1940s. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1982.
Chinese by ancestry and Hawaiian by birth, Loo spent his youth in Hawaii, then moved to California as a teenager. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and began a career in business.
The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent economic depression forced Loo to start over. He became involved with amateur, then professional, theater companies and in 1931 made his first film. Like most Asian actors in non-Asian countries, he played primarily small, stereotypical roles, though he rose quickly to familiarity, if not fame, in a number of films.
His stern features led him to be a favorite movie villain, and the outbreak of World War II gave him greater prominence in roles as vicious Japanese soldiers in such successful pictures as The Purple Heart (1944) and God Is My Co-Pilot (1945). Loo was most often typecast as the Japanese enemy pilot, spy or interrogator during World War II. In the film The Purple Heart he plays a Japanese Imperial Army general who commits suicide because he cannot break down the American prisoners. According to his daughter, Beverly Jane Loo, he didn't mind being typecast as a villain in these movies as he felt very patriotic about playing those parts.
In 1944 he appeared as a Chinese army lieutenant opposite Gregory Peck in The Keys of the Kingdom. He had a rare heroic role as a war-weary Japanese-American soldier in Samuel Fuller's Korean War classic The Steel Helmet (1951), but he spent much of the latter part of his career performing stock roles in films and minor television roles.
In 1974 he appeared as the Thai billionaire tycoon Hai Fat in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, opposite Roger Moore and Christopher Lee.
Loo was also a teacher of Shaolin monks in three episodes of the 1972–1975 hit TV series Kung Fu and made a further three appearances as a different character. His last acting appearance was in The Incredible Hulk TV series in 1981, but he continued to act in Toyota commercials into 1982.
Loo died of a cerebral hemorrhage on November 20, 1983, age 80.
[biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]
Chinese by ancestry and Hawaiian by birth, Loo spent his youth in Hawaii, then moved to California as a teenager. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and began a career in business.
The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent economic depression forced Loo to start over. He became involved with amateur, then professional, theater companies and in 1931 made his first film. Like most Asian actors in non-Asian countries, he played primarily small, stereotypical roles, though he rose quickly to familiarity, if not fame, in a number of films.
His stern features led him to be a favorite movie villain, and the outbreak of World War II gave him greater prominence in roles as vicious Japanese soldiers in such successful pictures as The Purple Heart (1944) and God Is My Co-Pilot (1945). Loo was most often typecast as the Japanese enemy pilot, spy or interrogator during World War II. In the film The Purple Heart he plays a Japanese Imperial Army general who commits suicide because he cannot break down the American prisoners. According to his daughter, Beverly Jane Loo, he didn't mind being typecast as a villain in these movies as he felt very patriotic about playing those parts.
In 1944 he appeared as a Chinese army lieutenant opposite Gregory Peck in The Keys of the Kingdom. He had a rare heroic role as a war-weary Japanese-American soldier in Samuel Fuller's Korean War classic The Steel Helmet (1951), but he spent much of the latter part of his career performing stock roles in films and minor television roles.
In 1974 he appeared as the Thai billionaire tycoon Hai Fat in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, opposite Roger Moore and Christopher Lee.
Loo was also a teacher of Shaolin monks in three episodes of the 1972–1975 hit TV series Kung Fu and made a further three appearances as a different character. His last acting appearance was in The Incredible Hulk TV series in 1981, but he continued to act in Toyota commercials into 1982.
Loo died of a cerebral hemorrhage on November 20, 1983, age 80.
[biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2002 | The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller · as Sgt. Tanaka (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 1999 | The James Bond Story · as Hai Fat |
| 1995 | In Search of James Bond with Jonathan Ross · as Hai Fat |
| 1987 | Bloopermania · as Cast |
| 1986 | Kung Fu: The Movie · as Master Sun |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk (TV Series) |
| 1977 | The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV Series) |
| 1976 | The Quest (1976) (TV Series) · as Dr. Li Po |
| 1976 | Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur · as Chiang-Kai-Shek |
| 1974 | The Man with the Golden Gun · as Hai Fat |
| 1973 | Police Story (TV Series) |
| 1972 | The Delphi Bureau (TV Series) · as Shen Si |
| 1972 | Kung Fu (TV Series) |
| 1972 | The Sixth Sense (TV Series) · as Matsuo |
| 1971 | Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon · as Master Sun |
| 1971 | Chandler · as Leo |
| 1971 | Owen Marshall, Counselor At Law (TV Series) · as Tanaka |
| 1971 | One More Train to Rob · as Mr. Chang |
| 1970 | Which Way to the Front? · as Japanese Naval Officer |
| 1970 | One More Time · as Cast |
| 1970 | McCloud (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. (TV Series) · as Kenji Yamashita |
| 1968 | Here Come the Brides (TV Series) · as Chi Pei |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Wong Tou |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) · as Clown |
| 1967 | Ironside (TV Series) · as Lin Chu Tai |
| 1966 | The Sand Pebbles · as Major Chin |
| 1966 | Family Affair (TV Series) |
| 1965 | The Wackiest Ship in the Army (TV Series) · as Admiral Osuma |
| 1965 | I Dream of Jeannie (TV Series) · as Wong |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) |
| 1965 | Honey West (TV Series) · as Tog - Chinese Fine Arts Thief |
| 1965 | I Spy (TV Series) · as Mr. Tsung |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) · as Dr. Yahama |
| 1964 | Bewitched (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV Series) · as Li Tung |
| 1963 | Burke's Law (TV Series) · as Grass Slipper |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits (TV Series) · as Li-Chin Sung |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | A Girl Named Tamiko · as Otani |
| 1962 | Sam Benedict (TV Series) · as Andrew Ling |
| 1962 | Confessions of an Opium Eater · as George Wah |
| 1962 | The Dakotas (TV Series) |
| 1961 | 7 Women from Hell · as Sgt. Takahashi |
| 1961 | Follow The Sun (TV Series) · as District Attorney |
| 1960 | My Three Sons (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Hong Kong (TV Series) · as Leo |
| 1959 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) · as C.k. Yang |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1958 | The Quiet American · as Mr. Heng |
| 1957 | Tombstone Territory (TV Series) · as Quong Key |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Mr. Eng |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Liu Yang |
| 1957 | Battle Hymn · as Gen. Kim (scenes Deleted) |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days · as Saloon Manager (uncredited) |
| 1956 | The Conqueror · as Captain Of Wang's Guard |
| 1955 | Crossroads (1955) (TV Series) · as Colonel |
| 1955 | Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing · as Robert Hung |
| 1955 | Navy Log (TV Series) |
| 1955 | House of Bamboo · as Inspector Kito's Voice (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Soldier of Fortune · as Gen. Po Lin |
| 1955 | TV Reader's Digest (TV Series) · as Lew Gar Mun |
| 1954 | December Bride (TV Series) |
| 1954 | The Shanghai Story · as Officer |
| 1954 | Living It Up · as Dr. Lee |
| 1954 | The Bamboo Prison · as Commandant Hsai Tung |
| 1954 | Hell and High Water · as Hakada Fujimori |
| 1953 | China Venture · as Chang Sung |
| 1953 | Destination Gobi · as Commanding Officer, Japanese Pow Camp (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Mr. & Mrs. North (TV Series) · as John Wing |
| 1952 | Cavalcade of America (TV Series) · as Ho Chung |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouse (TV Series) · as Jo-Kai |
| 1952 | My Little Margie (TV Series) · as Mr. Tang |
| 1952 | |
| 1951 | I Was an American Spy · as Col. Masamato |
| 1951 | The Steel Helmet · as Sergeant Tanaka |
| 1951 | Operation Pacific · as Japanese Fighter Pilot |
| 1949 | Malaya · as Colonel Genichi Tomura |
| 1949 | The Clay Pigeon · as Ken Tokoyama |
| 1949 | Fireside Theatre (TV Series) · as Major Chang |
| 1949 | State Department: File 649 · as Marshal Yun Usu |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) |
| 1948 | Rogues' Regiment · as Kao Pang |
| 1948 | The Cobra Strikes · as Hyder Ali |
| 1948 | To the Ends of the Earth · as Commissioner Lu (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Women in the Night · as Colonel Noyama |
| 1947 | Seven Were Saved · as Colonel Yamura |
| 1947 | The Beginning or the End · as Japanese Officer |
| 1946 | Tokyo Rose · as Colonel Suzuki |
| 1945 | Prison Ship · as Capt. Okisawa |
| 1945 | First Yank Into Tokyo · as Col. Hideko Okanura |
| 1945 | Back to Bataan · as Maj. Hasko |
| 1945 | China's Little Devils · as Colonel Huraji |
| 1945 | China Sky · as Col. Yasuda |
| 1945 | Betrayal from the East · as Lt. Cmdr. Miyazaki, Alias Tani |
| 1945 | God Is My Co-Pilot · as Tokyo Joe |
| 1944 | The Keys of the Kingdom · as Lt. Shon |
| 1944 | The Story of Dr. Wassell · as Chinese Doctor On Train (uncredited) |
| 1944 | The Purple Heart · as General Ito Mitsubi |
| 1943 | Jack London · as Japanese Ambassador |
| 1943 | Rookies in Burma · as Colonel Matsuda |
| 1943 | So Proudly We Hail! · as Japanese Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1943 | China · as Lin Yun |
| 1943 | Destroyer · as Japanese Submarine Commander |
| 1943 | Behind the Rising Sun · as Japanese Officer Dispensing Opium |
| 1943 | Yanks Ahoy · as Japanese Submarine Officer |
| 1943 | The Falcon Strikes Back · as Jerry |
| 1943 | Flight for Freedom · as Mr. Yokahata (uncredited) |
| 1943 | |
| 1943 | City Without Men · as Japanese Spy |
| 1942 | Star Spangled Rhythm · as Emperor Hirohito (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Road to Morocco · as Chinese Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Manila Calling · as Filipino |
| 1942 | Flying Tigers · as Dr. Tsing |
| 1942 | Across the Pacific · as First Officer Miyuma |
| 1942 | |
| 1942 | Bombs Over Burma · as Japanese Colonel |
| 1942 | Submarine Raider · as Chauffeur Suji |
| 1942 | Remember Pearl Harbor · as Mandolin-Playing Japanese Radioman |
| 1942 | A Yank on the Burma Road · as Commandant |
| 1941 | Secret of the Wastelands · as Quan |
| 1941 | They Met in Bombay · as Japanese Officer |
| 1941 | Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery · as Henchman |
| 1940 | Doomed to Die · as Tong Leader |
| 1940 | The Fatal Hour · as Jeweler |
| 1939 | Barricade · as Colonel Commander Of Rescue Party |
| 1939 | Daughter of the Tong · as Wong |
| 1939 | Island of Lost Men · as General Ahn Ling |
| 1939 | Miracles for Sale · as Chinese Soldier In Demo |
| 1939 | Lady of the Tropics · as Delaroch's Chauffeur |
| 1939 | Mr. Wong in Chinatown · as Tong Chief |
| 1939 | Panama Patrol · as Tommy Young |
| 1939 | Torchy Blane in Chinatown · as Masked Chinese Hood |
| 1938 | Shadows Over Shanghai · as Fong |
| 1938 | Too Hot to Handle · as Charlie |
| 1938 | Blondes at Work · as Sam Wong (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Thank You, Mr. Moto · as Cop At Shooting Site |
| 1937 | West of Shanghai · as Mr. Cheng |
| 1937 | That Certain Woman · as Elevator Operator |
| 1937 | The Singing Marine · as Shanghai Hotel Official |
| 1937 | The Good Earth · as Farmer (uncredited) |
| 1937 | The Soldier and the Lady · as Tartar (uncredited) |
| 1937 | China Passage · as Lia Sen's Husband |
| 1937 | Lost Horizon · as Shanghai Airport Official (uncredited) |
| 1936 | After the Thin Man · as Headwaiter |
| 1936 | Stowaway · as Chinese Merchant (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Mad Holiday · as Li Yat (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Shadow of Chinatown · as Chinese Man On Street |
| 1936 | Shadow of Chinatown · as Loo, Chinese Man On Street [chs. 5-7] |
| 1936 | Roaming Lady · as Chinese Seaman |
| 1935 | China Seas · as Chinese Inspector At Gangplank (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Shadows of the Orient · as Yung Yow |
| 1935 | Captured in Chinatown · as Ling Hatchet Man |
| 1935 | Stranded · as Chinese Groom (uncredited) |
| 1934 | The Mysterious Mr. Wong · as Bystander Outside Store |
| 1934 | Limehouse Blues · as Customer At Harry Young's |
| 1934 | The Painted Veil · as Chinese Peasant |
| 1934 | Student Tour · as Geisha's Customer |
| 1934 | Now and Forever · as Hotel Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1932 | The Bitter Tea of General Yen · as Captain Li |
| 1932 | The Secrets of Wu Sin · as Charlie San |