Gedde Watanabe

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gedde Watanabe (2014)

Gedde Watanabe (* 26. June 1955 in Ogden , Utah as Gary Watanabe ) is an American actor with Japanese roots. Since 1976 Watanabe has worked in over 80 film and television productions, mostly in comedic supporting roles.

life and career

Gedde Watanabe was born in Utah to Japanese immigrants. His mother, a seamstress, was forcibly interned during the Second World War because of her origins . Watanabe studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and also performed as a street musician. He first worked as a stage actor and appeared in the world premiere of Stephen Sondheim's musical Pacific Overtures in 1976 .

Watanabe's breakthrough in film came in 1984 with the role of the Chinese exchange student Long Duk Dong in the comedy That is only allowed as an adult . The character who, among other things, destroys a car and falls from a tree in the course of the film, is now more often criticized as stereotypical towards Asians. He then played a long series of "lovable but mechanical" Asian roles, mostly in supporting roles for comedic purposes. An example of this is his role as a tourist taking photos, Mr. Katsuji in Gremlins 2 - The Return of the Little Monsters (1990). In 1986, he was allowed to play a bigger role alongside Michael Keaton as Japanese company manager in Gung Ho , and he was also seen in the television series of the same name based on this film.

From 1997 to 2003 he played the homosexual male nurse Yosh Takata in 58 episodes of the hospital series Emergency Room , which was his longest-running role on US television. In addition, he took on guest roles in various television series such as Seinfeld and Listen, who hammers there . In the Disney cartoon Mulan (1998) and the sequel Mulan 2 (2004), he lent the Chinese soldier Ling his voice. Watanabe also spoke various roles in other animated series such as The Simpsons , Family Guy and American Dad .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gedde Watanabe Discusses 30 Years of Sixteen Candles and Long Duk Dong . In: Vulture . May 20, 2014 ( vulture.com [accessed September 23, 2018]).
  2. ↑ The Broadway League: Gedde Watanabe - Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB. Retrieved September 23, 2018 .
  3. ↑ Gedde Watanabe | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos | AllMovie. Retrieved September 23, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Have We Come That Far From Long Duk Dong? In: UPROXX . June 3, 2016 ( uproxx.com [accessed September 23, 2018]).
  5. ↑ What's So 'Cringeworthy' About Long Duk Dong in 'Sixteen Candles'? In: NPR.org . ( npr.org [accessed September 23, 2018]).
  6. ↑ Gedde Watanabe | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos | AllMovie. Retrieved September 23, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Watanabe, Gedde
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Watanabe, Gary (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH June 26, 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH Ogden , Utah