Robert Ito Explained

Robert Ito
Birth Date:1931 7, mf=yes
Birth Place:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nationality:Canadian
Occupation:Actor, voice artist
Years Active:19652008

Robert Ito (born July 2, 1931) is a Canadian actor.[1] He is known for his television and film work, including the roles of Sam Fujiyama on the 1976–83 NBC series Quincy, M.E. and Larry Mishima on the 1980s CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest, and a variety of voice acting for animation. He was nominated for a Gemini Award for his performance in the 1994 film Trial at Fortitude Bay.

Career

Ito was a dancer with the National Ballet of Canada[2] before coming to Broadway and dancing in such shows as "Flower Drum Song"(1960-1961).[3] He turned to acting in the mid-1960s, often playing Asian characters. He appeared three times (as different characters) in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu; first as a Chinese rail worker in the two-hour movie that launched the series, later as a Chinese bandit named Captain Lee in the episode "The Way of Violence Has No Mind" and another time as a Japanese Ninja in the episode entitled "The Assassin".[4]

He likewise portrayed two different Korean characters in episodes of the TV series M*A*S*H, in 1972 and 1976. Ito acted in the 1976 film Midway as Minoru Genda, the leader of the 1942 attack on Midway Island. In 1976, he was cast as forensic lab technician Sam Fujiyama, a regular supporting role he played for seven years on Quincy, M.E. As of October 2023, Ito is the last surviving cast member of the show.

His other film credits include The Terminal Man (1974), Rollerball (1975), Peeper (1976), Special Delivery (1976), Black Sunday (1977), (1977), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), Pray for Death (1985), Aloha Summer (1988) and The Vineyard (1989). Ito guest-starred on the episode "Coming of Age" as TAC officer Lt. Chang and on as John Kim (Harry Kim's father).

Voice roles include such programs and films as , Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Animaniacs, Bonkers, , Jackie Chan Adventures, Fantastic Max, , , My Little Pony and Friends, Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Biker Mice from Mars, Quack Pack, Capitol Critters, ProStars, Justice League, Darkwing Duck, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Iron Man, The Karate Kid, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures, Rambo and the Forces of Freedom, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, Savage Dragon, TaleSpin, , The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, All Grown Up!, , , The New Woody Woodpecker Show, The Wild Thornberrys, Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects, and Gargoyles.

Selected filmography

Television

Year Title RoleNotes
1966Get SmartNumber 3Episode: "The Amazing Harry Hoo"; uncredited
1968It Takes a ThiefChief AideEpisode: "When Good Friends Get Together"
1970-1974MannixDr. Yoshiro, Dr. Sato, Doctor3 episodes
1972-1974Kung FuFong, Tim Lee, Smith3 episodes
1976Six Million Dollar Man: The Last KamikazeMission Guide
1976–1983Quincy, M.E.Sam Fujiyama147 episodes
1984Magnum P.I.Ray LumEpisode: Jororo Farewell
1986Black Dragon / White DragonVoice, 27 episodes
1988Lt. ChangEpisode: "Coming of Age"
1989data-sort-value="Karate Kid, The" The Karate KidMr. MiyagiVoice, 13 episodes
1990TaleSpinWan-LoVoice, episode: "Last Horizons"
1992-1993The Ninja / Kyodai KenVoice, 2 episodes[5]
1993AnimaniacsMatthew KatoVoice, episode: "Taming of the Screwy"
1993 Johnny Leong Episode: "Revenge of the Sword"
1994GargoylesDr. Ken SatoVoice, episode: "Deadly Force"
1994 Hideo KotoEpisode: "The Samurai"
1995-1996Iron ManMandarinVoice, 12 episodes
1995Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects427Voice, television film
1995data-sort-value="X-Files, The" The X-Files Dr. Shiro Zama2 episodes
1995data-sort-value="Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, The" The Sylvester & Tweety MysteriesCharlie SmithVoice, episode: "A Ticket to Crime"
1996Quack PackDr. William WuVoice, episode: "Feats of Clay"
1996data-sort-value="Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, The" The Real Adventures of Jonny QuestPresident Horkarno, Pradad, ControllerVoice, 2 episodes
1997Awards Presenter, Dr. TengVoice, 2 episodes
1999data-sort-value="King of Queens, The" The King of QueensMr. FujitaEpisode: "Hungry Man"
2001data-sort-value="Wild Thornberrys, The" The Wild ThornberrysAsian Black BearVoice, episode: "The Anniversary"
2001John KimEpisode: "Author, Author"
2001data-sort-value="Mummy, The" The MummyLin ChouVoice, episode: "The Boy Who Would Be King"
2003Justice LeagueMr. HamaVoice, episode: "Comfort and Joy"
2006Mayor, BooksellerVoice, television film
2007All Grown Up!Hiro WatanabeVoice, episode: "Trading Places"
2008Sun Warrior ChiefVoice, episode: "The Firebending Masters"
2008Mater's Tall TalesIto SanVoice, episode: "Tokyo Mater"

Film

Year Title RoleNotes
1966Women of the Prehistoric PlanetTang
1966Dimension 5Sato
1969Some Kind of a NutGeorge Toyota
1973Soylent GreenShoe SellerUncredited
1973data-sort-value="Naked Ape, The" The Naked ApeSamurai Warrior
1974data-sort-value="Terminal Man, The" The Terminal ManAnesthetist
1974Airport 1975PassengerUncredited
1975RollerballHouston Strategy Couch
1976PeeperButler
1976MidwayMinoru Genda
1976Special DeliveryMr. Chu
1976Roy Nakamura
1977Black SundayJapanese ManUncredited
1978Gray Lady DownSeaman at BaseUncredited
1984data-sort-value="Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The" The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th DimensionTohichi Hikita
1985Pray for DeathKoga
1987P.I. Private InvestigationsKim
1988Aloha SummerTed Tanaka
1989data-sort-value="Vineyard, The" The VineyardAuctioneer
1990Crazy PeopleYamashita's Aide
1995data-sort-value="War Between Us, The" The War Between UsMr. Kawashima
1996Hollow PointShin Chan
1999data-sort-value="Omega Code, The" The Omega CodeShimoro Lin Che
1999President Fujimoro

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robert Ito. Turner Classic Movies.
  2. Book: Quincy M.E., The Television Series. 168. BearManor Media. October 2009. 9781593934545.
  3. Web site: Flower Drum Song – Broadway Musical – 1960-1961 Tour | IBDB .
  4. Web site: "Kung Fu" The Assassin (TV Episode 1973). 2021-07-07. IMDb. en-US.
  5. Web site: Robert Ito (visual voices guide) . November 11, 2023 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.