Miyoshi Umeki

Lore & Background

Miyoshi Umeki was born in Otaru, Hokkaido, the youngest of nine children. Her father owned an iron factory. After World War II, she began her career as a nightclub singer in Japan, using the name Nancy Umeki. Her early influences were traditional kabuki theater and American pop music. She recorded for RCA Victor Japan from 1950 to 1954, singing mostly American jazz standards partially in Japanese and partially in English. She moved to the United States in 1955.

After appearing on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts, she signed with Mercury Records and released several singles and two albums. Her appearances on Godfrey's program brought her to the attention of director Joshua Logan, who cast her in Sayonara (1957), for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was the first Asian to win an Academy Award for acting. In 1958, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, playing Mei Li. She also appeared in the 1961 film adaptation. From 1969 to 1972, she played Mrs. Livingston in the television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father, earning another Golden Globe nomination.

Reader's Guide

Miyoshi Umeki holds a landmark place in entertainment history as the first East Asia-born woman to win an Academy Award for acting, a feat she achieved for her supporting role in Sayonara (1957). Her career bridged Japanese and American popular culture, beginning as a nightclub singer in Japan and transitioning to Broadway, film, and television in the United States. She was a three-time Golden Globe nominee and a Tony Award nominee for her role in Flower Drum Song. Her work on The Courtship of Eddie's Father made her a familiar face to television audiences. Umeki's legacy is that of a pioneering Asian performer who achieved mainstream success during a period of limited representation, and her recordings and performances continue to be recognized for their cultural significance.

Did You Know?

• She was the first Asian to win an Academy Award for acting.
• She recorded for RCA Victor Japan from 1950 to 1954 and for Mercury Records after moving to the U.S.
• She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Flower Drum Song.
• She retired from acting after the end of The Courtship of Eddie's Father in 1972.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"I wish somebody would help me right now, I didn’t expect and have nothing in my mind." — Miyoshi Umeki "[1] Miyoshi speech when she won oscar award in 1958." — Miyoshi Umeki "I didn’t like doing it, but when someone pays you to do a job, you do the job, and you do your best." — Miyoshi Umeki "[2] Miyoshi speak on acting in pidgin english in 1962." — Miyoshi Umeki