James Shigeta
Biography
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

Perry Mason

The Love Boat

Beverly Hills, 90210

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

Babylon 5

Ironside

Hawaii Five-O
All Movies (43)
- Beam Me Up, Sulu2025 · as Self
- Yorktown: A Time to Heal2022 · as Admiral Heilachiro Nogura
- Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood2019 · as (archive footage)
- The People I've Slept With2009 · as Charles Yang
- Hollywood Chinese2007 · as Self
- The Slanted Screen2006 · as Himself
- Brother2000 · as Sugimoto
- Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century1999 · as Narrator
- Mulan1998 · as General Li (voice)
- Drive1997 · as Mr. Lau
- Space Marines1996 · as Ambassador Nakamura
- Midnight Man1995 · as Mao Mak
- Cage II: The Arena of Death1994 · as Tin Lum Yin
- Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die1994 · as Det. Whoo
- China Cry1990 · as Dr. Sung
- Home from the Eastern Sea1990 · as Narrator
- Cage1989 · as Tin Lum Yin
- Slaying the Dragon1988
- Die Hard1988 · as Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi
- The Renegades1982 · as Jimmy Lee
- Tomorrow's Child1982 · as Donald Shibura
- Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb1980 · as Field Marshal Abehata
- Samurai1979 · as Takeo Chisato
- Midway1976 · as Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
- The Killer Who Wouldn't Die1976 · as David Lao
- Matt Helm1975 · as Tom McCauley
- The Yakuza1974 · as Goro
- The Questor Tapes1974 · as Dr. Chen
- Lost Horizon1973 · as Brother To-Lenn
- The Young Lawyers1969 · as Lee Ahn
- Operation Heartbeat1969 · as Chief Resident
- Escape to Mindanao1968 · as Lt. Takahashi
- Manila, Open City1968 · as Captain Murakami
- Nobody's Perfect1968 · as Diver Toshi O'Hara
- The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk1967 · as George Ti Ming
- Death Walks in Laredo1967 · as Lester Koto
- Paradise, Hawaiian Style1966 · as Danny Kohana
- Carol for Another Christmas1964 · as Japanese Doctor
- Flower Drum Song1961 · as Wang Ta
- Bridge to the Sun1961 · as Hidenari Terasaki
- Cry for Happy1961 · as Suzuki
- Walk Like a Dragon1960 · as Cheng Lu
- The Crimson Kimono1959 · as Detective Joe Kojaku
All TV Shows (53)
- Avatar: The Last Airbender2005 · as Old Wanderer (voice)
- Threat Matrix2003 · as Kang Sok-Joo
- The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest1996 · as Inspector Mantjur (voice)
- The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest1996 · as Dr. Yamashiro (voice)
- Cybill1995 · as Mr. Matsuzaki
- Babylon 51994 · as Taro Isogi
- seaQuest DSV1993 · as Vietnamese President Chi
- Renegade1992
- Renegade1992 · as Mr. Ota
- Beverly Hills, 902101990 · as Ben Sosna
- Jake and the Fatman1987 · as Mr. Koso Nakasone
- Murder, She Wrote1984 · as John Sukahara
- Murder, She Wrote1984 · as Luc Li
- Airwolf1984 · as Colonel Tranh Van Zung
- Masquerade1983 · as Makko
- The Hitchhiker1983 · as Nishi
- Matt Houston1982 · as Lin Ha
- T. J. Hooker1982 · as Chow Duc Khan
- Simon & Simon1981
- Magnum, P.I.1980 · as Richard Enoka
- Magnum, P.I.1980 · as Mr. Obotu
- The Love Boat1977 · as Bud's Father
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries1977
- Once an Eagle1976 · as Lin Tso-Han
- Ellery Queen1975 · as Stephen Yang
- S.W.A.T.1975
- Police Woman1974
- The Rockford Files1974 · as Clement Chin
- Little House on the Prairie1974 · as Sam Wing
- Kung Fu1972 · as Master Kwan Li
- Kung Fu1972 · as Col. Lin Pei
- The Streets of San Francisco1972
- The Streets of San Francisco1972 · as Prosecutor
- Emergency!1972
- Medical Center1969 · as Dr. Osaka
- Hawaii Five-O1968 · as Joseph Matsukino
- Ironside1967
- Mission: Impossible1966 · as Shiki
- The Bing Crosby Show1964
- Burke's Law1963 · as Sidney Ying
- The Outer Limits1963 · as Maj. Jong
- The Outer Limits1963 · as AIO Captain Newa
- The Lieutenant1963
- Ben Casey1961
- Ben Casey1961 · as Dr. Harvey Lee
- Dr. Kildare1961 · as Dr. Roy Shigera
- Kraft Mystery Theatre1961
- Naked City1958 · as James Kam
- Perry Mason1957 · as Ward Toyama
- The Dinah Shore Chevy Show1956 · as Self
- Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Audience Member
- Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee
- Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Winner