Richard Loo

Biography

Richard Loo was an American actor who became a familiar Asian American character player in Golden Age Hollywood. Born in Maui, Hawaii, in 1903, he moved to California as a teenager, studied business at the University of California, and ran an import-export company until the Depression ended it. He then took up amateur theater in San Francisco and studied drama at the East and West Association, made his film debut in 1931, and often played minor, stereotypical parts. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932) gave him an early prominent villain role. During World War II he gained greater prominence as Japanese military officers in films such as The Purple Heart (1944) and God Is My Co-Pilot (1945), while also playing heroic characters in The Keys of the Kingdom (1944) and The Steel Helmet (1951). Later he worked mainly in television, including Kung Fu, and appeared in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).

80years old at death

Born October 1, 1903Maui
Died November 20, 1983Los Angeles
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22

Movie Career

Films: 26
Career span: 42 years1932 to 1974

Genres

Drama65%, 17 films
Adventure31%, 8 films
Action27%, 7 films
Crime27%, 7 films
Romance23%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Early training
Loo took drama classes at Pearl S. Buck's East and West Association in Chinatown, then turned professional and moved to Hollywood, where he appeared at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Big break
Richard Loo's early prominent role was as a treacherous antagonist in Frank Capra's 1933 pre-Code film The Bitter Tea of General Yen, which columnist Louella Parsons singled out.
A first
Richard Loo's final acting role came in 1981 on The Incredible Hulk TV series, yet he kept appearing in Toyota commercials the next year.

Richard Loo movies on Netflix

The Man with the Golden Gun1974IMDb rating 6.7as Hai Fat
One More Train to Rob1971IMDb rating 5.7as Mr. Chang
The Sand Pebbles1966IMDb rating 7.5as Major Chin
Confessions of an Opium Eater1962IMDb rating 6.2as George Wah
The Quiet American1958IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Heng
Battle Hymn1957IMDb rating 6.3as Gen. Kim (scenes deleted)
The Conqueror1956IMDb rating 3.8as Captain of Wang's guard
House of Bamboo1955IMDb rating 6.8as Inspector Kito's Voice (voice)
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing1955IMDb rating 6.4as Robert Hung
Soldier of Fortune1955IMDb rating 6.2as Gen. Po Lin
Hell and High Water1954IMDb rating 6.1as Hakada Fujimori
Living It Up1954IMDb rating 6.5as Dr. Lee
5 Fingers1952IMDb rating 7.6
The Steel Helmet1951IMDb rating 7.4as Sergeant Tanaka
The Clay Pigeon1949IMDb rating 6.5as Ken Tokoyama
Women in the Night1948IMDb rating 4.7as Colonel Noyama
Seven Were Saved1947IMDb rating 5.8as Col. Yamura
Back to Bataan1945IMDb rating 6.6as Maj. Hasko
The Story of Dr. Wassell1944IMDb rating 6.6as Chinese Doctor on Train
Across the Pacific1942IMDb rating 6.8as First Officer Miyuma
Doomed to Die1940IMDb rating 5.5as Tong Leader
The Fatal Hour1940IMDb rating 5.4as Jeweler
The Good Earth1937IMDb rating 7.4as Farmer
Now and Forever1934IMDb rating 6.5as Hotel Clerk
The Mysterious Mr. Wong1934IMDb rating 4.7as Bystander Outside Store
The Bitter Tea of General Yen1932IMDb rating 6.9as Captain Li

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Man with the Golden Gun1974 Action, Adventure, Thrilleras Hai Fat
IMDb rating 6.7123K votes
The Steel Helmet1951 Action, Drama, Waras Sergeant Tanaka
IMDb rating 7.45.3K votes
Back to Bataan1945as Maj. Hasko
IMDb rating 6.64.7K votes
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing1955as Robert Hung
IMDb rating 6.45.9K votes
The Bitter Tea of General Yen1932as Captain Li
IMDb rating 6.94.9K votes
Confessions of an Opium Eater1962as George Wah
IMDb rating 6.2937 votes
The Sand Pebbles1966as Major Chin
IMDb rating 7.518K votes
The Clay Pigeon1949as Ken Tokoyama
IMDb rating 6.51.1K votes

Most often with

Samuel Fuller directed three of these films, William Nigh three and Joseph L. Mankiewicz two. Philip Ahn appears in seven of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Philip Ahn

James Hong

Ann Doran

Keye Luke

Victor Sen Yung

Soo Yong

Samuel FullerDirector, 3 films William NighDirector, 3 films

Joseph L. MankiewiczDirector, 2 films

Films together

Philip Ahn7 films together, 1937 to 1962
Philip Ahn's page
- Confessions of an Opium Eater1962IMDb rating 6.2Loo as George WahAhn as Ching Foon
- Battle Hymn1957IMDb rating 6.3Loo as Gen. Kim (scenes deleted)Ahn as Old Man
- Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing1955IMDb rating 6.4Loo as Robert HungAhn as Third Uncle
- Women in the Night1948IMDb rating 4.7Loo as Colonel NoyamaAhn as Professor Kunioshi(Phillip Ahn)
- Back to Bataan1945IMDb rating 6.6Loo as Maj. HaskoAhn as Col. Coroki
- The Story of Dr. Wassell1944IMDb rating 6.6Loo as Chinese Doctor on TrainAhn as Ping
- The Good Earth1937IMDb rating 7.4Loo as FarmerAhn as Captain
James Hong4 films together, 1955 to 1966
James Hong's page
- The Sand Pebbles1966IMDb rating 7.5Loo as Major ChinHong as Victor Shu
- Battle Hymn1957IMDb rating 6.3Loo as Gen. Kim (scenes deleted)Hong as ROK Maj. Chong
- Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing1955IMDb rating 6.4Loo as Robert HungHong as Fifth Brother
- Soldier of Fortune1955IMDb rating 6.2Loo as Gen. Po LinHong as Chinese Policeman
Ann Doran3 films together, 1944 to 1949
Ann Doran's page
- The Clay Pigeon1949IMDb rating 6.5Loo as Ken TokoyamaDoran as Nurse
- Seven Were Saved1947IMDb rating 5.8Loo as Col. YamuraDoran as Mrs. Rollin Hartley
- The Story of Dr. Wassell1944IMDb rating 6.6Loo as Chinese Doctor on TrainDoran as Praying Woman
Keye Luke3 films together, 1937 to 1955
Keye Luke's page
- Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing1955IMDb rating 6.4Loo as Robert HungLuke as Lee Foo
- Across the Pacific1942IMDb rating 6.8Loo as First Officer MiyumaLuke as Steamship Office Clerk
- The Good Earth1937IMDb rating 7.4Loo as FarmerLuke as Elder Son
Victor Sen Yung3 films together, 1937 to 1962
Victor Sen Yung's page
- Confessions of an Opium Eater1962IMDb rating 6.2Loo as George WahYung as Wing Young
- Across the Pacific1942IMDb rating 6.8Loo as First Officer MiyumaYung as Joe Totsuiko
- The Good Earth1937IMDb rating 7.4Loo as FarmerYung as Peasant
Soo Yong3 films together, 1937 to 1955
Soo Yong's page
- Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing1955IMDb rating 6.4Loo as Robert HungYong as Nora Hung
- Soldier of Fortune1955IMDb rating 6.2Loo as Gen. Po LinYong as Dak Lai
- The Good Earth1937IMDb rating 7.4Loo as FarmerYong as Aunt
Samuel FullerDirector, 3 films, 1951 to 1955
All films by Samuel Fuller
- House of Bamboo1955IMDb rating 6.8Loo as Inspector Kito's Voicevoice
- Hell and High Water1954IMDb rating 6.1Loo as Hakada Fujimori
- The Steel Helmet1951IMDb rating 7.4Loo as Sergeant Tanaka
William NighDirector, 3 films, 1934 to 1940
All films by William Nigh
- Doomed to Die1940IMDb rating 5.5Loo as Tong Leader
- The Fatal Hour1940IMDb rating 5.4Loo as Jeweler
- The Mysterious Mr. Wong1934IMDb rating 4.7Loo as Bystander Outside Store
Joseph L. MankiewiczDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1958
All films by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- The Quiet American1958IMDb rating 6.7Loo as Mr. Heng
- 5 Fingers1952IMDb rating 7.6

Box office

What Richard Loo's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$138 million

7 of the 26 films have a worldwide figure.

7Worldwide figure
2US gross only
17Figure not found

Top grosser

The Man with the Golden Gun1974Hai Fat$97.6 million

Highest grossing

The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Man with the Golden Gun1974as Hai Fat
$98M70.5% of the total
2
The Sand Pebbles1966as Major Chin
$20M14.4% of the total
3
The Conqueror1956as Captain of Wang's guard
$9.0M6.5% of the total
4
Battle Hymn1957as Gen. Kim (scenes deleted)
$3.9M2.8% of the total
5
The Good Earth1937as Farmer
$3.6M2.6% of the total
6
Hell and High Water1954as Hakada Fujimori
$2.7M2.0% of the total
7
House of Bamboo1955as Inspector Kito's Voice (voice)
$1.7M1.2% of the total