← Back

Kam Tong

Kam Tong

Born: 1906-12-18 • San Francisco, California, USA

Kam Tong (December 18, 1906 – November 8, 1969) was a Chinese-American actor. He was best known for his role as Hey Boy on the CBS television series Have Gun, Will Travel and as Dr. Li in the film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Flower Drum Song. Curiously, though appearing as a series regular on Have Gun, Will Travel he was never afforded a regular featured credit, always instead listed undistinguished from the support guest cast, perhaps an indication of inherent discrimination in that regard.

Kam was also a regular on the short run CBS-TV series Mr. Garlund in 1960. He appeared in many movies, often as an uncredited Chinese, Japanese, or Filipino character. He appeared in many television shows, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Big Valley, The Time Tunnel, The Final War of Olly Winter, and I Spy.

After serving in World War II in an OSS intelligence unit, he became involved in efforts to raise awareness over gun violence. He also owned and operated a restaurant called Shanghai Lil's in San Francisco.

On November 8, 1969, Kam Tong died of non-communicable disease. At the time of his death, he was 63 years old. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family.

Filmography
Kill a Dragon poster
Kill a Dragon
1967 • Win Lim
Dimension 5 poster
Dimension 5
1966 • Kim Fong
Mister Buddwing poster
Mister Buddwing
1966 • Dice Player
Stagecoach poster
Stagecoach
1966
Women of the Prehistoric Planet poster
Women of the Prehistoric Planet
1966 • Jung
Espionage Target: You poster
Espionage Target: You
1964 • Mr. Kai (uncredited)
It Happened at the World's Fair poster
It Happened at the World's Fair
1963 • Uncle Walter Ling
Flower Drum Song poster
Flower Drum Song
1961 • Doctor Li
Who Was That Lady? poster
Who Was That Lady?
1960 • Lee Wong (uncredited)
Who Was That Lady? poster
Who Was That Lady?
1960 • Lee Wong
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing poster
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
1955 • Dr. Sen (uncredited)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy poster
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
1955 • Chinese Busboy (uncredited)
This Is My Love poster
This Is My Love
1954 • Harry
Dishonored Lady poster
Dishonored Lady
1947 • Courtland's Houseboy
China Girl poster
China Girl
1942
The Hidden Hand poster
The Hidden Hand
1942 • Mallo
Across the Pacific poster
Across the Pacific
1942 • T. Oki
Rubber Racketeers poster
Rubber Racketeers
1942 • Tom
The Man Who Came to Dinner poster
The Man Who Came to Dinner
1941 • Chinese Guest (uncredited)
Drums of Fu Manchu poster
Drums of Fu Manchu
1940 • Crawford's Manservant
International Settlement poster
International Settlement
1938 • Waiter
The General Died at Dawn poster
The General Died at Dawn
1936 • Houseboy (uncredited)