Miyoshi Umeki | |
|---|---|
梅木 美代志 | |
_Press_Photo_of_Miyoshi_Umeki.jpg) Umeki in a publicity photo forFlower Drum Song (1961) | |
| Born | (1929-05-08)May 8, 1929 |
| Died | August 28, 2007(2007-08-28) (aged 78) Licking, Missouri, U.S. |
| Other names | Nancy Umeki |
| Citizenship | Japan USA |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
| Years active | 1953–1972 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Signature (Japanese) | |
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| Signature | |
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Miyoshi Umeki (梅木 美代志,Umeki Miyoshi, or ミヨシ・ウメキMiyoshi Umeki, May 8, 1929 – August 28, 2007) was aJapanese American singer and actress.[2] Umeki was nominated for theTony Award andGolden Globe Award and was the first East Asia-born woman to win anAcademy Award for acting.[3][4]
Born inOtaru, Hokkaido, she was the youngest of nine children. Her father owned an iron factory.[2] AfterWorld War II, Umeki began her career as a nightclub singer in Japan, using the nameNancy Umeki.[5] Her early influences were traditionalkabuki theater and American pop music.[2] Later in one of her appearances onThe Merv Griffin Show, she treated viewers to her impression of singerBilly Eckstine, one of her American favorites growing up.[citation needed]
_Press_Photo_of_Miyoshi_Umeki.jpg)
She was best known for herOscar-winning role as Katsumi inSayonara (1957), asMei Li in both theBroadway musical and 1961 filmFlower Drum Song, and as Mrs. Livingston in the television seriesThe Courtship of Eddie's Father. She was ashin Issei, or post-1945immigrant from Japan.
She recorded forRCA Victor Japan from 1950 to 1954 and appeared in the filmSeishun Jazu Musume.[2] She recorded mostly American jazz standards, which she sang partially in Japanese and partially in English, or solely in either language. Some of the songs she sang during this period were "It Isn't Fair", "Sentimental Me", "My Foolish Heart", "With A Song In My Heart", "Again", "Vaya con Dios", "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?", and "I'll Walk Alone". She moved to the United States in 1955.[2][5] After appearing on theArthur Godfrey Talent Scouts (she was a series regular for one season), she signed with theMercury Records label and released several singles and two albums.[2] Her appearances on Godfrey's program brought her to the attention of directorJoshua Logan, who cast her inSayonara, for which she won anAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was the first Asian to win an Academy Award for acting.[3]
In 1958, she appeared twice on the variety showThe Gisele MacKenzie Show in which she performed "How Deep Is the Ocean". That same year, she was also nominated for aTony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway premiere production of Rodgers and Hammerstein'sFlower Drum Song,[3] where she played Mei Li.[6] The show was directed byGene Kelly and ran for two years. A cover story inTime stated "the warmth of her art works a kind of tranquil magic".[2] Umeki appeared in Universal Studios' film adaptation of the musical in 1961.[5] She was nominated for aGolden Globe Award forFlower Drum Song. Although a guest on many television variety shows, she appeared in only three more movies through 1962, includingCry for Happy (also 1961),The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962), andA Girl Named Tamiko (1963). From 1969 to 1972, she appeared inThe Courtship of Eddie's Father as Mrs. Livingston the housekeeper, for which she was nominated for another Golden Globe Award. She retired from acting following the end of the series.[7]
Her first marriage, to television director Frederick Winfield "Wynn" Opie in 1958, ended in divorce in 1967.[1][2] The couple had one son, Michael H. Opie, born in 1964.[2] She married Randall Firevod Hood in 1968, and he adopted her son, changing the boy’s name to Michael Randall Hood (February 11, 1964 – August 27, 2018).[8] The couple operated a Los Angeles–based business renting editing equipment to film studios and university film programs.[2] Randall Hood died in 1976.[3] Her son, Michael Hood, was a police sergeant.[9]
According to Umeki's son (who died 11 years after his mother),[10] Umeki lived inSherman Oaks, California for a number of years, then moved toLicking, Missouri to be near her son and his family, which included three grandchildren. Known as Miyoshi Hood, she died there on August 28, 2007, aged 78, from cancer.[5]
During her singing career in Japan, Miyoshi recorded the following songs:
Two other Japanese language songs were recorded in 1952.
She signed with Mercury Records in 1955 and recorded the following 45 rpm singles:
Miyoshi recorded a version of "Pick Yourself Up" for Mercury Records in 1959, but the song was never released.
Miyoshi Sings ForArthur Godfrey (MG-20165) (1956)[11]
Tracks:
Miyoshi (album) (MG-20568) (1959)
Tracks:
Miyoshi – Singing Star of Rodgers and Hammerstein'sFlower Drum Song (MGW-12148) (1958) (reissue of theArthur Godfrey album with some tracks replaced)
Tracks:
Miyoshi Umeki recorded two theme songs for films in which she appeared:
Flower Drum Song (Broadway Original Cast; 1958), Sony Records
Flower Drum Song (Film Soundtrack; 1961), Decca Records
Tracks by Miyoshi Umeki:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Seishun Jazz musume (青春ジャズ娘 Seishun jazu musume) | Kashu (歌手, "singer" in Japanese) | |
| 1956 | Around the World Revue | Nancy Umeki | Also known asUniversal Musical Short 2655: Around the World Revue |
| 1957 | Sayonara | Katsumi | |
| 1961 | Cry for Happy | Harue | |
| 1961 | Flower Drum Song | Mei Li | Nominated –Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
| 1962 | The Horizontal Lieutenant | Akiko | |
| 1962 | A Girl Named Tamiko | Eiko |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Arthur Godfrey and His Friends | Herself | Regular performer |
| 1957 | The Perry Como Show | Herself | 1 episode |
| 1958–1961 | The Dinah Shore Chevy Show | Herself | episode #2.32 (1958) episode #4.16 (1960) episode #5.17 |
| 1958 | What's My Line? | Herself – Mystery Guest | episode #414 (dated 11 May 1958) |
| 1958 | The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | Herself | episode #2.25 |
| 1958 | Bing Crosby's White Christmas: All-Star Show | Herself | episode: "It Might as Well Be Spring" |
| 1959 | The Chevy Showroom Starring Andy Williams | Herself | episode #2.2 |
| 1959 | Toast of the Town | Singer | |
| 1961 | Here's Hollywood | Herself | episode dated 27 December 1961 |
| 1961–1962 | The Donna Reed Show | Kimi | 2 episodes: "The Geisha Girl" (1961) and "Aloha, Kimi" (1962) |
| 1962 | The Andy Williams Show | Herself | episode dated 11 October 1962 episode dated 13 December 1962 |
| 1962 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Lotus-Blossom | episode: "The Teahouse of the August Moon" |
| 1962 | Sam Benedict | Sumiko Matsui | episode: "Tears for a Nobody Doll" |
| 1963 | Rawhide | Nami | episode: "Incident of the Geisha" |
| 1963 | Dr. Kildare | Hana Shigera | episode: "One Clear Bright Thursday Morning" |
| 1964 | Burke's Law | Mary 'Lotus Bud' Ling | episode: "Who Killed the Paper Dragon?" |
| 1964 | The Virginian | Kim Ho | episode: "Smile of a Dragon" |
| 1964 | Mister Ed | Ako Tenaka | episode: "Ed in the Peace Corps" |
| 1964 | The Celebrity Game | Herself | episode dated April 19, 1964 |
| 1969 | The Queen and I | Japanese Bride | episode: "The Trousseau" |
| 1969–1972 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father | Mrs. Livingston |
|
| 1971 | This Is Your Life | Herself | For Bill Bixby |
| 1971 | The Pet Set | Herself | episode dated June 30, 1971 |
| 1971 | The Merv Griffin Show | Herself | episode dated March 29, 1971 |
| 1972 | Salute to Oscar Hammerstein II | Herself |
| International | |
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| National | |
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| Other | |
