She practiced singing with a bucket over her head to avoid annoying her parents, taped piano-key patterns to the dining-room table to rehearse, and sang with a GI band for 90 cents a night in her teens. From former Indigo1045! The others were Cry for Happy (1961), The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) and A Girl Named Tamiko (1963). Miyoshi Umeki is Update Soon years old in 2022. She retired from acting following the end of the series. actress. Set in post-WWII Japan, Sayonara tackled the controversial subject of interracial romance through its story of white American servicemen (Marlon Brando and Red Buttons) who fall in love with Japanese women (Miiko Taka and Miyoshi Umeki), but are met with prejudice and barriers created by the U.S. military and anti-Asian immigrant laws. Miyoshi Umeki was born as the youngest of 9 children. [2], Born in Otaru, Hokkaido, she was the youngest of nine children. [3] Her early influences were traditional kabuki theater and American pop music. Shortly after her husband, Randall Hood, passed away in 1976, Umeki etched out her name on her Oscar and then threw the trophy away. She was a shin Issei, or post-1945 immigrant from Japan.
From the Archives: Miyoshi Umeki, 78; Japanese singer and actress Category:Miyoshi Umeki - Wikimedia Commons At 38, she considered working as a cashier at a Publix grocery store in Florida, earning a minimum wage of $2.75, to support her two boys.
Randall Firevod Hood (1928-1976) - Find a Grave Memorial Miyoshi Umeki was actually a nightclub singer in Tokyo and on the West Coast before she did "Sayonara"--she performed under the name Nancy Umeki. 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 Eddies Father.. Japanese American actress Miyoshi Umeki poses with her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in "Sayonara" in Los Angeles,CA.
Miyoshi Umeki - Turner Classic Movies In one haunting scene after her stroke, Soonja accidentally causes a major fire on her daughter and son-in-laws property. Media in category "Miyoshi Umeki". A longtime resident of North Hollywood, she eventually moved to Missouri w/ advancing age to be nearer to her son & his family. Born in the northern city of Otaru in 1929, Umeki began her performing career by singing jazz numbers at military camps during the occupation. It can be a little cringe-inducing now to watch this Oscar-winner in a role that does little more than reinforce a Western fantasy of Asian women, but like most minority actors of her era, Umeki who died in 2007 at 78 of complications from cancer faced what must have been an agonizing choice between being visible, in roles that were beneath her, or being unseen altogether. Faced with the choice to suffer in silence or speak her truth, the author chose to 'let go and let God.' Miyoshi grew up in a loving and caring environment. The Daily Telegraph. Youd laugh one minute and you were touched the next. Ms. Umeki turned to Broadway in December 1958 to star as a young Chinese immigrant in Rodgers and Hammersteins Flower Drum Song. She received a Tony nomination in 1959 for best actress and then reprised the role two years later in the film adaptation of the play. But even though it seemed to have been an act of rage, her explanation to him at the time appeared to avoid any expression of strong emotion. Birthday: May 8, 1929.
(When my father passed away, Mom took it real hard, he remembers.) Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.
Miyoshi Umeki - Wikiquote **Please note: the Archive Research and Study Center is currently closed due to UCLAs response to COVID-19. Me, without work you get bored. The reason I keep coming is because if I come to the States and work, maybe I'm able to see my son one more time," the Oscar-winning actress said. I knew the emotional potential ofEddies Father, he stated, assuring he was fully aware of its power. Indeed, Bill Bixby admired as much during a 1984 interview. A newly digitized 35mm newsreel from the Archives Hearst Metrotone News collection documents Umekis historic Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress for Sayonara (1957) at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Growing up on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Miyoshi Umeki was obsessed with American pop music and dreamed of making it to the United States after World War II. Not only did he bring an energy to every role he played, in Courtship and out, he also inspired his peers. She also played. 1929-05-08. In the 1950s, she attempted to translate that success in the USA, landing a spot on "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends," one of the many music-variety series then in vogue. Inspired casting opposite comedian Red Buttons in a tragic, counterpoint romance as a World War II airman & his naive Japanese war bride who fall victim to post-war prejudice led to supporting Academy Awards for both actors. She also tread fairly lightly on TV w/ random 60s appearances on The Donna Reed Show (1958), Dr. Kildare (1961), Rawhide (1959) & Mister Ed (1961), among others.Duing the 50s & 60s, she was an occasional guest on variety shows for TV titans such as Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Andy Williams & Ed Sullivan. Who can believe The Courtship of Eddies Father turned 50 last year? Film: The Living Record of Our Memory Review: A Dynamic Look at What It Takes and What It Means to Save Movies From the Dustbin, Lady Gagas Vogue Cover Released, Additional 60 Minutes Footage Leaked, John Malone and Charter Directors Reach $87.5M Deal to Settle Investor Suit, Rupert Murdoch, Fox Corp. Sued For Sharing Bidens Presidential Ads Before They Aired, Paramount Will Pay $122.5M to Settle CBS-Viacom Merger Lawsuit, Lionsgate Dealmakers Michael Burns, Brian Goldsmith Extend Contracts, A24 Buys Off-Broadways Cherry Lane Theatre, Pay TV and Cable Providers Lost 5.8M Subscribers in 2022, Star Hairstylist Jen Atkin Reveals Must-Have Hair Tools, Tutorials and Pro Tips In New MasterClass, Rihannas Puma x Fenty Is Coming Back Heres Where You Can Still Buy Those Cult-Fave Creepers, The Best Bridesmaid Dresses for Every Budget, From Under-$100 Gowns to Hollywood-Inspired Classics, BTS Army: Heres When and Where Legos Dynamite-Inspired Set Arrives Online and In Stores, The Big Lebowski Turns 25: People Didnt Get It, Jeff Bridges Recalls, How the Landscape of Native-Led Stories Has Changed Between Avatars: Were Flexing Our Sovereignty, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News.
Miyoshi Umeki - News - IMDb The reason I keep coming is because if I come to the States and work, maybe I'm able to see my son one more time.
Miyoshi Umeki - IMDb But there's a tiny caveat: Shes just not that into Hollywood. Her son said she had never liked talking about her career, which she left because she wanted to live as a wife and mother. TOKYO Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian to win an Oscar, died Aug. 28 at a nursing home in Licking, Mo.
Miyoshi Umeki - Obituary - The New York Times After prevailing at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTA, she is in a great position to become the first-ever Korean actor to win an Oscar in the academy's 93-year history. [1] Umeki was a Tony Award - and Golden Globe -nominated actress and the first East Asian-American woman to win an Academy Award for acting. I knew my weakness, so I worked hard to memorize my lines. Sayonara co-star Red Buttons and Umeki at the Academy Awards (Getty Images). Youn, who is close in age to Close, said she envied her courage for playing Blanche, a character symbolizing purity and innocence in her 20s, despite being in her 50s back then. Miyoshi Umeki, the Japanese-born singer and actress who became the first Asian performer to win an Academy Award, for her touching role as Red Buttons' wife in the 1957 film "Sayonara," has died. Youn, who currently resides in South Korea, had lived in the U.S. for about 13 years. Her marriage ended in divorce in the 1980s, when Youn struggled to resume her acting career to support her two boys, at a time when Korean society carried deep prejudices against divorced Korean women.
Still, she has captured many hearts around the world. Hood says she chose to retire from acting after Courtship was canceled in 1972. Japanese-American actress and singer (19292007), 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?
Miyoshi Umeki (1929-2007) - Find a Grave Memorial Fated to be parted when he is ordered to return to the U.S., the pair commits suicide. Her opportunity came as she signed a contract to become . Her husband, Randall Hood, died in 1976. Your career, it's a part of you, representing your name and yourself..
Miyoshi Umeki, actress, 78 - Variety Six decades ago, 'Flower Drum Song' featured Hollywood's first Asian Her other credits include "Cry for Happy" (1961), "The Horizontal Lieutenant" (1962), and "A Girl Named Tamiko" (1963). The interview offers insight into Umeki's family and pre-fame life, but, unfortunately, Mike Wallace's preoccupation with her Japanese nationality and cultural differences leaves little to glean about her experiences as a leading woman of the screen and stage.
She died August 28, 2007, at the age of 78, from cancer.[3]. Thats from the bottom of my heart.. Miyoshi Umeki (May 8, 1929 - August 28, 2007) was a Japanese-American singer and actress. Herb Solow had a direct role in changing who the Corbett housekeeper was supposed to be, writes Closer Weekly. Youn, who credited a little bit of luck for her groundbreaking award, holds fast to serendipity and a strong work ethic. In 2011 after a lifetime as an adoptive only child, Michael received the best Christmas gift by meeting his. Japanese American singer Miyoshi Umeki earned the trophy for 1957s Sayonara more than six decades ago. Please consider purchasing the DVD respectfully. Miyoshi Umeki was born as the youngest of 9 children. Her 50-year acting career began at the age of 23 in South Korea, spanning from her big screen debut in Kim Ki-youngs Woman of Fire in 1971 that raked instant success to her more recent TV cooking reality show Youns Kitchen, which was rebranded to Youns Stay this year and showcases her no-nonsense personality. Youn, 73, a veteran actress in her home country of South Korea, told NBC Asian America after her historic Oscar win on Sunday she took on the role as a grandmother in Lee Isaac Chungs Minari, which is about a Korean American family putting down roots in Arkansas, because she understood the day-to-day dilemma of immigrants that her two sons, who are Korean American, had also withstood. That same year in film, Umeki made history as the first woman of Asian descent to receive an Academy Award, winning Best Supporting Actress for Sayonara (1957). Born on May 8, 1929, in Otaru, Hokkaido, Ms. Umeki began her career as a nightclub singer in Japan, billing herself as Nancy Umeki. Quotes [ edit] I wish somebody would help me right now, I didn't expect and have nothing in my mind. In 1957, she starred opposite Marlon Brando and Red Buttons in Sayonara, playing Katsumi, the submissive, doomed wife of Buttons American airman. During her recording career in Japan, Miyoshi recorded the following songs: Two other Japanese language songs were recorded in 1952. The Mike Wallace InterviewRecord date: April 20, 1959Executive producer: Ted Yates Jr. Producer: Al Ramrus. All Rights Reserved. This is a major loss to the Japanese movie industry, said Yuko Nakano, a spokeswoman for the Motion Pictures Producers Assn. As a teenager in her native Japan, Miyoshi Umeki began her show business career as a singer and dancer. Cry for Happy (1961) Lobby Card of Miiko Taka, Glenn Ford, Donald O'Connor, and Miyoshi Umeki.jpg 1,600 1,268; 240 KB.
A Glimpse at Asian-Americans in Hollywood -- Miyoshi Umeki Miyoshi Umeki | Television Academy Interviews Brandon Cruz recalls Courtship of Eddie's Father Todd Wawrychuk / A.M.P.A.S.
Copyright infringement not intended.\rPlease consider purchasing the CD:\rhttp://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7047698/a/Music+From+The+Films+Of+Marlon+Brando.htm She scored additional points after recreating her role for the film version of Flower Drum Song (1961).In total, she made only 5 American films in all. Her next starring role in the stage (1958) and film (1961) adaptations of \"Flower Drum Song\" also broke new ground: it was the first Broadway musical to feature a predominantly Asian and Asian American cast, and garnered Umeki a Tony Award nomination. The only experience I had were part-time side jobs. I asked her, Why did you agree to do the pidgin English? her son, Michael Hood, says now. [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. of Japan. I've only added the footage as a tribute for historical, entertainment, and creative purposes with no financial gain. The film was a pop culture phenomenon, reviewed in major papers, and its stars Miyoshi Umeki, Nancy Kwan, Jack Soo, and James Shigeta went on to successful careers in entertainment. Honorary Academy Award [32] To Hayao Miyazaki, a master storyteller whose animated artistry has inspired filmmakers and audiences around the world.
Miyoshi Umeki, 78; Japanese singer and actress became first Asian to She also enjoyed singing American-styled tunes, much to the chagrin of her parents. Miyoshi got what she wanted by just being smart and quiet., Quiet, sure, but never meek. Miyoshi Umeki, a demure, appealing actress with a wistful smile and the ability to convey unfettered innocence, was the first Asian performer to win an Oscar. Youn believes she came this far because of her desire to survive and put food on the table. A cover story in Time stated "the warmth of her art works a kind of tranquil magic". No, I don't admire Hollywood. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Once, after noticing how Bixby relocated his dressing room closer to the stages, she made her own request. Japanese American singer Miyoshi Umeki earned the trophy for 1957's "Sayonara" more than six decades ago. Age (2022) Update Soon. I didnt want to be a nuisance to others., It's a very happy moment, when I got the award. He reflected, In the original movie, she was the typical Irish-American housekeeper that youve seen 20 times on television. During a Korean news conference hosted by the South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles after her win, she shrugged and rolled her eyes about the spate of questions she received about Pitt. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Her other appearances were supporting roles in the naval comedy Cry for Happy (1961), The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) & A Girl Named Tamiko (1962). From this recognition, she was immediately cast in Sayonara (1957), which was based on James A. Michener's best-selling romantic tale.
Miyoshi Umeki | The Independent | The Independent As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Go to PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite mobile or connected TV device. [1] Umeki appeared in the film adaptation of the musical. 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. Miyoshi Umeki has a look of melting submissiveness in her screen roles, but there is also a streak of fierce determination in her makeup (Boston Globe, July 12, 1970). jazz band in Japan as Nancy Umeki & was the 1st to record American songs for RCA Victor Japan.
And each of them, in turn, gave audiences a lot to celebrate from this sitcom. He promised that he will. She. A versatile performer who also had major roles on Broadway and on television, Ms. Umeki played Katsumi in Sayonara, a tragic drama, based on the novel by James Michener, about American servicemen who fall in love with women they meet while stationed in occupied Japan. Mini Bio (1) Miyoshi Umeki was born as the youngest of 9 children.
Miyoshi Umeki (1929 - 2007) - Otaru, Hokkaido TOKYO -- Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian to win an Oscar, died Aug. 28 at a nursing home in Licking, Mo. She appeared as a guest in numerous other series in the 1960s, including The Donna Reed Show, Dr. Hayao Miyazaki. I dont fall for those words..
Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, Hollywoods Greatest Untold Stories now on PeopleTV. 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 first Hollywood film, "Sayonara . Miyoshi Umeki See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video buy from $19.19 More watch options Add to Watchlist Added by 2.4K users 12 User reviews 4 Critic reviews Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys 5 nominations total Episodes 73 Top-rated Wed, Nov 5, 1969 S1.E8 Bully for You [citation needed].
The Mike Wallace Interview: Miyoshi Umeki (1959) - YouTube [1], After World War II, Umeki began her career as a nightclub singer in Japan, using the name Nancy Umeki. The daughter of a prominent Japanese iron factory owner, she developed an early passion for music, learning to play the mandolin, harmonica & piano. Her performances on West Coast television earned her a regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Female Personality in 1958. She also enjoyed singing American-styled tunes, much to the chagrin of her parents.
Miyoshi Umeki - IMDb I could see that she was trying to work hard.. He was blessed throughout his life with a brotherhood of many friends. Her dream was to come here and entertain., That dream, though, seems to have come at a cost to her spirit. I would always tell him dinner time was an hour earlier than I told everybody else. Reflecting on the show as it turned 50, Cruz explained, "She was very quiet and very private. She is probably best known for her appearence in the 1961 film FLOWER DRUM SONG. Miyoshi Umeki was born as the youngest of 9 children. There is a relatively recent interview with her on youtube. When asked what advice she would give her two sons, she echoed her award speech that thanked her two sons, who make me go out and work. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. I'll be going back home, and I will start working again., The script was like the Bible for me, she added, pointing to the How do you get to Carnegie Hall? punchline, which is, Practice.. 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),[citation needed] she signed with the Mercury Records label and released several singles and two albums. To read more about the greatest untold stories of Hollywoods biggest night, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, or buy it here now. Following the success of Flower Drum Song, it was announced in trade papers that Umeki would star in a Universal picture about her own life, titledEleven is Heaven (referencing Umekis upbringing as an 11th child), but ultimately it did not make it to the screen. No, I don't admire Hollywood. "Hayao Miyazaki interview: 'I think the peaceful time that we are living in is coming to an end ' ". Watch the full episode of Hollywoods Greatest Untold Stories now on PeopleTV. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Umeki and James Shigeta in a publicity photo for Flower Drum Song (1961). Miyoshi Umeki, 78, Actress Who Won an Oscar in 57, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/arts/06umeki.html, Miyoshi Umeki and Red Buttons in the 1957 film "Sayonara. The reason I keep coming is because if I come to the States and work, maybe I'm able to see my son one more time.
Archival Treasures: Miyoshi Umeki, First Asian Woman to Win Oscar But Youn remains grateful that, along with the other good fortunes in her life, a writer and friend had pointed out she had a very gifted talent unbeknownst to her and offered her a role. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Jo had performed at Billy Grahams church as a gospel singer. I also told him to come to Korea, she added. Very old woman now of course but she seems nice enough. Nobody knew anything about Miyoshi, but she was invested in the show. And for Gen-Xers, she remains best known for her supporting role on the sitcom The Courtship of Eddies Father, where she played the kind, demure housekeeper Mrs. Livingston. Flower Drum Song (Film Soundtrack; 1961), Decca Records. She would marvel at U.S. films and pretend to be an actress as she pranced around her living room. Early recording of Umeki, billed as Nancy Umeki in Japan, singing Sayonara (YouTube), Excerpt from The Courtship of Eddie's Father(Warner Archive). She often performed on radio programs and in nightclubs. He said my performance was very respectable and whatnot, but Im old. Umeki won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sayonara. As a teenager in her native Japan, Miyoshi Umeki began her show business career as a singer and dancer. I was desperate without a theater degree. She co-starred in the ABC sitcom \"The Courtship of Eddies Father\" (1969-1972), which was one of the first American primetime TV shows with an Asian or Asian American leading role. All Rights Reserved. Read more on Wikipedia. So, she moved to New York City in 1955 and sought out a career as an actress. Director: Max Miller. If there was ever any disturbance on the set, it was Miyoshi complaining or letting it be known how she felt. When not vocalizing, she observed. A new Asian cliche emerged that of the docile war bride, best exemplified by Miyoshi Umeki's Oscar-winning role in "Sayonara." To this day, she is the only Asian actress to have won an. Miyoshi Umeki, the Japanese-born singer and actress who became the first Asian performer to win an Academy Award, for her touching role as Red Buttons' wife in the 1957 film "Sayonara," has. During her early success, she married one of South Koreas prominent singers, Jo Young-nam, who sang a mix of trot, pop, folk and Christian music. [1] She recorded mostly American jazz standards, which she sang partially in Japanese and partially in English, or solely in either language. Los Angeles Times. Miyoshi Umeki, for her part, provided stern wisdom no matter who wanted to hear it or not. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. For three seasons on the Emmy-nominated program, Umeki portrayed the beloved housekeeper and moral and emotional pillar to a single-parent family.Learn more from our blog: ucla.in/3ewpJxw Still, she found ways to express how she really felt. Ms. Umekis other films were Cry for Happy (1961), The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) and A Girl Named Tamiko (1963). Cry for Happy (1961) Press Photo of Donald O'Connor and Miyoshi .
The Archive is renowned for its pioneering efforts to rescue, preserve and showcase moving image media. But I dont really believe the words of Americans. [2] Life [ edit]
SGT Michael Randall "Mike" Hood (1964-2018) - Find a Grave The collection also includes an episode ofThe Mike Wallace Interviewwith Umeki, which aired on national primetime TV in 1959 and is now available for viewingon the Archive's YouTube channel. Arguably her biggest claim to fame was Mrs. Livingston in the heart-tugging TV comedy The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969). she said. It worked. TV audiences will remember Umeki for her role as housekeeper Mrs. Livingston in the series "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" (1969 to 1972), co-starring Bill Bixby and Brandon Cruz. The daughter of a prominent Japanese iron factory owner and the youngest of nine children, she developed an early passion for music and learned to play the mandolin, harmonica and piano. [1], Her appearances on the Godfrey program brought her to the attention of director Joshua Logan, who cast her in Sayonara. via Getty Images, Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung on Brad Pitt, beef jerky and not making plans. Her son said she lived for a time in Hawaii, but moved to Missouri about four years ago. 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 to earn an Academy Award. And they readily did just that last year to honor five decades since the show debuted. Cruz, who starred as Eddie on Courtship until he was 10, remembers Umekis commitment despite her thankless part. Her onscreen fianc in the film, Red . She then thanked all American people and bowed to the audience. Miyoshi Umeki accepting her Academy Award in 1958, Born May 8, 1929 in Otaru, Japan, Miyoshi Umeki led a multifaceted and historically significant career as one of the few actors of Asian descent to attain prominence in Hollywood motion pictures, television and on Broadway. She read the script about dealing with Eddie and what happened? View Interview. Her birthplace is Otaru. Despite her win, she would not make another film for 4 years.Following her Oscar win, she starred on Broadway w/ the 1958 musical Flower Drum Song, in which she proved a highlight as a starry-eyed Chinese immigrant/mail-order bride w/ her captivating rendition of A Hundred Million Miracles, earning a Tony nomination in the process. Bill brought a certain class to it and Bill never did anything that kids couldnt watch. 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. For her role as Soonja, the foul-mouthed but doting grandmother in Minari who shows signs of dementia after a stroke, she had practiced with a neurologist the strides, posture and facial expressions of people who have the condition. Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Miyoshi Umeki has received more than 737,817 page views.
She was the first Asian woman to receive an Academy Award, winning Best Supporting Actress for \"Sayonara\" (1957). He went on, It dealt with feelings. Kildare, Rawhide and Mister Ed.. [1] She married Randall Hood in 1968, who adopted her son, changing his name to Michael Randall Hood. She thought it was her only option due to language barriers and the weight of the stigma in Korea. Then my fame and my name were banished because I was a divorce, Youn said, adding that she refrained from appearing on television at the time. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" It wasnt crap. 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. The Warner Bros. film was a critical and box-office success that earned 10 Academy Award nominations and made Umeki a widely recognized star.