Patrick Adiarte, the Philippines-born actor and dancer best known for his roles in “The King and I,” “M*A*S*H” and “Flower Drum Song,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles from pneumonia. He was 82.
His death was confirmed on social media by friends and family members Wednesday.
Born in Manila, Adiarte was imprisoned along with his sister Irene and their mother Purita by the Japanese in 1945 during World War II. Their father was killed that same year while he was working as a captain for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Over a year later, Adiarte and his surviving family members emigrated to New York. In 1952, he joined the Broadway cast of “The King and I” and toured with the show alongside fellow cast members Yul Brynner and Gertrude Lawrence. When the Broadway production was adapted a few years later in 1956 into a feature film by 20th Century Fox, Adiarte was cast as Prince Chulalongkorn, the eldest son of Brynner’s King Mongkut of Siam.
Adiarte starred five years later in another Hollywood adaptation of a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, 1961’s “Flower Drum Song.” The film was directed by Henry Koster and featured Adiarte as Wang San, one of the sons of Benson Fong’s Wang Chi-Yang.
Adiarte was mentored by Gene Kelly during the latter’s stint directing the Broadway version of “Flower Drum Song,” which Adiarte starred in before appearing in the show’s film adaptation. Following his Broadway run in “The King and I,” he also studied at the Professional Children’s School alongside fellow classmate Liza Minnelli.
On the smaller screen, Adiarte memorably guest starred in two episodes of “The Brady Bunch” and seven episodes of “M*A*S*H” between 1972 and 1973. He also regularly appeared for a time as a featured dancer on the NBC musical variety series “Hullabaloo.”
His last film was 1966’s “Step Out of Your Mind.” Eight years later, he made his final scripted TV appearance in two episodes of the Telly Savalas-led crime drama “Kojak.” Using the skills he acquired throughout his Hollywood and Broadway careers, Adiarte went on to teach dance.
He was married to singer and actress Loni Ackerman for 17 years from 1975 until they divorced in 1992. He is survived by his niece, Stephanie Hogan, as well as his nephew, Michael, who confirmed the news of his passing.
