Sessue Hayakawa
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 10, 1889
- Died
- November 23, 1973
- Birthplace
- Nanaura, Chiba, Japan
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.
Filmography
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood 2019
as (archive footage)
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema 2007
as Self (archive footage)
Swiss Family Robinson: Adventure in the Making 2002
as Self (archive)
Lover's Duet 1967
as Tajima
The Daydreamer 1966
as The Mole (voice)
The Frozen Moment 1964
as Self
The Big Wave 1961
as The Old Man
Swiss Family Robinson 1960
as Kuala, Pirate Chief
Escape to Paradise/Water Birds 1960
Actor
Hell to Eternity 1960
as General Matsui
John Gunther's High Road 1959
as Self
Green Mansions 1959
as Runi
The Geisha Boy 1958
as Mr. Sikita
The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant 1958
as Self
The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957
as Col. Saito
House of Bamboo 1955
as Inspector Kito
日本敗れず 1954
Actor
Kurama Tengu and Katsu Kaishū 1953
as Awanokami Katsu
The Tragic General: Yamashita Tomoyuki 1953
as Tomoyuki Yamashita
47 Vendettas 1953
as Sakon Tachibana
Les Miserables II: Banner of Love and Freedom 1950
Actor
Les Miserables I: God and the Devil 1950
Actor
The Motherland Far Far Away 1950
as Joe Hayami
Three Came Home 1950
as Colonel Michio Suga
Tokyo Joe 1949
as Baron Kimura
Quartier chinois 1947
as Tchang
Le Cabaret du Grand Large 1946
as Professeur Wang
Malaria 1943
Actor
Le Soleil de minuit 1943
as Matsui
Gambling Hell 1942
as Ying Tchaï
Patrouille blanche 1942
Actor
Tempête sur l'Asie 1938
as Prinz Ling
Forfaiture 1937
as Prince Hu-Long
Yoshiwara 1937
as Ysamo, Kuli
The Daughter of the Samurai 1937
as Iwao Yamato
- The Sun Rises from the East
The Sun Rises from the East 1932
as Kenji, Director
- Running Hollywood
Running Hollywood 1932
as Sessue Hayakawa
Around the World in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks 1931
as Self
Daughter of the Dragon 1931
as Ah Kee
- I Have Killed
I Have Killed 1924
as Hideo
- Sen Yan’s Devotion
Sen Yan’s Devotion 1924
as Sen Yan
The Danger Line 1924
as Marquis Yorisaka
The Great Prince Shan 1924
as Prince Shan
The Battle 1923
as Le Marquis Yorisaka, Director
Night Life in Hollywood 1922
as Self
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12 1922
as Self
The Vermilion Pencil 1922
as Tse Chan / The Unknown / Li Chan
Five Days to Live 1922
as Tai Leung
The Swamp 1921
as Wang, Story
Where Lights Are Low 1921
as T''Su Wong Shih, Producer
Black Roses 1921
as Yoda, Producer
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20) 1921
as Himself
The First Born 1921
as Chan Wang, Producer
An Arabian Knight 1920
as Ahmed
Li Ting Lang 1920
as Li Ting Lang
The Devil's Claim 1920
as Akbar Khan / Hassan
The Brand of Lopez 1920
as Vasco Lopez
The Beggar Prince 1920
as Nikki / Prince
The Tong Man 1919
as Luk Chen
The Illustrious Prince 1919
as Prince Maiyo
Bonds of Honor 1919
as Yamashito / Sasamoto
The Dragon Painter 1919
as Tatsu - the Dragon Painter
The Gray Horizon 1919
as Yamo Masata
The Man Beneath 1919
as Dr. Chindi Ashutor
His Debt 1919
as Goto Mariyama
The Courageous Coward 1919
as Suki Iota
A Heart in Pawn 1919
as Tomaya
The Temple Of Dusk 1918
as Akira
- Banzai
Banzai 1918
as The American General
His Birthright 1918
as Yukio, Producer, Story
The City of Dim Faces 1918
as Jang Lung
The Bravest Way 1918
as Kara Tamura
- The White Man's Law
The White Man's Law 1918
as John A. Genghis
The Honor of His House 1918
as Count Ito Onato
Hidden Pearls 1918
as Tom Garvin
The Secret Game 1917
as Nara-Nara
The Call of the East 1917
as Arai Takada
Hashimura Togo 1917
as Hashimura Togo
Forbidden Paths 1917
as Sato
The Jaguar's Claws 1917
as El Jaguar
The Bottle Imp 1917
as Lopaka
Each to His Kind 1917
as Rhandah
The Victoria Cross 1916
as Azimoolah
The Soul of Kura San 1916
as Toyo
The Honorable Friend 1916
as Makino
Alien Souls 1916
as Sakata
Temptation 1915
as Opera Admirer
The Cheat 1915
as Hishuru Tori [Haka Arakau]
The Secret Sin 1915
as Lin Foo
The Clue 1915
as Nogi
The Chinatown Mystery 1915
as Yo Hong
After Five 1915
as Oki - the Valet
The Last of the Line 1914
as Tiah - Gray Otter's Son
The Typhoon 1914
as Tokorama
The Death Mask 1914
as Running Wolf
The Wrath of the Gods 1914
as Lord Yamaki
O Mimi san 1914
as Yorotomo
Credits from TMDB.