Chat Ed : Hello and welcome to tonight's live chat with BURT KWOUK, Kato from the Pink Panther films.
Burt Kwouk : Good evening everybody, I'm happy to be here at Channel 4 to answer your questions. This is Burt Kwouk.
pcclone : no question just a big thank you for your films with peter
Quasi : HI BURT
Goonerman : hey burt
ImpressiveInstant : Hey Burt
Minxy : Hi Burt
Quasi : I love you
m3rl1n : applauds burt
Burt Kwouk : Thank you for your thank yous.
pete_smith_32_uk : Mr Kwouk what was it like working with Peter Sellers , was he as funny as he appears on his films ?
Burt Kwouk : In real life he was not funny all the time. Hardly any performer is funny all the time, it is only necessary really to be funny while performing. Most of the time I suppose, we are no funnier than anyone else.
penfold : Did you ever get upset about the constant references to your oriental origins?
Burt Kwouk : As I am of oriental origin, it would be silly to take offence at it, so the answer is no.
Sammy : My father is a karate teacher, and his sensei is Sensei Sadashige Kato...Mr Kato once mentioned that he choreographed and advised yourself and Peter Sellers in all the fight scenes, and so the character of Kato was named after him. Can you tell me if this is true? I don't doubt he is telling the truth, and having known him all my life I can say he is very eccentric...
Burt Kwouk : Yeah, eccentric does seem to be the right word. I may be wrong but I cannot remember having met the gentleman in question.
funkin : Burt: Did the famous fighting scenes between yourself and Peter S. which we get to enjoy in the films ever get a little 'out of hand' so to say?
Burt Kwouk : Only in the sense that sometimes we laughed so much that we could not continue.
Quasi : BURT, you a living legend. Do you get people stalking you or camping outside your house?
Burt Kwouk : No.
Burt Kwouk laughs
Burt Kwouk : Thank God!
Tim : How did u land the role of kato
Burt Kwouk : In the way I land all my roles. A telephone calls comes describing something to me, asking me if I would be interested and depending on how I am feeling at the time, I say yes, no, or maybe. I obviously said yes to this one.
Flash : does Burt still have his restaurant in Manchester ?
Burt Kwouk : I never had a restaurant in Manchester or anywhere else for that matter. I have never lived in Manchester, except as a baby.
Phillip : How were your fight scenes with Peter Sellers choreographed? did you guys work it out on the day of the shoot with Blake Edwards? Was it planned ahead? Was there a fight coordinator?
Burt Kwouk : It was worked out on the day of the shoots. There was a Director and a stunt coordinator and our stunt doubles. Between us we worked something out.
Simpy : After your appearance in 'Kiss of the Dragon' can we expect to see you in any other big budget films? p.s i was dying to see suprise attack Jet Li!
Burt Kwouk laughs
Burt Kwouk : I don't know about big budget, but yes certainly I am going to go on appearing in other things. At the moment I am working on a television series called Last of the Summer Wine. I have recently done a film with Angelina Jolie, called 'Beyond the Borders', in Thailand and I hope there will be many more.
Smudge : Do you ever get frustrated that your high profile as Kato has eclipsed any other work you may be equally proud of, or feel that your close identification with the role has kept other avenues closed to you ?
Burt Kwouk : I do not feel that way. It has perhaps closed some doors to me but it has certainly opened many others.
Minxy : Whats the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Burt Kwouk : Well at the moment I think Last of the Summer Wine is the highlight because I happen to be doing it now and I am enjoying it immensely. I am also doing a film in Germany called 'Gate to Heaven'.
steve : did u ever study any kung fu if so which one?
Burt Kwouk : I have never studied any Kung Fu.
bob the goon : Was the character you played in the pink panther films, based on Kato in the GreenHornet played by Bruce lee?
Burt Kwouk : Yes. That's where the idea came from I believe.
Goonerman : have you got any good anecdotes related to your times filming the pink panther films and working with peter?
Burt Kwouk : Only that we fell about laughing so much that very often we were unable to complete the day's work as scheduled, which the Producers hated.
enola : if you had to hide in a wardrobe what three thiongs would you take with you?
Burt Kwouk laughs
Burt Kwouk : Not so much what I would take with me, as I would take everything out of the wardrobe to make room for myself. I would make sure that the floor of the wardrobe was strong enough for me to propel myself out of the wardrobe without going through the floor of the wardrobe.
Chat Ed laughs
Burt Kwouk : I would also make sure that the door to the wardrobe opened easily.
Marc Jackson : Is Cato anything like the real you?
Burt Kwouk : No. Kato never stands still. I only move when I have to.
Minxy : What's been your favourite Banzai Challenge?
Burt Kwouk laughs
Burt Kwouk : Err... I can't think now! I suppose, the one where the girls were showing their bosoms. Yes I think so.
dx : Is Burt your real name, or a stage name?
Burt Kwouk : It's my real name.
90rob : Lst of the summer wine sounds brilliant. Are you in just one episode or can we look forward to seeing you as a regular?
Burt Kwouk : I am in 4 episodes at the moment. I think they will be screened in the new year.
Smudge : You have also worked with Harry Hill - how does his comedy style compare to Peter Sellers ; he seems as anarchic as the Goons used to be...
Burt Kwouk : Harry Hill's humour is of the tradition of anarchic British humour which I suppose started in a major way with The Goons. But I wouldn't say they were similar because Harry writes all his own scripts and Peter never wrote a script in his life. Also they are of different generations. Peter's humour was very much of his generation, and Harry's is very much of his generation.
sweetiepee : do you ever get fed up people talking about peter sellers or dont you mind?
Burt Kwouk : Oh I don't mind at all. I chuckle all the way to the bank.
pete_smith_32_uk : Mr Kwouk was Herbert Lom a funny man , he played the part of a mad man very well
Burt Kwouk : Herbert Lom is, not only a very funny man, but a man of enormous intellectual accomplishments and has a very fine eye and ear for artistic creations.
Pete : What would you like to work on next, given a free choice?
Burt Kwouk : I would like to do a big motion picture abroad, in the sun somewhere.
simonguitarman : Burt what is your favourite pink panther film?
Burt Kwouk : My first Pink Panther film would be my favourite, it was called A Shot in the Dark.
I think we always remember the first of anything we do very fondly.
Me : Why dont you make your own kung fu film?
Burt Kwouk : That's too much hassle.
filt : do you get alot of people on the street shouting out cato and do you get recognised in other countrys
Burt Kwouk : Yes, but not so much that it interferes with my existence. It's rather nice that people remember me after all these years.
Outcast 2 : Hi Burt. Do you find it a thrill to watch yourself on TV knowing that your part of a classic film series that is famous the world over and will be for generations to come, do you get a sense of eternity from it?
Burt Kwouk : I don't find watching myself a thrill anymore, I used to, but I look at it in a very technical way nowadays. As for eternity, well, nothing lasts forever, does it?
Mayday : It looked as though there were genuine opportunities to get hurt in your fight scenes; same often seems true with last of the summer wine. What has happened to your sense of self preservation?
Burt Kwouk laughs
Burt Kwouk : There is no parallel to be drawn between the Pink Panther films and Last of the Summer Wine. There were opportunities to get hurt but neither Peter nor myself ever got hurt during them. I guess we were very careful.
dx : Have people ever tried attacking YOU without any warning?
Burt Kwouk : Not in earnest, no. Only in jest.
Chat Ed : That's it! Thanks for coming BURT and thanks for all your questions, folks.
Smudge : Thanks Burt ! Good health and success for the future !
ImpressiveInstant : Thanks Burt-See ya
Al : goodluck and goodhealth
Burt Kwouk : Thank you all for taking such an interest in me. I wish you all well.
90rob : Huge thanks to Burt from all of us!
bob the goon : nice speaking with you Burt
PoisonKittie : yeah
Minxy : Bye Burt, and Thankyou!
Prisoner No 6 : Night Burt, you're a top bloke!
Quasi : CYA BURT
simon : thank you burt!
mike ogden : thanks burt
Tipsy Tinker Mel : Ta Ra chuck
harry_hill : ur a nice nice guy
dx : Good health, Burt
phil : love you burt
Burt Kwouk : Thank you and goodnight. I look forward to you seeing me in future productions.
Burt Kwouk leaves the room
