Birth Name: Kenneth Glenn Dickerson
Date of Birth: August 25, 1916
Place of Birth: Spring Lake, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Death: October 25, 1991
Place of Death: Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American, as well as one eighth African-Cuban
Khigh Dhiegh was an American actor, and Taoist rector. He was known for his recurring role as Wo Fat on the series Hawaii Five-O, from 1968 to 1980. He appeared in the films Time Limit, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), 13 Frightened Girls, How to Murder Your Wife, Seconds (1966), The Destructors, The Hawaiians, The Mephisto Waltz, and Goin’ Coconuts. He also starred in the short-lived series Khan. He exclusively played characters of East Asian descent. He was also credited as Kaie Deei. He legally changed his name to Khigh Alx Dhiegh.
Khigh was the son of Capitola Adelaide and Nathaniel Beverley Dickerson. His father was born in New York City. His mother was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in New York City. He publicly stated that his father was of “Portuguese, Italian, and South African Zulu” descent, and that his mother was of “Spanish, English, Egyptian, and Chinese” ancestry. These statements do not appear to be accurate. On a 1943 ship’s manifest, he listed his race as “Egyptian.”
Khigh was married to Mary K. (Pearman), with whom he had two children. Mary was of Bermudian descent.
Khigh’s paternal grandfather was William H. Dickerson (the son of Joseph Dickerson and Julia A. Bowles). William was born in Fair Haven, Monmouth, New Jersey, to a father from Maryland and a mother from New Jersey. Joseph was the son of The Rev. Henry Dickerson and Sophia Lesby.
Khigh’s paternal grandmother was Clara Lockwood Williams (the daughter of Jose Molina/Joseph Williams and Amelia Williams). Clara was born in New York City, New York. Jose/Joseph was born in Cuba. He changed his surname to Amelia’s maiden name. Amelia was born in either New York or Maryland, the daughter of Cornelius Williams and Amelia.
Khigh’s maternal grandfather was Theodore Pyror (the son of Murray Pryor and Flora Austin). Theodore was born in South Carolina.
Khigh’s maternal grandmother was Grace Roberta Rogers (the daughter of William Francis Rogers and Adelaide Manahan). Grace was born in New York. William was born in New York. Adelaide was born in New York or Canada. On the 1910 U.S. Census, Grace listed her and her parents’ birthplace as Cuba, but this does not appear to be accurate.
Source: Genealogy of Khigh Dhiegh – https://www.familysearch.org
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