Sessue Hayakawa

Birth Name:

Kintaro Hayakawa

Birth Place:

Minamiboso, Chiba, Japan

Profession

Actor, Producer, Writer

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․"
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
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
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
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

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