James Shigeta
Born
June 17, 1929 (age 85)
Died
July 28, 2014
Birthplace
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

James Shigeta

James Saburo Shigeta (June 17, 1929 – July 28, 2014) was an American actor, singer, and musician of Japanese descent. He was noted for his roles in The Crimson Kimono (1959), Walk Like a Dragon (1960), Flower Drum Song (1961), Bridge to the Sun (1961), Die Hard (1988), and Mulan (1998). In 1960, he won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, along with three other actors.

In his early career, Shigeta often played romantic male lead roles, which were almost nonexistent for an actor of Asian descent during his time, making him a trailblazer in Asian American representation in media. The Goldsea Asian-American Daily magazine listed him as one of the "Most Inspiring Asian-Americans Of All Time".

Before his Hollywood career he found success as a pop singer and performer abroad, especially in Japan and Australia.

Movies

Yorktown: A Time to Heal
Yorktown: A Time to Heal
2022
Admiral Heilachiro Nogura
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
2019 ★ 5.7
(archive footage)
The People I've Slept With
The People I've Slept With
2009 ★ 4.5
Charles Yang
Brother
Brother
2000 ★ 7.1
Sugimoto
Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century
Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century
1999
Narrator
Mulan
Mulan
1998 ★ 7.9
General Li (voice)
Drive
Drive
1997 ★ 6.1
Mr. Lau
Space Marines
Space Marines
1996 ★ 3.1
Ambassador Nakamura
Midnight Man
Midnight Man
1995 ★ 5.1
Mao Mak
Cage II: The Arena of Death
Cage II: The Arena of Death
1994 ★ 2.9
Tin Lum Yin
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die
1994 ★ 6.5
Det. Whoo
China Cry
China Cry
1990 ★ 6.0
Dr. Sung
Home from the Eastern Sea
Home from the Eastern Sea
1990
Narrator
Cage
Cage
1989 ★ 3.1
Tin Lum Yin
Slaying the Dragon
Slaying the Dragon
1988
Die Hard
Die Hard
1988 ★ 7.8
Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi
The Renegades
The Renegades
1982 ★ 6.4
Jimmy Lee
Tomorrow's Child
Tomorrow's Child
1982 ★ 2.0
Donald Shibura
Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb
Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb
1980 ★ 5.7
Field Marshal Abehata
Samurai
Samurai
1979
Takeo Chisato
Midway
Midway
1976 ★ 6.6
Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
1976
David Lao
Matt Helm
Matt Helm
1975
Tom McCauley
The Yakuza
The Yakuza
1974 ★ 7.1
Goro
The Questor Tapes
The Questor Tapes
1974 ★ 5.7
Dr. Chen
Lost Horizon
Lost Horizon
1973 ★ 5.4
Brother To-Lenn
The Young Lawyers
The Young Lawyers
1969
Lee Ahn
Operation Heartbeat
Operation Heartbeat
1969
Chief Resident
Escape to Mindanao
Escape to Mindanao
1968
Lt. Takahashi
Manila, Open City
Manila, Open City
1968 ★ 8.2
Captain Murakami
Nobody's Perfect
Nobody's Perfect
1968 ★ 5.5
Diver Toshi O'Hara
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
1967 ★ 6.0
George Ti Ming
Death Walks in Laredo
Death Walks in Laredo
1967 ★ 6.5
Lester Koto
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
1966 ★ 5.1
Danny Kohana
Carol for Another Christmas
Carol for Another Christmas
1964 ★ 5.8
Japanese Doctor
Flower Drum Song
Flower Drum Song
1961 ★ 6.2
Wang Ta
Bridge to the Sun
Bridge to the Sun
1961 ★ 6.8
Hidenari Terasaki
Cry for Happy
Cry for Happy
1961 ★ 5.0
Harue
Walk Like a Dragon
Walk Like a Dragon
1960 ★ 5.0
Cheng Lu
The Crimson Kimono
The Crimson Kimono
1959 ★ 6.6
Detective Joe Kojaku

TV Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
2005 ★ 8.8
Old Wanderer (voice)
1 Episode
Threat Matrix
Threat Matrix
2003 ★ 6.0
Kang Sok-Joo
1 Episode
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
1996 ★ 7.2
Inspector Mantjur (voice)
1 Episode
Cybill
Cybill
1995 ★ 5.8
Mr. Matsuzaki
1 Episode
Babylon 5
Babylon 5
1994 ★ 8.0
Taro Isogi
1 Episode
seaQuest DSV
seaQuest DSV
1993 ★ 7.0
Vietnamese President Chi
2 Episodes
Renegade
Renegade
1992 ★ 6.7
1 Episode
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
1990 ★ 7.3
Ben Sosna
3 Episodes
Jake and the Fatman
Jake and the Fatman
1987 ★ 6.2
Mr. Koso Nakasone
1 Episode
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
1984 ★ 7.5
John Sukahara
1 Episode
Airwolf
Airwolf
1984 ★ 7.6
Colonel Tranh Van Zung
1 Episode
Masquerade
Masquerade
1983 ★ 5.0
Makko
1 Episode
The Hitchhiker
The Hitchhiker
1983 ★ 6.1
Nishi
1 Episode
Matt Houston
Matt Houston
1982 ★ 6.2
Lin Ha
1 Episode
T. J. Hooker
T. J. Hooker
1982 ★ 6.4
Chow Duc Khan
1 Episode
Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon
1981 ★ 6.7
3 Episodes
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
1980 ★ 7.3
Richard Enoka
1 Episode
The Love Boat
The Love Boat
1977 ★ 6.3
Bud's Father
1 Episode
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
1977 ★ 7.1
1 Episode
Once an Eagle
Once an Eagle
1976 ★ 6.8
Lin Tso-Han
7 Episodes
Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen
1975 ★ 7.4
Stephen Yang
1 Episode
S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T.
1975 ★ 7.0
1 Episode
Police Woman
Police Woman
1974 ★ 6.2
1 Episode
The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files
1974 ★ 7.6
Clement Chin
1 Episode
Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie
1974 ★ 7.9
Sam Wing
1 Episode
Kung Fu
Kung Fu
1972 ★ 7.7
Master Kwan Li
1 Episode
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
1972 ★ 7.0
1 Episode
Emergency!
Emergency!
1972 ★ 7.8
1 Episode
Medical Center
Medical Center
1969 ★ 6.1
Dr. Osaka
2 Episodes
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
1968 ★ 7.1
Joseph Matsukino
1 Episode
Ironside
Ironside
1967 ★ 6.8
2 Episodes
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
1966 ★ 7.6
Shiki
1 Episode
The Bing Crosby Show
The Bing Crosby Show
1964 ★ 5.0
1 Episode
Burke's Law
Burke's Law
1963 ★ 6.0
Sidney Ying
1 Episode
The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits
1963 ★ 7.8
Maj. Jong
1 Episode
The Lieutenant
The Lieutenant
1963 ★ 6.0
1 Episode
Ben Casey
Ben Casey
1961 ★ 5.6
1 Episode
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare
1961 ★ 5.5
Dr. Roy Shigera
1 Episode
Kraft Mystery Theatre
Kraft Mystery Theatre
1961 ★ 6.0
1 Episode
Naked City
Naked City
1958 ★ 5.5
James Kam
1 Episode
Perry Mason
Perry Mason
1957 ★ 7.7
Ward Toyama
1 Episode