Burt Kwouk
Burt Kwouk was an actor best known for his role as Cato, a martial arts expert, in the comedic Pink Panther movies of the 1970s and 1980s, which starred Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. He also appeared in the James Bond films Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice and the 1967 spoof Casino Royale, with Sellers and David Niven.
Kwouk, who was born in England and raised in Shanghai, had his first major film role in 1958's The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman. He also appeared in the films Windom’s Way, starring Peter Finch; The War Lover, with Steve McQueen and Robert Wagner; 55 Days at Peking, with Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and Niven; Nobody Runs Forever, starring Christopher Plummer; The Shoes of the Fisherman, with Anthony Quinn and Laurence Olivier; The Chairman, starring Gregory Peck; Madame Sin, with Bette Davis and Robert Wagner; Rollerball, starring James Caan; Plenty, starring Meryl Streep; Empire of the Sun, starring Christian Bale; Air America, with Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr.; Kiss of the Dragon, starring Jet Li; and Beyond Borders, with Clive Owen and Angelina Jolie.
Additionally, Kwouk made numerous appearances in U.K.-produced television series, some of which also aired in the U.S., including The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, The Avengers, Secret Agent, The Champions, The Saint, Shirley’s World and Doctor Who, among others.
Burt Kwouk was an actor best known for his role as Cato, a martial arts expert, in the comedic Pink Panther movies of the 1970s and 1980s, which starred Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. He also appeared in the James Bond films Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice and the 1967 spoof Casino Royale, with Sellers and David Niven.
Kwouk, who was born in England and raised in Shanghai, had his first major film role in 1958's The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman. He also appeared in the films Windom’s Way, starring Peter Finch; The War Lover, with Steve McQueen and Robert Wagner; 55 Days at Peking, with Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and Niven; Nobody Runs Forever, starring Christopher Plummer; The Shoes of the Fisherman, with Anthony Quinn and Laurence Olivier; The Chairman, starring Gregory Peck; Madame Sin, with Bette Davis and Robert Wagner; Rollerball, starring James Caan; Plenty, starring Meryl Streep; Empire of the Sun, starring Christian Bale; Air America, with Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr.; Kiss of the Dragon, starring Jet Li; and Beyond Borders, with Clive Owen and Angelina Jolie.
Additionally, Kwouk made numerous appearances in U.K.-produced television series, some of which also aired in the U.S., including The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, The Avengers, Secret Agent, The Champions, The Saint, Shirley’s World and Doctor Who, among others.
The actor made television appearances into his eighties, including a regular role on the long-running British comedy Last of the Summer Wine.
In 2011, he was named an officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.
Kwouk died May 24, 2016. He was 85.
The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more