James Shigeta
Born
June 17, 1929
Died
July 28, 2014 (85 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
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.
Known For
Beam Me Up, Sulu
Self
2025
Yorktown: A Time to Heal
Admiral Heilachiro Nogura
2022
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
(archive footage)
2019
The People I've Slept With
Charles Yang
2009
Hollywood Chinese
Self
2007
The Slanted Screen
Himself
2006
Avatar: The Last Airbender
(1 episode)
2005
Threat Matrix
Kang Sok-Joo · (1 episode)
2003
Brother
Sugimoto
2000
Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century
Narrator
1999
Mulan
General Li (voice)
1998
Drive
Mr. Lau
1997
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Inspector Mantjur (voice) · (1 episode)
1996
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Dr. Yamashiro (voice) · (1 episode)
1996
Space Marines
Ambassador Nakamura
1996
Midnight Man
Mao Mak
1995
Cage II: The Arena of Death
Tin Lum Yin
1994
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die
Det. Whoo
1994
Babylon 5
Taro Isogi · (1 episode)
1994
seaQuest DSV
Vietnamese President Chi · (2 episodes)
1993
Renegade
(1 episode)
1992
Renegade
Mr. Ota · (1 episode)
1992
China Cry
Dr. Sung
1990
Beverly Hills, 90210
(3 episodes)
1990
Home from the Eastern Sea
Narrator
1990
Cage
Tin Lum Yin
1989
Slaying the Dragon
1988
Die Hard
Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi
1988
Jake and the Fatman
Mr. Koso Nakasone · (1 episode)
1987
Murder, She Wrote
John Sukahara · (1 episode)
1984
Murder, She Wrote
Luc Li · (1 episode)
1984
Airwolf
Colonel Tranh Van Zung · (1 episode)
1984
Masquerade
Makko · (1 episode)
1983
The Hitchhiker
Nishi · (1 episode)
1983
Matt Houston
(1 episode)
1982
The Renegades
Jimmy Lee
1982
Tomorrow's Child
Donald Shibura
1982
T. J. Hooker
Chow Duc Khan · (1 episode)
1982
Simon & Simon
(3 episodes)
1981
Magnum, P.I.
Richard Enoka · (1 episode)
1980
Magnum, P.I.
Mr. Obotu · (1 episode)
1980
Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb
Field Marshal Abehata
1980
Samurai
Takeo Chisato
1979
The Love Boat
Bud's Father · (1 episode)
1977
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
(1 episode)
1977
Once an Eagle
Lin Tso-Han · (7 episodes)
1976
Midway
Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
1976
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
David Lao
1976
Ellery Queen
Stephen Yang · (1 episode)
1975
Matt Helm
Tom McCauley
1975
S.W.A.T.
(1 episode)
1975
The Yakuza
Goro
1974
Police Woman
(1 episode)
1974
The Rockford Files
Clement Chin · (1 episode)
1974
Little House on the Prairie
(1 episode)
1974
The Questor Tapes
Dr. Chen
1974
Lost Horizon
Brother To-Lenn
1973
Kung Fu
Master Kwan Li · (1 episode)
1972
Kung Fu
Col. Lin Pei · (1 episode)
1972
The Streets of San Francisco
(1 episode)
1972
The Streets of San Francisco
Prosecutor · (1 episode)
1972
Emergency!
(1 episode)
1972
The Young Lawyers
Lee Ahn
1969
Medical Center
Dr. Osaka · (2 episodes)
1969
Operation Heartbeat
Chief Resident
1969
Escape to Mindanao
Lt. Takahashi
1968
Hawaii Five-O
Joseph Matsukino · (1 episode)
1968
Manila, Open City
Captain Murakami
1968
Nobody's Perfect
Diver Toshi O'Hara
1968
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
George Ti Ming
1967
Ironside
(2 episodes)
1967
Death Walks in Laredo
Lester Koto
1967
Mission: Impossible
Shiki · (1 episode)
1966
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Danny Kohana
1966
Carol for Another Christmas
Japanese Doctor
1964
The Bing Crosby Show
(1 episode)
1964
Burke's Law
Sidney Ying · (1 episode)
1963
The Outer Limits
Maj. Jong · (1 episode)
1963
The Outer Limits
AIO Captain Newa · (1 episode)
1963
The Lieutenant
(1 episode)
1963
Flower Drum Song
Wang Ta
1961
Bridge to the Sun
Hidenari Terasaki
1961
Ben Casey
(2 episodes)
1961
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Roy Shigera · (1 episode)
1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre
(1 episode)
1961
Cry for Happy
Harue
1961
Walk Like a Dragon
Cheng Lu
1960
The Crimson Kimono
Detective Joe Kojaku
1959
Naked City
James Kam · (1 episode)
1958
Perry Mason
Ward Toyama · (1 episode)
1957
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Audience Member · (1 episode)
1944
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner · (1 episode)
1944