Reiko Sato

Reiko Sato
Born (1931-12-19)December 19, 1931
Los Angeles, California, US
Died May 28, 1981(1981-05-28) (aged 49)
Los Angeles, California, US
Years active 1950–63

Reiko Sato (December 19, 1931 – May 28, 1981) was an American dancer and actress.

Early life

Reiko Sato was born in Los Angeles, California to issei farm operator, Tonezo Sato and his wife Chieko.[1] She and her family were interned at the Gila River War Relocation Center during World War II.[2] Her mother became a real estate investor after the war; Reiko also had many siblings. She graduated from Belmont High School in 1949, later attending Los Angeles City College. She continued her studies in ballet.

Career

Sato is best known for playing seamstress Helen Chao in the 1961 feature film Flower Drum Song. She also had a dramatic role in The Ugly American, receiving personal coaching from actor Marlon Brando with whom she had a relationship. She had been on contract with Fox and Universal, but nothing materialized, and she retired from Hollywood.

She had performed as the original Princess of Ababu in the Broadway production of Kismet, as well as the movie. She was also in the Broadway play, Destry Rides Again, having two roles.[1]

Final years

Reiko Sato spent her final years involved in various organizations promoting equality for Asian-American performers. She lived on Mulholland Drive. She died of a brain aneurism on May 28, 1981.[3] Half of her ashes were sent to a Buddhist temple. The other half were "spirited away" to Marlon Brando's private island.[1]

Filmography

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://encyclopedia.densho.org/Reiko%20Sato/
  2. ↑ "National Archives: Reiko Sato". Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  3. ↑ Robinson, Greg (2016). The Great Unknown: Japanese American Sketches. University Press of Colorado. p. 220. ISBN 9781607324294.


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