Biography
James Shigeta (also credited as James Saburo Shigeta) was an American actor and singer of Japanese descent. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, he studied drama at New York University and served in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War. Before entering Hollywood he achieved success as a singer in Japan and Australia.
Shigeta made his screen debut in The Crimson Kimono (1959) and went on to play romantic leads in Walk Like a Dragon (1960), Bridge to the Sun (1961) and Flower Drum Song (1961). In 1960 he shared the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male. Later credits include the role of Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi in Die Hard (1988) and the voice of General Li in Mulan (1998). He also appeared in numerous television series such as Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.. Shigeta died in 2014.
