Patrick Adiarte, the veteran actor perhaps best known to classic TV fans for portraying Ho-Jon in M*A*S*H, has passed away.
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Stephanie Hogan, Patrick Adiarte’s niece, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he died on Tuesday due to pneumonia at a hospital in the Los Angeles area. Adiarte was 82.
Adiarte was born in Manila on August 2, 1943. During the Second World War, in 1945, he, his sister Irene, and their mother Purita were imprisoned by the Japanese. That same year, tragedy struck when his father, a captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was killed. In 1946, the family relocated to New York, where Adiarte’s journey in the entertainment industry began.
The skilled child actor and dancer first appeared as a member of the royal children’s chorus in the 1952 Broadway production of The King and I. He later played Prince Chulalongkorn in the 1956 film adaptation, acting alongside Yul Brynner, continuing their collaboration from the stage. Adiarte showed his versatility by appearing in both the Broadway production and the film version of Flower Drum Song.
Patrick Adiarte Makes His Mark on the Small Screen
Adiarte eventually shifted his career to the small screen, earning recognition for his memorable role as Ho-Jon in M*A*S*H. Portraying an orphaned Korean boy who worked alongside Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and Trapper John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers), Adiarte’s character became a key part of the show’s early narrative. Ho-Jon appeared throughout the first season of the fan favorite CBS series.
According to his IMDb profile, Adiarte’s TV credits include appearances on shows such as Bonanza, The Brady Bunch, and Kojak. His film career is equally notable, featuring roles in Blake Edwards’ High Time (1960) and the Cold War comedy John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965).
Adiarte is lovingly remembered by his niece, Stephanie, and his nephew, Michael.