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Richard Loo

Richard Loo

Actor · Died November 20, 1983, aged 80 · Maui, Hawaii, USA

Richard Loo (October 1, 1903 – November 20, 1983) was an American film actor who was one of the most familiar Asian character actors in American films of the 1930s and 1940s. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1982. Chinese by ancestry and Hawaiian by birth, Loo spent his youth in Hawaii, then moved to California as a teenager. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and began a career in business. The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent economic depression forced Loo to start over. He became involved with amateur, then professional, theater companies and in 1931 made his first film. Like most Asian actors in non-Asian countries, he played primarily small, stereotypical roles, though he rose quickly to familiarity, if not fame, in a number of films. His stern features led him to be a favorite movie villain, and the outbreak of World War II gave him greater prominence in roles as vicious Japanese soldiers in such successful pictures as The Purple Heart (1944) and God Is My Co-Pilot (1945). Loo was most often typecast as the Japanese enemy pilot, spy or interrogator during World War II. In the film The Purple Heart he plays a Japanese Imperial Army general who commits suicide because he cannot break down the American prisoners. According to his daughter, Beverly Jane Loo, he didn't mind being typecast as a villain in these movies as he felt very patriotic about playing those parts. In 1944 he appeared as a Chinese army lieutenant opposite Gregory Peck in The Keys of the Kingdom. He had a rare heroic role as a war-weary Japanese-American soldier in Samuel Fuller's Korean War classic The Steel Helmet (1951), but he spent much of the latter part of his career performing stock roles in films and minor television roles. In 1974 he appeared as the Thai billionaire tycoon Hai Fat in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, opposite Roger Moore and Christopher Lee. Loo was also a teacher of Shaolin monks in three episodes of the 1972–1975 hit TV series Kung Fu and made a further three appearances as a different character. His last acting appearance was in The Incredible Hulk TV series in 1981, but he continued to act in Toyota commercials into 1982. Loo died of a cerebral hemorrhage on November 20, 1983, age 80. [biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 1, 1903
Died
November 20, 1983 (aged 80)
From
Maui, Hawaii, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
66 on MovieCove · 124 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 14% in 30 days

What are Richard Loo's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
46%
Bonds
19%
Self
10%
Society
8%
Power
8%
Survival
7%
Ideas
1%
Duty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice4 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 14 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 7 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 7 analyzed roles.

Shadow
7 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Melancholic
12
Contemplative
8
Romantic
4
Thrilling
4
Other
14

How their films linger

Bittersweet13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Richard Loo's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 66 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Richard Loo's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

124 credits, 66 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller(2002)

    as Sgt. Tanaka (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Kung Fu: The Movie(1986)

    as Master Sun

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Incredible Hulk(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Chiang-Kai-Shek

  • The Man with the Golden Gun(1974)

    as Hai Fat

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Kung Fu(1972)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ho Fai, The Weapons Master · as Master Sun

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Delphi Bureau (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Shen Si

  • Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Master Sun

  • Chandler(1971)

    as Leo

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • One More Train to Rob(1971)

    as Mr. Chang

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • McCloud(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Y.S. Chen (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Wong Tou

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Kenji Yamashita

  • The Sand Pebbles(1966)

    as Major Chin

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Family Affair(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • I Dream of Jeannie(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Wong

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Honey West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Tog - Chinese Fine Arts Thief

  • The Wild Wild West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Yahama

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Bewitched(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Grass Slipper

  • The Outer Limits(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Li-Chin Sung

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Dakotas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Girl Named Tamiko(1962)

    as Otani

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Diamond Head(1962)

    as Yamagata (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Confessions of an Opium Eater(1962)

    as George Wah

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Beachcomber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Ah Wei

  • My Three Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hong Kong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Leo

  • The Scavengers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as General Mu Tsung

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Hong Kong Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Li Noon

  • The Quiet American(1958)

    as Mr. Heng

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Maverick(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Eng

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Battle Hymn(1957)

    as Gen. Kim (scenes deleted)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Around the World in 80 Days(1956)

    as Saloon Manager (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Conqueror(1956)

    as Captain of Wang's guard

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Man Called X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Crossroads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel

  • Navy Log (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing(1955)

    as Robert Hung

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • House of Bamboo(1955)

    as Inspector Kito's Voice (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Soldier of Fortune(1955)

    as Gen. Po Lin

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • December Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Shanghai Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Officer

  • Living It Up(1954)

    as Dr. Lee

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Bamboo Prison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Commandant Hsai Tung

  • Hell and High Water(1954)

    as Hakada Fujimori

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • China Venture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Chang Sung

  • Destination Gobi(1953)

    as Commanding Officer, Japanese POW Camp (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Target Hong Kong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Fu Chao

  • Cavalcade of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Ho Chung

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Jo-Kai

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • 5 Fingers(1952)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • I Was an American Spy(1951)

    as Col. Masamato

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Steel Helmet(1951)

    as Sergeant Tanaka

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Malaya(1949)

    as Colonel Genichi Tomura

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Clay Pigeon(1949)

    as Ken Tokoyama

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • State Department: File 649 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Marshal Yun Usu

  • Rogues' Regiment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Kao Pang

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Cobra Strikes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hyder Ali

  • Half Past Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Lee Gow

  • To the Ends of the Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Commissioner Lu (uncredited)

  • Women in the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Colonel Noyama

  • Beyond Our Own (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as James Wong

  • Web of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Wing

  • Seven Were Saved (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Colonel Yamura

  • Tokyo Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Colonel Suzuki

  • Prison Ship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Capt. Okisawa

  • First Yank Into Tokyo(1945)

    as Col. Hideko Okanura

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Back to Bataan(1945)

    as Maj. Hasko

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • China's Little Devils (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Colonel Huraji

  • China Sky(1945)

    as Col. Yasuda

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Betrayal from the East(1945)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Miyazaki, alias Tani

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • God Is My Co-Pilot(1945)

    as Tokyo Joe

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Keys of the Kingdom(1944)

    as Lt. Shon

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Story of Dr. Wassell(1944)

    as Chinese Doctor on Train (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Purple Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as General Ito Mitsubi

  • So Proudly We Hail!(1943)

    as Japanese Radio Announcer (Voice) (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Destroyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Japanese Submarine Commander

  • Behind the Rising Sun(1943)

    as Japanese Officer Dispensing Opium

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Yanks Ahoy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Japanese Submarine Officer (uncredited)

  • China(1943)

    as Lin Yun

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Flight for Freedom(1943)

    as Mr. Yokahata (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Falcon Strikes Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Jerry

  • The Amazing Mrs. Holliday(1943)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Road to Morocco(1942)

    as Chinese Announcer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Across the Pacific(1942)

    as First Officer Miyuma

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Wake Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Actor

  • Star Spangled Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Emperor Hirohito (uncredited)

  • Secret of the Wastelands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Quan

  • Doomed to Die(1940)

    as Tong Leader

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Fatal Hour(1940)

    as Jeweler

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Barricade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Colonel Commander of Rescue Party

  • Daughter of the Tong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Wong

  • Island of Lost Men(1939)

    as General Ahn Ling

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Lady of the Tropics(1939)

    as Delaroch's Chauffeur

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Miracles for Sale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Chinese Soldier in Demo

  • Mr. Wong in Chinatown(1939)

    as Tong Chief

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Panama Patrol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Tommy Young

  • North of Shanghai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Jed's Pilot

  • Shadows Over Shanghai(1938)

    as Fong

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Too Hot to Handle(1938)

    as Charlie (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Blondes at Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Sam Wong (uncredited)

  • West of Shanghai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Mr. Cheng

  • That Certain Woman(1937)

    as Elevator Operator (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Good Earth(1937)

    as Farmer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Soldier and the Lady(1937)

    as Tartar (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Lost Horizon(1937)

    as Shanghai Airport Official (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Stowaway(1936)

    as Chinese Merchant (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Mad Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Li Yat (uncredited)

  • Shadow of Chinatown(1936)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Roaming Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Chinese Seaman

  • China Seas(1935)

    as Chinese Inspector at Gangplank (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Stranded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Chinese Groom (uncredited)

  • Student Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Geisha's Customer

  • Now and Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

  • The Bitter Tea of General Yen(1932)

    as Captain Li

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Secrets of Wu Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Charlie San

  • War Correspondent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Bandit (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 124 titles from 1932 to 2002; peak year 1973.

Biggest box office

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

$21M worldwide

Highest rated

The Steel Helmet (1951)

Midcredits 90th

Most popular right now

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

Film career

19322002

Peak 1973 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting124 of 124: 124 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score64th

By decade

1930s27 · acting1940s38 · acting1950s28 · acting1960s18 · acting1970s11 · acting1980s1 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 22 roles
324257

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Richard Loo's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of all 53; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 66 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th29
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

36 of their 66 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser36
  • Broadly Agreed13
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

The Conqueror (1956)

68th percentile spread · 66% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

5 Fingers (1952)

Midcredits 95th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 36. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Richard Loo work with?

People who share at least 2 of Richard Loo's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Philip Ahn shares the most, 10.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles