Khigh Dhiegh

Khigh Alx Dhiegh (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell or Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; born Kenneth G. Dickerson; August 25, 1916 – October 25, 1991)<ref name=CDS>Template:Cite web Includes short biographical summary of Khigh Dhiegh.</ref> was an American television and motion picture actor of Anglo-Egyptian Sudanese ancestry, noted for portraying East Asian roles.<ref name="LoC">Template:Cite web</ref> He is perhaps best remembered for portraying villains, in particular his recurring TV guest role as Chinese agent Wo Fat on Hawaii Five-O (from the pilot in 1968, to the final episode in 1980), and brainwashing expert Dr. Yen Lo in 1962's The Manchurian Candidate.Template:Efn

Life and death

He was born Kenneth G. Dickerson in Spring Lake, New Jersey.<ref name=PD-1981/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Dhiegh stated his mother was "Spanish, English, Egyptian, and Chinese" and his father was "Portuguese, Italian, and South African Zulu"; he was raised in New York City, living in all the boroughs except Staten Island.<ref name=Dhiegh-74/>Template:Rp He moved to Arizona in 1977.<ref name=PD-1981/>

Dhiegh petitioned to change his name October, 16 1962 with the change becoming effective November 25, 1962, when Dhiegh was 46 years old.<ref>Canarsie Courier, Nov 8, 1962, page 9 "Legal Notice"</ref> His date of birth also appeared in the Legal Notice.

Dhiegh died on October 25, 1991, at Desert Samaritan Hospital of Mesa, Arizona, from kidney and heart failure.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

In the early 1930s, Dhiegh was asked by a customer at his mother's bookshop to understudy the role of a butler in Noël Coward's Design for Living, which led to his long career in acting, producing, and directing.<ref name=Dhiegh-74>Template:Cite interview</ref>Template:Rp

Performance

On Broadway, Dhiegh's credits include The Teahouse of the August Moon and Flower Drum Song.<ref name=PD-1981>Template:Cite news</ref> Off-Broadway, he received an Obie Award in 1961, for playing Schlink in In the Jungle of Cities.<ref name=PD-1981/>

He also starred in the short-lived 1975 TV series Khan! as the title character.<ref name="LoC"/><ref name=Beck-75/> In 1988, he was featured as Four Finger Wu in James Clavell's Noble House television mini-series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1965, Dhiegh recorded and released an album on Folkways Records, entitled Poems of St. John of the Cross: Volume II, a collection of poems of St. John.<ref>{{https://www.discogs.com/release/26814596-Khigh-Dhiegh-San-Juan-De-La-Cruz-Poesias-Poems-Of-Saint-John-Of-The-Cross{citation needed|date=January 2017}}</ref>

Philosophy

Besides his acting endeavors, Dhiegh was active in Taoist philosophy, writing a number of books on the subject, including The Eleventh Wing (Template:ISBN).<ref name="LoC"/> Dhiegh credited his "life long dear friend Chao-Li Chi" with sparking his interest in the I Ching and Taoism, starting in 1935.<ref name=Dhiegh-74/>Template:Rp In 1971, he founded the Taoist Sanctuary (now the Taoist Institute) in Hollywood, California.<ref name=Dhiegh-74/>Template:Rp At the time, he was living in the San Fernando Valley.<ref name=Beck-75>Template:Cite news</ref>

Dhiegh also had a doctorate in theology, and in his later years, was the rector for a Taoist sanctuary in Tempe, Arizona called 'Inner Truth Looking Place.' He held weekly services and sponsored many 'Tea Ceremonies' in the Phoenix metro area. Dhiegh picked up jewelry making as a hobby in the 1970s, later selling pieces to help support the sanctuary.<ref name=PD-1981/> One of his last interviews was on One World in 1990, where he presented the concept of World Citizenry and its benefit to mankind.<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> Dhiegh's contributions to Taoism are discussed in some detail in the book Taoism for Dummies (John Wiley and Sons Canada, 2013).

Select filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1957	Time Limit	Col. Kim	as Kaie Deei
1962	The Manchurian Candidate	Dr. Yen Lo
1963	13 Frightened Girls	Kang
1965	How to Murder Your Wife	Bald Actor playing Thug
1966	Seconds	Davalo
1968	The Destructors	King Chou Lai
1968-1980	Hawaii Five-O	Wo Fat<ref name="Crean">Template:Cite book</ref>	15 episodes
1969	Mission: Impossible	General Wo	Episode: "Doomsday"
1970	Mission: Impossible	Toshio Masaki	Episode: "Butterfly"
1970	The Hawaiians	Kai Chung
1971	The Mephisto Waltz	Zanc Theun
1974	Judge Dee and The Monastery Murders	Judge Dee
1978	Goin' Coconuts	Wong

External links

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• Khigh Dhiegh roles and background at TV Acres
• Khigh Dhiegh Album Details at Smithsonian Folkways