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Khigh Dhiegh | |
---|---|
Born | Kenneth Dickerson August 25, 1910
Spring Lake, New Jersey, U.S. |
Died | October 25, 1991
Mesa, Arizona, U.S. | (aged 81)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1950–1990 |
Spouse | May Dickerson (?-?) 2 children |
Khigh Alx Dhiegh ( /ˈkaɪ ˈdiː/ KY DEE or /ˈdeɪ/ DAY; born Kenneth Dickerson; August 25, 1910 – October 25, 1991) [1] was an American television and motion picture actor of Anglo-Egyptian Sudanese ancestry, noted for portraying East Asian roles. [2] He is perhaps best remembered for portraying villains, in particular his recurring TV guest role as Chinese agent Wo Fat on Hawaii Five-O (from the pilot in 1968, to the final episode in 1980), and brainwashing expert Dr. Yen Lo in 1962's The Manchurian Candidate. [a]
He was born Kenneth Dickerson in Spring Lake, New Jersey. [3] [4] Dhiegh stated his mother was "Chinese, Spanish, English, and Egyptian" and his father was "Italian, Portuguese, and Zulu"; he was raised in New York City, living in all the boroughs except Staten Island. [5]: 6 He moved to Arizona in 1977. [3]
Dhiegh died on October 25, 1991, at Desert Samaritan Hospital of Mesa, Arizona, from kidney and heart failure. [6] [7]
In the early 1930s, Dhiegh was asked by a customer at his mother's bookshop to understudy the role of a butler in Noël Coward's Design for Living, which led to his long career in acting, producing, and directing. [5]: 1–2
On Broadway, Dhiegh's credits include The Teahouse of the August Moon and Flower Drum Song. [3] Off-Broadway, he received an Obie Award in 1961, for playing Schlink in In the Jungle of Cities. [3]
He also starred in the short-lived 1975 TV series Khan! as the title character. [2] [8] In 1988, he was featured as Four Finger Wu in James Clavell's Noble House television mini-series. [9]
In 1965, Dhiegh recorded and released an album on Folkways Records, entitled St. John of the Cross: Volume II, a collection of poems of St. John.[ citation needed]
Besides his acting endeavors, Dhiegh was active in Taoist philosophy, writing a number of books on the subject, including The Eleventh Wing ( ISBN 0-385-28371-7). [2] Dhiegh credited his "life long dear friend Chao-Li Chi" with sparking his interest in the I Ching and Taoism, starting in 1935. [5]: 2–3 In 1971, he founded the Taoist Sanctuary (now the Taoist Institute) in Hollywood, California. [5]: 4 At the time, he was living in the San Fernando Valley. [8]
Dhiegh also had a doctorate in theology, and in his later years, was the rector for a Taoist sanctuary in Tempe, Arizona called 'Inner Truth Looking Place.' He held weekly services and sponsored many 'Tea Ceremonies' in the Phoenix metro area. Dhiegh picked up jewelry making as a hobby in the 1970s, later selling pieces to help support the sanctuary. [3] One of his last interviews was on One World in 1990, where he presented the concept of World Citizenry and its benefit to mankind. [10] Dhiegh's contributions to Taoism are discussed in some detail in the book Taoism for Dummies (John Wiley and Sons Canada, 2013).
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1957 | Time Limit | Col. Kim | as Kaie Deei |
1962 | The Manchurian Candidate | Dr. Yen Lo | |
1963 | 13 Frightened Girls | Kang | |
1965 | How to Murder Your Wife | Bald Actor playing Thug | |
1966 | Seconds | Davalo | |
1968 | The Destructors | King Chou Lai | |
1968-1980 | Hawaii Five-O | Wo Fat [11] | 15 episodes |
1970 | The Hawaiians | Kai Chung | |
1971 | The Mephisto Waltz | Zanc Theun | |
1974 | Judge Dee and The Monastery Murders | Judge Dee | |
1978 | Goin' Coconuts | Wong |
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