Nobu McCarthy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Nobu McCarthy
McCarthy in a publicity photo for Johnny Staccato (1959–1960)
Born
Nobu Atsumi

(1934-11-13)November 13, 1934
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
DiedApril 6, 2002(2002-04-06) (aged 67)
Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
OccupationActress
Years active1958–2002
Spouses
David McCarthy
(m. 1955; div. 1970)
William Cuthbert
(m. 1976; died 1997)
Children2

Nobu McCarthy (Japanese: ノブ・マッカーシー, born Nobu Atsumi (渥美 延); November 13, 1934 – April 6, 2002) was a Canadian actress. She received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in the film The Wash.

Early life

McCarthy was born Nobu Atsumi in

fashion designer and diplomatic attaché stationed in Canada at the time.[1] She was raised in Japan, where she studied ballet. A modeling career eventually led to a beauty pageant in which she won the title of "Miss Tokyo".[2]

Career

Film

While shopping in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, McCarthy was discovered by talent agent Fred Ishimoto, which led to her film debut in the Jerry Lewis film The Geisha Boy (1958). In 1960, she appeared in the comedy film Wake Me When It's Over. In 1961 she starred alongside Shirley MacLaine and Laurence Harvey in the MGM movie Two Loves where she played a Maori child. 1963 saw her appear in an uncredited background role in the comedy drama Love with the Proper Stranger starring Steve McQueen and Natalie Wood. In the next decade, McCarthy continued acting in a small number of Television films and making numerous appearances in television episodes throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. She had some minor roles in a handful of movies including The Karate Kid Part II (1986.)

Television

She starred with Lloyd Bridges in a 1959 Sea Hunt television episode as a Hawaiian woman fighting to protect pearl-beds from poachers. She appeared in the 1960 episode "Princess of Crazy Creek" of the syndicated western TV series Pony Express, starring Grant Sullivan. In 1961, she appeared as Haru in the Laramie TV series episode "Dragon at the Door". She also appeared in the ABC adventure dramas Adventures in Paradise and The Islanders. In 1962 she appeared in the television series Wagon Train in the episode "The John Augustus Story" as Mayleen. She made two guest appearances on Perry Mason: in 1959 she played defendant Mitsou Kamuri in "The Case of the Blushing Pearls," and in 1965 she played Sally Choshi in "The Case of the Wrongful Writ."

She also guest starred on

Magnum P.I., and China Beach
.

Theater and independent film

In 1971, McCarthy joined

Asian American theatre group in Los Angeles. In 1986 she had a supporting role opposite Pat Morita in the film The Karate Kid Part II
.

Her starring role in the

UCLA. East West Players presented McCarthy with a lifetime achievement award in 1996,[3] and the Visionary Award in 1999.[4] McCarthy also did the voice-overs at the beginning and end of Picture Bride
.

Personal life

In 1955, she married David McCarthy, with whom she had two children. They divorced in 1970.[5] In 1976, she married William Cuthbert, though she kept McCarthy as her stage name.[6]

Death

On April 6, 2002, McCarthy died at the age of 67 from a ruptured

Gaijin - Ama-me Como Sou.[7]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1958 The Hunters Japanese Clerk Uncredited
1958 The Geisha Boy Kimi Sikita
1959 Tokyo After Dark B-Girl Uncredited
1959 Five Gates to Hell Chioko
1960 Wake Me When It's Over Ume Tanaka
1960 Walk Like a Dragon Kim Sung
1961 Two Loves Whareparita
1963 Love with the Proper Stranger Yuki Uncredited
1986 The Karate Kid Part II Yukie
1988 The Wash Masi Matsumoto
1990 Pacific Heights Mira Watanabe
1993 Painted Desert Sari Hatano
1999 Last Chance Miss Bea
2005 Gaijin 2: Love Me as I Am Shinobu (old) Final film role

See also

References

  1. ^ Nobu McCarthy Biography (1934-)
  2. ^ "A Girl from Japan Named McCarthy". Life. November 3, 1958. pp. 127–128, 130. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  3. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  4. ^ "East West Players Celebrates 33rd Anniversary May 24". Playbill. May 24, 1999. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  5. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  6. ^ "Nobu McCarthy, 67; Actress on Stage and Film". Los Angeles Times. April 9, 2002. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  7. . Retrieved September 26, 2018.

External links