Philip Ahn

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Biography

Korean-American character actor Philip Ahn played hundreds of Chinese and Japanese characters during a long career. He was born in Los Angeles in 1905 .

  • Primary profession
  • Actor
  • Country
  • United States
  • Nationality
  • American
  • Gender
  • Male
  • Birth date
  • 29 March 1905
  • Place of birth
  • Los Angeles
  • Death date
  • 1978-02-28
  • Death age
  • 73
  • Place of death
  • Los Angeles
  • Education
  • USC Marshall School of Business
  • Parents

Movies

TV

Books

Trivia

Brother of actors Philson Ahn and Ralph Ahn.

Philip Ahn passed away on February 28, 1978, a month away from what would have been his 73rd birthday on March 29.

He died after suffering from complications from surgery for a biopsy for lung cancer, which led to pneumonia.

Short biography in "Extraordinary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders" by Susan Sinnott.

He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6211 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on November 14, 1984.

He posthumously became the first Asian-American actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 14, 1984.

Following his death, he was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California.

Best remembered by the public for his role as the wise Master Kan on "Kung Fu" .

Attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.

His father, Ahn Changho, was one of the first prominent Korean-Americans, and an activist for Korean independence. He helped to write the lyrics to the South Korean national anthem and modernize the countrys schools. His sister, Susan Ahn Cuddy, was the first Asian-American woman to join the U.S. Navy, eventually reaching the rank of lieutenant and becoming its first female gunnery officer.

Received death threats during World War II, as he was often mistakenly assumed to be Japanese.

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