Philip Ahn
Biography
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.
Known For
Dr. Fong
Shock Corridor
Sazami Kyushu
The Karate Killers
Professor Kunioshi
Women in the Night
Ah Sing
Impact
Itzumi
Macao
Chinese Doctor
North of Shanghai
Wing Foo
Charlie Chan in Honolulu
Sun Lo
Stowaway
Roger Kong
Hell's Half Acre
Man in Theatre (uncredited)
Across the Pacific
Kato
Betrayal from the East
South Korean Guerrilla Leader
Battle Zone
Jan Teng
The Left Hand of God
Maj. Kenji Matsuoda (aka "Nomura")
Halls of Montezuma
Chinese POW Lieutenant
Jump Into Hell
Louie Chin
Intrigue
Mr. Pao, Envoy for Mr. Chia
The Keys of the Kingdom
Sing Fung, Laundry Man
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts
Eitaro Shimizu
Japanese War Bride
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Col. Coroki
Back to Bataan
Kai Young
China Girl
Captain Kong
The Chinese Ring
Soong
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
Sin How
Target Hong Kong
Prince Chung
Thank You, Mr. Moto
Ching Foon
Confessions of an Opium Eater
Kim Lee
Daughter of Shanghai
Franklin Ling
A Yank on the Burma Road
Leader of City People (uncredited)
Dragon Seed
Hong Kong Radio Announcer (uncredited)
God Is My Co-Pilot
Tan Chung
Hong Kong Confidential
Lin Cho
China
Fang Tu
China Passage
Akiba
A Girl Named Tamiko
Mr. Ding - cafe owner
The Way to the Gold
Moki Kaimana
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Mao Tse Tung (uncredited)
The Sex Serum of Dr. Blake
Major Ling Wu
The Shanghai Story
Jimmy - Bartender (uncredited)
Singapore
Dr. Lee
The Big Hangover
Hong Kong Cholly
Red Barry
Chinese Man (uncredited)
Forever Yours
Col. Wai Kang
Barricade
Sun
Panama Patrol
Ah Wong - Restaurant Owner
The Creeper
Julius
Hawaii Calls
Dr. Fung
Disputed Passage
Saburo Goto (uncredited)
The Purple Heart
Robert 'Bob' Li
King of Chinatown
Chinese Official
The Sickle or the Cross
Master Kan
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon
Attorney General
Cocoon
Gusti
Fair Wind to Java
Capt. Hun Kim
The Great Impostor
Nautaung, leader of the Kachin
Never So Few
Servant
Shanghai
Chinese Waiter
Desirable
Japanese officer (uncredited)
They Met in Bombay
Tea
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Mr. Immacona
Diamond Head
Dr. Chang
Drums of Fu Manchu
Klondike Annie
Emily's Servant (uncredited)
The Tuttles of Tahiti
Ming Gow
The Miracle of the Bells
Wu Yung
The Shadow
Ito (Terry's servant)
Something to Sing About
Tran Duy Gian
Rogues' Regiment
Chang (voice)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Wong
Secrets of Monte Carlo
Ping
The Story of Dr. Wassell
Old Chinaman
The World's Greatest Athlete
Old Man
Battle Hymn
Dr. Kim
China Sky
Hong Kong Citizen (uncredited)
Around the World in 80 Days
Taglu, a spy
Red Snow
Third Uncle
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Wu Tan
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack
First Officer Kawakami
Submarine Raider
Wong Chung Shee
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
Yamazuki
Yesterday's Enemy
Crooner
Roaring Timber
Capt. Arito
I Was an American Spy
Kasim--Houseboy
The Cobra Strikes
Oxford
The General Died at Dawn
Joe Matsui
Let's Get Tough
Hirota
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard
Foo
Around the World
Japanese Officer Murdering Takahashi
Behind the Rising Sun
Shinto Priest (uncredited)
December 7th
Col. Aram
State Department: File 649
Farmer
China's Little Devils
Captain (uncredited)
The Good Earth
Wong San
China Corsair
Sien Tang, Dentist
His Majesty O'Keefe
Koro Sumo
Ship Ahoy
Uncle
One-Eyed Jacks
Wu Ting (as Philip Ann)
A Scream in the Night
Army Orderly (uncredited)
They Were Expendable
Adm. Amara
China Venture
General Yamashita
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
Island of Lost Men
Lee Chin
Dragon by the Tail
English-Speaking Japanese Aviator (uncredited)
The Man from Down Under
Boss Merchant (uncredited)
Saigon
Secret Police Capt. Yomamoto (uncredited)
Blood on the Sun
Master Kan
Kung Fu: The Movie
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
107
Gender
Male
Birthday
1905-03-29
Place of Birth
Highland Park, Los Angeles, California, USA
Also Known As
Phillip Ahn