Gedde Watanabe

Last updated
Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe 2014.jpg
Watanabe in 2014
Born
Gary Watanabe

(1955-06-26) June 26, 1955 (age 68)
Ogden, Utah, U.S.
Education American Conservatory Theater
OccupationActor
Years active1976–present

Gary "Gedde" Watanabe (born June 26, 1955) is an American actor. [1] He is known for voicing the character of Ling in the animated film Mulan (1998) and its sequel Mulan II (2004), as well as playing Long Duk Dong in the film Sixteen Candles (1984) and Takahara "Kaz" Kazihiro in Gung Ho (1986), and Nurse Yosh Takata in the NBC medical drama ER from 1997 to 2003. He was also an original cast member of the Stephen Sondheim musical Pacific Overtures .

Contents

Early life and education

Watanabe was born and raised in Ogden, Utah in a Japanese-American family. His mother worked as a seamstress at the Utah Tailoring Company. [2] He performed in several dramatic productions in high school, both acting and singing. After graduation, Watanabe relocated to San Francisco, where he worked as a street musician while honing his acting skills. [3]

Career

In 1976, Watanabe's first role was as a member of the original Broadway cast of Pacific Overtures , originating the roles of Priest, Girl, and The Boy. He has since appeared in a number of films and television series, the first of which was The Long Island Four in 1980.

Many of his roles are caricatured East Asians with heavy accents, though he himself does not speak Japanese. [4]

He had a starring role in both the film Gung Ho [1] and its television spinoff. [1] In the 1989 movie UHF [1] starring "Weird Al" Yankovic, Watanabe co-starred as Kuni, a karate instructor and abusive host of a TV game show called Wheel of Fish. He later reprised this role on the Weird Al Show . Watanabe appeared on Sesame Street from 1988 to 1991 as Hiroshi and had a recurring role as gay nurse Yoshi Takata on the television drama ER [1] from 1997 to 2003. During the nineties, Watanabe studied acting at Theater Theater in Hollywood, California, with Chris Aable, who introduced him to fellow actors Jon Cedar and Steve Burton. He voiced various Japanese characters on the animated television comedy The Simpsons . In 1998, he voiced Ling in the Disney animated film Mulan and reprised the role for the 2004 direct-to-video sequel Mulan II and the 2005 video game Kingdom Hearts II .

Filmography

Film

Film performances
YearTitleRoleNotes
1980The Long Island FourUnknown role
1984 Sixteen Candles Long Duk Dong
1985 Volunteers At Toon
1986 Gung Ho Oishi Kazihiro
1986 Vamp Duncan
1989 UHF Kuni
1989The SpringMatty
1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Mr. Katsuji
1995 Boys on the Side Steve
1995 Perfect Alibi Detective Onoda
1996 That Thing You Do! Play-Tone Photographer
1997 Nick and Jane Enzo
1997 Booty Call ChanUncredited
1997Psycho SushiYoshi
1998 Mulan LingVoice
1998 Armageddon Asian TouristUncredited
1999 Guinevere Ed
1999 Edtv Greg
1999 The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: The Visitors from Outer Space Karate MasterVoice, direct-to-video
1999Frank in FiveWaiterShort film
2002 Slackers Japanese Proctor
2002Thank You, Good NightCafe Owner
2004 On the Couch CharlieShort film
2004 Alfie Wing
2004 Mulan II LingVoice, direct-to-video
2005 Two for the Money Milton
2007Fortune HuntersMr. YuShort film
2007Sunny & Share Love YouEliza's Dad, the Doctor
2008 The Onion Movie James Nakatami
2008 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Hotel Manager
2009 Not Forgotten Agent Nakamura
2009 Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword KenjiVoice, direct-to-video
2009All Ages NightDead Head Fred
2012 Parental Guidance Mr. Cheng
2013 47 Ronin Troupe Leader
2017 The Last Word Gardener
2020She Had It ComingShort film; director
2024 Ultraman: Rising Voice [5]

Television

Television performances
YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 Pacific Overtures Priest / Girl / BoyTelevision film
1978Life at StakeDavid KootookEpisode: "Somewhere Between Cambridge Bay and Yellowknife"
1986–1987 Gung Ho Kaz KazuhiroMain role
1987 The New Adventures of Beans Baxter Ho HumEpisode: "Beasn' Home Life Gets UGLI"
1988–1992 Sesame Street HiroshiRecurring role
1989 Booker MaxEpisode: "Someone Stole Lucille"
1990 Grand Taki Mifune3 episodes
1990 Murphy Brown Guru PremEpisode: "The Bitch's Back"
1990 Newhart Mr. TagadachiEpisode: "The Last Newhart"
1990On the TelevisionVarious2 episodes
1990–1991 Down Home TranMain role
1991 Pacific Station Ram ShaEpisode: "Operation!"
1992Miss America: Behind the CrownTakeoTelevision film
1994Count On Meunknown roleTelevision film
1995–1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Nuri / EmperorVoice, 2 episodes
1996 Duckman Unknown voice roleEpisode: "The Mallardian Candidate"
1996 Mad About You Speech WriterEpisode: "The Grant"
1996 Seinfeld Mr. OhEpisode: "The Checks"
1997The Weird Al ShowKunoEpisode: "Back to School"
1997–1999 The Simpsons Cartoon Squid / Japanese Father / Japanese Man / Factory ForemanVoice, 2 episodes
1997–2003 ER Nurse Yosh TakataRecurring role
1998–1999 Rugrats Zack / Kangaroo2 episodes
1999 Home Improvement Nobo NakamuraEpisode: "Home Alone"
1999–2000 Batman Beyond Dr. Suzuki / PrincipalVoice, 2 episodes
2000 Secret Agent Man Ling #2Episode: "Uncle S.A.M."
2000 Sabrina the Teenage Witch KenjiEpisode: "Welcome, Traveler"
2001 Jackie Chan Adventures Gangster #1Voice, episode: "Mother of All Battles"
2001 The Proud Family Mr. MinVoice, episode: "EZ Jackster"
2001 E! True Hollywood Story Himself (Interviewee)Episode: "Sixteen Candles"
2002 L.A. Law: The Movie CyrilTelevision film
2002 My Wife and Kids Dr. Phil LingEpisode: "Diary of a Mad Teen"
2002–2007 Kim Possible Professor Bob ChenVoice, 2 episodes
2003 What's New, Scooby-Doo? Vincent WongVoice, episode: "Lights! Camera! Mayhem!"
2003 Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? James / Bear / Co-workerVoice, 3 episodes
2003 I Love the '80s Strikes Backs Himself (Interviewee)Documentary (10 episodes)
2005 Everwood ArtEpisode: "Oh, the Places You'll Go"
2005–2007 All Grown Up! Nar-do / Nar-Do, Cyber ClauseVoice, 2 episodes
2006Model FamilyTerrenceTV Short
2006 Family Guy Long Duk DongVoice, episode: "Mother Tucker"
2008 American Dad! Chicken Hatchery ManagerVoice, episode: "Pulling Double Booty"
2010Proposition 8 Trial Re-EnactmentHak-Sing William TamTV documentary
2012The Seven Year HitchMr. FujimuraTelevision film
2014–2017 Bravest Warriors Hamster Mitch / Tourist AlienVoice, 3 episodes
2016 Pickle and Peanut Additional voicesEpisode: "90s Adventure Bear / Parking Lot Carnival"
2019 Puppy Dog Pals ReoVoice, episode: "Land of the Rising Pup"
2019 Perfect Harmony GlennEpisode: "Pilot"
2020The DisappointmentsGary ChenRecurring role
2021 Call Me Kat HenryEpisode: "Eggs"
2021 The Sex Lives of College Girls Professor HarpinEpisode: "Parents Weekend"

Video games

Video game credits
YearTitleVoice roleNotes
1998 Disney's Animated Storybook: Mulan Ling
1998Mulan Story StudioLing
2005 Kingdom Hearts II LingEnglish version
2007Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+LingEnglish version

Stage

Stage performances
YearTitleRoleNotesRefs.
1976 Pacific Overtures Boy, Girl, Priest, Sailor and Townsperson, Proscenium ServantBroadway debut [6]
1982 Poor Little Lambs Itsu Yoshiro [7]
1994 The Good Person of Setzuan Water Seller [8]
2001 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Pseudolus [9]
2008 Pippin Grandmother Berthe [10]
2009IxnayTadashi Ozaki [11]
2016 La Cage aux Folles Albin [12]
2016 The Fantasticks Hucklebee [13]

See also

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