Khigh Dhiegh

Khigh Alx Dhiegh (/ˈkaɪ ˈdiː/ KY DEE or /ˈdeɪ/ DAY; born Kenneth Dickerson; August 25, 1910 – October 25, 1991)[1] was an American television and motion picture actor of Anglo-Egyptian Sudanese ancestry, noted for portraying East Asian roles.[2] 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.[lower-alpha 1]

Khigh Dhiegh
Khigh Dhiegh in trailer for The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Born
Kenneth Dickerson

(1910-08-25)August 25, 1910
Spring Lake, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedOctober 25, 1991(1991-10-25) (aged 81)
Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, author, recording artist
Years active1950-1990
SpouseMay Dickerson (?-?) 2 children

Life and death

He was born Kenneth Dickerson in Spring Lake, New Jersey.[3][4] Dhiegh stated his mother was "Chinese, Spanish, English, and Egyptian" and his father was "Italian, Portuguese, and Zulu"; he was raised in New York City, living in all the boroughs except Staten Island.[5]: 6  He moved to Arizona in 1977.[3]

Dhiegh died on October 25, 1991, at Desert Samaritan Hospital of Mesa, Arizona, from kidney and heart failure.[6][7]

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.[5]: 1–2 

Performance

On Broadway, Dhiegh's credits include The Teahouse of the August Moon and Flower Drum Song.[3] Off-Broadway, he received an Obie Award in 1961, for playing Schlink in In the Jungle of Cities.[3]

He also starred in the short-lived 1975 TV series Khan! as the title character.[2][8] In 1988, he was featured as Four Finger Wu in James Clavell's Noble House television mini-series.[9]

In 1965, Dhiegh recorded and released an album on Folkways Records, entitled St. John of the Cross: Volume II, a collection of poems of St. John.

Philosophy

Besides his acting endeavors, Dhiegh was active in Taoist philosophy, writing a number of books on the subject, including The Eleventh Wing (ISBN 0-385-28371-7).[2] Dhiegh credited his "life long dear friend Chao-Li Chi" with sparking his interest in the I Ching and Taoism, starting in 1935.[5]: 2–3  In 1971, he founded the Taoist Sanctuary (now the Taoist Institute) in Hollywood, California.[5]: 4  At the time, he was living in the San Fernando Valley.[8]

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.[3] One of his last interviews was on One World in 1990, where he presented the concept of World Citizenry and its benefit to mankind.[10] 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
1957Time LimitCol. Kimas Kaie Deei
1962The Manchurian CandidateDr. Yen Lo
196313 Frightened GirlsKang
1965How to Murder Your WifeBald Actor playing Thug
1966SecondsDavalo
1968The DestructorsKing Chou Lai
1968-1980Hawaii Five-OWo Fat15 episodes
1970The HawaiiansKai Chung
1971The Mephisto WaltzZanc Theun
1974Judge Dee and The Monastery MurdersJudge Dee
1978Goin' CoconutsWong

Notes
  1. Dr. Lo proudly asserted that the subject's minds were not only "brain-washed", but they were also "dry-cleaned".

References
  1. Komjathy, Louis. "Daoist teachers in North America" (PDF). Pacific Lutheran University via Centre for Daoist Studies. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-07. Includes short biographical summary of Khigh Dhiegh.
  2. O’Dell, Cary (17 August 2022). "Remembering TV's "Khan!"". Now See Hear! The National Audio-Visual Conservation Center Blog. Library of Congress. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  3. Rice, Patrick (June 23, 1981). "Spiritual Side Of Former 'Villain'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. "'Five-O' actor had many TV credits". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. June 7, 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  5. Khigh Alx Dhiegh, PhD; Rector of the Taoist Sanctuary (25 July 1974). "Khigh Dhiegh interviewed by Irvin Paik" (Interview). Interviewed by Irvin Paik. USC Digital Library. Retrieved 18 May 2021.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "'Hawaii Five-O' villain dies of heart, kidney failure". Deseret News. October 27, 1991. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. "Khigh Dhiegh". Variety. November 10, 1991. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. Beck, Marilyn (February 2, 1975). "Dhiegh Rejects Glamor, Favors Obscurity". Florida Today. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  9. Buck, Jerry (February 21, 1988). "NBC shoots for success with 'Noble House'". The Pittsburgh Press. Associated Press. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  10. ONE WORLD - TV for Transcendence w/ Khigh Alx Dhiegh - World Citizenship on YouTube
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