Burt Kwouk

Herbert Tsangtse Kwouk (Kwouk; Template:IPAc-en; Template:Lang-zh; 18 July 1930 – 24 May 2016) was a British actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films. He made appearances in many television programmes, including a portrayal of Imperial Japanese Army Major Yamauchi in the British drama series Tenko and as Entwistle in Last of the Summer Wine.

Early life

Kwouk was born on 18 July 1930 in Warrington,<ref name=telegraph_obit>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916–2005: Registration district: Manchester South; Inferred County: Cheshire; Volume Number: 8d; Page Number: 40</ref> Lancashire, while his Chinese parents were on a business trip touring Europe. He was brought up in Shanghai, where his father, descended from a Tang dynasty general, was a textile tycoon.<ref name=telegraph_obit/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Between the ages of 12 and 16, he attended the Shanghai Jesuit Mission School, which he described as "the Far East equivalent" of Eton College.<ref name=telegraph_obit/> He left China in 1947 when his parents returned to Britain, and was sent to the United States to complete his education.<ref name="Not Now, Cato!">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1953, he graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Kwouk family fortune was lost in the Chinese communist revolution in the 1940s. In 1954, he returned to Britain, where a girlfriend "nagged [him] into acting".<ref name="Not Now, Cato!" />

Career

Kwouk made his film debut with an uncredited part in Windom's Way (1957). His next film role in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) was described as his "big break"; Kwouk featured as the leader of a prison revolt who later aids the main starring character Gladys Aylward (Ingrid Bergman) in heroically leading orphans to safety.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Kwouk was best known for playing Cato Fong, Inspector Clouseau's manservant, in the Pink Panther film series. The character was first introduced in A Shot in the Dark (1964), the second film in the series, and was a role that Kwouk would reprise on another six occasions until the 2006 series reboot. The Pink Panther series used a running gag; Cato was ordered to attack Clouseau when he least expected it to keep Clouseau alert, usually resulting in a ruined romantic encounter or Clouseau's flat being completely destroyed. Amidst the chaos, the phone would ring and Cato would calmly answer it before dutifully handing the phone to his employer and being thumped again by Clouseau.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He was a stalwart of several 1960s ITC television series, such as Danger Man, The Saint and Man of the World, when an oriental character was required. He appeared in the episode "Assault Force" in Return of the Saint. Kwouk also featured as one of the leads in the short-lived series The Sentimental Agent (1963)<ref name=guardpix>Template:Cite web</ref> and had minor roles in three James Bond films. In Goldfinger (1964), he played Mr Ling, a Chinese expert in nuclear fission; in the non-Ian Fleming spoof Casino Royale (1967), he played a general; in You Only Live Twice (1967), Kwouk is a Japanese operative of Blofeld, credited as Spectre 3.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also appeared with Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman.

A reference to Kwouk's appearances in several films with Peter Sellers is found in the opening scene of The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980) where Sellers says to him "your face is familiar."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> His next major role was as the honourable but misguided Major Yamauchi in the BBC World War II television drama Tenko (1981–1984). Kwouk featured in many British television productions that called for an Oriental actor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As a result, he became a well-known face in the United Kingdom and appeared as himself in the Harry Hill Show, in addition to supporting several of Hill's live tours.<ref name=bbcobit>Template:Cite news</ref> Kwouk had a guest role in Super Gran in 1985, appearing as himself in the episode "Super Gran and the TV Villains". He also played a supportive role in the 1985 RKO film Plenty (film), portraying a Burmese diplomat at a dinner party.

In 2000, Kwouk appeared in an episode of the syndicated western TV series Queen of Swords as Master Kiyomasa, an aged Japanese warrior-priest; Sung-Hi Lee played his female pupil, Kami.<ref name=qos>Template:Cite book</ref> He provided voice-overs on the spoof Japanese betting show Banzai (2001–2004)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and subsequently appeared in adverts for the betting company, Bet365.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From 2002 to 2010 Kwouk had a regular role as one of the three main characters in the long-running BBC series Last of the Summer Wine, featuring as 'Electrical' Entwistle. His later work also included voice acting for radio drama, video games,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and television commercials.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Kwouk married Caroline Tebbs in Wandsworth, London, in the summer of 1961.<ref>England & Wales Marriage Index, 1916–2005; Date of Registration: Jul–Aug–Sep 1961; Registration district: Wandsworth; Inferred County: Surrey; Volume Number: 5d; Page Number: 1975</ref> Their son was born in 1974.<ref>England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916–2005; Registration district: St Pancras; Volume 14; Page 2309</ref> Kwouk was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to drama.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In later years, he lived in Hampstead, London.

Death

Kwouk died on 24 May 2016 at the age of 85, from cancer, at the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=guardobit>Template:Cite web</ref>

Selected filmography

Television

• Hancock's Half Hour: "How to Win Money and Influence People" (1957) as 1st Japanese (credited as Burd Kwouk)<ref name=guardianobit/>
• Danger Man (1961) as Chen Tung / Tai<ref name=bfibio/>
• Man of the World (1962) as Liu<ref name=guardpix/>
• The Sentimental Agent (1963) as Chin<ref name=guardpix/>
• The Avengers (1961-1965) as Tusamo / Mason / King Tenuphon<ref name=bfibio/>
• Danger Man (1965) as Masan
• The Saint (1965-1968) as Mr Ching / Col. Wing / Tawau<ref name=bfibio/>
• The Champions: "The Beginning" (1967) as Chinese Major
• Shirley's World: "A Hell of an Engineer" (1972) as Shunji
• Lucky Feller (1976) as Chinese waiter<ref name=guardpix/>
• Warship (1977) as Foreign Minister Zee Khay Lim
• The Water Margin: (1976–1978) as Narrator (English dub)<ref name=bfibio/>
• It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1977–1978) as Me Thant<ref name=guardianobit/>
• The Tomorrow People: "The Lost Gods" (1978) as Matsu Tan
• Monkey Magic (1978–1979) as Narrator (English dub)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Shoestring (1980) as Mr Wing<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Minder (1980) as Sojo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Tenko (1981) as Major Yamauchi<ref name=bfibio/>
• Doctor Who: "Four to Doomsday" (1982) as Lin Futu<ref name=guardianobit>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense: "Mark of the Devil" (1984) as Lee
• Tickle on the Tum (1984) as Willie Wok
• Howards' Way (1987) as Mr Lee<ref name=bfiprofile/>
• T-Bag Bounces Back (1987) as Hi Hatt
• Noble House (1988) as Phillip Chen<ref name=bfiprofile/>
• The House of Eliott (1991) as Peter Lo Ching<ref name=bfibio/>
• Lovejoy (1992, "Eric of Arabia") as BankerTemplate:Citation needed
• Lovejoy (1993, "The Peking Gun") as Mr Ying<ref name=guardpix/>
• Space Precinct (1994, "Protect and Survive") as Slik Ostrasky<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Bullet to Beijing (1996) as Kim Soo
• The Harry Hill Show (1997–2000)<ref name=bfiprofile/>
• Arabian Nights (2000) as Caliph Beder
• Queen of Swords: "The Dragon" (2001) as Master Kiyomassa<ref name=qos/>
• Banzai (2001) as Narrator<ref name=bfibio/>
• Last of the Summer Wine (2002–2010) as Entwistle<ref name=bfibio/>
• Judge John Deed (2005, "Separation of Powers") as Professor Vang Pao<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Silent Witness (2006, "Cargo") as Jimmy Han<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Honest (2008) as Mr Hong<ref name=bfiprofile/>
• Spirit Warriors (2009) as Shen<ref name=bfiprofile/>
• Whatever Happened to Harry Hill (2012)<ref name=bfiprofile/>

Audio theatre

• Doctor Who: Loups-Garoux (2001) as Doctor Hayashi<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Video games

• Fire Warrior (2003) as El'Lusha<ref name=guardianobit/>
• EyeToy: Play (2003) as Announcer<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Miscellaneous

• Film trailer – Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) as Asian Voiceover Announcer
• A 17-minute interview with Burt Kwouk from 2010 about his appearances in ITC shows is featured on the Network DVD The Sentimental Agent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:IMDb name
• Burt Kwouk (Aveleyman)
• Burt Kwouk(Kinotv)
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