Walter SooHoo Obit

Walter Soo Hoo Obituary

 

He was not on the list.

April 6, 1932 - June 20, 2022 Walter SooHoo was a husband, father, grandfather, successful businessman, and restaurateur who passed away at the age of 90. He was born in LA Chinatown to immigrant parents who became one of the first founding business owners in New Chinatown, Los Angeles in 1938. He was the second oldest of the 7 SooHoo children.

He married his wife, Eileen, in 1952 and had three children, Jeffrey, Linda, and Glenn. He eventually took over the family business, Chew Yuen Company, started Phoenix Imports in 1975, and established Chinatown's legendary Hop Louie restaurant, formerly the Golden Pagoda, in 1985.

He stumbled upon the entertainment business when the Hollywood film industry would seek Chinatown locals for movies and productions. Walter's first credit at the age of 5 dates back to 1937, eventually leading him to join the Screen Actors Guild in 1954. His long time career in the film industry inspired his younger generations to pursue careers in arts and entertainment.

He was a Lakers, Dodgers, and Rams fan, and enjoyed bowling, fishing, and visiting Las Vegas. But what he enjoyed most was food and family gatherings. He loved Chinatown and was proud of his deep roots and heritage. People will cherish memories of his smile, strong work ethic, his contribution to the community, and his knowledge of Chinatown and LA's rich history.

Walter was predeceased by his parents She Wing and Woo Shee SooHoo, siblings Willie and Eunice, and infant daughter Donna. Walter's legacy lives on through his wife of 68 years, Eileen SooHoo; his children and spouses Jeffrey SooHoo (Lily), Linda SooHoo (Michael Dang), and Glenn SooHoo (Jenny); grandchildren Tiffany (Robert Yeh), Kristin, Brittany, Brandon, Megan, and Becky SooHoo, Shannon and Jordon Dang; and siblings Howard, Betty, Hayward, and Roland.

Memorial services will be held at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Sky Rose Chapel in Whittier, Saturday, July 9, 2022 promptly at 11 a.m.

As an actor he played an Enterprise command technician in the Star Trek: The Original Series first season episode "The Man Trap", a Janus VI civilian engineer in "The Devil in the Dark", and a Kohm guard in the second season episode "The Omega Glory".

He filmed his scenes for "The Man Trap" on Friday 24 June 1966 at Desilu Stage 9, and his scenes for "The Omega Glory" on Friday 15 December 1967 and Monday 18 December 1967 at Desilu Stage 11. As a background actor, he received no credit for his appearances.

He stumbled upon the entertainment business when the Hollywood film industry sought Chinatown locals for movies and productions. Soo Hoo, whose six siblings were all actors, started out as a child actor, appearing in the short film The Rainbow Pass (1937) at the age of 5. He joined the Screen Actors Guild in 1954, and his long time career in the film industry inspired his younger generations to pursue careers in arts and entertainment. [

He later appeared in films such as Lady from Chungking (1942), Air Force (1943, with Charles Drake), and China's Little Devils (1945). As an adult, he became a bit and background actor, appearing in films like Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955, with Torin Thatcher and Keye Luke), Blood Alley (1955, with Paul Fix), Around the World in 80 Days (1956, with Walter Bacon, Al Cavens, Dick Cherney, Noble Chissell, Bill Couch, Sr., Joe Garcio, Joseph Glick, Lars Hensen, Chuck Hicks, Shep Houghton, Max Kleven, Keye Luke, Monty O'Grady, Victor Paul, Edwin Rochelle, Robert Strong, Sally Yarnell, and Ron Veto), The Green Berets (1968, with George Takei, Irene Tsu, Jason Evers, Walker Edmiston, and Vic Toyota), The Man Who Loved Women (1983, with Denise Crosby), and Big Trouble (1986, with Paul Dooley, Richard Libertini, and Conroy Gedeon).

His television credits include background spots in shows as Have Gun – Will Travel, Gunsmoke (with Bill Erwin, Ed McCready, Al Cavens, Pete Kellett, and Max Wagner), and The Wild Wild West (with Barry Atwater, Walker Edmiston, and Gary Epper, directed by Marvin Chomsky). He later appeared in The Number 23 (2007, starring Virginia Madsen and featuring Ed Lauter).

Soo eventually took over the family business Chew Yuen Company, later founded Phoenix Imports in 1975, and established Chinatown's Hop Louie restaurant in 1985.

Actor

Jim Carrey in The Number 23 (2007)

The Number 23

6.4

Chinese Restaurant Owner

2007

 

L.A. Law (1986)

L.A. Law

7.1

TV Series

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

1986

2 episodes

 

Alan Arkin, Beverly D'Angelo, Peter Falk, Charles Durning, and Valerie Curtin in Big Trouble (1986)

Big Trouble

5.2

Chinese laborer #6

1986

 

Chevy Chase in Fletch (1985)

Fletch

6.9

Banquet Guest (uncredited)

1985

 

The Man Who Loved Women (1983)

The Man Who Loved Women

5.3

Gardener

1983

 

Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982)

Tales of the Gold Monkey

8.0

TV Series

Birthday Party Guest (uncredited)

1983

1 episode

 

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Airplane II: The Sequel

6.2

Passenger (uncredited)

1982

 

Charlton Heston, Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, John Cassavetes, Jack Klugman, Gena Rowlands, David Groh, Marilyn Hassett, David Janssen, Brock Peters, and Walter Pidgeon in Two-Minute Warning (1976)

Two-Minute Warning

6.2

Football Game Spectator (uncredited)

1976

 

Robert Conrad and Ross Martin in The Wild Wild West (1965)

The Wild Wild West

8.1

TV Series

Hatchetman (uncredited)

1968

1 episode

 

John Wayne and David Janssen in The Green Berets (1968)

The Green Berets

5.6

Viet Cong Soldier (uncredited)

1968

 

Star Trek (1966)

Star Trek

8.4

TV Series

Kohm GuardJanus VI EngineerCrewman (uncredited)

1966–1968

3 episodes

 

James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, and Dennis Weaver in Gunsmoke (1955)

Gunsmoke

8.1

TV Series

Attendant (uncredited)

1967

1 episode

 

Robert Mitchum, Robert Wagner, May Britt, Richard Egan, and Lee Philips in The Hunters (1958)

The Hunters

6.4

Chinese Soldier (uncredited)

1958

 

Shirley MacLaine and Glenn Ford in The Sheepman (1958)

The Sheepman

6.8

Waiter (uncredited)

1958

 

Have Gun - Will Travel (1957)

Have Gun - Will Travel

8.4

TV Series

Railroad Worker (uncredited)

1958

1 episode

 

Hal Baylor, Hans Conried, and Chuck Hicks in Schlitz Playhouse (1951)

Schlitz Playhouse

7.4

TV Series

Wang

1957

1 episode

 

Angie Dickinson, Gene Barry, Nat 'King' Cole, and Warren Hsieh in China Gate (1957)

China Gate

6.2

Guard

1957

 

David Niven and Cantinflas in Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

Around the World in 80 Days

6.7

Extra (uncredited)

1956

 

TV Reader's Digest (1955)

TV Reader's Digest

6.7

TV Series

Judge No. 5

1955

1 episode

 

Lauren Bacall and John Wayne in Blood Alley (1955)

Blood Alley

6.2

Feng's #1 Nephew (uncredited)

1955

 

Humphrey Bogart and Gene Tierney in The Left Hand of God (1955)

The Left Hand of God

6.4

Clinic Orderly (uncredited)

1955

 

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing

6.4

Third Brother (uncredited)

1955

 

Clark Gable and Susan Hayward in Soldier of Fortune (1955)

Soldier of Fortune

6.2

Elevator Operator (uncredited)

1955

 

Harry Carey, Gloria Ann Chew, Chin Kuang Chow, Hayward Soo Hoo, Paul Kelly, and 'Ducky' Louie in China's Little Devils (1945)

China's Little Devils

8.0

Little Devil (uncredited)

1945

 

Jim Jordan and Marian Jordan in Heavenly Days (1944)

Heavenly Days

5.5

Yen Choy - Chinese Boy (uncredited)

1944

 

John Garfield, John Ridgely, and Gig Young in Air Force (1943)

Air Force

7.0

Chinese (uncredited)

1943

 

Mae Clarke, Harold Huber, Rick Vallin, and Anna May Wong in Lady from Chungking (1942)

Lady from Chungking

5.7

Lu-Chi

1942

 

Ching Wah Lee and Bessie Loo in The Rainbow Pass (1937)

The Rainbow Pass

5.4

Short

Yuan's Son (uncredited)

1937