Philip Ahn (born Pillip Ahn (), March 29, 1905 – February 28, 1978) was an American actor and activist of Korean descent. With over 180 film and television credits between 1935 and 1978, he was one of the most recognizable and prolific Asian-American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

s of his time. He is widely regarded as the first

Korean American Korean Americans are Americans of Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian American ...

film actor in Hollywood. The son of Korean independence activist

Ahn Changho Ahn Changho, sometimes An Chang-ho (; , November 9, 1878 – March 10, 1938) was a Korean independence activist and one of the early leaders of the Korean-American immigrant community in the United States. He is also referred to by his pen n ...

, Ahn was a longtime advocate for his father's legacy and the Korean-American community, helping to establish memorials to his father in his native

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...

and later arranging for his remains to be buried there.

Early life and education

Ahn was born in the Highland Park neighborhood of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

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 ...

on March 29, 1905. His given name Philip was an

Anglicized Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

version of the Korean name Pil Lip (). His parents,

(도산 안창호) and Yi Hyeryon (이혜련), were both Korean emigrants who had moved to the United States in 1902, making him the first American citizen born to two Korean parents in the United States. His father Dosan was a well-known educator and an activist for Korean independence while Korea was under Japanese rule; he moved to the U.S. to seek better educational opportunities. He became an informal ambassador to the Korean-American immigrant community in California and became one of its first leaders, founding the Mutual Assistance Society (''Kongrip Hyophoe''/공립협회), the first Korean political organization in America. When he was in

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, Ahn visited the set of the film '' The Thief of Bagdad'' where he met

Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thie ...

. Fairbanks offered him a

screen test A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...

, followed by a part in the movie. However, his mother told him, "No son of mine is going to get mixed up with those awful people." Ahn graduated from high school in 1923 and went to work in the rice fields around

Colusa, California Colusa is a city and county seat of Colusa County, California, located in the Sacramento Valley region of the Central Valley. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census. Colusi originates from the local Coru N ...

. The land was owned by the Hung Sa Dan, or Young Korean Academy, a Korean independence movement that trained Koreans to become leaders of their country once it was free from Japanese rule. Since Koreans could not own land in California, the Academy put the property in Ahn's name. Unfortunately, the rice crops failed because of heavy rains, and Ahn found himself deeply in debt. He went to work as an elevator operator in Los Angeles to pay back the debt and help support his family. It was not until 1934 that he could afford to attend the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

. His father told him if he really wanted to be an actor, he had to be the best actor he could and convinced him to take acting and

cinematography Cinematography (from ancient Greek κίνημα, ''kìnema'' "movement" and γράφειν, ''gràphein'' "to write") is the art of motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography. Cinematographers use a lens to focu ...

courses. While still a student, he appeared in a stage production of '' Merrily We Roll Along'', which toured the western United States. Ahn served as president of the USC Cosmopolitan Club, was chairman of the All University Committee on International Relations and was assistant to the dean of male students as advisor for foreign student affairs. He organized visits by foreign dignitaries, including Princess Der Ling of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n journalist Chaman Lal and archeologist-explorer Robert B. Stacey-Judd. After completing his second year, however, Ahn dropped out to act full-time.

Career

Ahn's first film was ''

A Scream in the Night ''A Scream in the Night'' is a 1934 American film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and starring Lon Chaney Jr. It is distinct from the 1919 A Scream in the Night (1919 film), silent film of the same name, co-directed by Leander de Cordova and Burton ...

'' in 1935. He appeared in the

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

film ''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...

'', though the director

Lewis Milestone Lewis Milestone (born Leib Milstein (Russian: Лейб Мильштейн); September 30, 1895 – September 25, 1980) was a Moldovan-American film director. He is known for directing ''Two Arabian Knights'' (1927) and '' All Quiet on the Weste ...

had initially rejected him because his English was too good for the part. His first credited roles came in 1936 in ''

The General Died at Dawn ''The General Died at Dawn'' is a 1936 American drama film that tells the story of a mercenary who meets a beautiful girl while trying to keep arms from getting to a vicious warlord in war-torn China. The movie was written by Charles G. Booth and ...

'' and ''

Stowaway A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus. Sometimes, the purpose is to get from one place to another without paying for transportation. In other cas ...

'', opposite

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

. He starred opposite

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...

in ''

Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...

'' (1937) and '' King of Chinatown'' (1939), becoming the first self-represented on-screen Asian American romantic couple of sound-era Hollywood cinema. Ahn-Loo-Women in the Night

During

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 ...

, Ahn often played Japanese villains in war films. Mistakenly thought to be Japanese, he received several death threats. He was frequently cast in these roles opposite Chinese-American actor

Richard Loo 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. Early lif ...

. He enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

and served in the Special Services as an entertainer. He was discharged early because of an injured ankle and returned to making films. Ahn's role as a conflicted ''Ilbongye Hangugin'' (Korean of Japanese descent) doctor in the 1945

Pearl Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for ''The Good Earth'' a bestselling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buc ...

adaptation '' China Sky'' is notable as one of the first depictions of a Korean character in a major Hollywood film. Ahn appeared in '' Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing'', ''

Around the World in Eighty Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...

'', ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve you ...

'' and ''

Paradise, Hawaiian Style ''Paradise, Hawaiian Style'' is a 1966 American musical comedy film starring Elvis Presley. It was the third and final motion picture that Presley filmed in Hawaii. The film reached #40 on the ''Variety'' weekly box office chart, earning $2.5 mill ...

'', with

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

. He played Korean characters in

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

movies such as '' Battle Circus'' (1953) and '' Battle Hymn'' (1956). After traveling to

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

in the 1950s, Ahn considered emigrating there and acting in Korean films, but decided against it due to his unusual

idiolect Idiolect is an individual's unique use of language, including speech. This unique usage encompasses vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. This differs from a dialect, a common set of linguistic characteristics shared among a group of people. Th ...

. Having learned Korean mostly from his mother, who was from the Northern part of the peninsula and had left Korea in the early 1900s, Ahn and his siblings spoke with a prominent North Korean accent and antiquated diction and grammar.

Television roles

In 1952, Ahn made his television debut on the

Schlitz Playhouse ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both Television comedy, comedies and Dramatic programming, drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The ti ...

, a series he would make three additional appearances on. Ahn would also be cast in four episodes of ABC's '' Adventures in Paradise'', four episodes of the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

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 ...

crime drama '' Hawaiian Eye'', and the CBS crime drama ''

Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to: * ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...

''. He made three appearances each on ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', and ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. Th ...

''. He would also appear in two television movies. Ahn's most notable television role was as "Master Kan" on the television series ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

''. A

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

, Ahn felt that the

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...

homilies his character quoted did not contradict his own religious faith.

Personal life

Ahn was actively involved in the Korean community of Los Angeles. He worked to make Los Angeles a sister city of

Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...

, Korea. He also helped to bring the

Korean Bell of Friendship The Korean Bell of Friendship (more commonly called Korean Friendship Bell) is a massive bronze bell housed in a stone pavilion in Angel's Gate Park, in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Located at the corner of Gaffey and ...

San Pedro, California San Pedro ( ; Spanish: " St. Peter") is a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California. Formerly a separate city, it consolidated with Los Angeles in 1909. The Port of Los Angeles, a major international seaport, is partially located wi ...

. The Bell of Friendship has been seen in many subsequent movies. He served for twenty years as honorary mayor of

Panorama City, California Panorama City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the San Fernando Valley. It has a generally young age range as well as the highest population density in the Valley. Ethnically, more than half of its population was born ...

. He worked to have his father and mother buried together in

. His father had been buried far from the city because the Japanese hoped to play down his independence work. His mother had died in California. They had not seen each other from the time Dosan returned to Korea in 1926, before the birth of his youngest son. Working with the Korean government, Ahn helped to establish a park to honor his father and was able to have his parents buried there. Ahn's younger brother, Philson, had a minor acting career. He was best known as "Prince Tallen" in the twelve-episode serial ''

Buck Rogers Buck Rogers is a science fiction adventure hero and feature comic strip created by Philip Francis Nowlan first appearing in daily US newspapers on January 7, 1929, and subsequently appearing in Sunday newspapers, international newspapers, books ...

'', featuring

Buster Crabbe Clarence Linden Crabbe II (; February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983), known professionally as Buster Crabbe, was an American two-time Olympic swimmer and film and television actor. He won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-meter freestyle swimmi ...

. Ahn's sister, Susan, was the first female gunnery officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant and working for both Naval Intelligence and the fledgling

National Security Agency The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...

. In 1954, Ahn opened a Chinese restaurant with his sister Soorah. Phil Ahn's Moongate Restaurant was one of the first Chinese restaurants in Panorama City, in the

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...

, and lasted for more than thirty years, before closing in 1990. In 1968, Ahn made a

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

tour of

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, visiting both American and Korean troops in

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...

Death

Ahn died on February 28, 1978, due to complications from surgery. He is buried in the Courts of Remembrance, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in

.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More than 14000 Famous Persons, Scott Wilson

Legacy

Ahn remains a seminal figure in

Asian-American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

and Korean-American representation in Hollywood. In the 1940s and 1950s, Korea was a relatively obscure region to most Americans, recognized politically as a colony of

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 ...

and little else. Not only was Ahn one of the first Korean-American actors to work in the American film industry, but he was also one of the first actors to portray Korean characters in American films. Hye Seung Chung, an associate professor of film and media studies at

Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: ...

, writes of Ahn that he “remains a true pioneer, one of the few performers of Asian descent to survive the racist casting politics of studio-era filmmaking and make a transition to the Television Age. Although Ahn played Korean characters in only a handful of Korean War films and television episodes, he was an important figure in Korean American history.”

Tributes

In 1984, Ahn was posthumously inducted into the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

with a motion pictures star for his contributions to the film industry. His star is located at 6211

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 ...

. He was the first Korean American film actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Filmography

*'' Desirable'' (1934) as Chinese waiter (uncredited) *''

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

'' (1935) as Servant (uncredited) *''

'' (1935) as Wu Ting (as Philip Ann) *''

'' (1936) as Ling (uncredited) *''

Klondike Annie ''Klondike Annie'' is a 1936 American Western film starring Mae West and Victor McLaglen. The film was co-written by West from her play ''Frisco Kate'', which she wrote in 1921 and a story written by the duo Marion Morgan and George Brendan Dowe ...

'' (1936) as Wing (uncredited) *''

'' (1936) as Oxford *''

'' (1936) as Sun Lo, Barbara's friend in Sanchow *''

Counterfeit Lady ''Counterfeit Lady'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by D. Ross Lederman. Cast * Ralph Bellamy as Johnny Pierce * Joan Perry as Phyllis Fowler * Douglass Dumbrille as August Marino * George McKay as Pinky * Gene Morgan as Clancy * Hen ...

'' (1936) as Maine (uncredited) *''

The Good Earth ''The Good Earth'' is a historical fiction novel by Pearl S. Buck published in 1931 that dramatizes family life in a Chinese village in the early 20th century. It is the first book in her ''House of Earth'' trilogy, continued in ''Sons'' (1932) ...

'' (1937) as Captain in revolutionary army (uncredited) *'' China Passage'' (1937) as Dr. Fang Tu (as Phillip Ahn) *''

I Promise to Pay ''I Promise to Pay'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman. Cast * Chester Morris as Eddie Lang * Leo Carrillo as Richard Farra * Helen Mack as Mary Lang * Thomas Mitchell as District Attorney J.E. Curtis * Thurston Hall ...

'' (1937) as Taka (uncredited) *'' Roaring Timber'' (1937) as Crooner *''

Think Fast, Mr. Moto ''Think Fast, Mr. Moto'' is a 1937 film directed by Norman Foster and featuring a mysterious Japanese detective named Mr. Moto. It is the first of eight films in the Mr. Moto series, all based on the character Mr. Moto created by John P. Marqu ...

'' (1937) as Switchboard operator (uncredited) *'' Something to Sing About'' (1937) as Ito, Terry's man-servant *''

Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts ''Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by Ray Taylor and starring singing cowboy Tex Ritter and Troop 13 Los Angeles District Boy Scouts of America. The film was shot in Old Kernville, California and premie ...

'' (1937) as Sing Fung, laundry man *''

'' (1937) as Kim Lee *'' Thank You, Mr. Moto'' (1937) as Prince Chung *''

Hawaii Calls ''Hawaii Calls'' was a radio program broadcast live from Waikiki Beach from 1935 through 1975 that reached 750 stations world-wide at the height of its popularity. It featured live Hawaiian music by an 11-piece dance orchestra conducted by Harry ...

'' (1938) as Julius *'' Red Barry'' (1938) as Hong Kong Cholly *''

Charlie Chan in Honolulu ''Charlie Chan in Honolulu'' is a 1939 American film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, starring Sidney Toler as the fictional Chinese-American detective Charlie Chan. The film is the first appearance of both Toler as Chan and Victor Sen Yung as ...

'' (1938) as Wing Foo *''

North of Shanghai ''North of Shanghai'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman. Cast * James Craig as Jed Howard * Betty Furness as Helen Warner * Keye Luke as Jimmy Riley * Morgan Conway as Bob Laird * Joe Downing as Chandler (as Joseph D ...

'' (1939) as Chinese doctor *'' King of Chinatown'' (1939) as Robert 'Bob' Li *''

Panama Patrol ''Panama Patrol'' is a 1939 American drama film. Directed by Charles Lamont, the film stars Leon Ames, Charlotte Wynters, and Adrienne Ames, it was released on May 20, 1939. The film was known during production by the working titles of ''Curio Ci ...

'' (1939) as Suri *''

Island of Lost Men ''Island of Lost Men'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Anna May Wong and J. Carrol Naish. It tells the story of the daughter of a general who goes to look for her father after he disappears. The film received ...

'' (1939) as Sam Ring (uncredited) *''

Disputed Passage ''Disputed Passage'' is a 1939 American drama war film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Dorothy Lamour, Akim Tamiroff, John Howard, Judith Barrett and William Collier, Sr. Set in war-torn China, the film was described by ''The New York ...

'' (1939) as Dr. Fung *''

Barricade Barricade (from the French ''barrique'' - 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. Adopted as a military term, a barricade denot ...

'' (1939) as Col. Wai Kang *''

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 ...

'' (1940, serial) as Wu Yung (uncredited) *''

Drums of Fu Manchu ''Drums of Fu Manchu'' (1940) is a 15-chapter Republic serial film based on the character created by Sax Rohmer. Though using the title of the ninth novel in the series, it actually is based on numerous elements from throughout the series to that ...

'' (1940, serial) as Dr. Chang (Chapter 4 ''The Pendulum of Doom'') (uncredited) *''

They Met in Bombay ''They Met in Bombay '' is a 1941 American adventure drama film directed by Clarence Brown, and starring Clark Gable and Rosalind Russell, with Peter Lorre.''Variety'' film review; June 25, 1941, page 16.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; July 5 ...

'' (1941) as Japanese officer (uncredited) *''

Passage from Hong Kong ''Passage from Hong Kong'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by D. Ross Lederman and written by Fred Niblo Jr. and Earl Derr Biggers. The film stars Lucile Fairbanks, Douglas Kennedy, Paul Cavanagh, Richard Ainley, Marjorie Gateson and ...

'' (1941) as Steamship official (uncredited) *''

A Yank on the Burma Road ''A Yank on the Burma Road'' is a 1942 drama film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Laraine Day, Barry Nelson and Keye Luke. It is also known as ''China Caravan'' and ''Yanks on the Burma Road''. It was produced as part of a cluster of Ho ...

'' (1942) as Dr. Franklin Ling (as Phillip Ahn) *''

Ship Ahoy ''Ship Ahoy'' is a 1942 American musical-comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton. It was produced by MGM. Background ''Ship Ahoy'' was the first of two films in which Powell and Skelton co-starred. It ...

'' (1942) as Koro Sumo (uncredited) *''

The Tuttles of Tahiti ''The Tuttles of Tahiti'' is a 1942 American adventure comedy romance film directed by Charles Vidor and starring Charles Laughton and Jon Hall. It was based on the novel ''No More Gas'' by James Norman Hall and Charles Nordhoff. Plot When mer ...

'' (1942) as Emily's servant (uncredited) *''

Let's Get Tough! ''Let's Get Tough!'' is a 1942 film and the ninth film in the East Side Kids series, starring Leo Gorcey (as Muggs), Huntz Hall (as Glimpy), Bobby Jordan (as Danny), and Robert Armstrong (as "Pops" the Cop). Released in early 1942, it was direct ...

'' (1942) as Joe Matsui (as Phil Ahn) *'' Submarine Raider'' (1942) as 1st officer Kawakami *''

Across the Pacific ''Across the Pacific'' is a 1942 American spy film set on the eve of the entry of the United States into World War II. It was directed first by John Huston, then by Vincent Sherman after Huston joined the United States Army Signal Corps. It sta ...

'' (1942) as Informer inside theatre (uncredited) *''

China Girl China Girl may refer to: Music *China Girl (song), "China Girl" (song), a 1977 song by David Bowie and Iggy Pop, rerecorded and released as a single by Bowie in 1983 *"China Girl", a song by John Cougar, released in 1982 on the album ''American Foo ...

'' (1942) as Dr. Kai Young *''

The Adventures of Smilin' Jack ''The Adventures of Smilin' Jack'' is an aviation comic strip that first appeared October 1, 1933, in the ''Chicago Tribune'' and ended April 1, 1973. After a run of 40 years, it was the longest-running aviation comic strip. The strip was created ...

'' (1943, Serial) as Wu Tan *'' The Amazing Mrs. Holliday'' (1943) as Major Ching (uncredited) *''

They Got Me Covered ''They Got Me Covered'', also known as ''Washington Story'' and ''The Washington Angle'', is a 1943 comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Otto Preminger appears in a supporting role. Plot In mid 1941, a ...

'' (1943) as Nichimuro *''

Don Winslow of the Coast Guard ''Don Winslow of the Coast Guard'' is a 1943 Universal Pictures Serial film based on the comic strip '' Don Winslow of the Navy'' by Frank V. Martinbek. Plot After service at Pearl Harbor, Naval Commander Don Winslow, and his friend and junior ...

'' (1943) as Hirota *''

'' (1943) as Lin Cho, First Brother *'' Behind the Rising Sun'' (1943) as Japanese officer murdering Takahashi (uncredited) *''

The Man from Down Under ''The Man from Down Under'' is an American 1943 drama film starring Charles Laughton as a man who raises two war orphans. It was called "Hollywood's first full-length film dealing exclusively with Australia and Australians". Plot After the end ...

'' (1943) as English speaking Japanese aviator (uncredited) *'' Around the World'' (1943) as Foo (uncredited) *''December 7'' (1943) as Shinto priest (uncredited) *''

The Purple Heart ''The Purple Heart'' is a 1944 American black-and-white war film, produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, directed by Lewis Milestone, and starring Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, Don "Red" Barry, Sam Levene and Trudy Marshall. Eighteen-year-old Farley ...

'' (1944) as Saburo Goto (uncredited) *'' The Story of Dr. Wassell'' (1944) as Ping *'' Dragon Seed'' (1944) as Leader of city people (uncredited) *''

The Keys of the Kingdom ''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China. Beset by tragedy in h ...

'' (1944) as Mr. Pao, envoy for Mr. Chia *'' Forever Yours'' (1945) as Chinese Man (uncredited) *''

Betrayal from the East ''Betrayal from the East'' is a 1945 American spy drama film starring Lee Tracy and Nancy Kelly. The film was directed by William A. Berke and based on the book ''Betrayal from the East: The Inside Story of Japanese Spies in America'' by Alan ...

'' (1945) as Kato *'' God is My Co-Pilot'' (1945) Hong Kong radio announcer (uncredited) *'' China Sky'' (1945) as Dr. Kim *''

Blood on the Sun ''Blood on the Sun'' is a 1945 American war film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring James Cagney and Sylvia Sidney. The film is based on a fictional history behind the Tanaka Memorial document. The film won the Academy Award for Best Productio ...

'' (1945) as Secret Police Captain Yomamoto (uncredited) *''

China's Little Devils ''China's Little Devils'' (aka ''Little Devils'') is a 1945 war film, directed by Monta Bell and starring Harry Carey, Paul Kelly and "Ducky" Louie. It is one of a number of Hollywood films dealing with the exploits of the Flying Tigers that bega ...

'' (1945) as Farmer *''

Back to Bataan ''Back to Bataan'' is a 1945 American black-and-white World War II war film drama from RKO Radio Pictures, produced by Robert Fellows, directed by Edward Dmytryk, that stars John Wayne and Anthony Quinn. The film depicts events (some fictionalize ...

'' (1945) as Col. Coroki *''

They Were Expendable ''They Were Expendable'' is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William Lindsay White, relating the story ...

'' (1945) as Army orderly (uncredited) *''

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 ...

'' (1947) as Jimmy – bartender (uncredited) *'' The Chinese Ring'' (1947) as Captain Kong *''

Intrigue Intrigue may refer to: TV and film * ''Intrigue'' (1920 film), a 1920 German silent drama film * ''Intrigue'' (1942 film), a Spanish film * ''Intrigue'' (1947 film), 1947 film directed by Edwin L. Marin * ''The Intrigue'', 1916 silent film dra ...

'' (1947) as Louie Chin (as Phillip Ahn) *''

Women in the Night ''Women in the Night'' is a 1948 American film directed by William Rowland shot in Mexico. The film is also known as ''When Men Are Beasts''. The film depicts activities of German and Japanese who wish revenge on the Allies with a cosmic ray weap ...

'' (1948) as Prof. Kunioshi (as Phillip Ahn) *''

The Miracle of the Bells ''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 ...

'' (1948) as Ming Gow *''

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'' (1948) as Boss merchant (uncredited) * '' The Cobra Strikes'' (1948) as Kasim – houseboy *'' The Creeper'' (1948) as Ah Wong – restaurant owner *''

Rogues' Regiment ''Rogues' Regiment'' is a 1948 film noir action film directed by Robert Florey and starring Dick Powell, Märta Torén, and Vincent Price. It is the first American feature film to be set in the First Indochina War. Plot An American Intelligence ...

'' (1948) as Tran Duy Gian *'' State Department: File 649'' (1949) as Col. Aram *''

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture ''Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture'' is a 1949 mystery film directed by Seymour Friedman, starring Chester Morris. This was the last of Columbia's 14 ''Boston Blackie'' pictures (1941–49). Richard Lane, as long-suffering Inspector Farraday, wa ...

'' (1949) as Wong Chung Shee *''

Impact Impact may refer to: * Impact (mechanics), a high force or shock (mechanics) over a short time period * Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US Science and technology * Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event * Impac ...

'' (1949) as Ah Sing *''

The Sickle or the Cross ''The Sickle or the Cross'' is a 1949 American drama film directed by Frank Strayer, which stars Kent Taylor, Gloria Holden, and Gene Lockhart. The screenplay was written by Jesse L. Lasky Jr. from an original story by T. G. Eggers. Produced ...

'' (1949) as Chinese official *''

The Gal Who Took the West ''The Gal Who Took the West'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova starring Yvonne De Carlo, Charles Coburn, Scott Brady and John Russell. It was nominated for an award by the Writers Guild of America 1950. Plot ...

'' (1949) as Party guest (uncredited) *''

The Big Hangover ''The Big Hangover'' is a 1950 American comedy film released by MGM. The film starred Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor and was written and directed by Norman Krasna. Supporting players include Percy Waram, Fay Holden, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, S ...

'' (1950) as Dr. Lee *''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'' (1950) as Sailor (uncredited) *'' Halls of Montezuma'' (1950) as Nomura (alias of Maj. Kenji Matsuoda) *''

I Was an American Spy ''I Was An American Spy'' is a 1951 American war drama film dramatizing the true story of Claire Phillips, an American of Filipino descent who spied on the Japanese during World War II and was captured, tortured, and sentenced to death before bei ...

'' (1950) as Capt. Arito *''

China Corsair ''China Corsair'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Ray Nazarro, starring Jon Hall and Lisa Ferraday and released by Columbia Pictures. It was the film debut of Ernest Borgnine. Filming took place in February 1951. Ron Randell was u ...

'' (1951) as Wong San *''

Secrets of Monte Carlo ''Secrets of Monte Carlo'' is a 1951 American crime film directed by George Blair and starring Warren Douglas, Lois Hall and June Vincent. Plot In Hong Kong, a British insurance investigator and an American businessman join forces to recover the ...

'' (1951) as Wong *''

Japanese War Bride ''Japanese War Bride'' (also known as ''East is East'') is a 1952 drama film directed by King Vidor. The film featured the American debut of Shirley Yamaguchi in the title role. In February 2020, the film was shown at the 70th Berlin Internation ...

'' (1952) as Eitaro Shimizu *''

Macao Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

'' (1952) as Itzumi *'' Red Snow (film)'' (1952) as Tuglu – the spy (as Phillip Ahn) *'' Battle Zone'' (1952) as South Korean guerilla leader *''

Target Hong Kong ''Target Hong Kong'' is a 1953 American action film noir directed by Fred F. Sears. Plot American mercenaries attempt to stop a spy ring targeting Hong Kong. Cast * Richard Denning as Mike Lassiter * Nancy Gates as Ming Shan * Richard Loo as Fu ...

'' (1953) as Sin How *'' Battle Circus'' (1953) as Korean prisoner with hand grenade *''

Fair Wind to Java ''Fair Wind to Java'' is a 1953 American adventure film in Trucolor from Republic Pictures, produced and directed by Joseph Kane, that stars Fred MacMurray and Vera Ralston. With special effects by the Lydecker brothers, the film was based on the ...

'' (1953) as Gusti *''

China Venture ''China Venture'' is a 1953 American adventure war film directed by Don Siegel. The plot concerns an American patrol sent into South China during World War II to rescue an important prisoner held by Chinese guerrillas. Plot Cast *Edmond O'Bri ...

'' (1953) as Adm. Amara *''

His Majesty O'Keefe ''His Majesty O'Keefe'' is a 1954 American adventure film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Burt Lancaster. The cast also included Joan Rice, André Morell, Abraham Sofaer, Archie Savage, and Benson Fong. The screenplay by Borden Chase and ...

'' (1954) as Sien Tang, dentist and O'Keefe's partner *'' Hell's Half Acre'' (1954) as Roger Kong *''

The Shanghai Story ''The Shanghai Story'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Ruth Roman, Edmond O'Brien and Richard Jaeckel. It was based on a novel by Lester Yard.Goble p.954 The film's sets were designed by the art direct ...

'' (1954) as Major Ling Wu *''

Jump Into Hell ''Jump into Hell'' is a 1955 war film directed by David Butler. The film stars Jacques Sernas and Kurt Kasznar. As the first Hollywood film based on the war in French Indochina, the story is a fictionalized account of the Battle of Dien Bien Ph ...

'' (1955) as Chinese POW lieutenant (uncredited) *'' Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing'' (1955) as Third uncle *''

The Left Hand of God ''The Left Hand of God'' is a 1955 American Drama Western film. It was directed by Edward Dmytryk and produced by Buddy Adler, from a screenplay by Alfred Hayes, based on the novel ''The Left Hand of God'', by William Edmund Barrett. Set in a ...

'' (1955) as Jan Teng *''

'' (1956) as Hong Kong citizen (uncredited) *'' Battle Hymn'' (1957) as Old man, Lun-Wa *''

The Way to the Gold ''The Way to the Gold'' is a 1957 drama film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Jeffrey Hunter, Sheree North, and Barry Sullivan. It was released by 20th Century-Fox. Plot Joe Mundy (Hunter) is being released from prison and an old convict ...

'' (1957) as Mr. Ding, café owner *'' Hong Kong Confidential'' (1958) as Tan Chung *''

Yesterday's Enemy ''Yesterday's Enemy'' is a 1959 Hammer Films British war film in MegaScope directed by Val Guest and starring Stanley Baker, Guy Rolfe, Leo McKern and Gordon Jackson set in the Burma Campaign during World War II. It is based on a 1958 BBC t ...

'' (1959) as Yamazaki *''

Never So Few ''Never So Few'' is a 1959 CinemaScope Metrocolor war film, directed by John Sturges and starring Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Steve McQueen, Richard Johnson, Paul Henreid, Brian Donlevy, Dean Jones, Charles Bronson, and Ph ...

'' (1959) as Nautaung, leader of the Kachin *'' The Great Imposter'' (1961) as Capt. Hun Kim *'' One Eyed Jacks'' (1961) as Uncle *''

Confessions of an Opium Eater ''Confessions of an Opium Eater'' also known as Souls for Sale and Evils of Chinatown is a 1962 American crime film produced and directed by Albert Zugsmith. It is loosely based on the 1822 autobiographical novel ''Confessions of an English Opium ...

'' (1962) as Ching Foon *''

A Girl Named Tamiko ''A Girl Named Tamiko'' is a 1962 romantic drama film directed by John Sturges and starring Laurence Harvey and France Nuyen, with Martha Hyer, Gary Merrill, Michael Wilding, and Miyoshi Umeki. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ronald K ...

'' (1962) as Akiba *'' Diamond Head'' (1963) as Mr. Immacona *'' Shock Corridor'' (1963) as Dr. Fong *''

'' (1966) as Moki Kaimana *''

'' (1967) as Tea, Muzzy's head butler *''

The Karate Killers ''The Karate Killers'' is a 1967 American spy film and feature-length film version of ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''s third season two-part episode " The Five Daughters Affair". The episodes were originally broadcast in the United States on March 31, ...

'' (1967) as Sazami Kyushu (archive footage) *''

The World's Greatest Athlete ''The World's Greatest Athlete'' is a 1973 American sports comedy film directed by Robert Scheerer and starring John Amos, Roscoe Lee Browne, Tim Conway, Dayle Haddon, and Jan-Michael Vincent. Released by Walt Disney Productions, it is one of t ...

'' (1973) as Old Chinaman *'' Voodoo Heartbeat'' (1973) as Mao Tse Tung *''

Jonathan Livingston Seagull ''Jonathan Livingston Seagull'', written by American author Richard Bach and illustrated with black-and-white photographs shot by Russell Munson, is a fable in novella form about a seagull who is trying to learn about life and flight, and a homi ...

'' (1973) as Chang (voice)

Television

*''

'' 4 episodes (''Souvenir from Singapore'') (1952) (''Murder in Paradise'') (1955) (''Dealer's Choice'') (1956) (''East of the Moon'') (1958) *''

Fireside Theatre ''Fireside Theatre'' (also known as ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American anthology drama series that ran on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Productions were low-budget and often base ...

'' 1 episode (''The Traitor'') (1953) *''

Captain Midnight ''Captain Midnight'' (later rebranded on television as ''Jet Jackson, Flying Commando'') is a United States, U.S. adventure franchise first broadcast as a radio serial from 1938 to 1949. The character's popularity throughout the 1940s and into ...

'' 1 episode (Sutoc in ''The Arctic Avalanche'') (1955) *''

TV Reader's Digest ''TV Reader's Digest '' is the title of a 30-minute American television anthology drama series, which aired on the ABC from 1955 to 1956. Its theme music was "Polonaise" from Act III of ''Eugene Onegin''. Based on articles that appeared in '' ...

'' 2 episodes (Mr. Pak – interpreter in ''Mr. Pak Takes Over'') (1955) (Wang Tsu in ''The Brainwashing of John Hayes'') (1955) *''

'' 3 episodes (Major in ''The Good Thief'') (1955) (Lung Chan in ''Chinese Checkers'') (1955) (Ah Hiu in ''Calvary in China'') (1956) *''

Four Star Playhouse ''Four Star Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956. Four Star Playhouse was owned by Four Star International. Its episodes ranged anywhere from surreal mysteries, such as "The Man on the Train", to light comedies ...

'' 2 episodes (Chang in ''Stuffed Shirt'') (1955) (Capt. Shu Gat in ''Wall of Bamboo'') (1956) *''

Jungle Jim Jungle Jim is the fictional hero of a series of jungle adventures in various media. The series began on January 7, 1934, as an American newspaper comic strip chronicling the adventures of Asia-based hunter Jim Bradley, who was nicknamed Jungle J ...

'' 1 episode (Karja in ''Power of Darkness'') (1956) *'' Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok'' 1 episode (Ho San in ''Jingles Wins a Friend'') (1956) *''

Hey, Jeannie! ''Hey, Jeannie!'', retitled ''The Jeannie Carson Show'' during its second season and also during later prime-time reruns, is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS during the 1956-1957 television season and in first-run syndication during ...

'' 1 episode (Wong in ''The Proprietor'') (1956) *'' Navy Log'' 2 episodes (General Chen in ''Operation Typewriter'') (1956) (Korean soldier in ''The Commander and the Kid'') (1957) *''

The New Adventures of Charlie Chan ''The New Adventures of Charlie Chan'' is a crime drama series that aired in the United States in syndicated television from June 1957, to 1958. The first five episodes were made by Vision Productions in the United States, before production sw ...

'' 1 episode (Mr. Kim in ''The Secret of the Sea'') (1957) *''

The Alcoa Hour ''The Alcoa Hour'' is an American anthology television series that was aired live on NBC from 1955 to 1957. The series was sponsored by Alcoa. Overview Like the ''Philco Television Playhouse'' and ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' that had prec ...

'' 1 episode (Major Pak in ''The Last Train to Pusan'') (1957) *''

Telephone Time ''Telephone Time'' is an American anthology drama series that aired on CBS in 1956, and on ABC from 1957 to 1958. The series features plays by John Nesbitt who hosted the first season. Frank C. Baxter hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons. The prog ...

'' 1 episode (Patriarch in ''Pit-a-Pit'') (1957) *'' Dragnet'' 1 episode (Gerald Quon in ''The Big Jade'') (1958) *''

The Eve Arden Show ''The Eve Arden Show'' is a 26-episode American sitcom which aired during the 1957–1958 season on CBS, alternately sponsored by Lever Brothers and Shulton, Inc. (Old Spice). Overview The show, starring Eve Arden, centers on Liza Hammond, a wi ...

'' 1 episode (''Liza Meets Young Korea'') (1958) *'' The Californians'' 1 episode (Choo in ''Death by Proxy'') (1958) *''

Jefferson Drum ''Jefferson Drum'', also known as ''The Pen and the Quill'', is an American Western television series starring Jeff Richards that aired on the NBC network from April 25 to December 11, 1958. Overview Jefferson Drum, portrayed by Jeff Richards, i ...

'' 1 episode (Charles Wong in ''The Cheater'') (1958) *'' Lawman'' 1 episode (Wong in ''The Intruders'') (1958) *'' Have Gun, Will Travel'' 2 episodes (W. Chung in ''Hey Boy's Revenge'') (1958) (Hoo Yee in ''The Hatchet Man'') (1960) *''

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin ''The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin'' is an American children's television series in the Western genre that aired from October 1954 to May 1959 on the ABC television network. In all, 164 episodes aired. The show starred Lee Aaker as Rusty, a boy orph ...

'' 1 episode (Hop Sing in ''The Ming Vase'') (1959) *'' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'' 1 episode (Song in ''The Dead Part of the House'') (1959) *''

Alcoa Theatre ''Alcoa Theatre'' is a half-hour American anthology series telecast on NBC at 9:30 pm on Monday nights from September 30, 1957 to May 23, 1960. The program also aired under the title ''Turn of Fate''. ''Alcoa Theatre'' was syndicated together ...

'' 1 episode (Boo Soon in ''Day the Devil Hid'') (1959) *''

General Electric Theatre ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'' 1 episode (Rahm Sing in ''The House of Truth'') (1959) *'' Adventures in Paradise'' 4 episodes (Ling in ''The Bamboo Curtain'') (1959) (Ling Wan in ''One Little Pearl'') (1960) (Reverend Yen in ''Command at Sea'') (1961) (Mr. Chee in ''Build My Gallows Low'') (1962) *'' The Islanders'' 1 episode (Governor Galli in ''The Generous Politician'') (1960) *''

The Gale Storm Show ''The Gale Storm Show'' is an American sitcom starring Gale Storm. The series premiered on September 29, 1956, and ran until 1960 for 125 half-hour black-and-white episodes, initially on CBS and in its last year on ABC. Its title is also seen ...

'' 1 episode (Lee Sing in ''Made in Hong Kong'') (1960) *''

Tightrope (TV series) ''Tightrope!'' is an American crime drama series that aired on CBS from September 1959 to September 1960, under the alternating sponsorship of the J.B. Williams Company ( Aqua Velva, Lectric Shave, etc.), and American Tobacco ( Pall Mall). Prod ...

'' 1 episode (Quon Lee in ''The Chinese Pendant'') (1960) *'' The Rebel'' 1 episode (Quong Lee in ''Blind Marriage'') (1960) *'' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' 1 episode (Tom Wing in ''Pay-Off at Pinto'') (1960) *''

Richard Diamond, Private Detective ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective'' is an American detective drama, created by Blake Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960. Radio Dick Powell starred in the ''Richard Diamond, Private Detec ...

'' 1 episode (''East of Danger'') (1960) *''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'' 1 episode (Mr. Lu in ''Face in the Window'') (1960) *''

The Brothers Brannagan ''The Brothers Brannagan'' is an American crime drama television series that aired in syndication from September 24, 1960, to July 15, 1961. Synopsis ''The Brothers Brannagan'' features fictitious detectives Mike and Bob Brannagan, portrayed, re ...

'' 1 episode (Howard Mai in ''The Key of Jade'') (1960) *''

Pete and Gladys ''Pete and Gladys'' is an American sitcom television series starring Harry Morgan and Cara Williams that aired on CBS on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time for two seasons, beginning on September 19, 1960. The last episode was b ...

'' 1 episode (Mr. Suki in ''No Man is Japan'') (1960) *''

Mr. Garlund ''Mr. Garlund'', also known as ''The Garlund Touch'', is a television drama broadcast on the CBS network in the United States that aired on Friday nights in the 1960-61 television season. Production The show premiered on October 7, 1960. The six ...

'' 2 episodes (Po Chang in ''The X-27'' and ''To Double, Double Vamp'') (1960) *'' Hawaiian Eye'' 4 episodes (Mr. Kwong in ''The Lady's Not for Traveling'') (1960) (Mr. Sun in ''The Blue Goddess'') (1960) (Li in ''The Manchu Formula'') (1961) (Florist in ''The Broken Thread'') (1962) *''

'' 3 episodes (Mr. Lee Chang in ''The Fear Merchants'') (1960) (Dr. Kam Lee in ''Day of the Dragon'') (1961) (Wang Sai in ''A Pink Cloud Comes From Old Cathay'') (1964) *''

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

'' 2 episodes (Feng in ''The Dragon Cup'') (1960) (Hyung in ''Lady Godiva'') (1961) *''

Alcoa Premiere '' Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'') is an American anthology drama series that aired from October 1961 to July 1963 on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the episode ...

'' 1 episode (Chinese major in ''The Fortress'') (1961) *'' Follow the Sun'' 2 episodes (Dr. Kwai in ''Cry Fraud'') (1961) (Han Lee in ''Ghost Story'') (as Phillip Ahn) (1962) *'' The New Breed'' 1 episode (Joe Ohoshi in ''Echoes of Hate'') (1962) *'' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' 1 episode (''The Fork in the Road'') (1962) *''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' 1 episode (James Wong in ''The Case of the Weary Watchdog'') (1962) *''

Ensign O'Toole ''Ensign O'Toole'' is an American situation comedy that stars Dean Jones in the title role as an officer aboard the United States Navy destroyer USS ''Appleby'' in the early 1960s. It aired from 1962 to 1963. Synopsis Ensign O'Toole is a junio ...

'' 1 episode (Low Kong in ''Operation Intrigue'') (1963) *''

The Third Man ''The Third Man'' is a 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Set in postwar Vienna, the film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten ...

'' 1 episode (Easy One Seng in ''A Calculated Risk'') (1963) *'' Stoney Burke'' 1 episode (Zen Master in ''The Weapons Man'') (as Phillip Ahn) (1963) *''

Make Room for Daddy ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show ...

'' 1 episode (Wong Chow, the launderer in ''Sense of Humor'') (1964) *'' The Rogues'' 1 episode (Magician in ''Our Men in Marawat'') (1965) *''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'' 2 episodes (Charlie Huan in ''Carry Me Back to Old Tsing-Tao'') (1965) (Tu Po in ''An American Empress'') (1967) *''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels w ...

'' 1 episode (Quong Chu in ''The Night the Dragon Screamed'') (1966) *''

The F.B.I. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

'' 2 episodes (Police Chief Henry Nakamura in ''The Hiding Place'') (1966) (Mr. Kwong in ''Dark Journey'') (1972) *''

The Man from U.N.C.L.E ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a secret ...

'' 2 episodes (High Lama of Ghupat in ''The Abominable Snowman Affair'') (1966) (Dr. Sazami Kyushu in ''The Five Daughters Affair: Part II'') (1967) *''

The Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science fiction TV series written around a theme of time travel adventure starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction television series and ...

'' 1 episode (Dr. Nakamura in ''Kill Two By Two'') (1967) *'' Laredo'' 1 episode (Capt. Wong Lee in ''The Bitter Yen of General Ti'') (1967) *'' The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'' 1 episode (Wu in ''The Fountain of Youth Affair'') (1967) *''

'' 4 episodes (Attorney General in ''Pilot'') (1968) (Attorney General in ''Cocoon: Part I'') (1969) (Quon Li in ''Sweet Terror'') (1969) (Lin Mai-Lu in ''Journey Out of Limbo'') (1972) *''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour e ...

'' 1 episode (Chen Yu in ''The Emperor of Rice'') (1968) *''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...

'' 1 episode (Uncle George Wong in ''Honorable Guest'') (1968) *''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private inves ...

'' 1 episode (Mr. Rhee in ''Shadow of a Man'') (1969) *'' Mission: Impossible'' 1 episode (Dr. Liu in ''Doomsday'') (1969) *'' It Takes a Thief'' 1 episode (Owner in ''Mad in Japan'') (1969) *'' Ironside'' 1 episode (Nam Feng in ''Love My Enemy'') (1969) *''

The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin, Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the ...

'' 1 episode (Mr. Wu in ''The Year of the Locusts'') (1972) *''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...

'' 1 episode (Chow Lee in segment ''Love and the Golden Worm'') (1974) *'' The Magician'' 1 episode (Chao Liu in ''The Illusion of the Lost Dragon'') (1974) *'' Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya – General Yamashita'' (TV movie) (1974) *''

'' 39 episodes (Master Kan) (1972–1975) *'' The Killer Who Wouldn't Die'' (TV movie) Soong (as Phillip Ahn) (1976) *''

'' 3 episodes (The father in ''Hawkeye'') (1976) (Korean grandfather in ''Exorcism'') (1976) (Mr. Kim in ''Change Day'') (as Phillip Ahn) (1977) *'' Sanford and Son'' 1 episode (Chinese man in ''The Defiant One'') (1977) *''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'' 1 episode (Colonel Minh in ''The Man Who Made Volcanoes'') (1977) *'' Police Woman'' 2 episodes (Quon in ''Deadline: Death'') (1977) (Mr. Won in ''The Human Rights of Tiki Kim'') (1978) *''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...

'' 1 episode (Charlie Kuang in ''The Tong'') (1978)

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * *

External links

* *
The Philip Ahn Admiration Society

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ahn, Philip 1905 births 1978 deaths American male actors of Korean descent American male film actors 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Male actors from Los Angeles Marshall School of Business alumni Military personnel from California United States Army soldiers People from Colusa, California People from Panorama City, Los Angeles United States Army personnel of World War II