James Hong Movies
Actor James Hong was working as a nightclub comic in San Francisco and Hawaii when he was tapped for his first regular TV role: "Number One Son" Barry Chan in the Anglo-American co-production The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1957). Hong would later appear as Frank Chen in Jigsaw John (1976) and Wang in Switch (1977-78). In theatrical features, he played characters bearing such flavorful monikers as Chew, Lo Pan and Bing Wong. He was seen as Faye Dunaway's butler in Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974), repeating the role (minus Faye) in the 1990 sequel The Two Jakes. One of his most sizeable screen roles was Lamont Cranston's brainy assistant Li Peng in The Shadow (1994). James Hong has also directed a brace of feature films, including 1979's The Girls Next Door and 1989's The Vineyard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1976
Celebrity psychic Roman Clementi (Robert Webber) gets Jim Rockford (James Garner) in plenty of hot water when he tells his followers that the detective has "inside information" concerning two missing persons, Alison Currie and Rick Richards. With public opinion against him and the police breathing down his neck, Jim tries to find out why Clementi has singled him out--and the trail of clues leads to a duplicitous record producer (Robert Walden), a drug ring and an $80,000 "prize." James Luisi makes his first appearance as Rockford's perennial nemesis Lt. Doug Chapman in this episode, which earned the coveted Edgar Allan Poe award for scriptwriter David Chase. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this Disney comedy, a pair of spoiled kids, bored by their filthy rich grandfather, decide they'd rather be with their mom who is in Hong Kong. In order to get her attention, they engineer their own kidnapping. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Niven, Darren McGavin, (more)
- 1976
The two-part opener of Streets of San Francisco's fifth and final season marks a major transition, as SFPD homicide detective Mike Stone (Karl Malden) loses his longtime partner Steve Keller (Michael Douglas) and gains a new one, athletic young inspector Dan Robbins (Richard Hatch). But before Keller can leave the force to launch a teaching career, he and Stone are faced with the daunting task of rescuing a busload of jurors who have been kidnapped by a "family" of dangerously misguided revolutionaries, who demand the release of their imprisoned cohorts. This two-parter is clearly inspired by the Patty Hearst kidnapping, with former Partridge Family regular Susan Dey delivering a shockingly powerful performance. As a publicity ploy, the season opener features fourteen guest stars, including Marion Ross (then appearing regularly on Happy Days, Barry Sullivan, Dick Van Patten, Norman Fell and Doris Roberts--not to mention such stars-to-be as Anthony Geary and Ron Glass. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Edith is happy with her volunteer job at the Sunshine Nursing Home -- too happy, as far as Archie is concerned. Feeling neglected, Archie pulls out the old "woman's place is in the home" routine and demands that Edith give up her job. This time, however, Edith refuses to say "How high?" when Archie tells her to jump. James Hong appears as the waiter. Written by Lou Derman and Bill Davenport, "Edith Breaks Out" originally aired on November 3, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1974
In this interesting murder mystery a Chinese detective from the 7th century must solve a strange case involving a trio of wives, an amputee, and a deceased monk. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
"You may think you know what you're dealing with, but believe me, you don't," warns water baron Noah Cross (John Huston), when smooth cop-turned-private eye J.J. "Jake" Gittes (Jack Nicholson) starts nosing around Cross's water diversion scheme. That proves to be the ominous lesson of Chinatown, Roman Polanski's critically lauded 1974 revision of 1940s film noir detective movies. In 1930s Los Angeles, "matrimonial work" specialist Gittes is hired by Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) to tail her husband, Water Department engineer Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwerling). Gittes photographs him in the company of a young blonde and figures the case is closed, only to discover that the real Mrs. Mulwray had nothing to do with hiring Gittes in the first place. When Hollis turns up dead, Gittes decides to investigate further, encountering a shady old-age home, corrupt bureaucrats, angry orange farmers, and a nostril-slicing thug (Polanski) along the way. By the time he confronts Cross, Evelyn's father and Mulwray's former business partner, Jake thinks he knows everything, but an even more sordid truth awaits him. When circumstances force Jake to return to his old beat in Chinatown, he realizes just how impotent he is against the wealthy, depraved Cross. "Forget it, Jake," his old partner tells him. "It's Chinatown." Reworking the somber underpinnings of detective noir along more pessimistic lines, Polanski and screenwriter Robert Towne convey a '70s-inflected critique of capitalist and bureaucratic malevolence in a carefully detailed period piece harkening back to the genre's roots in the 1930s and '40s. Gittes always has a smart comeback like Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, but the corruption Gittes finds is too deep for one man to stop. Other noir revisions, such as Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye (1973) and Arthur Penn's Night Moves (1975), also centered on the detective's inefficacy in an uncertain '70s world, but Chinatown's period sheen renders this dilemma at once contemporary and timeless, pointing to larger implications about the effects of corporate rapaciousness on individuals. Polanski and Towne clashed over Chinatown's ending; Polanski won the fight, but Towne won the Oscar for Best Screenplay. Chinatown was nominated for ten other Oscars, including Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costumes, and Score. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, (more)
- 1974
- R
Schlockmeister supreme Al Adamson taps the martial-arts market in The Dynamite Brothers. The unrelated "siblings" of the title are played by Alan Tang and Timothy Brown. One is a Hong Kong immigrant with kung-fu savvy, the other a street-smart Los Angeles homeboy. They join forces to squelch the criminal activities of a Chinatown mobster (James Hong). Aldo Ray is the requisite "faded celebrity" in this Adamson outing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis is the subject of this made-for-TV effort. Starring William Devane as President John Kennedy, the movie explores the events of the 13-day period when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1973
All the experts have declared that it is impossible to rob a safety-deposit vault surrounded by a sophisticated, high-tech alarm system--but that's just what happens. Clearly the heist was the work of a well-trained team, and the cops are able to arrest one of the suspects almost immediately. Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), however, is certain that the man in custody is innocent...and meanwhile, the actual master thief is working on a plan to seal Ironside's doom! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Pueblo is a 2-hour videotaped special, originally telecast March 29, 1973 on ABC Theatre. Hal Holbrook stars as commander Lloyd M. Bucher, who in January of 1968 was forced to surrender the USS Pueblo to North Korea. The drama is staged in an impressionistic manner, with dramatized transcripts from Bucher's subsequent Naval Review Board testimony flashing back to isolated moments of terror and torment during the Pueblo crew's 11-month sojourn in a North Korean prison camp. Despite network restrictions of the era, Pueblo is refreshingly frank, right down to the first-ever TV display of a familiar obscene gesture (which the American prisoners explain away to their captors as a "salute"!) Written by Stanley R. Greenberg, Pueblo was later adapted to a stage play, starring Shepperd Strudwick as Bucher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Under the influence of sodium pentathol (the result of a visit to the dentist), Howard exhibits are heretofore unsuspected poetic side to his personality. Captivated by the "new" Howard, Carol instantly falls in love with him. Though Bob is convinced that this romance is a mistake, Emily tries to smooth Carol and Howard's path to true happiness, but as it turns out, Bob was right all along. Pat Morita appears as a bartender in a Chinese restaurant. Written by Charlotte Brown, "Bob and Emily and Howard and Carol and Jerry" originally aired on December 9, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1972
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
- Starring:
- David Carradine, Barry Sullivan, (more)
- 1972
- R
Blake Edwards directed this murder mystery set against the backdrop of a busy metropolitan hospital. Dr. Peter Carey (James Coburn) is a pathologist who has signed on to work with Dr. J.D. Randall (Dan O'Herlihy) at a prominent hospital in Boston. When Randall's daughter Karen (Melissa Torme-March) dies after a botched abortion, another member of the hospital staff, David Tao (James Hong), is charged with her murder. Carey is convinced that Tao is innocent and sets out to prove his point. He also finds time for romance with beautiful Bostonian Georgia Hightower (Jennifer O'Neill). The Carey Treatment features Pat Hingle as police detective Peterson; Michael Crichton contributed to the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Coburn, Jennifer O'Neill, (more)
- 1971
The Forgotten Man is an updated variation on the "Enoch Arden" theme. Dennis Weaver stars as Lieutenant Joe Hardy, who when captured by the Vietcong is reported killed. Upon his release, Hardy returns to his hometown, only to discover that life has gone on without him. His wife (Anne Francis) has remarried; his daughter (Pamelyn Ferdin) is living with another family under another name; and his friends and former business associates treat him as though they wish he was dead. Unusually powerful for a TV movie of its era, The Forgotten Man debuted September 14, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
A Tattered Web starts out at a high level of tension which seldom flags during its lean 74 minutes. Lloyd Bridges stars as a police detective who finds out that his son-in-law Frank Converse is cheating on his daughter Sallie Shockley. Catching up with the "other woman," Bridges accidentally kills her. After his initial panic has subsided, the detective rearranges the evidence, pinning the murder on a harmless drunk. Avoiding two-dimensionality, A Tattered Web is told largely from the murderer's point of view; we don't like the man, but we can understand him. Made for television, the film first aired September 24, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Archie balks at the notion of donating blood at the local Red Cross. When Mike accuses him of being chicken, Archie protests that he doesn't want to give up a precious pint of his own "pure" blood unless he can be certain that the recipient will not be a member of a minority group. Archie's ethnocentric monologues in this episode are so incredibly convoluted that one almost grudgingly admires his stubborn stupidity. Written by series coproducer Norman Lear, "Archie Gives Blood" first aired on February 2, 1971, replacing the originally scheduled episode "Judging Books by Covers." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Written by Harold Livingston, "The Merchant" guest-stars George Sanders in one of his final acting roles, as illegal arms dealer Armand Andressarian. To prevent Andressarian from completing an arrangement to sale guns to unfriendly guerilla groups in Africa and the middle East, the IMF swings into action. The success of the mission hinges largely on a fixed poker game, a past speciality of IMF agent Barney Collier. Leonard Nimoy and Lesley Ann Warren make their final series appearances. "The Merchant" originally aired on March 13, 1971, as the last episode of Mission:Impossible's fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1970
- PG
The Hawaiians is the sequel to 1969's Hawaii; both films were adapted from the same sprawling novel by James A. Michener. Charlton Heston is top-billed as a sailor who returns to his Hawaiian homestead, only to learn that his grandfather's fortune has been bestowed upon his hated cousin Alec McCowan. As a reprisal, Heston sets up his own pineapple plantation in competition with his cousin. Heston's son John Phillip Law falls in love with the daughter (Virginia Ann Lee) of a Chinese farmer (Mako). The issue of miscegenation rears its ugly head, but by the end of this very long film Heston's family is united by marriage to the Chinese clan. The British title of The Hawaiians was Master of the Islands. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, Geraldine Chaplin, (more)
The granddaddy of all "computer run amok" films, Colossus: The Forbin Project concerns a huge electronic brain designed to control the American missile defense system. Colossus' technicians do not count on the computer developing an intelligence of its own. Communicating with its Russian counterpart, Colossus decides to take over the earth, threatening global destruction should anyone try to pull its plug. The film's climax is unsettling, but no more so than the actual state of world affairs in 1970. Colossus: The Forbin Project was filmed in Canada. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Braeden, Susan Clark, (more)
- 1970
Vanished earned a niche in video history as the first two-part TV movie. Based on Fletcher Knebel's novel, the story concerns the sudden disappearance of a top Presidential adviser. Grilled by the media, the President's press secretary (James Farentino) reveals very little, simply because he knows very little. But the chief executive himself (Richard Widmark) has more information than he's willing to make public; the FBI has proof that the vanished adviser was homosexual, and subject to blackmail. Based in part on the Lyndon Johnson/Walter Jenkins imbroglio of 1964, Vanished is given an aura of credibility via cameo appearances by Washington newscaster/journalists Chet Huntley, Herbert Kaplow and Martin Agronsky. The film was first telecast on two consecutive evenings: March 8 and 9 of 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Benson Fong makes a return appearance to Family Affair, this time in the role of Ng Ho, Bill's houseboy during a business trip to Hong Kong. Impressed by Ng Ho's courtesy and efficiency, Bill (Brian Keith) invites the man to visit him in New York. Ng Ho voluntarily takes on so many household duties in the Davis household, and performs them so well, that he rouses the ire of Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot), prompting the blustering butler to serve notice! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
A veteran cast gives the 1968 cheapie The Bamboo Saucer what little credibility it has. In his last role, Dan Duryea plays the head man of an expeditionary force in search of a missing UFO. Since the craft was last sighted in the mountains of Red China, the search takes on political significance. Duryea's American team is eventually forced to align itself with a similarly-purposed group of Soviet researchers (this being a 1968 film, the real bad guys are the Red Chinese). Lois Nettelton has some wonderfully campy moments as a Russian scientist. Bamboo Saucer was produced by Jerry Fairbanks, of "Speaking of Animals" and "Crusader Rabbit" fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Duryea, John Ericson, (more)
- 1968
Cissy (Kathy Garver) has been assigned to babysit the twins while Uncle Bill (Brian Keith) is in Hong Kong on business and Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) is likewise occupied elsewhere. But when Cissy has a chance to go to a concert, she prevails upon her friend Sharon (Sherry Alberoni) to look after the kids. This sets off a chain reaction of hilarious havoc: Sharon comes down with the measles, Sharon's mother (Doris Singleton) assumes the babysitting duties before she too must leave, and the twins end up in the care of Sharon's father (Walter Sande). and his poker-playing buddies. Somehow this messes straightens itself out in a roundabout fashion that also solves Bill's problems with a nagging toothache! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Steve McQueen received his only Academy Award nomination for his performance in this epic-scale war drama, based on the novel by Richard McKenna. In 1926, as China teeters on the edge of political revolution in the midst of a civil war, the USS San Pablo, is ordered to patrol the Yangtze River to represent and protect American interests. While the San Pablo may be an American ship, much of the labor is actually performed by Chinese locals willing to work for American money, while stern but inexperienced commanding officer Captain Collins (Richard Crenna) frequently drills his charges, unsure what else to do. A machinist's mate with just under a decade of navy service behind him, Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) is assigned to the San Pablo and immediately makes enemies among the crew -- he prefers to do his own work rather than farm it out to others, and the one Chinese man who works by his side, Po Han (Mako), is treated as an apprentice rather than a servant. Holman also falls in love with an idealistic American missionary (Candice Bergen), while his shipmate Frenchy (Richard Attenborough) falls for a Chinese girl and - with marriage plans in mind - kidnaps her to prevent her from being auctioned off. As Holman's methods and attitudes continue to anger his comrades, they find themselves increasingly at odds with the Chinese, especially after Frenchy's girlfriend becomes pregnant and Po Han is captured by revolutionary forces and branded a traitor. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, (more)
