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Miyoshi Umeki
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==Career== [[File:Sayonara (1957) Press Photo of Miyoshi Umeki.jpg|thumb|Umeki in a publicity photo for ''[[Sayonara]]'' (1957)]] She was best known for her [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winning role as Katsumi in ''[[Sayonara]]'' (1957), as [[Mei Li]] in both the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] musical and 1961 film ''[[Flower Drum Song]]'', and as Mrs. Livingston in the television series ''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV series)|The Courtship of Eddie's Father]]''. She was a [[Issei|shin Issei]], or post-1945 [[Japanese diaspora|immigrant from Japan]]. She recorded for [[RCA Records|RCA Victor Japan]] from 1950 to 1954 and appeared in the film ''Seishun Jazu Musume''.<ref name="post" /> 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 (song)|My Foolish Heart]]", "[[With a Song in My Heart (song)|With A Song In My Heart]]", "[[Again (1949 song)|Again]]", "[[Vaya con Dios (song)|Vaya con Dios]]", "[[(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?]]", and "[[I'll Walk Alone]]". She moved to the United States in 1955.<ref name="post" /><ref name="iht" /> After appearing on the ''[[Arthur Godfrey|Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts]]'' (she was a series regular for one season), she signed with the [[Mercury Records]] label and released several singles and two albums.<ref name="post" /> Her appearances on Godfrey's program brought her to the attention of director [[Joshua Logan]], who cast her in ''[[Sayonara]]'', for which she won an [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]]. She was the first Asian to win an Academy Award for acting.<ref name="usatoday"/> In 1958, she appeared twice on the variety show ''[[The Gisele MacKenzie Show|The Gisele MacKenzie]] Show'' in which she performed "[[How Deep Is the Ocean?|How Deep Is the Ocean]]". That same year, she was also nominated for a [[Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical]] for her performance in the Broadway premiere production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's ''[[Flower Drum Song]]'',<ref name="usatoday"/> where she played Mei Li.<ref>{{IBDB name|id=62909|name=Miyoshi Umeki}}</ref> The show was directed by [[Gene Kelly]] and ran for two years. A cover story in ''Time'' stated "the warmth of her art works a kind of tranquil magic".<ref name="post"/> Umeki appeared in Universal Studios' film adaptation of the musical in 1961.<ref name="iht"/> She was nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award]] for ''[[Flower Drum Song (film)|Flower Drum Song]]''. Although a guest on many television variety shows, she appeared in only three more movies through 1962, including ''[[Cry for Happy]]'' (also 1961), ''[[The Horizontal Lieutenant]]'' (1962), and ''[[A Girl Named Tamiko]]'' (1963). From 1969 to 1972, she appeared in ''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV series)|The 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.<ref name=shirleyli>{{cite magazine| last=Li| first=Shirley| title=Why did Miyoshi Umeki, the only Asian actress to ever win an Oscar, destroy her trophy?| url=http://ew.com/awards/2018/02/22/miyoshi-umeki-sayonara-oscars-profile/| magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]| date=2018-02-22}}</ref>
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