'Flower Drum Song' Actor, a Groundbreaking Leading Man Four Decades Ago, Sings a Slightly Different Tune

editor — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:03:21 -0800

'Flower Drum Song' Actor, a Groundbreaking Leading Man Four Decades Ago, Sings a Slightly Different Tune

By Greg Yano

It’s often noted that James Shigeta is the only Asian American actor to be groomed as a romantic lead in Hollywood’s studio system. At a time when interracial relationships were rare, Shigeta romanced leading ladies, who also happened to be Caucasian, in the groundbreaking films “The Crimson Kimono” (1959) and “Bridge to the Sun” (1961).

His most celebrated role later came in the splashy 1961 movie musical “Flower Drum Song,” where he performed opposite Nancy Kwan in a film that paved the way for the next generation of Asian Americans in media.

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'Flower Drum Song' Actor, a Groundbreaking Leading Man Four Decades Ago, Sings a Slightly Different Tune

'Flower Drum Song' Actor, a Groundbreaking Leading Man Four Decades Ago, Sings a Slightly Different Tune