
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