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James Shigeta

Actor

James Shigeta

Born June 17, 1929 in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USADied July 28, 201436 films

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.

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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.

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The best way into James Shigeta's work
Mulan posterFirst watchMulan19987.9as General Li (voice)When Imperial China calls one man from every family to defend the empire from invading Huns, a young woman disguises herself as a soldier to take her ailing father’s place.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Die Hard poster7.8Die Hard1988Brother poster7.1Brother2000The Yakuza poster7.1The Yakuza1974Midway poster6.6Midway1976Drive poster6.1Drive1997The Crimson Kimono poster6.6The Crimson Kimono1959Paradise, Hawaiian Style poster5.1Paradise, Hawaiian Style1966

Filmography

36 films as actor
  1. 2022Yorktown: A Time to HealAdmiral Heilachiro Nogura
  2. 2010The People I've Slept WithCharles Yang
  3. 2000BrotherSugimoto
  4. 1998MulanGeneral Li (voice)
  5. 1997DriveMr. Lau
  6. 1996Space MarinesAmbassador Nakamura
  7. 1995Midnight ManMao Mak
  8. 1994Cage II: The Arena of DeathTin Lum Yin
  9. 1994Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never DieDet. Whoo
  10. 1990China CryDr. Sung
  11. 1989CageTin Lum Yin
  12. 1988Die HardJoseph Yoshinobu Takagi
  13. 1982The RenegadesJimmy Lee
  14. 1982Tomorrow's ChildDonald Shibura
  15. 1980Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic BombField Marshal Abehata
  16. 1979SamuraiTakeo Chisato
  17. 1976MidwayVice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
  18. 1976The Killer Who Wouldn't DieDavid Lao
  19. 1975Matt HelmTom McCauley
  20. 1974The YakuzaGoro
  21. 1974The Questor TapesDr. Chen
  22. 1973Lost HorizonBrother To-Lenn
  23. 1969The Young LawyersLee Ahn
  24. 1969Operation HeartbeatChief Resident
  25. 1968Escape to MindanaoLt. Takahashi
  26. 1968Manila, Open CityCaptain Murakami
  27. 1968Nobody's PerfectDiver Toshi O'Hara
  28. 1967The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese JunkGeorge Ti Ming
  29. 1967Death Walks in LaredoLester Koto
  30. 1966Paradise, Hawaiian StyleDanny Kohana
  31. 1964Carol for Another ChristmasJapanese Doctor
  32. 1961Flower Drum SongWang Ta
  33. 1961Bridge to the SunHidenari Terasaki
  34. 1961Cry for HappySuzuki
  35. 1960Walk Like a DragonCheng Lu
  36. 1959The Crimson KimonoDetective Joe Kojaku