Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1677/

Interviews

1. Keeping Japanese Performance Arts Alive in the Camps

2. Passing Time in the Camps with Baton Twirling

3. Takayo Fischer’s Love of Acting Started with Shibai

4. Facing Prejudice as a Japanese American Teenager in Chicago after the War

5. Takayo Fischer on Her First Time Expressing Outward Affection to Her Parents

6. Being Confused about Racial Identity in Postwar United States

7. Shock of Her Granddaughter Not Knowing Her Japanese Heritage

8. On the Difference between Being a Role and Playing a Role

9. Working on the Set of Pirates of the Caribbean and Meeting Keith Richards

10. The Emotional Toll of Being Incarcerated in Camp during World War II

11. Representing her Family and the Japanese American Community in Acting

12. Sister’s Trauma from being Incarcerated during World War II

13. Her Approach to Preparing for Roles

14. Getting the Role of Gwennie in The World of Suzie Wong

Fischer,Takayo

(b. 1932) Nisei American stage, film, and TV actress

Representing her Family and the Japanese American Community in Acting

I don’t know that I felt like everyone else. I felt like I was – I had to behave, I was setting an example – everything I did reflected not only on my mother and father or my sisters, but on all the Japanese-American community. So I had to behave and be good, because otherwise I would bring shame to the community. I felt like I was very much a part of that Issei/Nisei community right after the war. Maybe that was good for me, kept me out of trouble.

acting actors artists communities entertainers identity

Date: November 8, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: June Berk

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Takayo Fischer, born in November 1932, is a Nisei American stage, film, and TV actress. During World War II, as a young child, she and her family were forcibly evacuated from the West Coast and spent time in the Fresno Assembly Center before being relocated to Jerome and Rohwer concentration camps. Fischer later lived in Chicago, Illinois, where, as a young adult, she won the crown of “Miss Nisei Queen.” She has appeared in dozens of major Hollywood films, including Moneyball (2011), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). She also appeared in the stage production of The World of Suzie Wong in New York in 1958 and many productions with East West Players in Los Angeles. (June 2018)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Richard Kosaki

Growing up in Waikiki

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

Roy Hirabayashi

Hirabayashi,Roy

The philosophy of playing Taiko

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Mónica Kogiso

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Peter Mizuki

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Frank Yamasaki

Have compassion for all of humanity

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

Mónica Kogiso

Identity crisis (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Never sang Enka outside the family

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Fujima Kansuma

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Coming to Japan

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig

Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Kenny Endo

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

Vince Ota

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

Francis Y. Sogi

Sogi,Francis Y.

The Kona Island community

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

Previous
1
2
3
4
5
⋯
23
Next

3