Otto Yamaoka (April 25, 1904 – June 5, 1967) was an American actor and businessman who worked in Hollywood primarily during the 1930s. He was one of only a handful of Japanese-descended actors working in the industry at the time. His sister,

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...

, was an actress.

Biography

Otto was born in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

, to Ototaka Yamaoka and Jho Watanabe. The family moved to Los Angeles in the 1920s, and he and his sister Iris both developed an interest in acting; both primarily played smaller roles. His brother, George Yamaoka, became a prominent lawyer. Otto's career in Hollywood ended around 1940, and he then began working as an importer in the Los Angeles area. The Yamaoka family was sent to the Heart Mountain internment camp in

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

during World War II following the signing of

Executive Order 9066 Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. This order authorized the secretary of war to prescribe certain ...

.Ancestry.com. ''Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II''. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2005.

Partial filmography

* ''

The Ship from Shanghai ''The Ship from Shanghai'' is a 1930 Pre-Code American action film directed by Charles Brabin and written by John Howard Lawson. The film stars Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Carmel Myers, Holmes Herbert and Zeffie Tilbury. The film was released on ...

'' (1930) - Shanghai Nightclub Patron (uncredited) * ''

The Benson Murder Case ''The Benson Murder Case'' is the first novel in the Philo Vance series of mystery novels by S. S. Van Dine, which became a best-seller. Plot outline New York dilettante Philo Vance decides to assist the police in investigating the death of an ...

'' (1930) - Sam (uncredited) * ''

The Hot Heiress ''The Hot Heiress'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and written by Herbert Fields, with three songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The film stars Ben Lyon, Ona Munson, Walter Pidgeon, Tom Dugan, Holme ...

'' (1931) - Chinese Waiter (uncredited) * ''

The Black Camel ''The Black Camel'' (1929) is the fourth of the Charlie Chan novels by Earl Derr Biggers. Plot summary It tells the story of a Hollywood star (Shelah Fane), who is stopping in Hawaii after she finished shooting a film on location in Tahiti. ...

'' (1931) - Kashimo * ''

The Hatchet Man ''The Hatchet Man'' (1932) is a pre-Code film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Edward G. Robinson. Warner Bros. had purchased the David Belasco/ Achmed Abdullah play ''The Honorable Mr. Wong'' about the Tong gang wars. Made durin ...

'' (1932) - Chung Ho (uncredited) * ''

Westward Passage ''Westward Passage'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Robert Milton and starring Ann Harding, Laurence Olivier, ZaSu Pitts and Irving Pichel. The screenplay concerns a woman who falls in love and marries, but soon discovers ho ...

'' (1932) - Chong (uncredited) * '' War Correspondent'' (1932) - Bandit (uncredited) * '' The Racing Strain'' (1932) - Togo * ''

Midnight Mary ''Midnight Mary'' is a 1933 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Loretta Young, Ricardo Cortez, and Franchot Tone. Plot The very scary story begins with an indifferent Mary Martin (Young) sitting in a c ...

'' (1933) - Chinese Proprietor (uncredited) * ''

Morning Glory Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. Morning glory species belong to many genera, some of ...

'' (1933) - Servant (uncredited) * ''

Before Midnight ''Before Midnight'' is a 2013 American romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The sequel to ''Before Sunrise'' (1995) and ''Before Sunset'' (2004), it is the third instal ...

'' (1933) - Kono * ''

The Sin of Nora Moran ''The Sin of Nora Moran'' is a 1933 American pre-code melodrama and proto-noir film directed by Phil Goldstone and based on the short story "Burnt Offering" by W. Maxwell Goodhue. The film is also known as ''Voice from the Grave'' (American reiss ...

'' (1933) - Kito - John Grant's Houseboy (uncredited) * ''

We're Rich Again ''We're Rich Again'' is a 1934 American comedy-drama film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Edna May Oliver, Billie Burke, and Marian Nixon. It is based on the play ''And Who Will Be Clever'' by Alden Nash. Plot In Santa Barbara, Califo ...

'' (1934) - Fugi * ''

Student Tour ''Student Tour'' is a 1934 American musical film directed by Charles Reisner, written by Ralph Spence and Philip Dunne, and starring Jimmy Durante, Charles Butterworth, Maxine Doyle, Phil Regan, Douglas Fowley and Nelson Eddy. It was release ...

'' (1934) - Casino Patron (uncredited) * '' Limehouse Blues'' (1934) - Chinese Waiter on Boat (uncredited) * ''

Death Flies East ''Death Flies East'' is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Conrad Nagel, Florence Rice and Raymond Walburn. The action takes place on an airline flight with a murderer aboard. The film was an early example of the avia ...

'' (1935) - Japanese Chauffeur (uncredited) * ''

The Wedding Night ''The Wedding Night'' is a 1935 American romantic drama film directed by King Vidor and starring Gary Cooper and Anna Sten. Written by Edith Fitzgerald and based on a story by Edwin H. Knopf, the film is about a financially strapped novelist who ...

'' (1935) - Taka (uncredited) * ''

The Affair of Susan ''The Affair of Susan'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Zasu Pitts, Hugh O'Connell and Walter Catlett.Lowe p.1968 It is a remake of the 1928 silent film '' Lonesome''. Two lonely people meet at an amusemen ...

'' (1935) - Spieler (uncredited) * ''

Petticoat Fever ''Petticoat Fever'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by George Fitzmaurice and written by Harold Goldman. The film stars Robert Montgomery, Myrna Loy, Reginald Owen, Winifred Shotter and Otto Yamaoka. The film was released on March 20, 19 ...

'' (1936) - Kimo * ''

Rhythm on the Range ''Rhythm on the Range'' is a 1936 American Western musical film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, and Bob Burns. Based on a story by Mervin J. Houser, the film is about a cowboy who meets a beautiful young wom ...

'' (1936) - Chinese Houseboy (uncredited) * ''

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

'' (1936) - Thomas (uncredited) * ''

Libeled Lady ''Libeled Lady'' is a 1936 screwball comedy film starring Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy, written by George Oppenheimer, Howard Emmett Rogers, Wallace Sullivan, and Maurine Dallas Watkins, and directed by Jack Conway (fi ...

'' (1936) - Ching * ''

Easy to Take ''Easy to Take'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Glenn Tryon and written by Virginia Van Upp. The film stars Marsha Hunt, John Howard, Eugene Pallette, Richard Carle, Douglas Scott and Robert Greig. The film was released on November 6 ...

'' (1936) - Japanese Instructor (uncredited) * ''

Night Waitress ''Night Waitress'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and written by Marcus Goodrich. The film stars Margot Grahame, Gordon Jones, Vinton Hayworth, Marc Lawrence and Billy Gilbert. The film was released on December 18, 1936 ...

'' (1936) - Fong * ''

Criminal Lawyer A criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer (mostly barristers) specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various ...

'' (1937) - Mitzu - Brandon's House Boy (uncredited) * '' Thin Ice'' (1937) - Japanese Reporter (uncredited) * '' Song of the City'' (1937) - Wilbur - Paul's Butler (uncredited) * ''

Stand-In A stand-in for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and television production. Stand-ins a ...

'' (1937) - Quintain's Houseboy (uncredited) * ''

Next Time I Marry ''Next Time I Marry'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Garson Kanin and written by John Twist and Helen Meinardi. The film stars Lucille Ball, James Ellison, Lee Bowman, Granville Bates and Mantan Moreland. The film was released on ...

'' (1938) - Joe - Nancy's Butler (uncredited) * ''

Trouble in Sundown ''Trouble in Sundown'' is a 1939 American Western film directed by David Howard, using a screenplay by Oliver Drake, Dorrell McGowan and Stuart McGowan, based on a story by Charles F. Royal. Starring George O'Brien, Rosalind Keith, Ray Wh ...

'' (1939) - Foo Yung * ''

Two Girls on Broadway ''Two Girls on Broadway'' is a 1940 musical film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Lana Turner and Joan Blondell. The film is a remake of ''The Broadway Melody'' (1929). Plot Molly Mahoney (Joan Blondell) forms a vaudeville act with her fi ...

'' (1940) - Ito * '' The Letter'' (1940) - Bartender at Party (uncredited) (final film role)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yamaoka, Otto American male film actors American male actors American male actors of Japanese descent American film actors of Asian descent Japanese-American internees American people of Japanese descent American businesspeople 1904 births 1967 deaths