A Brief Biographical Sketch

PHILIP AHN was born in Los Angeles on March 29, 1905, the son of An Ch'ang-ho, a celebrated leader of the Korean independence movement. In an acting career spanning four decades, he became one of the best-known Asian American character actors in Hollywood films and on television.

Ahn grew up in California and was a student at the University of Southern California when he began his acting career. His first film role was in Anything Goes with Ethel Merman, Charles Ruggles, and Bing Crosby in 1936. He also appeared in three other films released in 1936, including The General Died at Dawn with Gary Cooper and Madeleine Carroll.

Ahn is said to have appeared in more than 270 character roles in his career. He often portrayed Japanese military officers in films about World War II. His own favorites among the films in which he appeared were The Story of Dr. Wassell, Daughter of Shanghai, Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.

In the 1970s, Ahn became familiar to television viewers as Master Kan, mentor to David Carradine in the series, "Kung Fu." He had earlier had a continuing role in the short-lived 1960s series "Mr. Garland." Ahn also appeared in episodes of familiar series such as "M*A*S*H," "Hawaii 5-0," "Bonanza," "Have Gun--Will Travel," "I Spy," "Man from U.N.C.L.E.," and "Mission Impossible," among others.

Philip Ahn died in Los Angeles on February 28, 1978, of complications following surgery for lung cancer.

References

Ephraim Katz, The Film Encyclopedia, 1st ed. New York: Perigee Books, 1979.

Hyung-chan Kim. Tosan Ahn Ch'ang-Ho: A Profile of a Prophetic Patriot. Los Angeles: Academia Koreana, Keimyung-Baylo University, 1996.

Herbie J. Pilato, The Kung Fu Book of Caine: The Complete Guide to TV's First Mystical Eastern Western. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle, 1993.

Washington Post, March 3, 1978 (final edition), p. C4.