George Kuwa Explained

George Kuwa
Birth Name:	Keiichi Kuwahara
Birth Date:	7 April 1885
Birth Place:	Hiroshima, Japan
Death Place:	Los Angeles, California, US
Yearsactive:	1916–1931
Occupation:	Actor

George Kuwa (born Keichii Kuwahara) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1931. He was the first actor to portray Charlie Chan on-screen in the 1926 film serial The House Without a Key.^[1]

Early life

According to contemporaneous reports, Kuwa was born in Hiroshima, Japan on 7 April 1885. His father was a judge and wanted George to follow suit.^{[2] [3]}

Career

Kuwa moved to the U.S. around 1916 or 1917 and began a career in Hollywood. Like many Japanese actors of the era, he often played Chinese characters. He made several films in Japan as well before returning to the U.S.

Death

He died in Los Angeles on 13 October, 1931 at the age of 46.^[4]

Partial filmography

• The Soul of Kura San (1916)
• The Yellow Pawn (1916)
• The Bottle Imp (1917)
• The Countess Charming (1917)
• Rimrock Jones (1918)
• The Woman in the Web (1918)
• Toby's Bow (1919)
• The Willow Tree (1920)
• Sick Abed (1920)
• The Round-Up (1920)
• Officer 666 (1920)
• Midsummer Madness (1921)
• The Invisible Fear (1921)
• Nobody's Fool (1921)
• Five Days to Live (1922)
• Moran of the Lady Letty (1922)
• Bought and Paid For (1922)
• Sherlock Brown (1922)
• The Half Breed (1922)
• Enter Madame (1922)
• The Beautiful and Damned (1922)
• The World's Applause (1923)
• Daddy (1923)
• The Eternal Struggle (1923)
• The Storm Daughter (1924)
• Curlytop (1924)
• The Man from Wyoming (1924)
• Broken Barriers (1924)
• Oh Doctor! (1925)
• Head Winds (1925)
• A Son of His Father (1925)
• The Enchanted Hill (1926)
• A Trip to Chinatown (1926)
• The Dice Woman (1926)
• The Silver Treasure (1926)
• The Nutcracker (1926)
• That Model from Paris (1926)
• The House Without a Key (1926)
• Melting Millions (1927)
• Perch of the Devil (1927)
• White Pants Willie (1927)
• The Night Bride (1927)
• The Chinese Parrot (1927)
• The Warning (1927)
• The Secret Hour (1928)
• The Showdown (1928)
• Chinatown Charlie (1928)
• After the Storm (1928)
• Wicked (1931)

Notes and References

1. Hanke (1989), xii.
2. Web site: 28 Aug 1928. At the Theatres. 2021-03-28. Times Colonist. en.
3. Web site: 18 Jan 1925. George Kuwa Is Martyr to Drama. 2021-03-28. The Billings Gazette. en.
4. Web site: 27 May 1930. Screen Gossip. 2021-03-28. The Times. en.