James Katsuyuki Taenaka (妙中克之 ''Taenaka Katsuyuki''; born November 27, 1964), better known as Jimmy T, is an American film and television actor. He starred opposite the late

Brandon Lee Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor and martial artist. Establishing himself as a rising action star in the early 1990s, he landed his breakthrough role as Eric Draven in the dark fantasy film ''The ...

in ''

Showdown in Little Tokyo ''Showdown in Little Tokyo'' is a 1991 American buddy cop action film directed by Mark L. Lester, who also produced with Martin E. Caan. The film stars Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee; it was the latter's first American film role. The film was rele ...

'' (1991) as well as

David Carradine David Carradine ( ; born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series ''Kung Fu'', playi ...

and

Daryl Hannah Daryl Christine Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her screen debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film '' The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various movies across the years, i ...

Kung Fu Killer ''Kung Fu Killer'' is a 2008 two-part miniseries that aired on Spike TV The film also includes many eastern Kung Fu talent including Osric Chau. The miniseries alludes to the "Kung Fu" programs of the 1970s that brought David Carradine to fame. ...

(2008).

Early life

Taenaka was born in

Fort Ord, California Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay of the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, m ...

and raised in

Monterey, California Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...

. His parents had immigrated from

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. He attended Monterey High School in

. Taenaka was a USA Junior National Judo Champion, and represented

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

at USA Junior National Wrestling Championships.

Career

Taenaka appears on television and film both in Asia and the United States. In

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, he starred in the epic

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

television drama, ''

A War Diary ''A War Diary'' is a 2001 Singaporean television series produced by Dream Forest Production. Set in the time of World War II, the series depicts the Battle of Singapore and life in Japanese-occupied Singapore from the point of view of an ethnic Ch ...

'' about the

Japanese occupation of Singapore , officially , was the name for Singapore when it was occupied and ruled by the Empire of Japan, following the fall and surrender of British military forces on 15 February 1942 during World War II. Japanese military forces occupied it after ...

, where he also received a nomination at the

Asian Television Awards The Asian Television Awards (launched in 1996), is an appreciation to recognize and reward programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry. Held every December, the Awards comprises 56 categories across news, documentarie ...

in 2002 for Best Drama Performance by an Actor.

Personal life

Taenaka is married to Lim Li Li.

Filmography

Film

*''

Banting Banting is a town and the seat of Kuala Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Banting has a population of 93,497. The postal code for Banting is 42700 and is administered by the Zone of 15 and 19 of the Kuala Langat Municipal Council. It is situa ...

(2014) *''

Dead Mine ''Dead Mine'' is a 2012 English-language Indonesian horror film directed by Steven Sheil and starring Ario Bayu and Joe Taslim. The film was produced by Infinite Frameworks, the production house before working on the musical animated film ''Merai ...

'' (2012)

HBO Asia HBO Asia is the Asian division of HBO, based out of Singapore. It was originally launched on 1 May 1992 as MovieVision, later rebranding on 1 June 1995 to its current name after being purchased by Home Box Office, Inc. The Singapore-based broad ...

*'' Tiger Team-The Mountain of 1000 Dragons'' (2010)

Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio Conglomerate (company), conglom ...

*'' Ovunque Tu Sia'' (2008)

RAI International Rai Italia is the international English language television service of Rai Internazionale, a subsidiary of RAI, Italy's public national broadcaster. Rai Italia operates a television network that broadcasts around the world via 3 localized feeds. ...

*''

Dance of the Dragon Dance is a performing art art form, form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolism (arts), symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its chor ...

'' (2008) *''

L'Empire du Tigre ''Hors Satan'' (''Outside Satan'') is a 2011 French drama film written and directed by Bruno Dumont. It was filmed under the production title ''L'Empire'', which means "The Empire". It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2011 Canne ...

'' (2005)

TF1 TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. TF1 is par ...

*''

The Second Singapore Short Story ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (2004) *''

Tequila - the Movie Tequila (; ) is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (''Los Altos de Jalisco'') of the central western Mexican state ...

'' (2002) *''

Fatal Blade Fatal may refer to: * ''Fatal'' (album), by Hussein Fatal, 2002 * ''Fatal'' (film), a 2010 French film starring Michaël Youn and Stéphane Rousseau * '' F.A.T.A.L.'', a tabletop role-playing game released in 2003 * Fatal Recordings, a record ...

'' (2001) *'' Looking Italian'' (1998) *''

Psycho Sushi Psycho may refer to: Mind * Psychopath * Sociopath * Someone with a personality disorder * Someone with a psychological disorder People with the nickname * Karl Amoussou or Psycho, mixed martial artist * Peter Ebdon or Psycho, English snooker pl ...

'' (1997) *''

The Low Life ''The Low Life'' is a 1995 American film starring Rory Cochrane and directed and co-written by George Hickenlooper. Plot A Yale graduate, with dreams of becoming a writer, moves to Hollywood and struggles with low-paying jobs, poverty, romance an ...

'' (1995) *''

The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...

'' (1994)

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

*''

American Yakuza ''American Yakuza'' is a 1993 American crime film directed by Frank Cappello and starring Viggo Mortensen, Ryo Ishibashi, Michael Nouri, Franklyn Ajaye, Yuji Okumoto, Anzu Lawson, and Robert Forster. The screenplay by John Allen Nelson and Max ...

'' (1993) *''

'' (1991a)

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...

Television

* ''Glória'' (2021 TV series)

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

Original Series *''

Grisse ''Grisse'' is a historical drama television miniseries developed for HBO Asia by Mike Wiluan. Cast * Adinia Wirasti as Kalia * Marthino Lio as Maran * Michael Wahr as Moresby * Joanne Kam as Chi * Zack Lee as Jambu * Toshiji Takeshima as Ry ...

'' (2018)

Series *''

Halfworlds ''Halfworlds'' is a dark fantasy thriller television series produced and created by HBO Asia. Set in present-day Southeast Asia, the series reveals an underground society populated by demons from Asian folklore across the region. The first seaso ...

'' (2017)

Season 2 (Guest Star) *''

Silo A silo (from the Greek σιρός – ''siros'', "pit for holding grain") is a structure for storing bulk materials. Silos are used in agriculture to store fermented feed known as silage, not to be confused with a grain bin, which is used t ...

'' (2017)

meWATCH meWATCH is a Singaporean digital video on demand service brand owned by Mediacorp. It was launched on 1 February 2013 as an over-the-top media service and an entertainment and lifestyle website Toggle. On 1 April 2015, xinmsn, an internet por ...

Originals Series *''

BRA A bra, short for brassiere or brassière (, or ; ), is a form-fitting undergarment that is primarily used to support and cover breasts. It can serve a range of other practical and aesthetic purposes, including enhancing or reducing the appear ...

'' (2017)

MediaCorp TV Mediacorp Pte. Ltd., doing business as Mediacorp and stylised as mediacorp, is a media conglomerate in Singapore. Owned by Temasek Holdings—the holding company of the Government of Singapore—it owns television, radio, and digital media prope ...

Series *'' The Pupil'' (2010)

Series *''

'' (2008) TV Mini-Series

RHI Entertainment Halcyon Studios, LLC., formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., is an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution ...

*''

Calefare ''Calefare'' ( locally pronounced ) is an English-language Singaporean comedy series that debuted on Saturday August 9, 2008 on MediaCorp TV's Channel 5 as a "Sneak Preview," airing right after the National Day Parade. The series then began their ...

'' (2008)

Series (Guest Star) *''

En Bloc (TV series) ''En Bloc'' is a Singaporean drama produced by Mediacorp, a local TV station. Plot The drama follows the Lim family and some residents of an old Tampines Grove condominium of the consequences of having their estate up for an en bloc sale for r ...

'' (2008)

Series *'' First Mums'' (2005)

Series *'' Shooting Stars'' (2005)

Series *''

'' (2004)

Series *''Daddy's Girls'' (2004)

Episode *''

Machine A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...

'' (2004)

Movie *'' Like My Own'' (2004)

Series *'' Singapore Shakes'' (2004) TV Movie *''

Rouge Rouge is the French word for "red" and may refer to: Compounds * Rouge (cosmetics), a cosmetic used to color the cheeks and emphasize the cheekbones * Jeweler's rouge or iron(III) oxide * Rouging, a form of corrosion applicable to stainless ...

'' (2004)

MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay-television channel which launched on 3 May 1995 as a standalone pay television channel. It was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History MTV Asia was officially launched on 3 May 1995 as a 24-hour English-languag ...

- TV Episode *''

Amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...

'' (2003)

Movie *'' One Peep Too Many'' (2002) TV Movie *''

'' (2001)

Series *''

Making Love ''Making Love'' is a 1982 American drama film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Kate Jackson, Harry Hamlin and Michael Ontkean. The film tells the story of a married man coming to terms with his homosexuality and the love triangle that devel ...

'' (2000)

Series *''

Martial Law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

'' (1999) TV Episode

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

*''

Brooklyn South ''Brooklyn South'' is an American ensemble police drama television series that aired on CBS for one season from September 22, 1997, to April 27, 1998. It was aired during the 1997–98 television season. The series was co-created by Steven Bochc ...

'' (1998) TV Episode

*'' JAG'' (1997) TV Episode

*'' Cop Files'' (1993) TV Episode

Fox TV The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations an ...

Hosting

* Get Drunk In China (2007)

Channel News Asia CNA (stylised as cna), which is an acronym derived from its previous name, Channel NewsAsia, is a Singaporean multinational news channel owned by the country's national public broadcaster Mediacorp. It broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Sin ...

TV Series

References

External links

Jimmy T's official blog
* * * * 1964 births American male film actors American male television actors American male actors of Japanese descent American film actors of Asian descent American expatriates in Singapore Living people {{American-actor-stub