Sessue Hayakawa
Born
June 10, 1889
Died
November 23, 1973 (84 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Nanaura, Chiba, Japan
Sessue Hayakawa (June 10, 1889 – November 23, 1973) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) actor who starred in American, Japanese, French, German, and British films. Hayakawa was the first and one of the few Asian actors to find stardom in the United States as well as Europe. Between the mid-1910s and the late 1920s, he was as well known as actors Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks. He was one of the highest paid stars of his time; making $5,000 a week in 1915, and $2 million a year via his own production company during the 1920s. He starred in over 80 movies and has two films in the U.S. National Film Registry. His international stardom transitioned both silent films and talkies.
Of his English-language films, Hayakawa is probably best known for his role as Colonel Saito in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai, for which he received a nomination for Academy Award Best Supporting Actor in 1957. He also appeared as the pirate leader in Disney's Swiss Family Robinson in 1960. In addition to his film acting career, Hayakawa was a theatre actor, film and theatre producer, film director, screenwriter, novelist, martial artist, and an ordained Zen master. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sessue Hayakawa, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Asian Americans
Self · (5 episodes)
2020
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
(archive footage)
2019
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2007
Swiss Family Robinson: Adventure in the Making
Self (archive)
2002
Lover's Duet
Tajima
1967
The Daydreamer
The Mole (voice)
1966
Taikouki
Takeda Shingen · (52 episodes)
1965
The Frozen Moment
Self
1964
The Big Wave
The Old Man
1961
Swiss Family Robinson
Kuala, Pirate Chief
1960
Escape to Paradise/Water Birds
1960
Hell to Eternity
General Matsui
1960
John Gunther's High Road
Self
1959
Green Mansions
Runi
1959
The Geisha Boy
Mr. Sikita
1958
The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant
Self
1958
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Col. Saito
1957
House of Bamboo
Inspector Kito
1955
悲劇の将軍 山下奉文
1953
47 Vendettas
Sakon Tachibana
1953
Les Miserables II: Banner of Love and Freedom
1950
Les Miserables I: God and the Devil
1950
The Motherland Far Far Away
Joe Hayami
1950
Three Came Home
Colonel Michio Suga
1950
Tokyo Joe
Baron Kimura
1949
Quartier chinois
Tchang
1947
Le Cabaret du Grand Large
Professeur Wang
1946
Le Soleil de minuit
Matsui
1943
Malaria
1943
Gambling Hell
Ying Tchaï
1942
Patrouille blanche
1942
Tempête sur l'Asie
Prinz Ling
1938
Forfaiture
Prince Hu-Long
1937
Yoshiwara
Ysamo, Kuli
1937
The Daughter of the Samurai
Iwao Yamato
1937
Running Hollywood
Sessue Hayakawa
1932
Around the World with Douglas Fairbanks
Self
1931
Daughter of the Dragon
Ah Kee
1931
I Have Killed
Hideo
1924
Sen Yan’s Devotion
Sen Yan
1924
The Great Prince Shan
Prince Shan
1924
The Battle
Le Marquis Yorisaka
1923
Night Life in Hollywood
Self
1922
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Self
1922
The Vermilion Pencil
Tse Chan / The Unknown / Li Chan
1922
The Swamp
Wang
1921
Where Lights Are Low
T''Su Wong Shih
1921
Black Roses
Yoda
1921
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)
Himself
1921
The First Born
Chan Wang
1921
An Arabian Knight
Ahmed
1920
Li Ting Lang
Li Ting Lang
1920
The Devil's Claim
Akbar Khan / Hassan
1920
The Tong Man
Luk Chen
1919
Bonds of Honor
Yamashito / Sasamoto
1919
The Dragon Painter
Tatsu - the Dragon Painter
1919
The Man Beneath
Dr. Chindi Ashutor
1919
The Courageous Coward
Suki Iota
1919
A Heart in Pawn
Tomaya
1919
The Temple Of Dusk
Akira
1918
Banzai
The American General
1918
His Birthright
Yukio
1918
The City of Dim Faces
Jang Lung
1918
The Bravest Way
Kara Tamura
1918
The White Man's Law
John A. Genghis
1918
The Honor of His House
Count Ito Onato
1918
Hidden Pearls
Tom Garvin
1918
The Secret Game
Nara-Nara
1917
The Call of the East
Arai Takada
1917
Forbidden Paths
Sato
1917
The Bottle Imp
Lopaka
1917
Each to His Kind
Rhandah
1917
The Victoria Cross
Azimoolah
1916
The Soul of Kura San
Toyo
1916
The Honorable Friend
Makino
1916
Temptation
Opera Admirer
1915
The Cheat
Hishuru Tori [Haka Arakau]
1915
The Secret Sin
Lin Foo
1915
The Clue
Nogi
1915
After Five
Oki - the Valet
1915
The Last of the Line
Tiah - Gray Otter's Son
1914
The Typhoon
Tokorama
1914
The Death Mask
Running Wolf
1914
The Wrath of the Gods
Lord Yamaki
1914
O Mimi san
Yorotomo
1914