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person_profile-Jack Soo

Jack Soo Died at age: 61

Actor | Producer

Fullname:

Jack Soo

Date of Birth:

Oct 28, 1917

Country of birth:

U.S.

Died:

Jan 11, 1979

Biography of

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.

Photos of

Jack Soo

Photos ( 1 Photos

Filmography of

Jack Soo

Found 9 Movies in total

You Don't Know Jack: The Jack Soo Story

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2009

Return from Witch Mountain

Mr. "Yo-Yo" Yokomoto ( Actor )

... 1978

She Lives!

Dr. Osikawa ( Actor )

... 1973

The Monk

Hip Guy ( Actor )

... 1969

The Green Berets

Colonel Cai ( Actor )

... 1968

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Oriental #1 ( Actor )

... 1967

The Oscar

Sam ( Actor )

... 1966

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Yoshimi Hiroti ( Actor )

... 1963

Flower Drum Song

'Sammy' Fong ( Actor )

... 1961