Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 17

Dhiegh Rejects Gla By MARILYN BECK OWMMNtwt Sanrlct "I feel like babe who has been In the said Khlgh Dhiegh. "'surrounded and protected by placental fluids who must suddenly emerge Into the. outside world and be made vulnerable to foreign Influences who is affectv ed by the process In profound' emotional settled and formal were his "words, they could have been recitations from the Taolst teachings, whose lessons he follows. So noble was his bearing, so formal and filled with oratorical eloquence were his projected thoughts, It was easier to accept him rec tor of a Los Angeles Taoist a position that occupied much "of his lime than, as the Orlental villain and small. FOR" he was able to live life as he wished, serving as director of the International I Ching Study Institute, writing a book on Taolst teachings, traveling to college campuses to' preach the lessons of the ancient.

Oriental wisdom enjoying relative anonymity minor roles in such films as "Manchurjan, Candk to Murder Your Wife" and "The Mephtsto the, wUi( criminal Wo Fat In TV's. "Hawaii Flve But last November, Dhiegh was plucked out of his world of obscurity and signed as star of" CBS' "Khan!" series which will debut Friday. He Is having no trouble mastering his part pf a prlvatejtoectlve who oper ates out of San Francisco's 'Chinatown but Is, finding the demands attendant to stardom difficult to endure. "I have lived by different values." tie said. "And though.Lwant to do my job." and am grateful for the opportunity I want, very much tobe left, alone' when I'm 'outside, To be made the focal point of attention is something that disturbs me greatly? After all, we must remember that It JS not me; the Individual, who is important.

That is why I have told CBS I want no credits on the series. The goal. is to make any person a star, but to create something that Js.good for. all." have lived by different And though I want to do' my Job and am grateful for the opportunity I want very much tojteleft alone when J'm outside the soundstageJ 4 JHEJWEETING was uncomfortable for us both. For me, because Khlgh had.

explained beforehand that he was acutely allergic to cigar et smoke. For him. because hid never experienced a press Interview) and was confused and bewildered that should be any. Interest in him as an individual. He flinched at any questions that sought to uncover the man behind the mask.

He wanted to talk about such universal problems as Inhumanity, starvation, pollution. These" sages he felt compelled to spread. Only reluctantly did Jie, reveal the most, cursory facts about Khlgh Dhiegh, the man. He has Ijeen married 40 years, has two children, five grandchildren and a greatgrandchild, was born In Spring Lake, N.J., received a Ph.D. In psychology from'St, Andrews in wrote a book' In 1972 about thephllos ophy of 1 'Chiang, "The Elevi enth that.

Is recommended reading in "and resides with his wife in the San Fernando Valley. BEYOND THAT, he would go no deeper. Queries about, his were." met' with an expression of fear, a tensing ol his rotund And only accldentallydld he strip away the facade of Khlgh," Dhiegh we Favors Obscurity i a 3 "jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjJIJV morrow, who will be of racial blend. Some think In terms of purities, but how can that 7 must continue' to la a a i a tsa a uua is a apply. to When I fill oyt an.

appllcatlonandlt asks fco? concen one loimark If he Is white. trating on becoming black or yellow I check all three." GRADUALLY, the veil be gan io int. nas Deen uuu a better human being. I do not want be singled out. for cult forme to excuse the stardom or special fa prejudice 'that fills people's vdrs because of the minds," he said.

'I must ad mit. I went through a. period where it was hard for me to recognize the beauty In peo pie who could be cruel to. other people. It took A Jong time for me to develop an understanding of their weaknesses series KIHGrTDHIEGH humble In spite of fame gan to speak of the opposition (hat has been raised to his landing the starring role of "Khan!" The "son a mother 'of Spanish, Egyptian Chinese' lineage, 'a' father of Italian, Portuguese and Zulu heritage, he has been the victim of attacks from dissidents who, object to his portraying an Oriental on the new serlesr The attacks have been the subject of great; pain to him, and he.

explained. "How can I walk the path behind a forest of concepts that are limiting? I am a human being, a Prototype. of the man of look of mixed 'ancestry and was accepted by 'none. When he returned, he 'forced by focusing sharply on the present and so that no longer harboredir Ihe problems Itpresents. feelings" of resentment within "I MUST continue to live me that, would do.

me. jmpre as I have "always tried to harm them. He was silent tor a moment, 'his face, highlighted by Its bald pate and a Fu Man Chu moustache, a study In dignity. Then he recalled In muted tones, was a child. Episcopal church and a whUe, church.

The first one wouldn't allow me to. take part In their workshop, because I was white. I wasn't allowed to Join. the drama group at the second church because they said I was black." Tears, unbidden, streaked down his cheek and he left he room until he' could re galjihls composure. But the image hovered of Khlgh Dhiegh, an unattractive, awkward child, 'who bore the live: concentrating 6n bei.

coming a better human being. 1 do not want to be singled put for stardom or special favors because of the series. And I must believe that if I the pure win, from pain. VBjr not frying to succeed he In' other words, when one tries one Is tempted by all sorts of ImmOTtt'devlses. All want is to be able 'to live my life.

as 1 find my nature "to be without doing harm to ottiersIhls sudden attention frightens me. It Is a new world of pressures and demands upon me, the. Individual, Into which I have been and I only hope I can 4U.