Richard Lee Hope Tunisia Sung III (August 14, 1930 - August 16, 2021), better known as Richard Lee-Sung, appeared in various roles in eleven episodes of M*A*S*H in Seasons 2 through 10, first appearing as one of several Koreans all named "Kim Luc" seeking medical attention in the Season 2 episode "Officer of the Day".
Life / Career[]
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, he later moved with his family to Los Angeles during his early childhood.
Lee-Sung gained popularity as a bartender at Tang’s and General Lee’s in LA’s Chinatown, where he entertained patrons with “hair” jokes and sang popular songs like “Granada,” “Getting to Know You,” and “The Fortune Cookie Man.” Interestingly, he also performed the famous “Chinese” love song “Solamente Una Vez” in perfect Spanish! His trademark bald head, large smile, and robust laugh made him a memorable figure during LA’s Chinatown heyday.
As one of the "Chosen Few," Lee-Sung fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir as a member of the U.S. Marines during the Korean War. Later, he left his hometown of El Paso behind and settled in Los Angeles. There, the man of Mexican-Chinese heritage found work and notoriety in Chinatown. As a bartender at L.A. joints like Tang's and General Lee's, the bald fellow who liked to be called "Curlee" reportedly delighted customers. He would eventually perform as a comic at General Lee's, according to a newspaper profile from 1975. [1]
A talented character and voice actor, Richard portrayed the "Famous Villain with Deadly Hat" in Inspector Gadget. He also has made appearances in such popular TV shows as Kung Fu, Happy Days, Qunicy, M.E., Airwolf and Tour of Duty.
On MASH 4077 he is one of only about three ethnic Koreans to play a Korean asides from actors Soon-Tek Oh and Philip Ahn.
Death[]
Richard Lee-Sung passed away on August 16, 2021. He was 91 years old. [2] [3]
Appearances on M*A*S*H[]
| Season | Episode | Role (as credited) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | "Officer of the Day" | 2nd Korean (all named Kim Luc) | |
| 4 | Dear Mildred | Cho | Excellent speaking part |
| 4 | Some 38th Parallels | Uncredited. Man at auction | Speaking part |
| 5 | Bug Out | Cho Man Chin | |
| 6 | Change Day | Uncredited. Korean villager | Brief speaking part |
| 6 | The M*A*S*H Olympics | Uncredited. Korean villager | |
| 6 | The Smell of Music | Sang Nu | |
| 7 | A Night at Rosie's | Ham Kim | |
| 8 | Good-Bye Radar: Part 1 | Rickshaw driver | |
| 10 | Snap Judgment | Peddler #2 | |
| 10 | That Darn Kid | Farmer |
References[]
- ↑ Decades Staff. "R.I.P. Richard Lee-Sung, a M*A*S*H actor who actually served in the Korean War", Decades.com, November 29, 2021. Retrieved on June 15, 2024.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/mashmatters/status/1464346636860243977/photo/1
- ↑ MeTV Staff. "R.I.P. Richard Lee-Sung, a M*A*S*H actor who actually served in the Korean War", MeTV.com, November 29, 2021. Retrieved on June 15, 2024.
