Philip Ahn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Philip Ahn (born Pil Lip Ahn (안필립), March 29, 1905 – February 28, 1978) was a Korean American actor. He was the first Korean American film actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ahn's first film was A Scream in the Night in 1935. He appeared in the Bing Crosby film Anything Goes, though director Lewis Milestone had initially rejected him because his English was too good for the part. His first credited roles came in 1936 in The General Died at Dawn and Stowaway, opposite Shirley Temple. He starred opposite Anna May Wong in Daughter of Shanghai (1937) and King of Chinatown (1937). During World War II, Ahn often played Japanese villains in war films. Mistakenly thought to be Japanese, he received several death threats. He enlisted in the United States Army, having served in the Special Services as an entertainer. He was discharged early because of an injured ankle and returned to making films. Ahn appeared in Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, Around the World in Eighty Days, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Paradise, Hawaiian Style, with Elvis Presley. He got to play Korean characters in Korean War movies such as Battle Circus (1953) and Battle Hymn (1956). In 1952, Ahn made his television debut on the Schlitz Playhouse, a series he would make three additional appearances on. Ahn would also be cast in four episodes of ABC's Adventures in Paradise, four episodes of the ABC/Warner Brothers crime drama Hawaiian Eye, and the CBS crime drama Hawaii Five-O. He made three appearances each on Crossroads, Bonanza, and M*A*S*H. He would also appear in two television movies. Ahn's most notable television role was as "Master Kan" on the television series Kung Fu. A Presbyterian, Ahn felt that the Taoist homilies his character quoted did not contradict his own religious faith.
Filmography
Kung Fu: The Movie
as Master Kan
Kung Fu: The Movie
as Master Kan
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
as Soong
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
as Soong
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
as General Yamashita
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
as General Yamashita
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
as Chang (voice)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
as Chang (voice)
The World's Greatest Athlete
as Old Chinaman
The World's Greatest Athlete
as Old Chinaman
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon
as Master Kan
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon
as Master Kan
Cocoon
as Attorney General
Cocoon
as Attorney General
Thoroughly Modern Millie
as Tea
Thoroughly Modern Millie
as Tea
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
as Moki Kaimana
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
as Moki Kaimana
Shock Corridor
as Dr. Fong
Shock Corridor
as Dr. Fong
A Girl Named Tamiko
as Akiba
A Girl Named Tamiko
as Akiba
One-Eyed Jacks
as Uncle
One-Eyed Jacks
as Uncle
Dragon by the Tail
as Lee Chin
Dragon by the Tail
as Lee Chin
The Great Impostor
as Capt. Hun Kim
The Great Impostor
as Capt. Hun Kim
Never So Few
as Nautaung, leader of the Kachin
Never So Few
as Nautaung, leader of the Kachin
Hong Kong Confidential
as Tan Chung
Hong Kong Confidential
as Tan Chung
The Way to the Gold
as Mr. Ding - cafe owner
The Way to the Gold
as Mr. Ding - cafe owner
Battle Hymn
as Old Man
Battle Hymn
as Old Man
Around the World in 80 Days
as Hong Kong Citizen (uncredited)
Around the World in 80 Days
as Hong Kong Citizen (uncredited)
The Left Hand of God
as Jan Teng
The Left Hand of God
as Jan Teng
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
as Third Uncle
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
as Third Uncle
Jump Into Hell
as Chinese POW Lieutenant
Jump Into Hell
as Chinese POW Lieutenant
The Shanghai Story
as Major Ling Wu
The Shanghai Story
as Major Ling Wu
Hell's Half Acre
as Roger Kong
Hell's Half Acre
as Roger Kong
His Majesty O'Keefe
as Sien Tang, Dentist
His Majesty O'Keefe
as Sien Tang, Dentist
China Venture
as Adm. Amara
China Venture
as Adm. Amara
Target Hong Kong
as Sin How
Target Hong Kong
as Sin How
Fair Wind to Java
as Gusti
Fair Wind to Java
as Gusti
Battle Zone
as South Korean Guerrilla Leader
Battle Zone
as South Korean Guerrilla Leader
Red Snow
as Taglu, a spy
Red Snow
as Taglu, a spy
Macao
as Itzumi
Macao
as Itzumi
Japanese War Bride
as Eitaro Shimizu
Japanese War Bride
as Eitaro Shimizu
Secrets of Monte Carlo
as Wong
Secrets of Monte Carlo
as Wong
China Corsair
as Wong San
China Corsair
as Wong San
I Was an American Spy
as Capt. Arito
I Was an American Spy
as Capt. Arito
Halls of Montezuma
as Maj. Kenji Matsuoda (aka "Nomura")
Halls of Montezuma
as Maj. Kenji Matsuoda (aka "Nomura")
The Big Hangover
as Dr. Lee
The Big Hangover
as Dr. Lee
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
as Wong Chung Shee
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
as Wong Chung Shee
State Department: File 649
as Col. Aram
State Department: File 649
as Col. Aram
Rogues' Regiment
as Tran Duy Gian
Rogues' Regiment
as Tran Duy Gian
The Creeper
as Ah Wong - Restaurant Owner
The Creeper
as Ah Wong - Restaurant Owner
The Cobra Strikes
as Kasim--Houseboy
The Cobra Strikes
as Kasim--Houseboy
The Miracle of the Bells
as Ming Gow
The Miracle of the Bells
as Ming Gow
The Chinese Ring
as Captain Kong
The Chinese Ring
as Captain Kong
Saigon
as Boss Merchant (uncredited)
Saigon
as Boss Merchant (uncredited)
Singapore
as Jimmy - Bartender (uncredited)
Singapore
as Jimmy - Bartender (uncredited)
They Were Expendable
as Army Orderly (uncredited)
They Were Expendable
as Army Orderly (uncredited)
Back to Bataan
as Col. Coroki
Back to Bataan
as Col. Coroki
China's Little Devils
as Farmer
China's Little Devils
as Farmer
China Sky
as Dr. Kim
China Sky
as Dr. Kim
Betrayal from the East
as Kato
Betrayal from the East
as Kato
The Keys of the Kingdom
as Mr. Pao, Envoy for Mr. Chia
The Keys of the Kingdom
as Mr. Pao, Envoy for Mr. Chia
Dragon Seed
as Leader of City People (uncredited)
Dragon Seed
as Leader of City People (uncredited)
The Story of Dr. Wassell
as Ping
The Story of Dr. Wassell
as Ping
The Purple Heart
as Saburo Goto (uncredited)
The Purple Heart
as Saburo Goto (uncredited)
Around the World
as Foo
Around the World
as Foo
The Man from Down Under
as English-Speaking Japanese Aviator (uncredited)
The Man from Down Under
as English-Speaking Japanese Aviator (uncredited)
China
as Lin Cho
China
as Lin Cho
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard
as Hirota
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard
as Hirota
December 7th
as Shinto Priest (uncredited)
December 7th
as Shinto Priest (uncredited)
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack
as Wu Tan
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack
as Wu Tan
China Girl
as Kai Young
China Girl
as Kai Young
Across the Pacific
as Man in Theatre (uncredited)
Across the Pacific
as Man in Theatre (uncredited)
Let's Get Tough
as Joe Matsui
Let's Get Tough
as Joe Matsui
Ship Ahoy
as Koro Sumo
Ship Ahoy
as Koro Sumo
They Met in Bombay
as Japanese officer (uncredited)
They Met in Bombay
as Japanese officer (uncredited)
Drums of Fu Manchu
as Dr. Chang
Drums of Fu Manchu
as Dr. Chang
The Shadow
as Wu Yung
The Shadow
as Wu Yung
Barricade
as Col. Wai Kang
Barricade
as Col. Wai Kang
Disputed Passage
as Dr. Fung
Disputed Passage
as Dr. Fung
Island of Lost Men
Island of Lost Men
Panama Patrol
as Sun
Panama Patrol
as Sun
King of Chinatown
as Robert 'Bob' Li
King of Chinatown
as Robert 'Bob' Li
North of Shanghai
as Chinese Doctor
North of Shanghai
as Chinese Doctor
Charlie Chan in Honolulu
as Wing Foo
Charlie Chan in Honolulu
as Wing Foo
Red Barry
as Hong Kong Cholly
Red Barry
as Hong Kong Cholly
Hawaii Calls
as Julius
Hawaii Calls
as Julius
Daughter of Shanghai
as Kim Lee
Daughter of Shanghai
as Kim Lee
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts
as Sing Fung, Laundry Man
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts
as Sing Fung, Laundry Man
Something to Sing About
as Ito
Something to Sing About
as Ito
Roaring Timber
as Crooner
Roaring Timber
as Crooner
China Passage
as Fang Tu
China Passage
as Fang Tu
Klondike Annie
Klondike Annie
A Scream in the Night
as Wu Ting (as Philip Ann)
A Scream in the Night
as Wu Ting (as Philip Ann)
Desirable
as Chinese Waiter
Desirable
as Chinese Waiter