Green Hornet

Starter of this subject: Alex Russo
Last post in this subject: 1/19/2000
Messages in this subject: 9

Alex Russo 1/19/2000
9 replies
Hello I am a graduate student doing research on the Green Hornet. I am looking for shows leading up to and during World War II. Part of what I am trying to do is see how the show dealt with Kato durig this period. I would appreciate any shows, scripts, or leads you could give me. Thanks. Alex Russo
Ted Hering 1/20/2000
3 replies
The way I heard the story, the writers changed Kato from Japanese to Korean.
Alex Russo 1/20/2000
2 replies
Yes, that was the case. I am looking to see how it all plays out during the rest of the war. Especially when they start to make war oriented programs.So these are the shows I'm really looking for.
Don Fisher 1/22/2000
1 replies
Actually, at the start of WWII Kato was changed from Japanese to Philipino.

Don Fisher

Ted Davenport 1/22/2000
0 replies
Try Terry Salomonson at terryotr@ismi.net. He has written a log for THE GREEN HORNET and has done extensive research on it.
David Stoner 1/28/2000
4 replies
The Kato nationality change seems to be a myth, most recently mentioned in Dunning's new "Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio". Kato was described as a Filipino a few years before Pearl Harbor.
Brian H 2/1/2000
3 replies
Although the nationality change maybe a myth about when the change actually occurred, there are recordings that do exist which have Kato as being Japanese. So at some point in time, the writers and producers of the show did decide to change it.
Lou 2/2/2000
2 replies
Brian -

Do you have the approximate date(s) or episode titles of the recording you mentioned? That info would help me find the recordings themselves, to help validate or invalidate the claims.

Lou

Brian H 2/5/2000
1 replies
The only circulating date of a Green Hornet show that has Kato as Japanese is 5/5/38. It also has Britt Reid as just the Managing Editor of the Daily Sentinel before he took over as Publisher from his father Dan Reid. There are more that exist, but are not circulating at this time.
Tom Powers 2/25/2000
0 replies
The Kato nationality change is a point of confusion among many Green Hornet fans. In the early episodes (1936-38)Kato was identified as "oriental", and most commonly as Japanese. (Kato turns up in a number of Japanese names such as Nakato). One of the early actors (whose name escapes me at the moment) was of Japanese descent. However as early as late 1939 Kato was described as Korean (the Green Hornet Movie serial has actor Keye Luke describe himself that way, and shooting began in 39.) At some point post-December 1941, Kato was said to be Philipino, but this might be as late as 1943. I do believe that for a number of 1942 episodes simply go back to refering to him as Oriental. So the radio program revised (or contradicted) itself serveral times, possibly due to different writers and chan