- Born
- Died
- Height5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
- Keye Luke was born in Canton, China. He grew up in Seattle, Washington, and entered the film business as a commercial artist and a designer of movie posters. He was hired as a technical advisor on several Asian-themed films, and made his film debut in The Painted Veil (1934). It seemed that he appeared in almost every film that called for Chinese characters, usually in small parts but occasionally, as in The Good Earth (1937), in a meatier, more substantial role. In addition, he played Dr. Kildare's rival at the hospital in the Dr. Kildare series at MGM, but it was as Charlie Chan's #1 son in that series that Luke achieved his greatest recognition. In the 1970s a new generation was made aware of his talents by virtue of his recurring role in the TV series Kung Fu (1972).
- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- SpouseEthel Davis(1942 - January 22, 1979) (her death, 1 child)
- RelativesEdwin Luke(Sibling)
- Was the original Kato in the Green Hornet serials
- He continued working until age 86. He died less than three weeks after his final film, Woody Allen's Alice (1990), was released.
- Had the distinction of being the only Asian actor to play a lead Asian detective in the 1930/1940s era. He played Mr. Wong in Phantom of Chinatown (1940) for Monogram. It was the final film in the series and he took over the role from Boris Karloff.
- Luke was an accomplished artist who specialized in murals. Examples of his work appear in the films The Shanghai Gesture (1941) and Macao (1952).
- He was considered one of the best dressed men in Hollywood in the 1930s because of his personal style and classic wardrobe.
- I have played so many doctors and characters in the mainstream. Because of my appearance, or because of my personality, or whatever it may be, I was always put into good Boy Scout roles -- lawyers, doctors, business executives and tycoons, the nice Chinese guy down the block.
- To me, theater is an art. It's the art of make-believe. If an actor can cast aside his own personality and create a character that you, the audience, can believe in and buy, my hat's off to him.
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