Youn is also the third oldest supporting actress award recipient after 77-year-old Peggy Ashcroft for "A Passage to India" in 1985 and 74-year-old Josephine Hull for "Harvey" in 1951. Youn, 73, is the only second Asian woman to win best supporting actress Oscar after Miyoshi Umeki for Sayonara (1957). and "I'll Walk Alone". Umeki won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her beautifully nuanced performance as an innocent Japanese maiden in love with American serviceman Red Buttons in the 1957 melodrama Sayonara. [3] She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Flower Drum Song. Variety reported, "If Yun Yeo-jung wins, he will be the second Asian actor to receive the Best Supporting Actress Award after Miyoshi Umeki in Sayonara in 1957." of Japan. Los Angeles, Apr 26: Veteran South Korean star Yuh-jung Youn became the first South Korean actor to win the Oscar for the best supporting actress … Umeki won the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 1957 after playing opposite Red Buttons in “Sayonara,” the screen version of the James Michener novel about a U.S. soldier who falls in love amid the chaos at the end of World War II. [citation needed]. Miyoshi Umeki, an expressive actress of innocent charm who in 1957 was the first Asian performer to win an Oscar, as best supporting actress in her … [6], Her first marriage, to television director Frederick Winfield "Wynn" Opie in 1958, ended in divorce in 1967. When Umeki won her Oscar, it was for her performance of Katsumi, a Japanese woman whose character arc focuses on a forbidden love with an … Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Veteran South Korean star Yuh-Jung Youn became the first South Korean actor to win the Oscar for the best-supporting actress Oscar for Minari. Umeki retired from the screen in the 1970s and moved to Missouri with her husband and son. Japanese American actress Miyoshi Umeki became the first and only Asian American actress to win an Oscar for acting for her role as Katsumi Kelly in the 1957 film "Sayonara." Actress. Her heartbreaking performance won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Asian actor of either gender to win, and still the only Asian actress … She was 78. Although she projected the typical Japanese female stereotype of humbleness, delicacy and subservience in most of her prime film and stage roles, beguiling, tiny-framed Miyoshi Umeki was nevertheless an assertive scene-stealer. “My entire ‘Nomadland’ company, what a crazy, once-in-a-lifetime journey we’ve all […] All Rights reserved. The first Korean woman to be nominated for an Oscar, Youn’s victory comes one year after academy voters snubbed the South Korean cast of best picture winner “Parasite.” Youn plays Soon-ja, a card-player with a knack for swearing, who’s moved from Korea to join her daughter and son-in-law in his seemingly quixotic quest to trade dispiriting work in California for farming in Arkansas. She repeated the role in the movie version three years later. It earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Asian performer to win an Oscar. Veteran South Korean star Yuh-jung Youn became the first South Korean actor to win the Oscar for the best supporting actress Oscar for Minari . Veteran Korean actor Yuh-Jung Youn became the first-ever Korean actor to win an Oscar. TOKYO (Hollywood Reporter) - Actress Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian to win an Oscar, has died in a Missouri nursing home. [1] The couple had one son—Michael H. Opie, born in 1964. [1] She recorded mostly American jazz standards, which she sang partially in Japanese and partially in English, or solely in either language. [1] Umeki appeared in the film adaptation of the musical. [2], According to her son, Umeki lived in Sherman Oaks for a number of years, then moved to Licking, Missouri to be near her son and his family, which included three grandchildren. Chloé Zhao wins best director Oscar for ‘Nomadland’ LOS ANGELES: Chloé Zhao has made history at the 2021 Academy Awards. Umeki was a Tony Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actress and the first Asian woman to win an Academy Award for acting. Her other big-screen credits included “A Girl Named Tamiko” and “The Horizontal Lieutenant.” She also played housekeeper Mrs. Livingston throughout the three-year run of the ABC series “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father.”. The first Korean woman to be nominated for an Oscar, Youn’s victory comes one year after academy voters snubbed the South Korean cast of best picture winner “Parasite.” Youn plays Soon-ja, a card-playing grandmom with a knack for swearing, who’s moved from Korea to join her daughter and stepson in his seemingly quixotic quest to trade dispiriting work in California for farming in Arkansas. She moved to the United States in 1955[1][3] and after appearing on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts (she was a series regular for one season),[4] she signed with the Mercury Records label and released several singles and two albums. [1] Umeki was a Tony Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actress and the first Asian woman to win an Academy Award for acting. She was best known for her Oscar-winning role as Katsumi in the film Sayonara (1957), as well as Mei Li in the Broadway musical and 1961 film Flower Drum Song, and Mrs. Livingston in the television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father. From 1969 to 1972, she appeared in The Courtship of Eddie's Father as Mrs. Livingston, the housekeeper, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Youn Yuh-jung,'' the feisty grandmother in “Minari,” captured more than her grandson's heart. Miyoshi Umeki was born on May 8, 1929, in Otaru on the large northern island of Hokkaido. Second Los Angeles, Apr 26 (PTI) Veteran South Korean star Yuh-jung Youn became the first South Korean actor to win the Oscar for the best supporting actress Oscar for "Minari". She was the first Asian performer to win an Academy Award for acting. Minari was directed by Lee Isaac Chung and features Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Youn Yuh-Jung, and Will Patton. ", "Miyoshi Umeki, first Asian to win an Oscar, dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miyoshi_Umeki&oldid=1022059671, Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners, American women musicians of Japanese descent, Internet Broadway Database person ID same as Wikidata, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2014, Articles needing additional references from May 2021, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 2 episodes: "The Geisha Girl" (1961) and "Aloha, Kimi" (1962), episode: "The Teahouse of the August Moon", episode: "One Clear Bright Thursday Morning", "Sayonara (The Japanese Farewell Song)" (1953), "Sayonara (The Japanese Farewell Song)" (live) (1954), "The Little Lost Dog/The Story You're About to Hear Is True" (1956), "The Mountain Beyond the Moon/Oh What Good Company We Could Be" (with, "Sayonara (The Japanese Farewell Song)/Be Sweet Tonight" (1957), "Wedding Parade/A Hundred Million Miracles", This page was last edited on 8 May 2021, at 06:38. She was 78. The daughter of a prominent Japanese iron factory owner and the youngest of nine children, she developed an early passion for music and She was 78. Foremost, Miyoshi’s Oscar still stands tall as an achievement and serves as an inspiration for upcoming Asian actresses. Miyoshi Umeki, the first East Asian performer to win an Academy Award, died on Aug. 28 in Licking, Missouri. Miyoshi Umeki, first Asian actor to win Oscar, dies at 78. It is the fourth time after Miyoshi Umeki, Shore Agdashulu (House of Sand and Fog) and Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. [2], In 1958, she appeared twice on the variety show The Gisele MacKenzie Show in which she performed "How Deep Is the Ocean". Tracks: Miyoshi (album) (MG-20568) (1959) [citation needed]. TOKYO -- Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian to win an Oscar, died Aug. 28 at a nursing home in Licking, Mo. Miyoshi Umeki, who took the supporting actress Oscar for "Sayonara" in 1958 to become the first Asian to win a performance Academy Award, died Aug. 28 in Licking, Mo. She was a shin Issei, or post-1945 immigrant from Japan. She retired from acting following the end of the series. Fated to be parted when he is ordered to return to the U.S., the pair commits suicide. Miyoshi Umeki, a … She is also the second Asian woman to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, Miyoshi Umeki being the first one in 1957. Miyoshi Umeki, Actress: Sayonara. Her father owned an iron factory. Empty. “This is a major loss to the Japanese movie industry,” said Yuko Nakano, a spokeswoman for the Motion Pictures Producers Assn. Miyoshi Sings For Arthur Godfrey (MG-20165) (1956) She was 78. Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno became the first Hispanic woman to win an award for acting for her portrayal of Anita del Carmen in the 1961 musical, "West Side Story." [7] The couple operated a Los Angeles–based business renting editing equipment to film studios and university film programs. In 1958, she played the lead as the Chinese mail-order bride in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s stage production of “Flower Drum Song,” which earned her a Tony nomination. Miyoshi Umeki was one of the actresses who had to learn to adjust to these stereotypes in order to make it in the industry. Youn, 73, is the only second Asian woman to win best supporting actress Oscar after Miyoshi Umeki for "Sayonara" (1957). Umeki won the Academy Award … There have only been seven nominated ever, and only two wins (Haing S. Ngor is the only Asian male to win, for 1984’s “The Killing Fields.”)The others? Youn, a prominent film and TV actor in her home country of South Korea, won the best supporting actress award at Sunday’s Oscars. In 1958, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway premiere production of the musical Flower Drum Song,[2] where she played Mei-Li. Flower Drum Song (Film Soundtrack; 1961), Decca Records, The Chevy Showroom Starring Andy Williams, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Bing Crosby's White Christmas: All-Star Show, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, "Actress Miyoshi Umeki, 78, Dies of Cancer", "Miyoshi Umeki, 78, Actress Who Won an Oscar in '57, Dies", "Why did Miyoshi Umeki, the only Asian actress to ever win an Oscar, destroy her trophy? Zhao won the Oscar for best director for “Nomadland,” becoming just the second woman and the first woman of color to win the award. [1], Her appearances on the Godfrey program brought her to the attention of director Joshua Logan, who cast her in Sayonara. [5] The show ran for two years. She was 78. Copyright © 2021 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. [1] After World War II, Umeki began her career as a nightclub singer in Japan, using the name Nancy Umeki. And Youn became just the second Asian actress to win best supporting actress in Oscar history, following Japanese actress Miyoshi Umeki from … TOKYO — Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian to win an Oscar, died Aug. 28 at a nursing home in Licking, Mo. 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. TOKYO -- Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian to win an Oscar, died Aug. 28 at a nursing home in Licking, Mo. Tracks: Miyoshi Umeki recorded two theme songs for films in which she appeared: Flower Drum Song (Broadway Original Cast; 1958), Sony Records A cover story in Time stated "the warmth of her art works a kind of tranquil magic". 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 a Japanese-American singer and actress. During her recording career in Japan, Miyoshi recorded the following songs: Two other Japanese language songs were recorded in 1952. 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 a Japanese-American singer and actress. [2], Born in Otaru, Hokkaido, she was the youngest of nine children. Although she did win an Oscar, it was for playing a role that confined her into a stereotypical box of what a Japanese woman should be according to the Western eye. Miyoshi Umeki and Red Buttons hug with their Oscars at the Academy Awards in 1958. Born in the northern city of Otaru in 1929, Umeki began her performing career by singing jazz numbers at military camps during the occupation. And Youn became just the second Asian actress to win best supporting actress in Oscar history, following Japanese actress Miyoshi Umeki from the 1957's "Sayonara." In true Oscars tradition, … The others were Cry for Happy (1961), The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) and A Girl Named Tamiko (1963). Since then the cultural impact of Miyoshi Umeki’s entertainment career has been considerable. 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?" 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She recorded for RCA Victor Japan from 1950 to 1954 and appeared in the film Seishun Jazu Musume. [1] She married Randall Hood in 1968, who adopted her son, changing his name to Michael Randall Hood. Umeki won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sayonara. Although a guest on many television variety shows, she appeared in only four more movies through 1962, including the film version of Flower Drum Song (1961). She died at the age of 78 from cancer.[3]. [1] Randall Hood died in 1976. After spells on radio and TV in Japan, she moved to the U.S. in 1955, when she quickly caught the attention of “Sayonara” director Joshua Logan. After she became the first Asian performer to lift an Oscar, Umeki went on to a successful career in television, cinema and on the stage. She is best remembered for her role as Katsumi, the doomed Japanese wife of an American serviceman played by Red Buttons, in the 1957 film Sayonara. [3] Her early influences were traditional kabuki theater and American pop music. Her heartbreaking performance won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Asian actor of either gender to win, and still the only Asian actress … [1] Later, in one of her appearances on The Merv Griffin Show, she treated viewers to her impression of singer Billy Eckstine, one of her American favorites growing up. Tracks: Miyoshi – Singing Star of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song (MGW-12148) (1958) (reissue of the Arthur Godfrey album with some tracks replaced) Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. The Japanese native, who won the Academy Award for … U.S., the first one in 1957 works a kind of tranquil magic '' island! Hug with their Oscars at the age of 78 from cancer. [ 3 ] return the... The cultural impact of Miyoshi Umeki for Sayonara ( 1957 ), or immigrant! 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