Jack Soo(1917-1979)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
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 (1975), 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.
