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Philip Ahn

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Actor

The Resume

    (March 29, 1905-February 28, 1978)
    Born in Highland Park, California
    Birth name was Pil Lip Ahn
    Korean-American actor
    Portrayed Master Kan in Kung Fu
    Appeared in the films 'The General Died at Dawn' (1936), 'Stowaway' (1937), 'Daughter of Shanghai' (1937), 'Thank You Mr. Moto' (1937), 'Charlie Chan in Honolulu' (1938), 'Let's Get Tough!' (1942), 'Back to Bataan' (1945), 'Halls of Montezuma' (1950), 'Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing' (1955), 'Around the World in 80 Days' (1956), 'Diamond Head' (1963), 'Paradise Hawaiian Style' (1966) and 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' (1967)
    Died of complications from a biopsy for lung cancer

Why he might be annoying:

    He claimed 1911 as his year of birth.
    After he visited the set of 'The Thief of Baghdad,' star Douglas Fairbanks offered him a screen test, but he turned it down when his mother protested, 'No son of mine is going to get mixed up with those awful people.'
    He said of being frequently cast as villains, 'I took pride in being the most evil man alive.'
    He was one of several Asian-American actors who signed an ad declaring 'WE ARE NOT ALL ALIKE,' which is kind of ironic for a man who interchangeably played Korean, Japanese and Chinese roles.
    He chain smoked, which probably contributed to his lung cancer.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He and his sister also ran a successful restaurant for three decades, Philip Ahn's Moongate.
    He was active in California's Korean community, getting Pusan, Korea, named a sister city of Los Angeles and bringing a Korean Friendship Bell to San Pedro.
    He got a park honoring his father, an activist for Korean independence, created in Seoul.
    He toured Vietnam with the USO (1968).
    He was the first Asian-American actor with a star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 20 Votes: 25.00% Annoying