On Saturday, September 17, 2005, the Japanese American Hall of Fame (JAHOF): “A Salute to the Stars" will pay tribute to famous Japanese American entertainers -- Pat Morita, George Takei, James Shigeta, Pat Suzuki and Mako -- with performances from some of today’s rising Asian American stars.

The 5:00 p.m show will be held the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco with a VIP Buffet Reception and auction for Premiere and Gold ticket holders to meet honorees and special guests. Clyde Kusatsu and Tamlyn Tomita have been invited to be the program emcees.

”A Salute to the Stars” tickets are already on sale. Individual show tickets prices are $50 Reserved Seating, $150 Premier Ticket, and $250 Gold Ticket.

By honoring these outstanding entertainers, the JAHOF intends to recognize not only their excellence in their chosen career, but also the important role they played in bringing pride to the Japanese American community. These entertainers have dedicated their careers to exposing mainstream media to their talents since the 1950s when there were no faces to represent the Asian American community:

(1) Pat Morita is a Japanese-American actor best known for the roles of Arnold on the TV show Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the movie The Karate Kid, for which he was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.

(2) James Shigeta is the first Asian-American to play a romantic leading man in Hollywood films. He is best known for starring in the production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Flower Drum Song (1961), the first Broadway musical ever produced about and starring Asian Americans

(3) Japanese actor Mako has spent most of his professional career in the United States. His first important film appearance was as Po-Han, Steve McQueen's assistant machinist, in The Sand Pebbles (1966), a performance that earned him an Oscar nomination. He remained in films into the 1990s, playing choice character parts in such films as Hawaiians, Conan the Destroyer, and Rising Sun.

(4) Singer and Broadway actress Pat Suzuki is best known for playing the female lead in the Flower Drum Song in the 1950’s. Her singing and acting delighted American audiences when she popularized the song "I Enjoy Being A Girl." Pat was the first Japanese American to record on a national label.

(5) George Takei is best known for his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in the acclaimed television and film series Star Trek, and has more than 30 feature films and hundreds of television guest-starring roles to his credit. In recognition of his profession, he received a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame in 1986, and he placed his signature and hand print in the forecourt of the landmark Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood in 1991.

The event will also include a tribute to other Japanese American entertainers who have since passed, including Jack Soo, Yuki Shimoda, Nobu McCarthy, and Sessue Hayakawa. The event will feature performances from contemporary actors in film and theater including Clyde Kusatsu, Christine Toy Johnson, James Saito, Sophie Oda, Gedde Watanabe, Kim Miyori, Yuka Takara, and Alvin Ing.

To purchase tickets, or for more information, please call 415.567.5505, or visit the event webpage at www.jcccnc.org/events/dinner.htm.

This event is organized by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (www.jcccnc.org).