Robert Ito
Robert Ito | |
|---|---|
_Press_Photo_of_Robert_Ito.jpg) Ito c. 1981 in a publicity photo for Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983) | |
| Born | July 2, 1931 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, voice artist |
| Years active | 1965–2008 |
Robert Ito (born July 2, 1931) is a Canadian actor.[1] He is known for his television and film work, including the roles of Sam Fujiyama on the 1976–83 NBC series Quincy, M.E.[1] and Larry Mishima on the 1980s CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest, and a variety of voice acting for animation. He was nominated for a Gemini Award for his performance in the 1994 film Trial at Fortitude Bay.
Career
[edit]Ito was a dancer with the National Ballet of Canada[1][2] before coming to Broadway and dancing in such shows as "Flower Drum Song"(1960-1961).[3] He turned to acting in the mid-1960s, often playing Asian characters. He appeared three times (as different characters) in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu; first as a Chinese rail worker in the two-hour movie that launched the series, later as a Chinese bandit named Captain Lee in the episode "The Way of Violence Has No Mind" and another time as a Japanese Ninja in the episode entitled "The Assassin".[4]
He likewise portrayed two different Korean characters in episodes of the TV series M*A*S*H, in 1972 and 1976. Ito acted in the 1976 film Midway as Minoru Genda, the leader of the 1942 attack on Midway Island. In 1976, he was cast as forensic lab technician Sam Fujiyama, a regular supporting role he played for seven years on Quincy, M.E. As of October 2024, Ito is the last surviving major cast member of the show.
His other film credits include The Terminal Man (1974), Rollerball (1975), Peeper (1976), Special Delivery (1976), Black Sunday (1977), SST: Death Flight (1977), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), Pray for Death (1985), Aloha Summer (1988) and The Vineyard (1989). Ito guest-starred on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Coming of Age" as TAC officer Lt. Chang and on Star Trek: Voyager as John Kim (Harry Kim's father).
Voice roles include such programs and films as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Animaniacs, Bonkers, Batman: The Animated Series, Jackie Chan Adventures, Fantastic Max, Superman: The Animated Series, SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron, My Little Pony and Friends, Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Biker Mice from Mars, Quack Pack, Capitol Critters, ProStars, Justice League, Darkwing Duck, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Iron Man, The Karate Kid, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures, Rambo and the Forces of Freedom, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, Savage Dragon, TaleSpin, Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos, The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, All Grown Up!, The Mummy: The Animated Series, Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, The New Woody Woodpecker Show, The Wild Thornberrys, Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects, and Gargoyles.
Selected filmography
[edit]Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Get Smart | Number 3 | Episode: "The Amazing Harry Hoo"; uncredited |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief | Chief Aide | Episode: "When Good Friends Get Together" |
| 1970-1974 | Mannix | Dr. Yoshiro, Dr. Sato, Doctor | 3 episodes |
| 1972-1974 | Kung Fu | Fong, Tim Lee, Smith | 3 episodes |
| 1976 | Six Million Dollar Man: The Last Kamikaze | Mission Guide | |
| 1976–1983 | Quincy, M.E. | Sam Fujiyama | 147 episodes |
| 1984 | Magnum P.I. | Ray Lum | Episode: Jororo Farewell |
| 1986 | Rambo: The Force of Freedom | Black Dragon / White Dragon | Voice, 27 episodes |
| 1988 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Lt. Chang | Episode: "Coming of Age" |
| 1989 | The Karate Kid | Mr. Miyagi | Voice, 13 episodes |
| 1990 | TaleSpin | Wan-Lo | Voice, episode: "Last Horizons" |
| 1992-1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | The Ninja / Kyodai Ken | Voice, 2 episodes[5] |
| 1993 | Animaniacs | Matthew Kato | Voice, episode: "Taming of the Screwy"[5] |
| 1993 | Highlander: The Series | Johnny Leong | Episode: "Revenge of the Sword" |
| 1994 | Gargoyles | Dr. Ken Sato | Voice, episode: "Deadly Force"[5] |
| 1994 | Highlander: The Series | Hideo Koto | Episode: "The Samurai" |
| 1995-1996 | Iron Man | Mandarin | Voice, 12 episodes[5] |
| 1995 | Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects | 427 | Voice, television film |
| 1995 | The X-Files | Dr. Shiro Zama | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries | Charlie Smith | Voice, episode: "A Ticket to Crime"[5] |
| 1996 | Quack Pack | Dr. William Wu | Voice, episode: "Feats of Clay" |
| 1996 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | President Horkarno, Pradad, Controller | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Superman: The Animated Series | Awards Presenter, Dr. Teng | Voice, 2 episodes[5] |
| 1999 | The King of Queens | Mr. Fujita | Episode: "Hungry Man" |
| 2001 | The Wild Thornberrys | Asian Black Bear | Voice, episode: "The Anniversary"[5] |
| 2001 | Star Trek: Voyager | John Kim | Episode: "Author, Author" |
| 2001 | The Mummy | Lin Chou | Voice, episode: "The Boy Who Would Be King" |
| 2003 | Justice League | Mr. Hama | Voice, episode: "Comfort and Joy"[5] |
| 2006 | Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo | Mayor, Bookseller | Voice, television film[5] |
| 2007 | All Grown Up! | Hiro Watanabe | Voice, episode: "Trading Places" |
| 2008 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Sun Warrior Chief | Voice, episode: "The Firebending Masters"[5] |
| 2008 | Mater's Tall Tales | Ito San | Voice, episode: "Tokyo Mater" |
Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Women of the Prehistoric Planet | Tang | |
| 1966 | Dimension 5 | Sato | |
| 1969 | Some Kind of a Nut | George Toyota | |
| 1973 | Soylent Green | Shoe Seller | Uncredited |
| 1973 | The Naked Ape | Samurai Warrior | |
| 1974 | The Terminal Man | Anesthetist | |
| 1974 | Airport 1975 | Passenger | Uncredited |
| 1975 | Rollerball | Houston Strategy Couch | |
| 1976 | Peeper | Butler | |
| 1976 | Midway | Minoru Genda | |
| 1976 | Special Delivery | Mr. Chu | |
| 1976 | SST: Death Flight | Roy Nakamura | |
| 1977 | Black Sunday | Japanese Man | Uncredited |
| 1978 | Gray Lady Down | Seaman at Base | Uncredited |
| 1984 | The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension | Tohichi Hikita | |
| 1985 | Pray for Death | Koga | |
| 1987 | P.I. Private Investigations | Kim | |
| 1988 | Aloha Summer | Ted Tanaka | |
| 1989 | The Vineyard | Auctioneer | |
| 1990 | Crazy People | Yamashita's Aide | |
| 1995 | The War Between Us | Mr. Kawashima | |
| 1996 | Hollow Point | Shin Chan | |
| 1999 | The Omega Code | Shimoro Lin Che | |
| 1999 | Lima: Breaking the Silence | President Fujimoro |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Robert Ito". Turner Classic Movies.
- ^ Quincy M.E., The Television Series. BearManor Media. October 2009. p. 168. ISBN 9781593934545.
- ^ "Flower Drum Song – Broadway Musical – 1960-1961 Tour | IBDB".
- ^ ""Kung Fu" The Assassin (TV Episode 1973)". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Robert Ito (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 11, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
External links
[edit]- Robert Ito at IMDb
- Robert Ito at the Internet Broadway Database
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1931 births
- Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States
- Canadian male actors of Japanese descent
- Japanese-Canadian internees
- Canadian male film actors
- Canadian male television actors
- Canadian male voice actors
- Living people
- Male actors from Vancouver
- 20th-century Canadian male actors
- 21st-century Canadian male actors