Dale Ishimoto (April 3, 1923 – March 4, 2004) was an American actor of

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

descent. He was born in

Delta, Colorado Delta is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Delta County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 9,035 at the 2020 United States census. The United States Forest Service headqua ...

in 1923 and was raised in

Guadalupe, California Guadalupe is a small city located in Santa Barbara County, California. According to the 2010 United States census, 2010 census, the city has a population of 7,080. Guadalupe is economically and socially tied to the city of Santa Maria, Califo ...

Military service

After being sent to the Gila River internment camp in Arizona, Ishimoto volunteered to fight in World War II, joining the

442nd Regimental Combat Team The 442nd Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment including the 100th Infantry Battalion is best known as the most decorated unit in U.S. military history, and as a fighting unit composed almost ent ...

. After two years, he was awarded a

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

and given a medical discharge.

Entertainment career

After starting a business in Chicago, he moved back to California, where he grew up, and started his acting career by acting at the Altadena Playhouse. He became a "familiar figure" for playing "villainous Japanese soldiers". Over the course of his career, he acted in a wide variety of movies, such as a Japanese army captain in ''

Beach Red ''Beach Red'' is a 1967 World War II film starring Cornel Wilde (who also directed and produced) and Rip Torn. The film depicts a landing by the United States Marine Corps on an unnamed Japanese-held Pacific island. The film is based on Peter Bo ...

'' (1967), a

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

n doctor in '' MASH'' (1970), a karate instructor in ''

Superchick Superchick, originally known as Superchic was an American Christian rock/Alternative rock#Alternative pop, alternative pop band that debuted in 1999 and disbanded in 2013. Their music incorporated various styles such as Pop music, pop, Punk ...

'' (1973), and as Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya in '' Midway'' (1976). He became known in the late 1990s for his appearances in television commercials for

Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...

in which he portrayed

Yutaka Katayama , also known as Mr. K, was a Japanese automotive executive who was employed by Nissan and served as the first president of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. Katayama expanded Nissan's focus from economy vehicles towards sportier vehicles, and is re ...

, the company's former president. He also appeared in one episode of ''Wanted: Dead or Alive''.

Personal life

Ishimoto married

Miiko Taka (born Miiko Shikata July 24, 1925 – January 4, 2023) was an American actress, popular for her film and television roles from the late 1950s until the early 1980s. Her best known role was as an elegant Japanese dancer starring with Marlon Bran ...

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

in 1944, and they had two children: a son and a daughter. They divorced in 1958.

Filmography

*''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...

'' (1956) - Crewman (uncredited) *''Tokyo After Dark'' (1959) - Reporter (uncredited) *''

Battle of the Coral Sea The Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia. Taking place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, the battle ...

'' (1959) - Japanese Guard (uncredited) *'' Never So Few'' (1959) - Scout (uncredited) *'' The Wackiest Ship in the Army'' (1960) - Japanese Pilot (uncredited) *''

The Great Impostor ''The Great Impostor'' is a 1961 American comedy-drama film based on the story of an impostor named Ferdinand Waldo Demara. Loosely based on Robert Crichton's 1959 biography of the same name, it stars Tony Curtis in the title role and was dir ...

'' (1961) - Korean Soldier (uncredited) *''

Operation Bottleneck ''Operation Bottleneck'' is a 1961 war film. Plot During the Burma Campaign, a detachment of American paratroopers are aided by a group of local women in their mission against the Japanese. Six paratroopers undertake an extremely dangerous miss ...

'' (1961) - Matsu *'' Battle at Bloody Beach'' (1961) - Blanco *''

A Majority of One A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient ...

'' (1961) - Taxi Driver (uncredited) *''

Sea Hunt ''Sea Hunt'' is an American action adventure television series that aired in syndication from 1958 to 1961 and was popular for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced. It stars Lloyd Bridges ...

'' (1961) - Season 4, Episode 17 *'' The Nun and the Sergeant'' (1962) - Pak *'' PT 109'' (1963) - Commander (uncredited) *''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. The series was filmed i ...

'' (1964) - Japanese Captain *'' Moro Witch Doctor'' (1964) - Manuel Romblon *'' King Rat'' (1965) - Yoshima *''

Walk, Don't Run Walk, Don't Run may refer to: Music * "Walk, Don't Run" (instrumental), written and originally recorded by Johnny Smith, 1954; covered by Chet Atkins (1956) and the Ventures (1960) * ''Walk, Don't Run'' (The Ventures album), 1960 * ''Walk Don't ...

'' (1966) - Plainclothesman (uncredited) *'' The Sweet and the Bitter'' (1967) - Dick Kazanami *''

'' (1967) - Captain Tanaka *'' MASH'' (1970) - Korean Doctor (uncredited) *'' The Games'' (1970) - Japanese Doctor *''

'' (1973) - Karate Instructor *''

When the North Wind Blows ''When the North Wind Blows'' is a 1974 American film written and directed by Stewart Raffill. It gave a rare lead role to Henry Brandon. It was also known as ''The Snow Tiger''. Cast * Henry Brandon as Avakum *Herbert Nelson as Boris *Dan Hagger ...

'' (1974) - Yermak *''

Sharks' Treasure ''Sharks' Treasure'' is a 1975 American adventure film written, produced and directed by Cornel Wilde and starring Cornel Wilde and Yaphet Kotto. Plot Eccentric charter Skipper (boating), skipper Jim Carnahan (Cornel Wilde) and his team of hard- ...

'' (1975) - Ishi *'' Midway'' (1976) - Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya *''

Enter the Ninja ''Enter the Ninja'' is a 1981 American martial arts film directed by Menahem Golan and starring Franco Nero, Sho Kosugi, Susan George and Christopher George. The film is about a martial artist named Cole (Nero) who is visiting his friend Fran ...

'' (1981) - Komori *'' Cracking Up'' (1983) - Japanese Mechanic *''

Cannonball Run II ''Cannonball Run II'' is a 1983 American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest. The film is the second installment of the ''Cannonball Run'' trilogy and a sequel to ''The Ca ...

'' (1984) - Japanese Businessman (uncredited) *'' Ninja III: The Domination'' (1984) - Okuda *''

Come See the Paradise ''Come See the Paradise'' is a 1990 American historical drama film written and directed by Alan Parker, and starring Dennis Quaid and Tamlyn Tomita. Set before and during World War II, the film depicts the treatment of Japanese Americans in the ...

'' (1990) - Mr. Ogata *''

Beverly Hills Ninja ''Beverly Hills Ninja'' is a 1997 American martial arts slapstick comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Mark Feldberg and Mitch Klebanoff. The film stars Chris Farley, Nicollette Sheridan, Nathaniel Parker, with Chris Rock, and Robi ...

'' (1997) - Old Japanese Man *''Inconceivable'' (1998) - Mr. Akiyama (final film role)

Selected television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ishimoto, Dale 1923 births 2004 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male actors of Japanese descent American male film actors American male television actors American military personnel of Japanese descent Japanese-American internees Military personnel from Colorado People from Delta, Colorado United States Army personnel of World War II