With his roles in the “Gung Ho” film and television series and the “Karate Kid” franchise, he was a trailblazer for Asian Americans in Hollywood.
[4] In 1979, Kageyama moved to Los Angeles where he joined the Asian American theatre group, East West Players (EWP), working as an actor, director, and designer.
[6] In 1993, Kageyama directed The Grapevine, written by Grateful Crane Ensemble founder Soji Kashiwagi, produced at the Los Angeles Theatre Center.
[citation needed] In spring 2001, Kageyama played Erronius in an all Asian American production of the musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at EWP in Los Angeles.
[8] Kageyama has subsequently costume designed and served as a crew member on different short films directed by Tashima, including the Academy Award-winning Visas and Virtue (1997).