Victor Sen Yung Biography

Fast Facts

• The founder of a mail-order pottery business, he accidentally asphyxiated in 1980 after a small gas leak erupted in his home
• Joined the U․S․ Army during WWII but ultimately served as an entertainer to troops after training at the First Motion Picture Unit based in California
• After more than two decades dedicated solely to film work, he transitioned to television by the end of the '50s and would become recognized as Hop Sing from "Bonanza" in which he appeared in more than 100 episodes over the course of 14 years
• Often cast in stereotypical Asian roles, especially following WWII as a Japanese kamikaze
• Was a passenger on the Pacific Southwest Airlines flight 710 that was hijacked in 1972 and was shot in the back, but ultimately survived