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Richard Loo

Acting 80 (deceased) years old Maui, Hawaii, USA ★ 1.0
Born: October 1, 1903
Died: November 20, 1983

Biography

Richard Loo (October 1, 1903 – November 20, 1983) was an American film actor who was one of the most familiar Asian character actors in American films of the 1930s and 1940s. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1982.

Chinese by ancestry and Hawaiian by birth, Loo spent his youth in Hawaii, then moved to California as a teenager. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and began a career in business.

The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent economic depression forced Loo to start over. He became involved with amateur, then professional, theater companies and in 1931 made his first film. Like most Asian actors in non-Asian countries, he played primarily small, stereotypical roles, though he rose quickly to familiarity, if not fame, in a number of films.

His stern features led him to be a favorite movie villain, and the outbreak of World War II gave him greater prominence in roles as vicious Japanese soldiers in such successful pictures as The Purple Heart (1944) and God Is My Co-Pilot (1945). Loo was most often typecast as the Japanese enemy pilot, spy or interrogator during World War II. In the film The Purple Heart he plays a Japanese Imperial Army general who commits suicide because he cannot break down the American prisoners. According to his daughter, Beverly Jane Loo, he didn't mind being typecast as a villain in these movies as he felt very patriotic about playing those parts.

In 1944 he appeared as a Chinese army lieutenant opposite Gregory Peck in The Keys of the Kingdom. He had a rare heroic role as a war-weary Japanese-American soldier in Samuel Fuller's Korean War classic The Steel Helmet (1951), but he spent much of the latter part of his career performing stock roles in films and minor television roles.

In 1974 he appeared as the Thai billionaire tycoon Hai Fat in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, opposite Roger Moore and Christopher Lee.

Loo was also a teacher of Shaolin monks in three episodes of the 1972–1975 hit TV series Kung Fu and made a further three appearances as a different character. His last acting appearance was in The Incredible Hulk TV series in 1981, but he continued to act in Toyota commercials into 1982.

Loo died of a cerebral hemorrhage on November 20, 1983, age 80.

[biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

The Man with the Golden Gun
The Man with the Golden Gun Hai Fat 1974
Behind the Rising Sun
Behind the Rising Sun Japanese Officer Dispensing Opium 1943
The Bitter Tea of General Yen
The Bitter Tea of General Yen Captain Li 1932
Destroyer
Destroyer Japanese Submarine Commander 1943
Around the World in 80 Days
Around the World in 80 Days Saloon Manager (uncredited) 1956

Filmography

Acting Credits (125)

The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller Sgt. Tanaka (archive footage) (uncredited) 2002
Kung Fu: The Movie
Kung Fu: The Movie Master Sun 1986
The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk 1977
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries 1977
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur Chiang-Kai-Shek 1976
The Man with the Golden Gun
The Man with the Golden Gun Hai Fat 1974
Police Story
Police Story 1973
Kung Fu
Kung Fu Master Sun 1972
Kung Fu
Kung Fu Ho Fai, The Weapons Master 1972
Delphi Bureau
Delphi Bureau Shen Si 1972
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon Master Sun 1972
Chandler
Chandler Leo 1971
One More Train to Rob
One More Train to Rob Mr. Chang 1971
McCloud
McCloud Y.S. Chen (uncredited) 1970
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities Kenji Yamashita 1969
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O Wong Tou 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show Self - Guest 1968
The Sand Pebbles
The Sand Pebbles Major Chin 1966
Family Affair
Family Affair 1966
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie Wong 1965
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West 1965
Honey West
Honey West Tog - Chinese Fine Arts Thief 1965
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dr. Yahama 1964
Bewitched
Bewitched 1964
Burke's Law
Burke's Law Grass Slipper 1963
The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits Li-Chin Sung 1963
The Dakotas
The Dakotas 1963
A Girl Named Tamiko
A Girl Named Tamiko Otani 1962
Diamond Head
Diamond Head Yamagata (uncredited) 1962
Confessions of an Opium Eater
Confessions of an Opium Eater George Wah 1962
The Beachcomber
The Beachcomber Ah Wei 1962
My Three Sons
My Three Sons 1960
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Leo 1960
The Scavengers
The Scavengers 1959
Hong Kong Affair
Hong Kong Affair Li Noon 1958
The Quiet American
The Quiet American Mr. Heng 1958
Maverick
Maverick 1957
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Mr. Eng 1957
Battle Hymn
Battle Hymn Gen. Kim (scenes deleted) 1957
Around the World in 80 Days
Around the World in 80 Days Saloon Manager (uncredited) 1956
The Conqueror
The Conqueror Captain of Wang's guard 1956
The Man Called X
The Man Called X 1956
Navy Log
Navy Log 1955
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing Robert Hung 1955
House of Bamboo
House of Bamboo Inspector Kito's Voice (voice) (uncredited) 1955
Soldier of Fortune
Soldier of Fortune Gen. Po Lin 1955
December Bride
December Bride 1954
The Shanghai Story
The Shanghai Story Officer 1954
Living It Up
Living It Up Dr. Lee 1954
The Bamboo Prison
The Bamboo Prison Commandant Hsai Tung 1954
Hell and High Water
Hell and High Water Hakada Fujimori 1954
China Venture
China Venture Chang Sung 1953
Destination Gobi
Destination Gobi Commanding Officer, Japanese POW Camp 1953
Target Hong Kong
Target Hong Kong Fu Chao 1953
Cavalcade of America
Cavalcade of America 1952
Cavalcade of America
Cavalcade of America Ho Chung 1952
Four Star Playhouse
Four Star Playhouse Jo-Kai 1952
5 Fingers
5 Fingers 1952
I Was an American Spy
I Was an American Spy Col. Masamato 1951
The Steel Helmet
The Steel Helmet Sergeant Tanaka 1951
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Colgate Comedy Hour Self 1950
Malaya
Malaya Colonel Genichi Tomura 1949
The Clay Pigeon
The Clay Pigeon Ken Tokoyama 1949
State Department: File 649
State Department: File 649 Marshal Yun Usu 1949
Rogues' Regiment
Rogues' Regiment Kao Pang 1948
Studio One
Studio One 1948
The Cobra Strikes
The Cobra Strikes Hyder Ali 1948
Half Past Midnight
Half Past Midnight Lee Gow 1948
To the Ends of the Earth
To the Ends of the Earth Commissioner Lu (uncredited) 1948
Women in the Night
Women in the Night Colonel Noyama 1948
Beyond Our Own
Beyond Our Own James Wong 1947
Web of Danger
Web of Danger Wing 1947
Seven Were Saved
Seven Were Saved Colonel Yamura 1947
Tokyo Rose
Tokyo Rose Colonel Suzuki 1946
Prison Ship
Prison Ship Capt. Okisawa 1945
First Yank into Tokyo
First Yank into Tokyo Col. Hideko Okanura 1945
Back to Bataan
Back to Bataan Maj. Hasko 1945
China's Little Devils
China's Little Devils Colonel Huraji 1945
China Sky
China Sky Col. Yasuda 1945
Betrayal from the East
Betrayal from the East Lt. Cmdr. Miyazaki, alias Tani 1945
God Is My Co-Pilot
God Is My Co-Pilot Tokyo Joe 1945
The Keys of the Kingdom
The Keys of the Kingdom Lt. Shon 1944
The Story of Dr. Wassell
The Story of Dr. Wassell Chinese Doctor on Train (uncredited) 1944
The Purple Heart
The Purple Heart General Ito Mitsubi 1944
So Proudly We Hail
So Proudly We Hail Japanese Radio Announcer (Voice) (Uncredited) 1943
Destroyer
Destroyer Japanese Submarine Commander 1943
Behind the Rising Sun
Behind the Rising Sun Japanese Officer Dispensing Opium 1943
Yanks Ahoy
Yanks Ahoy Japanese Submarine Officer (uncredited) 1943
China
China Lin Yun 1943
Flight for Freedom
Flight for Freedom Mr. Yokahata (uncredited) 1943
The Falcon Strikes Back
The Falcon Strikes Back Jerry 1943
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday 1943
Road to Morocco
Road to Morocco Chinese Announcer (uncredited) 1942
Across the Pacific
Across the Pacific First Officer Miyuma 1942
Wake Island
Wake Island 1942
Star Spangled Rhythm
Star Spangled Rhythm Emperor Hirohito (uncredited) 1942
Secret of the Wastelands
Secret of the Wastelands Quan 1941
Doomed to Die
Doomed to Die Tong Leader 1940
The Fatal Hour
The Fatal Hour Jeweler 1940
Barricade
Barricade Colonel Commander of Rescue Party 1939
Daughter of the Tong
Daughter of the Tong Wong 1939
Island of Lost Men
Island of Lost Men General Ahn Ling 1939
Lady of the Tropics
Lady of the Tropics Delaroch's Chauffeur 1939
Miracles for Sale
Miracles for Sale Chinese Soldier in Demo 1939
Mr. Wong in Chinatown
Mr. Wong in Chinatown Tong Chief 1939
Panama Patrol
Panama Patrol Tommy Young 1939
North of Shanghai
North of Shanghai Jed's Pilot 1939
Shadows Over Shanghai
Shadows Over Shanghai Fong 1938
Too Hot to Handle
Too Hot to Handle Charlie (uncredited) 1938
Blondes at Work
Blondes at Work Sam Wong (uncredited) 1938
West of Shanghai
West of Shanghai Mr. Cheng 1937
That Certain Woman
That Certain Woman Elevator Operator (uncredited) 1937
The Good Earth
The Good Earth Farmer (uncredited) 1937
The Soldier and the Lady
The Soldier and the Lady Tartar (Uncredited) 1937
Lost Horizon
Lost Horizon Shanghai Airport Official (uncredited) 1937
Stowaway
Stowaway Chinese Merchant (uncredited) 1936
Mad Holiday
Mad Holiday Li Yat (uncredited) 1936
Roaming Lady
Roaming Lady Chinese Seaman 1936
China Seas
China Seas Chinese Inspector at Gangplank (uncredited) 1935
Stranded
Stranded Chinese Groom (uncredited) 1935
Student Tour
Student Tour Geisha's Customer 1934
Now and Forever
Now and Forever Hotel Clerk (uncredited) 1934
The Bitter Tea of General Yen
The Bitter Tea of General Yen Captain Li 1932
The Secrets of Wu Sin
The Secrets of Wu Sin Charlie San 1932
War Correspondent
War Correspondent Bandit (uncredited) 1932

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