Patrick Adiarte, known for his role as Ho-Jon in the first season of the iconic sitcom MASH*, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 82. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he died of pneumonia at a hospital in the Los Angeles area, as confirmed by his niece Stephanie Hogan.
Born in Manila in 1943, Adiarte endured a harrowing childhood during World War II. Along with his mother Purita and sister Irene, he was imprisoned on an island during the Japanese occupation. At just three years old, he was injured alongside his sister while escaping, after grenades were thrown at them. A year after the war, the family arrived in the United States, where Patrick and his mother began performing in The King and I on Broadway.
His big break came just before his ninth birthday when he stood in as one of the royal children in The King and I. He later starred as the crown prince in the 1956 film adaptation, acting alongside Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner. Adiarte attended New York’s Professional Children’s School with peers like Liza Minnelli and became a U.S. citizen in 1956 with help from then-Senator John F. Kennedy.
Adiarte’s connection with Rodgers and Hammerstein deepened when he played Wang San in the 1958 Broadway debut of Flower Drum Song, and later reprised the role in the 1961 film version. He also acted in the 1960 comedy High Time with Bing Crosby and Tuesday Weld, and in the 1965 film John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! as a prince in a fictional Arab nation.
During the 1970s, Adiarte appeared in several major television series including Bonanza, Kojak, The Brady Bunch, and Hawaii Five-O. His most recognized role from that era was Ho-Jon, the houseboy in MASH*, a character introduced in the 1972 pilot. In the storyline, Ho-Jon had been accepted into an American college, prompting the doctors to hold a fundraiser for his tuition. His character quietly exited the show after the first season, implying he had made it to the U.S. to study.
Beyond acting, Adiarte was celebrated for his dancing talent. He performed a notable TV medley with Gene Kelly, who hailed him as a potential successor to Fred Astaire. Later in life, Adiarte continued his passion for dance by teaching at institutions like Santa Monica College.
His legacy as both an entertainer and educator leaves a lasting mark on American film, television, and stage.