Jack Soo
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| Jack Soo | |
|---|---|
| Born | Goro Suzuki October 28, 1917 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 11, 1979 (aged 61) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Jack Soo (October 28, 1917 – January 11, 1979) was a Japanese American actor. He is best known for his role as Detective Nick Yemana on the television sitcom Barney Miller.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Jack Soo was born Goro Suzuki in Oakland, California. Soo was caught up in the Japanese American internment during World War II and sent to Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah.[1] Fellow internees recalled him as a "camp favorite" entertainer, singing at dances and numerous events.[citation needed]
Soo's career as an entertainer began in earnest at the end of the war, first as a stand-up nightclub performer primarily in the Midwestern United States. It was during his years playing the nightclub circuit that he would meet and become friends with future Barney Miller producer Danny Arnold, who was also a performer at the time.[2]
[edit] Career
Soo finally earned his big break in 1958 when he was cast in the Broadway musical hit Flower Drum Song in the role of the show M.C. and comedian Frankie Wing ("Gliding through my memoree"). He was working in San Francisco in the Forbidden City nightclub, which was portrayed in the musical and movie. He was offered the chance to go to Broadway on the condition that he change his name to something Chinese, as "Flower Drum Song" tells a story set in San Francisco's Chinatown. It was at that time that he adopted the surname "Soo".[3] Jack moved up to the Sammee Tong role in 1961, when the film version of the musical was made.[citation needed]
In 1964, Soo played an important weekly supporting role as a poker-playing con artist in Valentine's Day, a one-season comedy television series starring Tony Franciosa. During the next decade, he would appear in films such The Green Berets (as an ARVN general) and the 1967 musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as making guest appearances on TV shows such as Hawaii Five-O, The Odd Couple, and two episodes of M*A*S*H. In most of his roles in television, in movies, and on stage, Jack portrayed leaders or characters "breaking out" of the Asian stereotypes held at the time.[citation needed]
Soo was cast in his most memorable role in 1975 on the ABC sitcom Barney Miller as the laid-back, but very wry, Detective Nick Yemana, who was also responsible for making the dreadful coffee the entire precinct had the misfortune to drink every day.[citation needed]
[edit] Death
Soo was diagnosed with esophageal cancer during the show's fifth season (1978–79). The cancer spread quickly, and Soo died on January 11, 1979 at age 61. His last appearance on Barney Miller was in the episode entitled "The Vandal", which aired on November 9, 1978.[citation needed]
Because his character (and Soo himself) was so beloved, a special retrospective episode was made, showing clips of his best moments: it aired at the end of the season. It also noted that Yemana was the first regular adult character on US prime-time television written for an American of Japanese descent, a role long-sought by Jack. The most poignant moment of the show came at the end, when the cast members raised their coffee cups in a final farewell toast to the late actor.[citation needed]
Soo's last words to his Barney Miller co-star Hal Linden before his death were: "It must have been the coffee."[citation needed]
[edit] Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
| 1961 | Flower Drum Song | Samuel Adams 'Sammy' Fong | |
| 1963 | Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? | Yoshimi Hiroti | |
| 1966 | The Oscar | Sam | |
| 1967 | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Asian #1 | |
| 1968 | The Green Berets | Col. Cai | |
| 1978 | Return from Witch Mountain | Mr. Yokomoto | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1964 | Valentine's Day | Rockwell Sin | |
| 1965 | The Wackiest Ship in the Army | Shiru | Episode: Shakedown |
| 1966 | Summer Fun | Sidney | Episode: Pirates of Flounder Bay |
| 1968, 1971 | Julia | Tree Man Judge Warren wazaku |
Episode: I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas Episode: Courting Time |
| 1969 | The Monk | Hip Guy | ABC TV-Movie |
| 1970 | Hawaii Five-O | Sam Quong | Episode: The One with the Gun |
| 1971 | The Name of the Game | Sergeant George Kwan | Episode: The Man Who Killed a Ghost |
| The Jimmy Stewart Show | Woodrow Yamada | Episode: Pro Bono Publico Episode: Cockadoodle Don't |
|
| 1972 | The Odd Couple | Chuk Mai Chin | Episode: Oscar's Promotion |
| 1972, 1975 | M*A*S*H | Charlie Lee Quoc |
Episode: To Market, to market Episode: Payday |
| 1973 | She Lives! | Dr. Osikawa | ABC TV-Movie |
| 1974 | Ironside | Joe Lee Joe Lee Sing-Ho |
Episode: Army Prentiss (1) Episode: Army Prentiss (2) Episode: The Over-the-Hill Blues |
| 1974, 1975 | Police Story | Tai'ske Bruce Chan Bruce Chan |
Episode: The Hunters Episode: Year of the Dragon (1) Episode: Year of the Dragon (2) |
| 1975 | Police Woman | Red Star | Episode: The Bloody Nose |
| 1975–1979 | Barney Miller | Det. Sgt. Nick Yemana | |
[edit] References
- ^ Jack Soo
- ^ Jack Soo - Yahoo! TV
- ^ C.Y. Lee, author of "The Flower Drum Song", in the special features of "Flower Drum Song" DVD, Universal Pictures, 2006.
