Word: umeki
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Flower Drum Song (music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II; book by Mr. Hammerstein and Joseph Fields) proves to be thoroughly professional, has Miyoshi Umeki, Pat Suzuki and other nice performers, has some agreeable dancing, some gorgeous costumes, here proof of a jolly Rodgers and there of a dreamy one. As purely popular musical fare, the show should fare handsomely. But as Rodgers and Hammerstein, it not only lacks the talent of their top-drawer work, it seldom has the touch. Flower Drum Song is passably pleasant in its way, but its way is strictly routine...
...Rodgers, perhaps, had an un due influence upon casting, since the singing is highly competent while the acting ranges from adequate down. The only exception to the latter stricture is Miyoshi Umeki, the heroine who is exceedingly good at looking demure. One might even go so far as to call her charming. Pat Suzuki as her brassy rival has an absolutely A-number-1 smile, and a pretty good figure too. Her singing will be fun when she learns how much volume she needs to fill the house. Ed Kenney plays the handsome hero with whom half of Chinatown...
Both Suzie and Flower Drum hired the same speech expert, Professor Simon Mitchneck of Columbia, to turn Oriental inflections into speech that is understandable to American audiences. He is currently working with Japan's Miyoshi Umeki and the rest of the cast of Flower Drum, shaving vowels, changing consonants, even breaking Comedian Storch of his New Yorkese. Just about the only time Agent Rivers got off the Oriental beat this season was when Producers Feuer and Martin insisted that they would cast their new musical Whoop-Up only with full-blooded Indians. "I scoured the area," says Rivers...
Married. Miyoshi Umeki, 24, doll-like (5 ft. 2 in., 100 lbs.) Japanese cinemactress, who last March received an Academy Award as 1957's best supporting actress for her performance in Sayonara; and Frederick Winfield Opie, 34, TV associate director; she for the first time, he for the second; in Van Nuys, Calif...
...seven Oscars, The Bridge on the River Kwai swept the field for best picture, best director (David Lean) and best actor (Alec Guinness). Relative Newcomer Joanne Woodward (The Three Faces of Eve) was named best actress. Sayonara provided both the best supporting actor (Red Buttons) and supporting actress (Miyoshi Umeki...