Miiko Taka, Sayonara And Shogun Actress, Dies At 97
Miiko Taka was born in Seattle, Washington to Japanese parents. During World War II she and her family were sent to Arizona’s Gila River internment camp near Phoenix (via The National Archives). She married Dale Ishimoto in 1944 and had a daughter and a son, Greg Shikata, before divorcing in 1958 (via The New York Times). She married TV news director Lennie Blondheim in 1963 (via The Des Moines Register).
After “Sayonara,” Taka continued acting, taking roles in “Cry for Happy,” co-starring Glenn Ford and “Sayonara” co-star Miyoshi Umeki, and “A Global Affair,” co-starring Bob Hope. She also guest starred in many television shows, such as “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “I Spy” (via IMDb). She played the role of Aiko Kurawa in Cary Grant’s last film, “Walk Don’t Run.” After working with Toshirō Mifune in “Paper Tiger,” Taka often translated for him when he came to the U.S. (via Los Angeles Times).
She continued taking small roles in films and television series before being cast as Kiri in the film “Shogun” and the subsequent series, which saw her reunite with Toshirō Mifune. Her last screen appearance was as Toshirō Mifune’s wife in the 1982 film “The Challenge.”
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