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 MAS*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.
Acted in 160
1970s
- 1976
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die
Soong
- 1975
- 1974
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
General Yamashita
- 1973
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Chang (voice)
The World's Greatest Athlete
Old Chinaman
- 1972
Kung Fu
Master Kan · 62 episodes
Anna and the King
Astrologist · 1 episode
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon
Master Kan
- 1970
The Sex Serum of Dr. Blake
Mao Tse Tung (uncredited)
1960s
- 1969
- 1968
Cocoon
Attorney General
- 1967
The Karate Killers
Sazami Kyushu
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Tea
- 1966
- 1965
- 1964
- 1963
- 1962
A Girl Named Tamiko
Akiba
Diamond Head
Mr. Immacona
Ensign O'Toole
Low Kong · 1 episode
- 1961
Dragon by the Tail
Lee Chin
- 1960
Johnny Midnight
TV
1950s
- 1959
Yesterday's Enemy
Yamazuki
- 1958
Hong Kong Confidential
Tan Chung
Jefferson Drum
Charles Wong · 1 episode
- 1957
The Way to the Gold
Mr. Ding - cafe owner
Battle Hymn
Old Man
- 1956
Hey, Jeannie!
Wong · 1 episode
- 1955
Crossroads
Sun Yal, Lung Chan, Ah Hiu · 1 episode
Jungle Jim
TV
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Third Uncle
Jump Into Hell
Chinese POW Lieutenant
- 1954
The Shanghai Story
Major Ling Wu
Hell's Half Acre
Roger Kong
- 1953
China Venture
Adm. Amara
Target Hong Kong
Sin How
General Electric Theater
Rahm Sing · 1 episode
Fair Wind to Java
Gusti
- 1952
Battle Zone
South Korean Guerrilla Leader
Japanese War Bride
Eitaro Shimizu
- 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV
Secrets of Monte Carlo
Wong
China Corsair
Wong San
I Was an American Spy
Capt. Arito
- 1950
The Big Hangover
Dr. Lee
1940s
- 1949
The Sickle or the Cross
Chinese Official
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
Wong Chung Shee
State Department: File 649
Col. Aram
- 1948
Rogues' Regiment
Tran Duy Gian
The Creeper
Ah Wong - Restaurant Owner
The Cobra Strikes
Kasim--Houseboy
The Miracle of the Bells
Ming Gow
Women in the Night
Professor Kunioshi
- 1947
The Chinese Ring
Captain Kong
Saigon
Boss Merchant (uncredited)
Singapore
Jimmy - Bartender (uncredited)
- 1945
China's Little Devils
Farmer
China Sky
Dr. Kim
Betrayal from the East
Kato
God Is My Co-Pilot
Hong Kong Radio Announcer (uncredited)
- 1944
Dragon Seed
Leader of City People (uncredited)
The Purple Heart
Saburo Goto (uncredited)
- 1943
Around the World
Foo
The Man from Down Under
English-Speaking Japanese Aviator (uncredited)
Behind the Rising Sun
Japanese Officer Murdering Takahashi
China
Lin Cho
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard
Hirota
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Movie
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack
Wu Tan
- 1942
China Girl
Kai Young
Across the Pacific
Man in Theatre (uncredited)
Submarine Raider
First Officer Kawakami
Let's Get Tough
Joe Matsui
The Tuttles of Tahiti
Emily's Servant (uncredited)
Ship Ahoy
Koro Sumo
A Yank on the Burma Road
Franklin Ling
- 1941
They Met in Bombay
Japanese officer (uncredited)
- 1940
Drums of Fu Manchu
Dr. Chang
The Shadow
Wu Yung
1930s
- 1939
Barricade
Col. Wai Kang
Disputed Passage
Dr. Fung
Island of Lost Men
Movie
Panama Patrol
Sun
King of Chinatown
Robert 'Bob' Li
North of Shanghai
Chinese Doctor
- 1938
Charlie Chan in Honolulu
Wing Foo
Red Barry
Hong Kong Cholly
Hawaii Calls
Julius
- 1937
Thank You, Mr. Moto
Prince Chung
Daughter of Shanghai
Kim Lee
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts
Sing Fung, Laundry Man
Something to Sing About
Ito
Roaring Timber
Crooner
China Passage
Fang Tu
- 1936
The General Died at Dawn
Oxford
- 1935
A Scream in the Night
Wu Ting (as Philip Ann)
Shanghai
Servant
- 1934
Desirable
Chinese Waiter
