



James Shigeta
James Saburo Shigeta | 繁田三郎
Acting
Date of birth:Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Gender:Male
Popularity:1
Date of death2014-07-28
85James 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".
Filmography
Rating by year
- Beam Me Up, SuluSelf2025-06-256.02
- Yorktown: A Time to HealAdmiral Heilachiro Nogura2022-04-050.00
- Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood(archive footage)2019-10-135.77
- The People I've Slept WithCharles Yang2009-08-134.520
- Hollywood ChineseSelf2007-03-180.00
- The Slanted ScreenHimself2006-01-0310.01
- Avatar: The Last AirbenderOld Wanderer (voice)2005-02-218.84,912
- Threat MatrixKang Sok-Joo2003-09-186.17
- BrotherSugimoto2000-12-137.1532
- Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st CenturyNarrator1999-01-010.00
- MulanGeneral Li (voice)1998-06-187.910,484
- DriveMr. Lau1997-08-066.1157
- The Real Adventures of Jonny QuestInspector Mantjur (voice)1996-08-267.246
- The Real Adventures of Jonny QuestDr. Yamashiro (voice)1996-08-267.246
- Space MarinesAmbassador Nakamura1996-01-013.514
- CybillMr. Matsuzaki1995-01-025.935
- Cage II: The Arena of DeathTin Lum Yin1994-12-143.410
- Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never DieDet. Whoo1994-05-066.813
- Babylon 5Taro Isogi1994-01-268.0600
- seaQuest DSVVietnamese President Chi1993-09-127.1154
- Renegade1992-09-196.7147
- RenegadeMr. Ota1992-09-196.7147
- China CryDr. Sung1990-11-026.48
- Beverly Hills, 90210Ben Sosna1990-10-047.3818
- Home from the Eastern SeaNarrator1990-01-010.00
- CageTin Lum Yin1989-09-013.711
- Slaying the Dragon1988-11-048.01
- Die HardJoseph Yoshinobu Takagi1988-07-157.812,356
- Jake and the FatmanMr. Koso Nakasone1987-09-266.254
- Murder, She WroteJohn Sukahara1984-09-307.5448
- Murder, She WroteLuc Li1984-09-307.5448
- AirwolfColonel Tranh Van Zung1984-01-227.6487
- MasqueradeMakko1983-12-157.52
- The HitchhikerNishi1983-11-236.332
- Matt HoustonLin Ha1982-09-266.328
- The RenegadesJimmy Lee1982-08-116.67
- Tomorrow's ChildDonald Shibura1982-03-225.52
- T. J. HookerChow Duc Khan1982-03-136.596
- Simon & Simon1981-11-246.795
- Magnum, P.I.Richard Enoka1980-12-117.3445
- Magnum, P.I.Mr. Obotu1980-12-117.3445
- Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic BombField Marshal Abehata1980-11-236.04
- SamuraiTakeo Chisato1979-04-309.01
- The Love BoatBud's Father1977-09-246.3191
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries1977-01-307.131
- Once an EagleLin Tso-Han1976-12-026.85
- MidwayVice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo1976-06-186.6329
- The Killer Who Wouldn't DieDavid Lao1976-04-047.01
- Ellery QueenStephen Yang1975-09-117.541
- Matt HelmTom McCauley1975-05-070.00
- S.W.A.T.1975-02-247.169
- The YakuzaGoro1974-12-217.1210
- Police Woman1974-09-136.433
- The Rockford FilesClement Chin1974-09-137.6127
- Little House on the PrairieSam Wing1974-09-117.9992
- The Questor TapesDr. Chen1974-01-235.922
- Lost HorizonBrother To-Lenn1973-03-145.540
- Kung FuMaster Kwan Li1972-10-147.7238
- Kung FuCol. Lin Pei1972-10-147.7238
- The Streets of San Francisco1972-09-237.0103
- The Streets of San FranciscoProsecutor1972-09-237.0103
- Emergency!1972-01-227.952
- The Young LawyersLee Ahn1969-10-2810.01
- Medical CenterDr. Osaka1969-09-246.414
- Operation HeartbeatChief Resident1969-04-178.01
- Escape to MindanaoLt. Takahashi1968-12-079.01
- Hawaii Five-OJoseph Matsukino1968-09-207.2158
- Manila, Open CityCaptain Murakami1968-01-138.53
- Nobody's PerfectDiver Toshi O'Hara1968-01-126.33
- The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese JunkGeorge Ti Ming1967-09-086.34
- Ironside1967-03-286.970
- Death Walks in LaredoLester Koto1967-02-187.34
- Mission: ImpossibleShiki1966-09-177.6311
- Paradise, Hawaiian StyleDanny Kohana1966-04-235.252
- Carol for Another ChristmasJapanese Doctor1964-12-285.931
- Burke's LawSidney Ying1963-09-206.312
- The Outer LimitsMaj. Jong1963-09-167.8160
- The Outer LimitsAIO Captain Newa1963-09-167.8160
- The Lieutenant1963-09-147.04
- Flower Drum SongWang Ta1961-11-096.335
- Bridge to the SunHidenari Terasaki1961-10-176.914
- Ben Casey1961-10-025.915
- Ben CaseyDr. Harvey Lee1961-10-025.915
- Dr. KildareDr. Roy Shigera1961-09-275.719
- Kraft Mystery Theatre1961-06-147.34
- Cry for HappySuzuki1961-03-035.49
- Walk Like a DragonCheng Lu1960-06-016.33
- The Crimson KimonoDetective Joe Kojaku1959-10-216.666
- Naked CityJames Kam1958-09-305.712
- Perry MasonWard Toyama1957-09-217.7136