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IMDbPro

Richard Loo(1903-1983)

  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Richard Loo in The Purple Heart (1944)
In 19th century San Francisco's Chinatown, American adventurer Gilbert De Quincey is saving slave girls owned by the Chinese Tong factions.
Play trailer2:20
Confessions of an Opium Eater (1962)
2 Videos
59 Photos
One of the most familiar Asian character actors in American films of the 1930s and 1940s, Richard Loo was most often stereotyped as the Japanese enemy flier, spy or interrogator during the Second World War. Chinese by ancestry and Hawaiian by birth, Loo spent his youth in Hawaii, then moved to California as a teenager. He attended the University of California and attempted a career in business. However, the stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent economic depression forced him to start over. He became involved with amateur, then professional, theater companies and in 1931 made his first film. Like most Asian actors in non-Asian countries, he played primarily small, stereotypical roles, though he rose quickly to familiarity, if not fame, in a number of fine films. His features led him to be a favorite movie villain, and the coming of World War II gave him greater prominence in roles as vicious Japanese soldiers in successful pictures such as The Purple Heart (1944) and God Is My Co-Pilot (1945). He had a rare heroic role as a weary Japanese-American soldier in the Korean War drama The Steel Helmet (1951), but spent far too much of his career in later years performing stock roles. His wife, Bessie Loo, was a well-known Hollywood agent.
BornOctober 1, 1903
DiedNovember 20, 1983(80)
BornOctober 1, 1903
DiedNovember 20, 1983(80)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Photos59

Richard Loo in The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932)
Susan Hayward and Richard Loo in Soldier of Fortune (1955)
Susan Hayward and Richard Loo in Soldier of Fortune (1955)
Alan Lee and Richard Loo in Soldier of Fortune (1955)
Richard Loo in The Clay Pigeon (1949)
Richard Loo and Richard Quine in The Clay Pigeon (1949)
Richard Loo in The Clay Pigeon (1949)
Richard Loo in The Clay Pigeon (1949)
Tala Birell, Richard Loo, and Gordon Richards in Women in the Night (1948)
Richard Loo in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977)
Christopher Lee and Richard Loo in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Richard Loo in China Sky (1945)

Known for

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
The Man with the Golden Gun
6.7
  • Hai Fat
  • 1974
Giorgia Moll in The Quiet American (1958)
The Quiet American
6.6
  • Mr. Heng
  • 1958
Gene Evans in The Steel Helmet (1951)
The Steel Helmet
7.4
  • Sgt. Tanaka
  • 1951
John Wayne and Alex Havier in Back to Bataan (1945)
Back to Bataan
6.6
  • Maj. Hasko
  • 1945

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)
    The Incredible Hulk
    • Kam Chong
    • TV Series
    • 1981
  • Shaun Cassidy, Pamela Sue Martin, and Parker Stevenson in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977)
    The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
    • Chen Lee
    • TV Series
    • 1977
  • Robert Forster, David Birney, and Richard E. Kalk in Police Story (1973)
    Police Story
    • Eddie Lee
    • TV Series
    • 1977
  • Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson in The Quest (1976)
    The Quest
    • Dr. Li Po
    • TV Series
    • 1976
  • Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur (1976)
    Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
    • Chiang-Kai-Shek
    • TV Movie
    • 1976
  • The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
    The Man with the Golden Gun
    • Hai Fat
    • 1974
  • Kung Fu (1972)
    Kung Fu
    • Master Sun
    • Ho Fai, The Weapons Master
    • Wu Chang ...
    • TV Series
    • 1972–1974
  • Arthur Hill in Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1971)
    Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law
    • Tanaka
    • TV Series
    • 1974
  • Dennis Weaver in McCloud (1970)
    McCloud
    • Y.S. Chen (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1973
  • Raymond Burr in Ironside (1967)
    Ironside
    • Lin Chu Tai
    • TV Series
    • 1973
  • The Delphi Bureau (1972)
    The Delphi Bureau
    • Shen Si
    • TV Series
    • 1972
  • The Sixth Sense (1972)
    The Sixth Sense
    • Matsuo
    • TV Series
    • 1972
  • Chandler (1971)
    Chandler
    • Leo
    • 1971
  • George Peppard, John Vernon, and Diana Muldaur in One More Train to Rob (1971)
    One More Train to Rob
    • Mr. Chang
    • 1971
  • Jerry Lewis in Which Way to the Front? (1970)
    Which Way to the Front?
    • Japanese Naval Officer (uncredited)
    • 1970

Videos2

Trailer
Trailer 2:20
Trailer
The Scavengers
Trailer 1:40
The Scavengers

Personal details

Edit
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • October 1, 1903
    • Maui, Hawaii, USA
  • Died
    • November 20, 1983
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(cerebral hemorrhage)
  • Spouses
      Hope Loo1964 - November 20, 1983 (his death)
  • Other works
    Stage: Appeared in "South Pacific" on Broadway. Musical drama. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan (I). Based on "Tales of the South Pacific" by James A. Michener. Musical Director: Salvatore Dell'Isola. Music orchestrated by Robert Russell Bennett. Musical staging by Joshua Logan. Scenic Design by Jo Mielziner. Lighting Design by link=nm0585758]. Costume Design by Motley. Assistant to Mr. Mielziner: John Harvey and Furth Ullman. Directed by Joshua Logan. Majestic Theatre: (moved to The Broadway Theatre from 29 Jun 1953-close) 7 Apr 1949-16 Jan 1954 (1925 performances). Cast: Mary Martin (as "Ens. Nellie Forbush"), Ezio Pinza (as "Emile de Becque"), Juanita Hall, Myron McCormick (as "Luther Billis"), Betta St. John, Harvey Stephens (as "Cmdr. William Harbison, U.S.N."), William Tabbert, Martin Wolfson (as "Capt. George Brackett, U.S.N."), Mardi Bayne, Evelyn Colby, Michael De Leon, Noel De Leon, Sandra Deel, Bill Dwyer, Dickinson Eastham, Don Fellows, William Ferguson, Jacqueline Fisher, Jack Fontan, Alan Gilbert, Thomas Gleason, Jim Hawthorne, Richard Loo (as "Marcel, Henry's Assistant" / "Ensemble"), Roslynd Lowe, BarBara Luna, Biff McGuire, Gloria Meli, Henry Michel, Alex Nicol (I), Pat Northrop, Mary Ann Reeve, Fred Sadoff, Bernice Saunders, Archie Savage (as "Abner"), Helena Schurgot, Richard Silvera, Henry Slate, Eugene Smith, Beau Tilden (as "Seaman James Hayes"), Musa Williams, Chin Yu. Replacement actors during the Majestic Theatre run: Fabian Acosta (as "Jerome") [Alternate], Leigh Allen (as "Ens. Lisa Minelli"), George Armand (as "Jerome") [Alternate], Mardi Bayne (as "Ens. Pamela Whitmore"), George Britton (as "Emile de Becque"), Dort Clark (as "Stewpot"), Helen Clayton (as "Ens. Connie Walewska"), Cristanta Cornejo (as "Ngana") [Alternate], Robert Cortazal (as "Jerome") [Alternate], Diosa Costello (as "Bloody Mary"; final Broadway role), Donald Covert (as "Ensemble"), Dolores Decin (as "Ngana") [Alternate], William Diehl (as "Seaman Gustl Schulz"), Bill Dwyer (as "Lt. Buzz Adams"), Betty Early (as "Ens. Dinah Murphy"), Don Fellows (as "Seabee Richard West"), Pat Finch (as "Ens. Lisa Minelli"), Betty Gillett (as "Ens. Cora MacRae"), Betty Gillette (as "Lt. Genevieve Marshall"), Thomas Griffin (as "Jerome") [Alternate], Arthur Hammond (as "Pvt. Victor Moulton"), Steve Holland (I) (as "Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey"), Joan Kavanagh (as "Ens. Pamela Whitmore"), Peter Kelley (as "Seaman Tom O'Brien"), Mimi Kelly (as "Ens. Janet MacGregor"), Cloris Leachman (as "Ens. Nellie Forbush"), Don Leslie (as "Ensemble"), Karen Lewis (as "Ens. Connie Walewska"), Christina Lind (as "Ens. Sue Yaeger"), Roberta MacDonald (as "Ens. Sue Yaeger"), Patricia Marand (as "Lt. Genevieve Marshall"; Broadway debut), Virginia Martin (as "Ens. Bessie Noonan"), Dorothy Maruki (as "Ensemble"), Melle Matthews (as "Ens. Sue Yaeger"), William McGraw (as "Ensemble" / "Seaman Tom O'Brien" / "Yeoman Herbert Quale"), Ray Middleton (as "Emile de Becque"), Merle Muskal (as "Ens. Janet MacGregor"), Odette Myrtil (as "Bloody Mary"), Betty O'Neil (as "Ens. Sue Yaeger"), Jose Perez (as "Jerome") {Alternate], Albert Popwell (as "Abner"), Dorothy Richards (as "Lt. Genevieve Marshall"), Roger Rico (as "Emile de Becque"), Robert Rippy (as "Petty Officer Hamilton Steves"), Steve Roland (as "Seaman Tom O'Brien"), Gene Saks (as "Professor"; Broadway debut), Irma Sandre (as "Liat"), Eugene Smith (as "Seaman Thomas Hassinger"), Peter Smith (as "Seaman Tom O'Brien"), Maria Suarez (as "Ngana") [Alternate], Bill Thunhurst (as "Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey"), Webb Tilton (as "Seabee Richard West"), Bunny Warner (as "Ngana") [Alternate], Jack Weston (as "Stewpot"), Musa Williams (as "Bloody Mary"), Billie Worth (as "Ens. Janet MacGregor"), Martha Wright (as "Ens. Nellie Forbush"). Understudies: Dort Clark (as "Luther Billis"), Rosalie Davella (as "Ngana"), William Diehl (as "Lt. Joseph Cable, U.S.M.C."), Betty Early (as "Ens. Nellie Forbush"), George Finn (as "Jerome"), Steve Holland (as "Stewpot"), Mimi Kelly (as "Ens. Nellie Forbush"), Dorothy Maruki (as "Liat"), Bill Thunhurst (as "Lt. Joseph Cable, U.S.M.C."), Webb Tilton (as "Emile de Becque"), Jack Weston (as "Luther Billis"), Billie Worth (as "Ens. Nellie Forbush"). Replacement actor during Broadway Theatre run: Shirley Jones. Produced by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Produced in association with Leland Hayward and Joshua Logan. NOTE: Filmed as South Pacific (1958).

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Although he died in Los Angeles (CA), Social Security records indicate that his home at the time of his death was in Houston, TX.
  • Trademark
      Played stern-faced villains, often Japanese in nationality.

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