Halloween movie trivia--GODZILLA

[dragon53]

TRIVIA---countdown to Halloween.
Character actor James Hong is perhaps best known for appearing in three classic movies. In BLADE RUNNER, Hong played eye designer Hannibal Chew, in CHINATOWN he played butler Khan and in AIRPLANE!, he played the Japanese general. One of Hong's earliest movie roles was providing both of the voices for the two lead male roles, Ogata and Dr. Serizawa, in the original GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS!
Hong recalled on how he and his friend, Sammy Tong, were cast in the classic monster movie, "One producer said to us, 'We're looking for guys to do some voices for a Japanese monster film.' He went on to say that he picked up this film in Japan. 'It's a monster film, and I have the rights now, and I want to do the dubbed version for (the) United States.' He said he was going to patch in some scenes with Raymond Burr and some other colleagues. So they built this set. It's the set that you see in the movie, that window with Raymond Burr looking out, and narrating all that stuff about the Godzilla. (laughs) Previously, I had worked with Raymond Burr twice, I think, on PERRY MASON and something else.
Getting back to how the interview took place, the producer said, 'Come on over to Japan Town, and audition if you want to, for these voices. The pay is minimum.' I think he paid $100. So Sammy and I showed up over at Japan Town. It was a Caucasian guy that got the rights, some producer who was just at that time a nobody. So we went up to the second story — it was a big empty room, and he had a desk in the center. He said, 'Okay, I have the microphone here. Just give me a sample of what you do with a Japanese accent.'"
Hong added, "We said, 'Okay, where's the script?' He says, 'There's no script.' (laughs) He said, 'Use THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER' (laughs) He said, 'Okay, just read THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER right here on this second column here, with a Japanese accent.' Sammy and I looked at each other: 'Oh, no script, and he wants Japanese accents.' I looked at THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER and I said, 'So let's see now. Ah, so!' (Mr. Hong proceeds to read in a Japanese accent) I read — I don't know — maybe another paragraph. He said, 'That's great! That's great! (laughs) You got the job!' Sammy Tong did the same thing. He had a broader accent than I do. (laughs) He was going, 'Let's see.' (Mr. Hong proceeds to imitate Sammy Tong's Japanese accent) So Sammy Tong did his accent, and neither one of us was Japanese."
Hong said in one scene, the two lead male characters, Ogata and Dr. Serizawa, argue with each other, "Well, both of those voices were mine! (laughs) I'm arguing with myself! So all those voices that I did were just thrown in there for all those characters, the young characters, and all the old men, the scientist that was pointing to the blackboard, all those were Sammy Tong's voice. Together, Sammy and I did probably 80% of all the voices."

In BLADE RUNNER, Hong played eye designer Hannibal Chew.




In CHINATOWN, Hong played butler Khan.




In AIRPLANE!, Hong played the Japanese general.




In GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS!, Hong provided both of the voices for the two lead male roles, Ogata and Dr. Serizawa, and others.