Sessue Hayakawa Biography

Fast Facts

• Studied Political Economics at the University of Chicago, where he was the quarterback of the school's football team
• Married actress Tsuru Aoki in 1914 and appeared with her in several films, including "The Wrath of the Gods," "Alien Souls," and "Each to His Own Kind․"
• Became a star when he appeared in "The Cheat" for Paramount in 1915, in which he played a Japanese art dealer who brands the film's leading lady, Fannie Mae
• Took up acting while on vacation in Los Angeles, appearing in a stage production of "The Typhoon" that was seen by film producer Thomas Ince, who wanted to turn the play into a silent film with the original cast in 1914
• Quote: "All my life has been a journey․ But my journey differs from the journeys of most men․"
• His acting style was based on "muga," or the "absence of doing," which was a contrast to the poses and broad gestures of the time
• Best known for his role as Colonel Saito in "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and as Hishuru Tori in "The Cheat․"
• Formed his own production company, Hayworth Films, in 1918, and produced and starred in a number of films that influenced the way Americans viewed Asians
• When Thomas Ince was trying to hire him for "The Typhoon," he attempted to discourage the producer by requesting the incredibly high salary of $500 a week, but Ince agreed to pay it
• Was Paramount's first choice to play the title role in "The Sheik" in 1918, but when he turned the role it went to Rudolph Valentino, launching the young actor's career