Biography
Sessue Hayakawa (June 10, 1889 – November 23, 1973) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) actor who starred in American, Japanese, French, German, and British films. Hayakawa was the first and one of the few Asian actors to find stardom in the United States as well as Europe. Between the mid-1910s and the late 1920s, he was as well known as actors Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks. He was one of the highest paid stars of his time; making $5,000 a week in 1915, and $2 million a year via his own production company during the 1920s. He starred in over 80 movies and has two films in the U.S. National Film Registry. His international stardom transitioned both silent films and talkies. Of his English-language films, Hayakawa is probably best known for his role as Colonel Saito in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai, for which he received a nomination for Academy Award Best Supporting Actor in 1957. He also appeared as the pirate leader in Disney's Swiss Family Robinson in 1960. In addition to his film acting career, Hayakawa was a theatre actor, film and theatre producer, film director, screenwriter, novelist, martial artist, and an ordained Zen master. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sessue Hayakawa, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Acted in 84
1960s
- 1967
Lover's Duet
Tajima
- 1966
- 1965
- 1961
The Big Wave
The Old Man
- 1960
Escape to Paradise/Water Birds
Movie
Hell to Eternity
General Matsui
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
- 1955
- 1954
日本敗れず
Movie
- 1953
Kurama Tengu and Katsu Kaishū
Awanokami Katsu
47 Vendettas
Sakon Tachibana
- 1950
Les Miserables I: God and the Devil
Movie
The Motherland Far Far Away
Joe Hayami
Three Came Home
Colonel Michio Suga
1940s
- 1949
- 1947
Quartier chinois
Tchang
- 1946
Le Cabaret du Grand Large
Professeur Wang
- 1943
Le Soleil de minuit
Matsui
Malaria
Movie
- 1942
Gambling Hell
Ying Tchaï
Patrouille blanche
Movie
1930s
- 1938
Tempête sur l'Asie
Prinz Ling
- 1937
Forfaiture
Prince Hu-Long
Yoshiwara
Ysamo, Kuli
The Daughter of the Samurai
Iwao Yamato
- 1931
Daughter of the Dragon
Ah Kee
1920s
- 1924
The Danger Line
Marquis Yorisaka
The Great Prince Shan
Prince Shan
- 1923
The Battle
Le Marquis Yorisaka
- 1922
The Vermilion Pencil
Tse Chan / The Unknown / Li Chan
Five Days to Live
Tai Leung
- 1921
The Swamp
Wang
Black Roses
Yoda
The First Born
Chan Wang
- 1920
An Arabian Knight
Ahmed
Li Ting Lang
Li Ting Lang
The Devil's Claim
Akbar Khan / Hassan
The Brand of Lopez
Vasco Lopez
The Beggar Prince
Nikki / Prince
1910s
- 1919
The Tong Man
Luk Chen
The Illustrious Prince
Prince Maiyo
Bonds of Honor
Yamashito / Sasamoto
The Dragon Painter
Tatsu - the Dragon Painter
The Gray Horizon
Yamo Masata
The Man Beneath
Dr. Chindi Ashutor
His Debt
Goto Mariyama
The Courageous Coward
Suki Iota
A Heart in Pawn
Tomaya
- 1918
The Temple Of Dusk
Akira
The City of Dim Faces
Jang Lung
The Bravest Way
Kara Tamura
The Honor of His House
Count Ito Onato
Hidden Pearls
Tom Garvin
- 1917
The Secret Game
Nara-Nara
The Call of the East
Arai Takada
Forbidden Paths
Sato
The Jaguar's Claws
El Jaguar
The Bottle Imp
Lopaka
Each to His Kind
Rhandah
- 1916
The Victoria Cross
Azimoolah
The Soul of Kura San
Toyo
The Honorable Friend
Makino
Alien Souls
Sakata
- 1915
Temptation
Opera Admirer
The Secret Sin
Lin Foo
The Clue
Nogi
The Chinatown Mystery
Yo Hong
After Five
Oki - the Valet
- 1914
The Last of the Line
Tiah - Gray Otter's Son
The Typhoon
Tokorama
The Death Mask
Running Wolf
The Wrath of the Gods
Lord Yamaki
O Mimi san
Yorotomo
Produced 4
1920s
- 1921
Black Roses
Producer
The First Born
Producer
1910s
- 1918
Wrote 2
1920s
- 1921
The Swamp
Story
1910s
- 1918
Directed 1
1920s
- 1923
The Battle
Director
Appearances11
2020s
- 2020
Asian Americans
Self · 5 episodes
2000s
- 2007
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
- 2002
Swiss Family Robinson: Adventure in the Making
Self (archive)
1980s
- 1980
Hollywood
Self (archive footage, uncredited) · 1 episode
1960s
- 1964
The Frozen Moment
Self
1950s
- 1959
John Gunther's High Road
Self
- 1958
The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant
Self
1930s
- 1931
Around the World in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks
Self
1920s
- 1922
Night Life in Hollywood
Self
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Self
- 1921
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)
Himself