Patrick Adiarte, the actor best known for his role as Ho-Jon in the pilot season of M*A*S*H, has died, aged 82.
The actor starred as an orphaned houseboy in the much-loved 1970s comedy from 1972 to 1973. He later went on to appear in The Brady Bunch, Bonanza, Hawaii Five-O and Kojak.
Adiarte’s niece, Stephanie Hogan, confirmed that the star had died of pneumonia at a Los Angeles hospital, per the Hollywood Reporter.
Before his on-screen career, Adiarte starred in musicals and was in the original Broadway production of Flower Drum Song in 1958.
While promoting the show on the TV programme Omnibus, the production’s director, Gene Kelly, dubbed the star the next Fred Astaire due to his dancing talent.
“Patrick is a mighty fine dancer,” he said after they had performed together on the show. “If there’s gonna be another Fred Astaire, I think it might well be Pat,” he added.
The star went on to appear in the film adaptations of The King and I (1956) and Flower Drum Song (1961). He also featured in Blake Edwards’ musical High Time (1960) and the war comedy John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965).
Adiarte was born in Manila in 1943, lost his father during World War II and was interned with his mother, Purita, and sister, Irene, in the later part of the conflict.
In 1946, a year after the war ended, Adiarte arrived at Ellis Island in New York. Just five years later, both he and his mother landed dancing roles in the Broadway production of The King and I.
The performer went on to study at the Professional Children’s School in New York, alongside stars including Liza Minnelli.
In 1956 – the same year he starred as the crown prince in the film version of The King and I alongside Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr – Adiarte obtained US citizenship with help from John F Kennedy.
Adiarte was married to the singer and actress Loni Ackerman from 1975 until they divorced in 1992. His sister, Irene, died in 2016. He is survived by his niece, Stephanie, and his nephew, Michael.
Fans were quick to share tributes to Adiarte on X/Twitter: “Patrick Adiarte’s entrance in The King and I is one of the greatest 30 seconds in film. RIP to the boy who would be king,” one person wrote.
Meanwhile, another fan added: “An amazing dancer.”
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