Nathan Jung
Born(1946-11-29)November 29, 1946
DiedApril 24, 2021(2021-04-24) (aged 74)
Occupation(s)Actor, stuntman

Nathan Jung (November 29, 1946 – April 24, 2021) was an American actor and stuntman. Due to his height, he was usually cast in "heavy" or "enforcer" roles.

Career

Television

Jung played the character of Genghis Khan on Star Trek: The Original Series in the episode, "The Savage Curtain" (1969),[1] an axe-wielding villain named "The Dark Rider" who fought David Carradine in the TV series Kung Fu on the episode "Arrogant Dragon" (1974),[2] and appeared opposite Bruce Lee as a Tong Enforcer in Lee's only pure acting (and non-martial arts) role on the TV show Here Come the Brides, in the episode "Marriage, Chinese Style" (1969). Jung also played Saburyo, Helen Funai's cousin on an episode of Sanford and Son entitled "Home Sweet Home" (1974).

Jung has been on a number of other TV shows including General Hospital (as Won Chu), Starsky and Hutch (as "Itchy" in the episode "Nightlight" (1976)), M*A*S*H (as the Korean Man), The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (as Kahuna), Manimal (as Tang), Magnum P.I. (as Yaikra), The A-Team (as Chi), Falcon Crest (as Chao-Li's cousin), The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (as Cho-Lin), Hunter (as the henchman "Mongol" that goes toe-to-toe against Fred Dryer), Riptide (as Kona, Al Leong's colleague), Joe Forrester, and The New Mike Hammer.[3]

Jung has also appeared in the TV shows Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (in two episodes - "Chi of Steel" (1995) and "Illusions of Grandeur" (1994) - as "Jzuk-Mao"), Martial Law (as the villain Wen in the Martial Law pilot episode, "Shanghai Express" (1998)), as well as Highway to Heaven (as Yoji), Burke's Law, Dear John and Tour of Duty.[4]

Film

Jung has acted in the films Surf Ninjas (as Leslie Nielsen's henchman, Manchu), as the henchman Bulkus in John Landis's first film, Kentucky Fried Movie (as Bulkus in the Enter the Dragon spoof segment entitled A Fistful of Yen), as The Wing Kong Hatchet Man in Big Trouble in Little China, as the Bonsai Club Manager in Showdown in Little Tokyo (speaking a line of dialogue in Japanese to stars Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee, making him one of the few actors to appear in movies or TV shows alongside both Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee), and also appeared in films such as Sam Raimi's Darkman (as the Chinese Warrior), The Shadow (as the Tibetan Kidnapper), American Yakuza (as The Big Yakuza), Beverly Hills Ninja (as the Fisherman), Corvette Summer (as the bouncer that roughs up Mark Hamill's character), Longshot (as Odd Job) and more.[5]

Jung has also acted in Asian American independent films such as Justin Lin's Finishing The Game (as Bob, the Nazi villain that faces off against Roger Fan's Breeze Loo) in the "Fists of Fuhrer" segment that was directed by Evan Jackson Leong (Director of the film Linsanity: The Movie) and Juwan Chung's Baby (as the Restaurant Guy in a scene opposite David Huynh, who played the title character).

Jung also appears as himself, the narrator, in Timothy Tau's short documentary, Nathan Jung v. Bruce Lee, where he recounts the first time he met Bruce Lee (played by Jason Yee) on the set of the TV show Here Come the Brides in 1969 and with Allen Rowe portraying a younger version of him in narrative flashbacks; the film also won a Best Original Script and Best Comedy award at the 2018 Asians on Film Festival and has screened at the 2019 Seattle Asian American Film Festival, the 2018 Taiwanese American Film Festival and the 2018 Vancouver Asian Film Festival.[6][7][8]

Upon Jung's death on April 24, 2021, Nathan Jung v. Bruce Lee was shared and his death was covered by outlets including Variety,[9] Deadline Hollywood,[10] SyFy Wire,[11] The Independent (UK),[12] The Daily Express (UK),[13] News.com.au,[14] The New Zealand Herald,[15] NY Daily News,[16] Heavy.com,[17] Yahoo! Lifestyle,[18] Daily Star Trek News,[19] Comicbook.com,[20] Outsider,[21] AsAm News,[22] iHorror,[23] Giant Freakin Robot[24] and more.

Personal life

Jung died in Los Angeles on April 24, 2021, at the age of 74.[25][26]

Selected filmography

Film

YearTitleRole
2018Nathan Jung v. Bruce LeeHimself / The Narrator
2013JackhammerSilky Samurai
2008BabyRestaurant Guy
2007Finishing The GameBob
1997Beverly Hills NinjaFisherman
1995GalaxisReal Deal Doorman
1994Ghoulies IVBig Inmate
1994The ShadowTibetan Kidnapper
1993American YakuzaBig Yakuza
1993Surf NinjasManchu
1993Army of One aka Joshua TreeChinese Gunman
1991Showdown in Little TokyoBonsai Club Manager
1990DarkmanChinese Warrior
1989Black RainSato's Enforcer
1986Big Trouble in Little ChinaWing Kong Hatchet Man
1981Longshot"Oddjob"
1978Corvette SummerThe Bouncer
1978Blind RageHenchman
1977The Kentucky Fried MovieBulkus

Assorted TV Roles

YearTitleEpisodeRole
1998Martial Law"Shanghai Express" (1998) (Pilot)Wen
1995Burke's Law"Who Killed Mr. Game Show?" (1995)Sumo Contestant
1995Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"Chi of Steel" (1995)Jzuk-Mao
1994Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"Illusions of Grandeur" (1994)Jzuk-Mao
1989Highway to Heaven"It's a Dog's Life" (1989)Yoji
1989Tour of Duty"Lonesome Cowboy Blues" (1989)The Bouncer
1987The New Mike Hammer"A Blinding Fear" (1987)Security Guard
1984The New Mike Hammer"The Deadly Prey" (1984)Man One
1986The A-Team"Point of No Return" (1986)Chi
1986Riptide"The Frankie Kahana Show" (1986)Kona
1985Hunter"Night of the Dragons" (1985)Mongol, Lead Henchman
1985Falcon Crest"...And The Fall" (1985), "The Decline" (1985), "Devil's Harvest" (1985)Chao-Li's Cousin #2
1985Magnum P.I."The Love-for-Sale Boat" (1985)Yaikra
1983Manimal"Breath of the Dragon" (1983)Tang
1982Bring 'Em Back Alive"Wilmer Bass and the Serengeti Kid" (1982)Magar
1981The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo"The Roller Disco Karate Kaper" (1981)Kahuna
1981M*A*S*H"No Laughing Matter" (1981)Korean Man
1978CHiPs"Disaster Squad" (1978)Wrong-Way Driver
1978The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries"Death Surf" (1978)Cho-Lin
1976Starsky and Hutch"Nightlight" (1976)"Itchy"
1975Joe Forrester"The Witness" (1975)Henchman
1974General HospitalVarious Episodes in 1974Won Chu
1974Sanford and Son"Home Sweet Home" (1974)Saburyo
1974Kung Fu"Arrogant Dragon" (1974)The Dark Rider (opposite David Carradine)
1969Here Come the Brides"Marriage, Chinese Style" (1969)Tong Enforcer (opposite Bruce Lee)
1969Star Trek: The Original SeriesS3:E22, "The Savage Curtain" (1969)Genghis Khan (opposite William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy)

References

  1. "Star Trek". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  2. "Nathan Jung". www.aveleyman.com. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  3. Id.
  4. "Nathan Jung TV". www.listal.com. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  5. Nathan Jung, Filmography, Fandago, http://www.fandango.com/nathanjung/filmography/p36524
  6. "Asians on Film Festival of Shorts 2018 Winter Quarter Winners". Asians on Film. 2018-05-02. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  7. Taiwanese American Film Festival 2018, Nathan Jung v. Bruce Lee, https://www.taff.la/nathanjungvbrucelee
  8. Nathan Jung v. Bruce Lee, retrieved 2023-06-23
  9. Bosselman, Haley (2021-05-01). "Nathan Jung, Actor Who Appeared in 'Star Trek' and 'The A-Team,' Dies at 74". Variety. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  10. Haring, Bruce (2021-05-01). "Nathan Jung Dies: Actor From 'Star Trek', 'The A-Team' & Many Films Was 74". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  11. "Nathan Jung, actor known for 'Star Trek' and 'Big Trouble in Little China,' dies at 74". SYFY Official Site. 2021-05-02. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  12. "Original Star Trek actor Nathan Jung dies, aged 74". The Independent. 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  13. Ingate, Kathryn (2021-05-02). "Nathan Jung dead: Star Trek, M*A*S*H* and The A-Team actor dies at 74". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  14. News.com.au, Star Trek actor Nathan Jung dies aged 74, https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/celebrity-deaths/star-trek-actor-nathan-jung-dies-aged-74/news-story/49c6a57b858c65827b3524607a0361d8
  15. "Star Trek actor Nathan Jung dies aged 74". NZ Herald. 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  16. "'Star Trek,' 'The A-Team' actor Nathan Jung dead at 74". New York Daily News. 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  17. Zabiegalski, Robin (2021-05-02). "Nathan Jung Dead at 74". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  18. "Nathan Jung, Star Trek actor, dies aged 74". Yahoo Life. 2021-05-02. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  19. "Nathan Jung, Star Trek's Genghis Khan, has passed away at 74". Daily Star Trek News. 2021-05-02. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  20. "Star Trek, Big Trouble In Little China Actor Nathan Jung Dies at 74". Star Trek. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  21. Miller, Madison (2021-05-01). "Nathan Jung, Actor Who Appeared on 'The A-Team' and 'Star Trek,' Dies at 75". Outsider. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  22. Randall (2021-05-01). "Actor Nathan Jung of Star Trek fame dies at 74". AsAmNews. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  23. III, Trey Hilburn (2021-05-02). "Nathan Jung Star of 'Darkman' and 'Big Trouble in Little China' Dead at 74". iHorror. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  24. Gonzales, Rick (2021-05-03). "A Classic Star Trek Actor Has Died". GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  25. "Nathan Jung, Actor Who Appeared on 'Star Trek' and 'The A-Team,' Dies at 74". Variety.
  26. Haring, Bruce (1 May 2021). "Nathan Jung Dies: Actor From 'Star Trek', 'The A-Team' & Many Films Was 74". Deadline. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
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