Philip Ahn Movies

Charles (David Ogden Stiers) hopes to profit from inside information that the Army intends to change the color of its scrip (the paper used in lieu of money during wartime). Purchasing the old blue scrip from the local Korean villagers at bargain-basement prices, Charles intends to turn it in for the new red scrip at full value. This clever scheme is neatly foiled by Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Amateur magician Grady (Whitman Mayo) attempts to perform his "famous" Chinese-wristlock trick. As a result, Fred (Redd Foxx) and Esther (LaWanda Page) end up handcuffed together. With Grady unable to decipher the trick's instructions (they're written in Chinese of course), Fred is forced to literally drag Esther along when he goes out on a date. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Alan Alda delivers what amounts to a solo performance in this landmark episode. Suffering a serious concussion after a jeep accident far from the 4077th, Hawkeye (Alda) takes refuge in the home of a Korean family. Realizing that he must stay awake if he hopes to stay alive until help arrives, Hawkeye launches into a rambling, free-form sometimes non-sequitur monologue, while the Koreans listen in rapt--and uncomprehending--attention. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As Kung Fu enters its second season, the mystical, mysterious Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine), a half-Chinese, half-American who had once studied for a Shaolin priesthood in his native China, continues wandering through the American West of the 1860s, still in search of his long-lost brother -- and still escaping a murder charge hanging over his head from the "old country." And as before, the peaceful, introspective Caine is moved to martial-arts violence only when someone else's safety is threatened. Although the series has weeded out many of the "hip" camera techniques used during Season One, Kung Fu continues to traffic heavily in stylized slow-motion fight sequences, and lyrical flashbacks to Caine's youth in China, and his tutelage at the hands of mentors Master Po (Keye Luke) and Master Kan (Philip Ahn). Guest stars seen during season two of Kung Fu include Gilbert Roland, Tim Matheson, Tina Louise, Anne Francis, Nancy Kwan, and a pair of up-and-comers named Don Johnson and Harrison Ford. ~ All Movie Guide

The Fergusons are a family of nomadic con artists, led by the father-son team of Angus (George Voskovec) and Albert (Michael Ansara), who have managed to bilk an entire San Francisco neighborhood in their latest scam. The newest addition to the clan is greedy son-in-law Josh Evans (Christopher Jones), who adds murder to their litany of crimes. With Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) breathing down their necks, the Fergusons' family solidarity is rapidly disintegrating--and in the process, the lives of several innocent bystanders are placed in jeopardy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

David Carradine first stepped into the sandals of taciturn martial-arts expert Caine in the made-for-TV pilot film Kung Fu. A Chinese/American priest, Caine must flee to the United States after he is forced to kill a royal nephew. He wanders the American West of the 1860s, keeping his cool until it is necessary to display his kung-fu skills full force. Most often, he must meditate and conjure up a flashback dominated by Master Po (Keye Luke) before he is galvanized into action. In the pilot, Caine comes to the rescue of a group of Chinese coolies who are working on the railroad. First telecast February 22, 1972, Kung Fu spawned a long-running series of the 1970s--not to mentioned the "updated" syndicated weekly of the 1990s, which also starred the inscrutable Mr. Carradine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

European business tycoon Carl Vandaam (Alf Kjellin) hopes to recoup his lost fortune by building a hydrogen bomb and selling it to the highest bidder. The IMF's mission is to stop Vandaam in his tracks, a strategy that requires Rollin to pose as one of the potential buyers. The more dangerous aspect of the mission is to remove the plutonium from the completed bomb without blowing up everyone and everything in sight. "Doomsday" was written by Laurence Heath; the episode made its network broadcast debut on February 16, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rick Richards (Elvis Presley) is a helicopter pilot who is grounded when his chopper runs federal aviation official Donald Beldon (John Doucette) off the road in Paradise, Hawaiian Style. Already suspended as a airline pilot, he and partner Danny Kohana (James Shigeta) struggle to keep their business flying. Suzanna Leigh plays the pretty secretary, but Elvis does not limit his affections to just one girl. Technical credits and locations scenes of the beautiful islands are the highlight of the film. Presley warbles his usual slew of songs, but most are unremarkable. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Hoping to purchase some fireworks from the Chinese Yiphee Trading Company, Hoss Cartwright gets his order scrambled, and as a result winds up with a "picture bride" named Tai Li (Marlo Thomas), aka Pink Cloud. Hardly the shy, retiring type, the feisty, outspoken Tai Li proceeds to make like miserable for Hoss, and also throws a monkey wrench in Virginia City's plans to build a railroad spur. The cast includes Benson Fong and Philip Ahn. Written by Lewis Clay, "A Pink Cloud Comes from Old Cathy" originally aired on April 12, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Janet Brent (Mala Powers), a close friend of Perry Mason's secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale), is being blackmailed by Edward Franklin (John Dall), an employee of Janet's husband Alton (Wesley Addy). Franklin has in his possession some faked photos that could ruin the Brents' marriage and reputation unless Janet comes up with $25,000. Later on, Franklin is murdered and Janet is accused of the crime--with Della facing charges as an accessory. As if Perry doesn't have enough on his hands with this case, there's also the little matter of a Red Chinese slave ring complicating the plotline (which explains the preponderance of Asian-American actors in the supporting cast). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Certain film historians are perpetually amazed that the doggedly unappetizing Laurence Harvey became a major film star. In Girl Named Tamiko, Harvey is once more the embittered heel, this time playing a Eurasian photographer who pretends to be in love with numerous American ladies. His only true interest is obtaining American citizenship, something most of his erstwhile amours find out all too late. Harvey's latest prospect is Martha Hyer; his true love, however, is innocent Japanese girl France Nuyen, the Tamiko of the title. Stuck with a cold fish for a leading man, producers Hal Wallis and Paul Newman and director John Sturges work overtime to get the audience to "pull" for the luckless Ms. Nuyen. A Girl Named Tamiko was one of several early-1960s Paramount films shot on location in the Orient--though certainly not the best of the group. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Western bandit Kid Rio (Marlon Brando) is betrayed by his partner, Dad Longworth (Karl Malden). Escaping from prison, Rio learns that Longworth has become a wealthy and influential lawman. Rio thirsts for revenge, but bides his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. In the meantime, Rio spitefully seduces Longworth's adopted daughter, Louisa (Pina Pellicer). After killing a man in self-defense, Rio is publicly whipped by the powerful Longworth. When Rio's old gang accidentally kills a child during another holdup, Longworth has the perfect excuse to eliminate the troublesome Rio once and for all by hanging him. But that's not what happens at all. Stripped to its fundamentals, One-Eyed Jacks is a workable Western, worthy of perhaps 90 minutes' running time. But when Marlon Brando succeeded Stanley Kubrick in the director's chair, he allowed the film's 60-day shooting schedule to stretch into six months, and delivered a finished product running in excess of four hours. The current 141-minute version of One-Eyed Jacks isn't as ponderous as some critics have claimed, but it's still too much of a good thing. While Brando the director isn't precisely in the Kubrick class, Brando the actor delivers one of his finest and most focused performances (though he is upstaged throughout by Karl Malden). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Great Impostor is the true story of chameleonlike Canadian Ferdinand Waldo DeMara Jr., well-played by Tony Curtis. Unable to decide what he wants to do with his life, DeMara goes about pretending to be other people, hoping to eventually "find himself." He poses as a Harvard professor, a Trappist monk, a prison warden, and a navy physician, and manages each time to get away with the artifice. The film wavers uncertainly between tense drama and frothy comedy, with comedy finally winning out. Karl Malden co-stars as Father Devlin, the young DeMara's spiritual advisor, while Joan Blackman is the nominal (and hardly visible) heroine. The real Ferdinand DeMara (if indeed there was a real Ferdinand DeMara) can be seen in a supporting role in the 1960 melodrama The Hypnotic Eye. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide