Acting

26

Man

Oct 28, 1917

Oakland, California, U.S.

Jack Soo

A genial, laid back, slumber-eyed character player especially adept at the relaxed wisecrack or dry comment, Japanese-American actor Jack Soo was born in Oakland, California, in 1917, his real name being Goro Suzuki. In the post-WWII years, he entertained as a stand-up performer in nightclubs and had made a reasonable dent on the Midwest circuit by the time he earned his big break playing the club MC/comedian in the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit Broadway musical "Flower Drum Song" in 1958. Three years later, Soo was upgraded to the Sammy Wong character in the film version and decided to settle in Hollywood. Over the next decade, despite a typical lack of roles for Asian-Americans, he managed to find a niche for his hip, deadpan demeanor on TV and a few other films including Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963), the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and John Wayne's controversial pro-Vietnam War film The Green Berets (1968). Soo is probably best remembered for his smart-aleck Detective Sgt. Nick Yemana on Barney Miller (1974), one of the more popular sitcoms of the 1970s alongside Hal Linden and Abe Vigoda. Sadly, he died of cancer during the show's fifth season in 1979 at the height of his popularity.

M*A*S*H

September 17, 1972

M*A*S*H

September 17, 1972

Return from Witch Mountain

March 10, 1978

The Green Berets

July 4, 1968

Hawaii Five-O

September 20, 1968

Thoroughly Modern Millie

March 22, 1967

Ironside

March 28, 1967

Ironside

March 28, 1967

The Odd Couple

September 24, 1970

Barney Miller

January 23, 1975