There is nothing more exciting than paying tribute to Asian-American film pioneers. American actor, musician/singer, and comedian Ponciano Tabac “Poncie” Ponce died peacefully in Los Angeles on July 19, 2013 at age 80 leaving behind a memorable body of work and the legacy of being an Asian-American pioneer in film and entertainment.
Born in Maui, Hawaii, Poncie served in the US Army for two years and when deployed to Germany in 1953 caught the entertainment bug while playing in Munich nightclubs. Once out of the army he moved to Los Angeles, where he came to national attention when he played the role of cab driver Kazuo Kim from 1959-1963 in the popular detective series, HAWAIIAN EYE. As an informant, Kazuo Kim was known for his trademark straw hat and ukulele. The show’s intro showed Kazuo Kim floating in the ocean on an inner tube, wearing the hat and plucking his ukulele. The show led to other film projects including roles in Elvis Presley’s 1968 film SPEEDWAY and Gene Wilder’s 1977 film THE WORLD’S GREATEST LOVER.
In 1961 Poncie was at the forefront of a growing national interest in martial arts when he opened a karate studio in North Hollywood. That same year he released his first single on Warner Brothers Records, “Ten Cent Perfume/No Huhu”, and an album in 1962, PONCIE PONCE SINGS. His songs became part of the HAWAIIAN EYE soundtrack and that was the start of a career as a singer/entertainer with performances and national appearances around the world. His acting and entertainment career spanned more than 40 years and even in “retirement,” Poncie, the actor, talented musician/singer and comedian spent time with his family and friends entertaining up until the day he died. His pioneering legacy will forever be remembered.
Services for Poncie will be held at 2:00PM on Thursday, August 1, 2013 at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica, California.
Thanks for the memories Poncie!
Recent Comments