John Mamoru Fujioka (June 29, 1925 – December 13, 2018) was an American actor of Japanese descent. He was particularly known for performing the role of a Japanese holdout soldier in The Last Flight of Noah's Ark, Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure, and American Ninja. He died on December 13, 2018 at the age of 93.
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Early life and career
Born in Ola'a, Hawaii, Fujioka was the third of six children in a family that had immigrated from Japan after World War I. He attended Hilo High School, University of Hawaii, and Elmhurst College, graduating with a degree in Sociology. Fujika later enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944. During his service, Fujioka worked in Washington, D.C., interpreting Japanese documents and later joined the U.S. occupation forces in Japan at the end of the war.
After his discharge in 1947, he attended Elmhurst College in Illinois, where he studied sociology and worked part-time as a Polynesian dancer in Honolulu Harry’s Club Waikiki. Following his graduation in 1951, Fujioka was employed as a social worker for Cook County, Chicago.
Fujioka began his acting career in 1958 after being approached by a theatrical agent at a social event in New York City. His first role was as an understudy in The World of Suzie Wong, which he later performed on Broadway and in the national touring company.
His breakthrough came in 1974 when he portrayed General Tomoyuki Yamashita in Stanley Kramer's The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya. In 1982, Fujioka portrayed the Samurai warrior Todo in the ABC adventure series Tales of the Gold Monkey, in which his character commanded a private army protecting the trading ships of Princess Kogi in the South Seas. To prepare for the role, Fujioka trained in Japanese swordsmanship under Master Tak Kubota, a karate master and veteran of many motion pictures.
Personal life
Fujioka, who was openly gay, was survived by his life partner, Gerald Lentes.
Partial filmography
1962 Confessions of an Opium Eater as Auctioneer
1962 A Girl Named Tamiko as Minya
1963 The Rifleman (TV Series) as Hikaru Yamanaka
1964 McHale's Navy as Japanese J.G.
1973 Submersion of Japan as Narita
1974 Hawaii Five-O as Kayata
1975 Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series) as Kuroda
1976 Midway as Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi
1976 Futureworld as Mr. Takaguchi
1980 The Private Eyes as Mr. Uwatsum
1980 The Last Flight of Noah's Ark as Cleveland
1980 The Octagon as Master Isawa
1981 Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure as Kamasuka
1982 Some Kind of Hero as Captain Tan Tai
1982 They Call Me Bruce? as Master
1983 The A-Team (TV Series) as General Chow
1985 American Ninja as Shinyuki
1986 Body Slam as Mr. Kim
1987 Steel Dawn as Cord
1988 Noble House as Baldhead Kin
