Miiko Taka, who made her film debut opposite Sayonara opposite Marlon Brando, 12 TV dramas about “desire to resist” set in the Korean War are dead. she97.
News of her death was posted on social media on January 4 by a grandson. Details of her death were unknown, and her son informed The Hollywood Reporter through a spokesperson that the family did not want to be involved in the obituary.
Taka also starred in the war comedy with Glenn Ford and her Sayonara co-star Miyoshi Umeki Cry for Happy (1960), and Bob Hope at A Global Affair (1966), across from James Garner (another Sayonara actor) at in The Art of Love by Norman Jewison(1965) and Cary Grant in his last movie, Walk Don’t Run (1966), set during the Tokyo Olympics.
Directed by Joshua Logan, Paul Osborn adapted from 92 Novel by James Michener, Sayonara with Brando as US Air Force fighter pilot Lloyd “Ace” Gluver and Taka as elegant Japanese dancer Hana-Ogi. They fall in love with each other but face animosity in an era that disapproves of interracial romance and marriage.
Logan seems to be playing an unknown after his first choice, Audrey Hepburn , rejected him. Seattle-born Taka was a clerk for a travel agency in Los Angeles when she was hired, even though she had no acting experience.
In his review for The New York Times, Bosley Crowther called her a “flute beauty – really lovely, calm and soothing to the urge.”
Warner Bros. Film nominated for 06 Oscars, including Best Picture, and won four, Red Buttons and Umemi took home the Best in Show trophy. (Umeki is the first Asian woman to win an Academy Award.)
In 1959, Taka first visit to the UK and was hailed as “one of the most exciting films” Years of discovery. “
Miiko Shikata was born in Seattle in July 92, , and raised in Los Angeles WWII During this time, she and her family were sent to a Japanese internment camp outside of Phoenix. Shown to audiences in the trailer , in On the poster, she’s “Story Against Desire by James A. Michener. ’ The film, a rarity at the time, confronted racism and bigotry head-on, and many believed it was the first on-screen kiss between a white star and an Asian.
Taka follows Sayonara in Hawaiian Eye and appeared on TV s on The Man From UNCLE, The Girl From UNCLE, I Spy and The Wild Wild West.
Her big screen resume also includes war films Hell To eternity (1960) and operational bottlenecks (1960), remake from Lost Horizon n (1975), paper tiger (1975), BIG FIX (1978) and challenge ().
She also starred in the acclaimed NBC 1980 Miniseries Shogun.
