Sessue Hayakawa

Sessue Hayakawa

Active - 1913 - 1966  |   Born - Jun 10, 1886   |   Died - Nov 23, 1973   |   Genres - Drama, Action, Adventure

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Biography by AllMovie

Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa, born Kitaro Hayakawa, joined a Japanese stage troupe directed by his uncle after a partial loss of hearing denied him access into the navy, which he had dreamed of joining. He moved to the U.S. at age 19 and enrolled at the University of Chicago. After returning to Japan he founded the Japanese Imperial Company, with which he toured the American West in 1913. Silent filmmaker Thomas Ince saw him perform and signed him to a film contract, and in 1914 he appeared in several silents. Within two years he was as popular as any big Hollywood star, particularly after his appearance in The Typhoon (1914), in which he co-starred was his wife, Tsuru Aoki. He went on to frequently appear with Aoki. His acting style has been described as a combination of "the Method" and Zen; his restrained performances contrasted sharply with the exaggerations of other silent actors. He played both exotic heroes and charming villains in many Hollywood films until 1923, when he moved to Europe; there he continued his busy screen career, mostly in France. He also occasionally worked in Japan and the U.S. He lived in France in the '30s and '40s, and during the Nazi occupation he painted to earn a living. He returned to Hollywood in the late '40s and over the next decade-plus appeared in numerous character roles. For his portrayal of a Japanese camp commander in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. He retired from the screen in the '60s, returning to Japan; there he became an ordained Zen priest and taught acting. During his lifetime he also wrote a novel, a play, and the screenplay for The Swamp (1921).

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