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Dale Ishimoto

Acting Born Apr 3, 1923 Delta County, Colorado, USA 24 credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dale Ishimoto (April 3, 1923 – March 4, 2004) was an American actor of Japanese descent. He was born in Delta, Colorado in 1923 and was raised in Guadalupe, California.

After being sent to the Gila River internment camp in Arizona, Ishimoto volunteered to fight in World War II, joining the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. After two years, he was awarded a Purple Heart and given a medical discharge.

After starting a business in Chicago, he moved back to California, where he grew up, and started his acting career by acting at the Altadena Playhouse. He became a "familiar figure" for playing "villainous Japanese soldiers".

Over the course of his career, he acted in a wide variety of movies, such as a Japanese army captain in Beach Red (1967), a Korean doctor in MASH (1970), a karate instructor in Superchick (1973), and as Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya in Midway (1976).

He became famous in the late 1990s for his appearances in television commercials for Nissan in which he portrayed Yutaka Katayama, the company's former president. He also appeared in one episode of Wanted:Dead or Alive"

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Known for

Perry Mason

as Lao

The A-Team

as Stockwell's contact

Mission: Impossible

as Saburi

Love, American Style

1969
Film

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

2006

The Twilight Zone

as Sergeant Yamazaki

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957
Film

Poseidon

2006
Film

Hard Rain

1998

60 Minutes

as Korean Doctor (uncredited)
Film

Stay

2005

Full filmography

  • Perry Mason (1957) as Lao
  • The A-Team (1983) as Stockwell's contact
  • Mission: Impossible (1966) as Saburi
  • Love, American Style (1969)
  • Quincy, M.E. (1976)
  • The Twilight Zone (1959) as Sergeant Yamazaki
  • Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)
  • Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958) as Taro Yamamoto
  • The Odd Couple (1970) as Man #1
  • Family Affair (1966)
  • Hawaiian Eye (1959)
  • McHale's Navy (1962)
  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) as Dr. Matsu
  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) as Mr. Yu
  • Sea Hunt (1958)
  • Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976) as Japanese Mechanic
  • Rambo: The Force of Freedom (1986)
  • The Bill Cosby Show (1969) as Mr. Shimura
  • Midway (1976) as Vice Admiral Moshiro Hosogaya
  • Panic! (1957)
  • M*A*S*H (1970) as Korean Doctor (uncredited)
  • Philip Marlowe (1959)
  • The Beachcomber (1962) as Nakamira
  • Cannonball Run II (1984) as Japanese Businessman (uncredited)