Miiko Taka

Miiko Taka (高美以子, Taka Miiko) (born Miiko Shikata[1] July 24, 1925 – January 4, 2023) was an American actress, popular for her film and TV roles from the late 1950s until the early 1980s. Her best known role was as an elegant Japanese dancer starring opposite Marlon Brando in the Korean War drama Sayonara. She also acted in several other films and TV shows with fellow performers such as Miyoshi Umeki, James Garner, Bob Hope, Cary Grant, and Toshirō Mifune.[2]

Miiko Taka
Taka in a publicity photo for Cry for Happy (1961)
Born
Miiko Shikata

(1925-07-24)July 24, 1925
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 2023(2023-01-04) (aged 97)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Resting placeRose Hills Memorial Park
Other namesBetty Ishimoto
Years active1957–1982
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1944; div. 1958)​
    Lennie Blondheim
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1963, death)​
      Reginald Hsu
      ​
      (m. 2003)​
      Children2
      Signature (Japanese)
      高美以子, Taka's signature in Japanese
      Signature

      Early years

      Taka was born in 1925 in Seattle, but raised in Los Angeles, California[3] as a Nisei;[4] her parents had immigrated from Japan. In 1942, following the signing of Executive Order 9066, she was interned with her family at the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona.[5]

      Career

      After director Joshua Logan's first choice for the role of Hana-ogi, Audrey Hepburn, turned him down, he looked to cast an unknown actress.[4] Taka, who at the time was working as a clerk at a travel agency in Los Angeles, was discovered by a talent scout at a local Nisei festival.[3] Although she had no previous acting experience,[4] Variety gave her a positive review in their review of the film.[6] Warner Bros. gave her a term contract as a result of her performance in Sayonara.[7]

      After Sayonara, she worked in films with James Garner, Bob Hope, Cary Grant, Glenn Ford and Toshirō Mifune (alongside whom she also worked in the 1980 television miniseries, Shõgun). She also served as an interpreter for Mifune as well as Akira Kurosawa when they visited Hollywood.[8][9]

      Personal life

      Taka married Japanese-American actor Dale Ishimoto in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1944,[10] and they had one son, Greg Shikata, who works in the film industry, and one daughter. They divorced in 1958.[11]

      Taka married Los Angeles television news director Lennie Blondheim in 1963.[12] She resided in Las Vegas, Nevada.[13] Following Blondheim's death, she married Reginald Hsu in 2003.[14]

      Taka died on January 4, 2023 at the age of 97.[2] She was survived by her third husband Reginald Hsu, who died 5 months later in May.[15] She is interred at Rose Hills Memorial Park.[16]

      Motion pictures
      Miiko Taka in 1958
      Year Title Role Notes
      1957 Sayonara Hana-ogi Screen debut, co-star with Marlon Brando
      1958 Panda and the Magic Serpent Fish Spirit Voice: English version
      1960 Hell to Eternity Ester Stars Jeffrey Hunter
      1961 Cry for Happy Chiyoko Reunites with Sayonara co-star Miyoshi Umeki
      1961 Operation Bottleneck Ari Shares top billing with Ron Foster and Norman Alden
      1963 A Global Affair Fumiko Stars Bob Hope
      1965 The Art of Love Chou Chou Reunites with Sayonara co-star James Garner
      1966 Walk, Don't Run Aiko Kurawa Final film of Cary Grant's career
      1968 The Power Mrs. Van Zandt
      1973 Lost Horizon Nurse
      1975 Paper Tiger Madame Kagoyama first movie working with Toshirō Mifune
      1976 Midway TV version only, Uncredited
      1978 The Big Fix Saleswoman Stars Richard Dreyfuss
      1982 The Challenge Yoshida's wife Taka's last film, starring Toshirō Mifune

      [17] [18] [19] [13]

      See also

      References
      1. Makino, Jimmy. "A Japanese-American Nisei in the 20th Century". Retrieved June 20, 2012.
      2. Barnes, Mike. "Miiko Taka, Marlon Brando's Co-Star in 'Sayonara,' Dies at 97". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
      3. Scott, John L. (May 5, 1957). "Fortune Bolt puts Miiko in Top Film Spot". Los Angeles Times. p. E3.
      4. Capote, Truman (November 9, 1957). "The Duke in His Domain". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 9, 2007.
      5. "Japanese American Internee Data File: Miiko Shikata". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
      6. "Sayonara". Variety. January 1, 1957. Retrieved August 9, 2007.
      7. Scheuer, Philip K. (November 17, 1958). "Faulkner Story Lifted Off Shelf, Cycle Looms; Miiko Taka to Stay On". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
      8. Beyette, Beverly (August 12, 1983). "Toshiro Mifune Takes Up the Samurai Role Again". Los Angeles Times. p. G1.
      9. Thomas, Kevin (November 28, 2002). "WORLD CINEMA; An edgy, epic collaboration; Director Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune made 16 films together; 13 will be screening at the Nuart". Los Angeles Times. p. E16.
      10. "Actress Miiko Taka of Movies Wins Divorce". Los Angeles Times. November 18, 1958. p. B1.
      11. "Miiko Taka Gets Divorce". New York Times. November 17, 1958.
      12. Paddleford, Clementine (November 17, 1963). "Barbecue at the Table". Los Angeles Times.
      13. Ishino, Maggie (September 23, 2016). "MAGGIE'S MEOW: MIIKO TAKA OF THE FILM 'SAYONARA'". Rafu Shimpo.
      14. "'Sayonara' Actress Miiko Taka Dies at 97". Rafu Shimpo. January 18, 2023.
      15. Reginald Lei Hsu
      16. Miiko Taka Hsu
      17. "Miiko Taka Filmography". fandango.com. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
      18. "Miiko Taka". imdb.com. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
      19. "Biography for Miiko Taka". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
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