Acting
James Shigeta
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.
Filmography
Beam Me Up, Sulu
Film · 2025
Yorktown: A Time to Heal
Film · 2022
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
Film · 2019
The People I've Slept With
Film · 2010
Hollywood Chinese
Film · 2007
The Slanted Screen
Film · 2006
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Series · 2005
Threat Matrix
Series · 2003
Brother
Film · 2000
Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century
Film · 1999
Mulan
Film · 1998
Drive
Film · 1997
Space Marines
Film · 1996
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Series · 1996
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Series · 1996
Midnight Man
Film · 1995
Cybill
Series · 1995
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die
Film · 1994
Cage II: The Arena of Death
Film · 1994
Babylon 5
Series · 1994
seaQuest DSV
Series · 1993
Renegade
Series · 1992
Renegade
Series · 1992
Home from the Eastern Sea
Film · 1990
China Cry
Film · 1990
Beverly Hills, 90210
Series · 1990
Cage
Film · 1989
Die Hard
Film · 1988
Slaying the Dragon
Film · 1988
Jake and the Fatman
Series · 1987
Murder, She Wrote
Series · 1984
Airwolf
Series · 1984
Murder, She Wrote
Series · 1984
The Hitchhiker
Series · 1983
Masquerade
Series · 1983
Tomorrow's Child
Film · 1982
The Renegades
Film · 1982
T. J. Hooker
Series · 1982
Matt Houston
Series · 1982
Simon & Simon
Series · 1981
Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb
Film · 1980
Magnum, P.I.
Series · 1980
Magnum, P.I.
Series · 1980
Samurai
Film · 1979
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
Midway
Film · 1976
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
Film · 1976
Once an Eagle
Series · 1976
Matt Helm
Film · 1975
S.W.A.T.
Series · 1975
Ellery Queen
Series · 1975
The Yakuza
Film · 1974
The Questor Tapes
Film · 1974
Little House on the Prairie
Series · 1974
Police Woman
Series · 1974
The Rockford Files
Series · 1974
Lost Horizon
Film · 1973
The Streets of San Francisco
Series · 1972
Emergency!
Series · 1972
The Streets of San Francisco
Series · 1972
Kung Fu
Series · 1972
Kung Fu
Series · 1972
Operation Heartbeat
Film · 1969
The Young Lawyers
Film · 1969
Hawaii Five-O
Series · 1969
Medical Center
Series · 1969
Escape to Mindanao
Film · 1968
Nobody's Perfect
Film · 1968
Manila, Open City
Film · 1968
Death Walks in Laredo
Film · 1967
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
Film · 1967
Ironside
Series · 1967
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Film · 1966
Mission: Impossible
Series · 1966
Carol for Another Christmas
Film · 1964
The Bing Crosby Show
Series · 1964
Burke's Law
Series · 1963
The Lieutenant
Series · 1963
The Outer Limits
Series · 1963
The Outer Limits
Series · 1963
Flower Drum Song
Film · 1961
Cry for Happy
Film · 1961
Bridge to the Sun
Film · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Dr. Kildare
Series · 1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre
Series · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Walk Like a Dragon
Film · 1960
The Crimson Kimono
Film · 1959
Naked City
Series · 1958
Perry Mason
Series · 1957
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Series · 1956
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944