Khigh Dheigh
Encyclopedia
Khigh Alx Dhiegh was an American
television and motion picture actor of mixed North Africa
n ancestry, noted for portraying Asian roles. He is perhaps best remembered for portraying villains, in particular his recurring TV guest role as Chinese
agent Wo Fat
on Hawaii Five-O
(from the pilot in 1968 to the final episode in 1980), and brainwasher Dr. Yen Lo in 1962's The Manchurian Candidate
. He also starred in the short-lived 1975 TV series Khan!
as the title character. In 1988 he was featured as Four Finger Wu in James Clavell
's Noble House
television mini-series.
In 1965, Dhiegh, recorded and released an album on Folkways Records
, entitled St. John of the Cross: Volume II, a collection of poems of St. John.
Besides his acting endeavors, Dheigh was active in Taoist philosophy
, writing a number of books on the subject, including The Eleventh Wing (ISBN 0-385-28371-7). He founded the Taoist Sanctuary (now the Taoist Institute) in Hollywood, California
. Dheigh also had a doctorate in theology and in his later years was the rector for a Taoist sanctuary in Tempe, Arizona called 'Inner Truth Looking Place.' He held weekly services and sponsored many 'Tea Ceremonies' in the Phoenix metro area. One of his last interviews was on One World in 1990, where he presented the concept of World Citizenry and its benefit to mankind.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television and motion picture actor of mixed North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
n ancestry, noted for portraying Asian roles. He is perhaps best remembered for portraying villains, in particular his recurring TV guest role as Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
agent Wo Fat
Wo Fat
Wo Fat is the name of a fictional villain in the long-running CBS series Hawaii Five-O. On the show, Wo Fat is the arch-nemesis of Steve McGarrett , the head of Hawaii's state police force. The character appeared in eleven episodes of Hawaii Five-O including the TV-movie pilot and the final...
on Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,...
(from the pilot in 1968 to the final episode in 1980), and brainwasher Dr. Yen Lo in 1962's The Manchurian Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film)
The Manchurian Candidate is a 1962 American Cold War political thriller film starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh and Angela Lansbury, and featuring Henry Silva, James Gregory, Leslie Parrish and John McGiver...
. He also starred in the short-lived 1975 TV series Khan!
Khan!
Khan! was an American television detective series. Set in San Francisco, it was named after the central character, a Chinese-American detective, played by Khigh Dheigh. Evan C. Kim and Irene Yah-Ling Sun featured as his relatives. Four episodes were aired in February 1975 on CBS...
as the title character. In 1988 he was featured as Four Finger Wu in James Clavell
James Clavell
James Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
's Noble House
Noble House
Noble House is a novel by James Clavell, published in 1981 and set in Hong Kong in 1963.It is a massive book, well over 1000 pages, with dozens of characters and numerous intermingling plot lines. In 1988, it was adapted as a television miniseries for NBC starring Pierce Brosnan...
television mini-series.
In 1965, Dhiegh, recorded and released an album on Folkways Records
Folkways Records
Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
, entitled St. John of the Cross: Volume II, a collection of poems of St. John.
Besides his acting endeavors, Dheigh was active in Taoist philosophy
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
, writing a number of books on the subject, including The Eleventh Wing (ISBN 0-385-28371-7). He founded the Taoist Sanctuary (now the Taoist Institute) in Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Dheigh also had a doctorate in theology and in his later years was the rector for a Taoist sanctuary in Tempe, Arizona called 'Inner Truth Looking Place.' He held weekly services and sponsored many 'Tea Ceremonies' in the Phoenix metro area. One of his last interviews was on One World in 1990, where he presented the concept of World Citizenry and its benefit to mankind.
External links
- Khigh Dheigh roles and background at TV AcresTV AcresTV Acres is a website collecting information about characters, places, and things that have appeared on American television programs broadcast from the 1940s through today. TV Acres Books is the publishing Imprint of TV Acres....
- Khigh Dheigh Album Details at Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
- Khigh Dheigh 1990 interview on One World.