Archie Kao
An American actor who broke ground as the first series regular of East Asian descent on a major U.S. network crime drama.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American actor·Birthday: December 14·Generation X
Biography
Archie Kao's career represents a quiet but significant shift in American television. A native of Washington D.C., he moved to Los Angeles after college, landing early roles that played on his athleticism and screen presence, most notably as the Red Galaxy Ranger in 'Power Rangers Lost Galaxy'. His breakthrough, however, came with a nine-year stint on the CBS juggernaut 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'. As lab technician Archie Johnson, Kao wasn't a flashy lead, but his consistent, reliable presence in the show's iconic crime lab was itself a statement. He became the first actor of East Asian descent to be a series regular on a top-rated network crime drama, a role he inhabited with a calm, tech-savvy professionalism. After 'CSI', he continued to build a diverse portfolio, including a role on 'Chicago P.D.', and expanded his work into production. While not always in the spotlight, Kao's steady, pioneering presence on one of television's most-watched shows helped normalize Asian-American faces in mainstream procedural storytelling.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Archie was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Archie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Archie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played Archie Johnson for nine seasons on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', becoming a landmark figure for Asian-American representation on network TV.
- Starred as the Red Galaxy Ranger (Kai Chen) in the children's series 'Power Rangers Lost Galaxy'.
- Had a recurring role as Officer Sheldon Jin on the NBC drama 'Chicago P.D.'.
- Produced and starred in the independent film 'The People I've Slept With', which won the Audience Award at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Did You Know?
He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Before acting, he worked as a model and appeared in numerous commercials.
He is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese.
He is an avid photographer and often shares his travel photography on social media.
“I was the first series regular of Asian descent on a network crime drama.”
