---
name: "Sessue Hayakawa"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sessue-hayakawa"
fi1m_id: "sessue-hayakawa"
imdb_id: "nm0370564"
tmdb_id: 12249
wikidata_id: "Q382068"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "10 June 1889"
died: "23 November 1973"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-17T23:29:32.298111+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sessue Hayakawa

## Identity

Sessue Hayakawa

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sessue-hayakawa
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sessue-hayakawa
- **IMDb ID:** nm0370564
- **TMDB ID:** 12249
- **Wikidata ID:** Q382068
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sessue_Hayakawa, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q382068, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0370564/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12249

Actor. Born 10 June 1889 in Nanaura, Chiba, Japan. Died 23 November 1973.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 10 June 1889, Nanaura, Chiba, Japan
- **Died:** 23 November 1973
- **Also known as:** 早川雪洲, Kintarō Hayakawa, 早川 金太郎
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sessue_Hayakawa, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q382068, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0370564/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12249

## 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.

*Sources: projects.latimes.com, en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Col. Saito — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)

## Complete filmography (90)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood* (2019), as (archive footage)
- *Lover's Duet* (1967), as Tajima
- *The Daydreamer* (1966), as The Mole (voice)
- *Taikouki* (1965), series, as Takeda Shingen
- *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
- *Green Mansions* (1959), as Runi
- *The Geisha Boy* (1958), as Mr. Sikita
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), as Col. Saito — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *Wagon Train* (1957), series, as Sakae Ito
- *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* (1932), as Kenji · Director
- *Running Hollywood* (1932), as Sessue Hayakawa
- *Daughter of the Dragon* (1931), as Ah Kee
- *I Have Killed* (1924), as Hideo
- *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
- *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
- *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* (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* (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

## Gallery

- ![Sessue Hayakawa](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-1b3a759e1aef.jpg) Sessue Hayakawa — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Sessue_Hayakawa.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![After Five is a 1915 American silent thriller comedy film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and Oscar Apfel. Publicity photo published in a newspaper.](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-7b630e014e77.jpg) After Five is a 1915 American silent thriller comedy film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and Oscar Apfel. Publicity photo published in a newspaper. — paramount pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/After_Five_-_newspaper_photo_-_1915.jpg/1280px-After_Five_-_newspaper_photo_-_1915.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alien Souls advertisement (1917)](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-d24a4ea139e6.jpg) Alien Souls advertisement (1917) — The Bemidji daily pioneer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/AlienSouls-1917-newspaperad.jpg/1280px-AlienSouls-1917-newspaperad.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Poster for the 1920 film The Beggar Prince.](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-d5f4e472af61.jpg) Poster for the 1920 film The Beggar Prince. — Haworth Productions, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Beggar_Prince_poster.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Sessue Hayakawa](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-ba4465e57325.jpg) Sessue Hayakawa — Image via TMDB
- ![Sessue Hayakawa](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-5a8300fabe7a.jpg) Sessue Hayakawa — Image via TMDB
- ![Sessue Hayakawa](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-71fbac1ae60c.jpg) Sessue Hayakawa — Image via TMDB
- ![Still from the American drama film Black Roses (1921) with Henry Herbert, Sessue Hayakawa, and Myrtle Stedman, on page 87 of the June 4, 1921 Exhibitors Herald.](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-47c7c14232d2.jpg) Still from the American drama film Black Roses (1921) with Henry Herbert, Sessue Hayakawa, and Myrtle Stedman, on page 87 of the June 4, 1921 Exhibitors Herald. — Hayakawa Feature Play Company / Robertson-Cole Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Black_Roses_%281921%29_-_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Ad for the American film Bonds of Honor (1919) with Sessue Hayakawa, on page 306 of the January 18, 1919 Moving Picture World.](https://film.one/media/person/105752/gallery-225ca3ea1b8d.jpg) Ad for the American film Bonds of Honor (1919) with Sessue Hayakawa, on page 306 of the January 18, 1919 Moving Picture World. — Haworth Pictures Corporation / Exhibitors Mutual Exhibiting Company, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Bonds_of_Honor_%281919%29_-_Ad_1.jpg/1280px-Bonds_of_Honor_%281919%29_-_Ad_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1958: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Bridge on the River Kwai*

### Other awards — 2 won

- Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class 1966: Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class (won)
- Medal with Purple Ribbon 1960: Medal with Purple Ribbon (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sessue-hayakawa