James Shigeta Movies and Career Information

James Shigeta (born June 17, 1933) is an American film and television actor. He is also a standards singer, musical theatre and nightclub performer, and recording artist. He is a Nisei or second-generation American of Japanese ancestry. Born in Hawaii of Japanese ancestry, Shigeta studied drama at New York University. Before he could fully embark on a business career, Shigeta enlisted to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. James Shigeta entered and won first prize on Ted Mack's television talent show, Original Amateur Hour. Embarking on a singing career, his agent at the time gave him the non-ethnic sounding stage name of "Guy Brion" alluding to Shigeta as a cultured European. Under his new name, he developed a supper club musical career in the United States, singing at venues such as the Mocambo and the Los Angeles Players Club. Despite that success, breaking into the movies eluded him. The American-born Shigeta did not speak the Japanese language until Toho Studios in Tokyo invited him to be a musical star under his real name in Japan. He spent years in that country, becoming a success in all media aspects: radio, television, stage, supper clubs, movies,