Miyoshi Umeki Dies Aged 78

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Oscar-winning actress Miyoshi Umeki has died of cancer. She was 78.

The Sayonara star passed away at a nursing home in Licking, Missouri last Tuesday (28Aug07), her son Michael Hood confirmed.

The Japanese actress made history in 1958 by becoming the first Asian actress to win an Academy Award when she won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Sayonara.

A year after her Oscar win the actress was nominated for a Tony award for her performance in Flower Drum Song on Broadway.

She only appeared in four more films including the big screen version of Flower Drum Song before turning to television.

After starting her career in Japan, Umeki moved to the U.S. in the 1950s and married Frederick Winfield Opie in 1958.

After divorcing Opie, Umeki married writer/director Randall Hood in 1968 and retired from acting shortly afterwards.

Umeki is survived by her son Michael and two grandchildren.

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