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 Asian-Americans
- Over the years, Asian Americans have been among the least represented of
the major racial groups on television. Characters with ethnic background
such a Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Hawaiian and South Seas characters have
very rarely been cast in TV roles especially during primetime When
they were included in a show they were routinely cast as servants, or
other menial occupations. It has only been since the 1980s that Asians have
been cast in more mainstream occupations like doctors, lawyers, and
teachers. The following is list of some of the earliest shows on television
that portrayed Asian-Americans.
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MYSTERIES OF CHINATOWN/ABC/1949-50
*(Marvin Miller) Dr Yat Fu, a Chinese-American merchant and amateur
criminologist who owned a herb & curio shop in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Marvin Miller was a Caucasian actor. Also featured was Gloria Sanders as Ah
Toy, Yat's beautiful niece and shop assistant who occasionally helped him
solve crimes.
ARTHUR GODFREY AND HIS FRIENDS/CBS/1949-59
**(Haleloke) Haleloke, a shy Hawaiian female musician who appeared
regularly on this musical variety program. In April, 1955 she was fired and
replaced by a Japanese girl, Miyoshi Umeki. Umeki later starred on THE
COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER as a housekeeper to a widower's small son.
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BACHELOR FATHER/CBS/NBC/ABC/1957-62
**(Sammee Tong) Peter Tong, outspoken Chinese houseboy who cared for
the household of Hollywood attorney, Bentley Gregg. Peter's relatives
included Victor Sen Yung (of BONANZA fame) as cousin, Charlie Fong (earlier
called Charlie Ling); and Beal Wong as Grandpa Ling "a 70-year-old juvenile
delinquent" who limited English vocabulary included the words "Hello, Joe"
and "Nice."
CHINA SMITH (THE AFFAIRS OF CHINA SMITH)/SYN/1952
& 1954-55
*(Myrna Dell/costar) Empress Shira, a scheming a powerful South Seas female
who had dealing with China Smith, a rough and tumble Irish-American con
artist, opportunist based in Singapore who traveled the orient in search of
adventure. TERRY AND THE PIRATES/DUM/1952-53
**(Gloria Saunders) Lai Choi San, aka "The Dragon Lady," an evil
Eurasian
female who was often at odds with American aviators who had come to the
orient in search of a lost gold mine. CAPTAIN DAVID GRIEF/SYN/1956-57
*(Maureen Hingert/costar) Anura, a beautiful South Seas native girl who
accompanied Captain David Grief as he roamed the ocean waters around
Melanesia (near Australia.) aboard the schooner "Rattler." THE ADVENTURES OF FU MANCHU/SYN/1955-56
*(Glen Gordon) Dr. Fu Manchu, an evil, oriental scientific genius operating
out of Macao whose nefarious goals included the destruction of western
democracy. Hot on his heels was the determined Scotland Yard inspector Sir
Dennis Nayland-Smith. The series was based on the character created by
novelist Sax Rohmer in the early 1900's. CAPTAIN DAVID GRIEF/SYN/1956-57
*(Maureen Hingert/costar) Anura, a beautiful South Seas native girl who
accompanied Captain David Grief as he roamed the ocean waters around
Melanesia (near Australia.) aboard the schooner "Rattler."
HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL/CBS/1957-63
**(Kam Tong) Hey Boy, a cow-towing, efficient Chinese manservant employed at
the San Francisco Hotel Carlton who fetched newspaper, cigars and other
items for Paladin, a gentleman gunfighter living at the hotel. Also featured
were Lisa Lu as female hotel servant, Hey Girl (during the 1960-61 season);
and W. Beal Wong as Hey's Boy's uncle Sing Wo, owner of Sing Wo's Chinese
Laundry (on one episode).
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THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS/CBS/1959-63
**(James Yagi/Johnny Lee) Charlie Wong, a Chinese-American businessman and
owner of "Charlie Wong's Ice Cream Parlor," an after school hangout of Dobie
Gillis and his teenage friends from Central High School. The shop sold "31
Celestial Flabors."
JOHNNY MIDNIGHT/SYN/1960
**(Yuki Shimoda) Aki, Japanese houseboy of New York private
detective, Johnny Midnight. Aki politely addressed his employer as "Mr
Johnny Midnight."
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DICK TRACY/SYN/1961
*(Cartoon Character) Joe Jitsu (voice of Mel Blanc/Paul Frees) an
oriental policeman working with Dick Tracy nabbing such crooks as Sketch
Paree, the Mole, Itchy, Flat Top and Prune Face. His wrist radio call sign
was "six, two and even... over and out". This character was an extreme
stereotype of an Asian with large protruding teeth, heavy black-rimmed
glasses and a derby hat. His slurred vocabulary was filled with "Rots of Ruk"
type phrases.
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VALENTINE'S DAY/ABC/1964-65
*(Jack Soo/co-star) Rockwell "Rocky" Sin, a poker-playing Korean
house servant/cook of a handsome New York publishing executive, Valentine
Farrow. "Rocky", a bit of a con-artist, more than once reminded his boss
(and former Army Buddy) of the time he saved his life during the war.
The 1974 TV movie
JUDGE DEE AND THE MONASTERY MURDERS was the first time a TV movie was
produced with an all oriental cast. Based on the novel "Judge Dee at the
Haunted Monastery" by Robert Van Gulick, the story followed a Chinese judge (Khigh
Dhiegh) who lived in 7th century China.
You may remember him from his role
as Wo Fat, the evil Red Chinese enemy of Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) on
HAWAII FIVE-O/CBS/1968-80.
Khigh Dheigh refused billing as the star of the series when he played a
San Francisco Chinese sleuth on the short-lived detective drama
KHAN!/CBS/1975 which was the first all oriental cast TV series.
For a full list of Asian characters check the section on
ETHNIC GROUPS: "Chinese,"
"Hawaiian & South Seas,"
"Filipino & Malaysian," "Japanese,"
"Korean," "Laotian,"
"Thai Landers," and "
Vietnamese"
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