'Flower Drum Song' and screen star Alvin Ing dies at 89

NEW YORK – Actor and vocalist Alvin Ing, known for roles connected Broadway and connected circuit successful “Pacific Overtures” and “Flower Drum Song” arsenic good arsenic successful films specified arsenic "The Gambler," has died. He was 89.

Ing died Saturday astatine Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, successful Burbank, California, of COVID-19 complications, according to his representatives astatine Mosaic PR.

“His dependable was glorious and filled the country with its flawless sound, but beyond that, his dependable was steeped successful joy. Alvin was a joyful beingness to beryllium astir astatine each rehearsal and performance,” said Lea Salonga who starred successful "Flower Drum Song."

Ing is believed to person performed successful much productions of “Flower Drum Song” successful the relation of Wang Ta than immoderate different actor.

He besides portrayed the Shogun’s parent successful the archetypal Broadway accumulation of “Pacific Overtures” successful 1976, and reprised the relation 28 years aboriginal successful the 2004 revival. "Pacific Overtures" playwright John Weidman hailed Ing's "wit, his kindness, his gentleness, and astir of each his bonzer generosity of spirit.”

Ad

His movie credits included “The Final Countdown,” “Stir Crazy,” “Troop Beverly Hills” and “Smilla’s Sens of Snow.” On TV, helium had recurring roles connected the soap operas “The Doctors” and “Falcon Crest” and impermanent spots connected “Benson,” “Charlie’s Angels,” "Quincy, M.E.," “Fantasy Island,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Hawaii Five-0.”

Ing was a Honolulu autochthonal and a U.S. Army seasoned who was an advocator for the Asian American Pacific Islander assemblage successful the amusement industry, including being an progressive subordinate of the American Asian Performing Arts Theatre. He had a master’s grade successful euphony acquisition from Columbia.

Broadway prima Telly Leung, who performed alongside Ing, said successful a tweet that “a procreation of Asian performers would not beryllium wherever are contiguous without his enactment and courage.”

Actor's Equity Association tweeted successful his honor: “Not lone was Alvin Ing a trailblazer, but helium was besides an inspiration to a procreation of performers. He volition beryllium missed.”

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.