George Kuwa

Last updated

George Kuwa
Scene from Daddy 5.jpg
Kuwa with Jackie Coogan in the 1923 film Daddy
Born
Keiichi Kuwahara

(1885-04-07)7 April 1885
Hiroshima, Japan
Died13 October 1931(1931-10-13) (aged 46)
Los Angeles, California, US
OccupationActor
Years active1916–1931

George Kuwa (born Keichii Kuwahara) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1931. He was the first actor to portray Charlie Chan on-screen in the 1926 film serial The House Without a Key . [1]

Contents

Early life

According to contemporaneous reports, Kuwa was born in Hiroshima, Japan on 7 April 1885. His father was a judge and wanted George to follow suit. [2] [3]

Career

Kuwa moved to the U.S. around 1916 or 1917 and began a career in Hollywood. Like many Japanese actors of the era, he often played Chinese characters. He made several films in Japan as well before returning to the U.S.

Death

He died in Los Angeles on 13 October, 1931 at the age of 46. [4]

Partial filmography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wesley Ruggles</span> American film director (1889–1972)

Wesley Ruggles was an American film director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry A. Barrows</span> American actor (1875–1945)

Henry Arthur Barrows was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 to 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edythe Chapman</span> American actress

Edythe Chapman was an American stage and silent film actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Valli</span> American actress

Virginia Valli was an American stage and film actress whose motion picture career started in the silent film era and lasted until the beginning of the sound film era of the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Hiers</span> American actor (1893–1933)

Walter Hiers was an American silent film actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph W. Girard</span> American actor (1871–1949)

Joseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1911 and 1944. He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William V. Mong</span> American actor (1875–1940)

William V. Mong was an American film actor, screenwriter and director. He appeared in almost 200 films between 1910 and 1939. His directing (1911–1918) and screenwriting (1911–1922) were mostly for short films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert P. Kerr</span> American actor

Robert P. Kerr was an American film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed more than 40 films between 1917 and 1928. He was born in Burlington, Colorado and died in Porterville, California from a heart attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Todd</span> American actor

Harry Todd was an American actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Barney Sherry</span> American actor

J. Barney Sherry was an American actor of the silent film era. He appeared in more than 210 films between 1905 and 1929. He was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from cardiovascular disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvey Clark (actor)</span> American actor

Harvey Thornton Clark was an American actor on stage and screen. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1938. He was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Wilson (actor)</span> American actor (1880–1965)

Tom Wilson was an American film actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hackathorne</span> American actor (1896-1940)

George Hackathorne was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1939.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd Whitlock</span> American actor

Lloyd Whitlock was a prolific American actor who began working during Hollywood's silent era. Born in 1891, he appeared in nearly 200 films between 1916 and 1949. Distinguished by his height and stature, he became especially known for playing heavies in B-movie westerns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alec B. Francis</span> English actor

Alec B. Francis was an English actor, largely of the silent era. He appeared in more than 240 films between 1911 and 1934.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Fawcett</span> American actor

George Fawcett was an American stage and film actor of the silent era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Northrup</span> French-American actor

Harry Northrup, was an American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1911 and 1935. He was born in Paris and died in Douala, Cameroon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Welsh (actor)</span> American actor

William Welsh was an American actor of stage and the silent era. He appeared in 153 films between 1912 and 1936. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died in Los Angeles, California at age 76.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Vibart</span> Scottish actor (1863–1943)

Henry Vibart was a Scottish stage and film actor, active from the 1880s until the early 1930s. He appeared in many theatrical roles in the UK and overseas, and featured in over 70 films of the silent era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Barrie</span> British actor

Nigel Barrie was an Indian-born British actor.

References

  1. Hanke (1989), xii.
  2. "At the Theatres". Times Colonist. 28 August 1928. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  3. "George Kuwa Is Martyr to Drama". The Billings Gazette. 18 January 1925. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  4. "Screen Gossip". The Times. 27 May 1930. Retrieved 28 March 2021.