Sessue Hayakawa
Known for

Acting

Credits

88

Gender

Man

Birthday

10 Jun 1889

Day of death

23 Nov 1973 (84)

Place of birth

Nanaura, Chiba, Japan

Also known as
早川雪洲
Kintarō Hayakawa
早川 金太郎

Sessue Hayakawa

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.

Known for
Acting roles
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2020Asian AmericansSelf
2019Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood(archive footage)
2007Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early CinemaSelf (archive footage)
1967Lover's DuetTajima
1966The DaydreamerThe Mole (voice)
1965The Love Goddesses(archive footage)
1965TaikoukiTakeda Shingen
1964The Frozen MomentSelf
1961The Big WaveThe Old Man
1960Swiss Family RobinsonKuala, Pirate Chief
1960Hell to EternityGeneral Matsui
1959Green MansionsRuni
1959John Gunther's High RoadSelf
1958The Geisha BoyMr. Sikita
1958The Rise and Fall of a Jungle GiantSelf
1957The Bridge on the River KwaiCol. Saito
1955House of BambooInspector Kito
1953悲劇の将軍 山下奉文
195347 VendettasSakon Tachibana
1950Three Came HomeColonel Michio Suga
1950The Motherland Far Far AwayJoe Hayami
1950Les Miserables I: God and the Devil
1950Les Miserables II: Banner of Love and Freedom
1949Tokyo JoeBaron Kimura
1947Quartier chinoisTchang
1946Le Cabaret du Grand LargeProfesseur Wang
1943Le Soleil de minuitMatsui
1943Malaria
1942Gambling HellYing Tchaï
1942Patrouille blanche
1938Tempête sur l'AsiePrinz Ling
1937ForfaiturePrince Hu-Long
1937The Daughter of the SamuraiIwao Yamato
1937YoshiwaraYsamo, Kuli
1932Running HollywoodSessue Hayakawa
1931Daughter of the DragonAh Kee
1931Around the World with Douglas FairbanksSelf
1924The Great Prince ShanPrince Shan
1924Sen Yan’s DevotionSen Yan
1924I Have KilledHideo
1923The BattleLe Marquis Yorisaka
1922Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12Self
1922The Vermilion PencilTse Chan / The Unknown / Li Chan
1922Night Life in HollywoodSelf
1921Where Lights Are LowT''Su Wong Shih
1921Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)Himself
1921The SwampWang
1921The First BornChan Wang
1921Black RosesYoda
1920The Devil's ClaimAkbar Khan / Hassan
1920Li Ting LangLi Ting Lang
1920An Arabian KnightAhmed
1919The Dragon PainterTatsu - the Dragon Painter
1919The Tong ManLuk Chen
1919The Man BeneathDr. Chindi Ashutor
1919The Courageous CowardSuki Iota
1919Bonds of HonorYamashito / Sasamoto
1919A Heart in PawnTomaya
1918His BirthrightYukio
1918The City of Dim FacesJang Lung
1918The Temple Of DuskAkira
1918The Honor of His HouseCount Ito Onato
1918Hidden PearlsTom Garvin
1918The White Man's LawJohn A. Genghis
1918The Bravest WayKara Tamura
1918BanzaiThe American General
1917The Secret GameNara-Nara
1917The Bottle ImpLopaka
1917The Call of the EastArai Takada
1917Forbidden PathsSato
1916The Honorable FriendMakino
1916The Victoria CrossAzimoolah
1915The CheatHishuru Tori [Haka Arakau]
1915TemptationOpera Admirer
1915The ClueNogi
1915The Secret SinLin Foo
1914The Wrath of the GodsLord Yamaki
1914The Last of the LineTiah - Gray Otter's Son
1914The Death MaskRunning Wolf
1914The TyphoonTokorama
1914O Mimi sanYorotomo
Credits
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
1923The BattleDirector
1921Where Lights Are LowProducer
1921The First BornProducer
1921The SwampStory
1921Black RosesProducer
1918His BirthrightProducer
1918His BirthrightStory