Trivia

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).

Did a great deal of television work in his later years, at one point (1972-73) serving as a regular on three television series simultaneously: Kung Fu (1972), Anna and the King (1972), The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan (1972). In addition, although not a regular, he was a frequent guest star on M*A*S*H (1972).

Was 44 years of age when he returned to the role of Lee Chan, Charlie Chan's "Number One Son" in the last two Chan films (The Feathered Serpent (1948) and The Sky Dragon (1949)). He was actually 5 months older than Roland Winters, the actor who portrayed Charlie Chan in these films.

He was considered one of the best dressed men in Hollywood in the 1930s because of his personal style and classic wardrobe.

He also painted the garden fairytale setting murals on the interior of Grauman's Chinese Theater and the Chinese Theater massive auditorium ceiling.

He was considered for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) before Alec Guinness was cast.

In addition to his on-screen roles, he had a successful career as a voice artist. This included the dubbing of foreign language films into English as well as doing voices for animated series.

Almost 40 years after he played Lee Chan to the Charlie Chans of Warner Oland and Roland Winters, he took a turn at playing Charlie Chan himself, providing his voice in the Hanna-Barbera animated CBS-TV series The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan (1972). Among those who provided the voices of his children were Jodie Foster and Robert Ito.

Best remembered by one generation as "Number One Son", Lee Chan, in Warner Oland's Charlie Chan films of the 1930s. For the rest of his life, Luke would defend that film series considering that while criticisms of the series largely white men in the title role and the stereotyped African-American characters are valid, the rest of Chan's family were cast with actual Asian-American actors and played in a non-stereotypical fashion. This especially applies to Lee, a brave and enthusiastic All-American boy who even becomes an Olympic Gold Medalist in Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937).

Drew artwork used in the press book for the original King Kong (1933).

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on December 5, 1990.

Following his death, he was interred at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Created the role of Master Wang in the original Broadway production of the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical "Flower Drum Song", playing the role for two years in New York and another two on the road without ever missing a performance.

He was considered for the role of Dr. Noonian Soong in Brothers (1990)..

Brother of Edwin Luke.