Born and raised in Lima, OH, during the Depression

Made first film at age 17 (date approximate)

Served four years in the Pacific as part of the Merchant Marine during WWII

Became the film critic for the PACIFIC STARS AND BARS

First went to Japan as a civilian clerk-typist for the US government

Returned to US to complete an English degree at Columbia University

At Columbia, became a close friend and confidant of Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima during his first trip abroad

Returned to Japan soon after the end of the US Occupation

Early feature credit for English subtitles, "Gan/The Mistress"

Lectured in American Literature at Waseda University in Tokyo (date approximate)

Published "The Japanese Film" (co-authored with Joseph L. Anderson), his first book on the Japanese film industry

Composed music, painted pictures, had exhibitions and made many "personal" films

Served as the narrator and translator when the Kubuki toured the US

Worked as a correspondent for VARIETY

Worked as a film critic for THE JAPAN TIMES

Published "The Films of Akira Kurosawa"

Named as the first visiting film curator in the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC

Designed and presented a massive retrospective at MOMA entitled "The Japanese Film"

"Ozu", a book-length study of the career and films of Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu, published by the University of California Press

Acted in the Japanese historical drama "Rikyu"

Scripted (from his book) and narrated the documentary feature "The Inland Sea"