Burt Kwouk

• Name — Burt Kwouk • Birth Name — Herbert Tsangtse Kwouk 郭弼 • Born — 18 July 1930 • Birthplace — Warrington, Lancashire, England • Died — 24 May 2016 • Place of death — Hampstead, London, England • Years Active — 1957–2012 • Children — 1 • Honorific Suffix — OBE

• P — Guō Bì • W — Ko 1 Pi 4 • J — Gwok 3 Bat 6 Herbert Tsangtse Kwouk (18 July 1930 – 24 May 2016) was a British actor. He played 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, as Entwistle in Last of the Summer Wine and as himself in the Harry Hill Show.

Kwouk was born on 18 July 1930 in Warrington, 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. 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. He left China in 1947 when his parents returned to Britain, and was sent to the United States to complete his education. In 1953, he graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. 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".

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. 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 damaged or destroyed. Amidst the chaos, the phone would ring and Cato would calmly answer it before dutifully handing the phone to Clouseau who would then give Cato a final assault. 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) 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. He also appeared with Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman. A reference to Kwouk's appearances in several films as Cato with Peter Sellers is found in the opening scene of Seller's last film, The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980) where Sellers, as Fu Manchu says to him "your face is familiar." 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. 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. 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, 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. He provided voice-overs on the spoof Japanese betting show Banzai (2001–2004) and subsequently appeared in adverts for the betting company, Bet365. 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, and television commercials.

Kwouk married Caroline Tebbs in Wandsworth, London, in the summer of 1961. Their son was born in 1974. Kwouk was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to drama. In later years, he lived in Hampstead, London.

Kwouk died on 24 May 2016 at the age of 85, from cancer, at the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1957 — Hancock's Half Hour — 1st Japanese — Episode: "How to Win Money and Influence People" • 1961–1965 — The Avengers — Various — 3 episodes • 1961–1967 — Danger Man — 5 episodes • 1961 — The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theater — Captain Feng — Episode: "The Sinister Man" • 1962 — Man of the World — Liu — Episode: "The Frontier" • 1963 — Compact — Chinese Waiter — Episode: "Chicken and Champange" • The Sentimental Agent — Chin — 12 episodes • 1965–1968 — The Saint — Various — 3 episodes • 1965 — Out of the Unknown — Novee — Episode: "Sucker Bait" • 1966 — BBC Play of the Month — Wu Hsien Cheng — Episode: "The Devil's Eggshell" • 1967 — The Champions — Chinese Major — Episode: "The Beginning" • 1967–1969 — Callan — Robert E. Lee/Tao Tsing — 2 episodes • 1970 — The Misfit — Barman — Episode: "On Being British" • 1971 — ITV Playhouse — The Prisoner — Episode: "The Switch" • 1972 — Shirley's World — Shunji — 2 episodes • Jason King — Lee Chang — Episode: "Every Picture Tells a Story" • 1972–1973 — The Adventurer — Johnny Morrison/Taiho — 2 episodes • 1975 — Whodunnit? — Dr. Ling — Episode: "Evidence of Death" • 1975–1976 — Lucky Feller — Chinese Waiter/Wedding Guest — 3 episodes • 1976 — Yes, Honestly — Ning Ning — Episode: "Black and White and Red All Over" • The Melting Pot — 4 episodes • 1976–1978 — The Water Margin — Narrator — English dub • 1977 — Warship — Foreign Minister Zee Khay Lim — Episode: "Diplomatic Package" • 1977–1978 — It Ain't Half Hot Mum — Me Thant — 2 episodes • 1978 — The Tomorrow People — Matsu Tan — Serial: "The Lost Gods" • Return of the Saint — Chula — Episode: "Assault Force" • 1978–1979 — Monkey Magic — Narrator — English dub • 1979 — Robin's Nest — Barman — Episode: "Sorry Partner" • 1980 — Keep It in the Family — Japanese Juror/Maitre 'd — 2 episodes • Shoestring — Mr Wing — Episode: "The Dangerous Game" • Minder — Sojo — Episode: "A Nice Little Wine" • 1981–1984 — Tenko — Major Yamauchi — 19 episodes • 1982 — Doctor Who — Lin Futu — Serial: "Four to Doomsday" • 1983 — Hart to Hart — Toshi — Episode: "Passing Chance" • 1984 — Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense — Lee — Episode: "Mark of the Devil" • 1986–1987 — Tickle on the Tum — Willie Wok — 2 episodes • 1987 — Howards' Way — Lee — 3 episodes • T-Bag Bounces Back — Hi Hatt — Episode: "Hi Hatt Bounces Back" • 1988 — Noble House — Phillip Chen — Miniseries • 1989 — Boon — Van Der Haan — Episode: "The Not So Lone Ranger" • 1991 — The House of Eliott — Peter Lo Chen — 3 episodes • 1992–1993 — Lovejoy — Banker/Mr Ying — 2 episodes • 1994 — Space Precinct — Slik Ostrasky — Episode: "Protect and Survive" • 1995 — Bullet to Beijing — Kim Soo — TV film • 1997–2000 — The Harry Hill Show — Himself • 2000 — Arabian Nights — Caliph Beder — Miniseries • 2001 — Queen of Swords — Master Kiyomassa — Episode: "The Dragon" • Banzai — Narrator • 2002–2010 — Last of the Summer Wine — Entwistle — Seasons 24–31 • 2003–2005 — The Bill — Father Kwong/George Sim — 3 episodes • 2005 — Judge John Deed — Professor Vang Pao — Episode: "Separation of Powers" • 2006 — Silent Witness — Jimmy Han — Episode: "Cargo" • Doctors — Mr Chang — Episode: "Sleepless in Selly Heath" • 2008 — Honest — Mr Hong — 5 episodes • 2009 — Spirit Warriors — Shen — 4 episodes • 2012 — Whatever Happened to Harry Hill — Himself

• Doctor Who: Loups-Garoux (2001) as Doctor Hayashi

• Year — Title — Role • 2003 — Fire Warrior — El'Lusha • EyeToy: Play — Notes

• 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.