Biography
Sessue Hayakawa was a Japanese actor who appeared in films in the United States, Japan, France, Germany and Britain. He began his screen career in 1913 after studying at the University of Chicago and quickly became one of the first Asian stars in Hollywood, appearing in more than 80 films.
Hayakawa is best known for his performance as Colonel Saito in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He also appeared as Kuala in Swiss Family Robinson (1960) and in earlier films including The Cheat (1915) and House of Bamboo (1955).
In addition to acting, he worked as a film producer, director, screenwriter and theatre performer. Three of his films are preserved in the United States National Film Registry.
