Reiko Sato

Reiko Sato

Born: December 19, 1931
Died: May 28, 1981
in Los Angeles, California, USA
Reiko Sato (Japanese: レイコ・佐藤; December 19, 1931 – May 28, 1981) was an American dancer and actress.

Sato was born in Los Angeles, California, to an issei Zen Buddhist priest, Ken-ichi Sato, and his wife Chieko. She and her family were interned at the Gila River War Relocation Center during World War II. Her mother became a real estate investor after the war; Reiko also had an older brother, Keiichiro, and a younger brother, Koji. She graduated from Belmont High School in 1949, later attending Los Angeles City College. She continued her studies in ballet.

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. In 1955, she played the female lead of Lotus Blossom in the second national tour of John Patrick's play The Teahouse of the August Moon opposite Larry Parks. She was also in the Broadway play, Destry Rides Again, having two roles. Sato was scheduled to return to Broadway as part of a 1966 musical Chu Chem, but its chaotic Philadelphia tryout led to the production being canceled before reaching New York.

She participated in regional theater as well, performing in the Valentina Oumansky Dramatic Dance Ensemble on September 24, 1970, in Hilo, Hawaii.

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 aneurysm on May 28, 1981. Half of her ashes were sent to a Buddhist temple. The other half was "spirited away" to Marlon Brando's private island. Her authorized biography, Reiko Sato by Samuel Clemens was published on February 4, 2022.

Movies for Reiko Sato...

That's Dancing!
Title: That's Dancing!
Character: From 'Kismet' (archive footage)
Released: January 18, 1985
Type: Movie
A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from it's orgins after the invention of the movie camera, over the movie musical from the late 20s, 30s, 40s 50s and 60s up to the break dance and the music videos from the 80s.
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The Ugly American
Title: The Ugly American
Character: Rachani, Deong's Wife
Released: April 2, 1963
Type: Movie
An intelligent, articulate scholar, Harrison MacWhite, survives a hostile Senate confirmation hearing at the hands of conservatives to become ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war threatens a tense peace. Despite his knowledge, once he's there, MacWhite sees only a dichotomy between the U.S. and Communism. He can't accept that anti-American sentiment might be a longing for self-determination and nationalism. So, he breaks from his friend Deong, a local opposition leader, ignores a foreman's advice about slowing the building of a road, and tries to muscle ahead. What price must the country and his friends pay for him to get some sense?
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Flower Drum Song
Title: Flower Drum Song
Character: Helen Chao
Released: November 9, 1961
Type: Movie
A young woman arrives in San Francisco's Chinatown from Hong Kong with the intention of marrying a rakish nightclub owner, unaware he is involved with one of his singers.
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Hell to Eternity
Title: Hell to Eternity
Character: Famika
Released: August 1, 1960
Type: Movie
Based on the story about Guy Gabaldon, a Los Angeles Hispanic boy raised in the 1930s by a Japanese-American foster family. After Pearl Harbor, his foster family is interned at the Manzanar camp for Japanese Americans, while he enlists in the Marines, where his ability to speak Japanese becomes a vital asset. During the Battle of Saipan, he convinces 800 Japanese to surrender after their general commits suicide.
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Title: Hawaiian Eye
Released: October 7, 1959
Type: TV
Private Eyes Tom Lopaka and Tracy Steele are based out of Hawaiian Village Resort where they work both hotel security and are hired by others to look into various matters. They're helped by their trusty right-hand man Kazuo Kim who runs a taxi company and is always eager to help them.
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Kismet
Title: Kismet
Character: 1st Princess of Ababu (uncredited)
Released: October 8, 1955
Type: Movie
A roguish poet is given the run of the scheming Wazir's harem while pretending to help him usurp the young caliph. Kismet (The will of Allah), is the story of a young Caliph who falls in love with the beautiful Marsinah poet's daughter, in ancient Baghdad. Origin : Stranger in Paradise is a popular English song. The melody is an adaptation of the Polovtsian Dances (Prince Igor), popular in Russia.
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House of Bamboo
Title: House of Bamboo
Character: Charlie's Girl (uncredited)
Released: July 1, 1955
Type: Movie
Eddie Kenner is given a special assignment by the Army to get the inside story on Sandy Dawson, a former GI who has formed a gang of fellow servicemen and Japanese locals.
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Target Hong Kong
Title: Target Hong Kong
Character: Dice Girl (uncredited)
Released: February 6, 1953
Type: Movie
Yankee soldiers-of-fortune smash a spy plot aimed at seizing Hong Kong.
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Woman on the Run
Title: Woman on the Run
Character: Suzie
Released: November 10, 1950
Type: Movie
Frank Johnson, a sole witness to a gangland murder, goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris, on the theory that Frank is trying to escape from possible retaliation. Frank's wife, Eleanor, suspects he is actually running away from their unsuccessful marriage. Aided by a newspaperman, Danny Leggett, Eleanor sets out to locate her husband. The killer is also looking for him, and keeps close tabs on Eleanor.
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Mother Didn't Tell Me
Title: Mother Didn't Tell Me
Character: Suki (uncredited)
Released: March 3, 1950
Type: Movie
Jane Morgan (Dorothy McGuire) marries handsome doctor William Wright (William Lundigan), despite warnings from a host of other doctor's wives that she will be neglected and lonely, thanks to his career. Based on the novel The Doctor Has Three Faces by Mary Bard and billed as a movie with "all the answers" for new wives, this dated little film follows Jane's struggles to adapt her life to better suit her husband's needs.
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On the Town
Title: On the Town
Character: Dancer (uncredited)
Released: December 8, 1949
Type: Movie
Three sailors wreak havoc as they search for love during a whirlwind 24-hour leave in New York City.