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Profile image of James Shigeta

James Shigeta

Person
1
Popularity
86
Credits
1929
Born
USA
Origin

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

Acting

Birthday

1929-06-17

Place of Birth

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Died

2014-07-28

Also Known As

James Saburo Shigeta, 繁田三郎

Movies (43)

Poster image of Die Hard

Die Hard

1988
7.9
Movie
Poster image of Mulan

TV Shows (43)

Poster image of Perry Mason

Perry Mason

1957
7.8
TV Show
Poster image of Murder, She Wrote
IMDbTMDB

Mulan

1998
7.9
Movie
Poster image of Matt Helm

Matt Helm

1975
0
Movie
Poster image of Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die

Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die

1994
6.5
Movie
Poster image of Walk Like a Dragon

Walk Like a Dragon

1960
5
Movie
🎬
No Poster

The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk

1967
6
Movie
Poster image of Drive

Drive

1997
6.1
Movie
Poster image of Midway

Midway

1976
6.7
Movie
Poster image of Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood

Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood

2019
5.7
Movie
Poster image of Carol for Another Christmas

Carol for Another Christmas

1964
5.8
Movie
Poster image of The Killer Who Wouldn't Die

The Killer Who Wouldn't Die

1976
0
Movie
Poster image of The Crimson Kimono

The Crimson Kimono

1959
6.6
Movie
Poster image of Slaying the Dragon

Slaying the Dragon

1988
0
Movie
Poster image of Nobody's Perfect

Nobody's Perfect

1968
5.5
Movie
Poster image of Brother

Brother

2000
7.1
Movie
Poster image of Yorktown: A Time to Heal

Yorktown: A Time to Heal

2022
0
Movie
Poster image of Midnight Man

Midnight Man

1995
5.1
Movie
Poster image of Death Walks in Laredo

Death Walks in Laredo

1967
6.5
Movie
🎬
No Poster

Home from the Eastern Sea

1990
0
Movie
Poster image of The People I've Slept With

The People I've Slept With

2009
4.5
Movie
Poster image of Tomorrow's Child

Tomorrow's Child

1982
2
Movie
Poster image of Bridge to the Sun

Bridge to the Sun

1961
6.8
Movie
Poster image of The Questor Tapes

The Questor Tapes

1974
5.7
Movie
Poster image of China Cry

China Cry

1990
6
Movie
Poster image of Hollywood Chinese

Hollywood Chinese

2007
0
Movie
Poster image of Escape to Mindanao

Escape to Mindanao

1968
0
Movie
Poster image of The Yakuza

The Yakuza

1974
7.1
Movie
Poster image of Flower Drum Song

Flower Drum Song

1961
6.3
Movie
🎬
No Poster

Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century

1999
0
Movie
Poster image of The Slanted Screen

The Slanted Screen

2006
10
Movie
Poster image of Manila, Open City

Manila, Open City

1968
8.2
Movie
Poster image of The Young Lawyers

The Young Lawyers

1969
0
Movie
Poster image of Cry for Happy

Cry for Happy

1961
5
Movie
Poster image of Space Marines

Space Marines

1996
3.2
Movie
Poster image of Beam Me Up, Sulu

Beam Me Up, Sulu

2025
0
Movie
Poster image of Lost Horizon

Lost Horizon

1973
5.4
Movie
Poster image of Paradise, Hawaiian Style

Paradise, Hawaiian Style

1966
5.1
Movie
Poster image of Cage II: The Arena of Death

Cage II: The Arena of Death

1994
2.9
Movie
Poster image of Cage

Cage

1989
3.1
Movie
Poster image of Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb

1980
5.7
Movie
Poster image of The Renegades

The Renegades

1982
6.4
Movie
Poster image of Samurai

Samurai

1979
0
Movie
Poster image of Operation Heartbeat

Operation Heartbeat

1969
0
Movie

Murder, She Wrote

1984
7.5
TV Show
Poster image of Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills, 90210

1990
7.3
TV Show
Poster image of The Love Boat

The Love Boat

1977
6.3
TV Show
Poster image of Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

1980
7.4
TV Show
Poster image of Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie

1974
8
TV Show
Poster image of Babylon 5

Babylon 5

1994
8.1
TV Show
Poster image of Ironside

Ironside

1967
6.8
TV Show
Poster image of Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944
7.2
TV Show
Poster image of Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

1966
7.6
TV Show
Poster image of Emergency!

Emergency!

1972
7.8
TV Show
Poster image of The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files

1974
7.6
TV Show
Poster image of Renegade

Renegade

1992
6.7
TV Show
Poster image of Airwolf

Airwolf

1984
7.6
TV Show
Poster image of Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender

2005
8.8
TV Show
Poster image of Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

1968
7.1
TV Show
Poster image of Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon

1981
6.7
TV Show
Poster image of T. J. Hooker

T. J. Hooker

1982
6.5
TV Show
Poster image of seaQuest DSV

seaQuest DSV

1993
7.1
TV Show
Poster image of Naked City

Naked City

1958
5.5
TV Show
Poster image of Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

1961
5.5
TV Show
Poster image of Ben Casey

Ben Casey

1961
5.6
TV Show
Poster image of Police Woman

Police Woman

1974
6.2
TV Show
Poster image of Jake and the Fatman

Jake and the Fatman

1987
6.2
TV Show
Poster image of Burke's Law

Burke's Law

1963
6
TV Show
Poster image of Cybill

Cybill

1995
5.8
TV Show
Poster image of The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

1972
7.1
TV Show
Poster image of Medical Center

Medical Center

1969
6.1
TV Show
Poster image of The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits

1963
7.8
TV Show
Poster image of The Hitchhiker

The Hitchhiker

1983
6.1
TV Show
Poster image of Matt Houston

Matt Houston

1982
6.2
TV Show
Poster image of The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

1977
7.2
TV Show
Poster image of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

1996
7.2
TV Show
Poster image of The Lieutenant

The Lieutenant

1963
6
TV Show
Poster image of Ellery Queen

Ellery Queen

1975
7.4
TV Show
Poster image of The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

1956
6
TV Show
Poster image of Threat Matrix

Threat Matrix

2003
6
TV Show
Poster image of Masquerade

Masquerade

1983
5
TV Show
Poster image of S.W.A.T.

S.W.A.T.

1975
7
TV Show
Poster image of Kraft Mystery Theatre

Kraft Mystery Theatre

1961
6
TV Show
Poster image of Once an Eagle

Once an Eagle

1976
6.8
TV Show
Poster image of The Bing Crosby Show

The Bing Crosby Show

1964
5
TV Show
Poster image of Kung Fu

Kung Fu

1972
7.7
TV Show