Michi Kobi
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michi Kobi
| image = Portrait of Michi Kobi in c. 1959.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Kobi {{circa|1959}}
| birth_name = Machiko Kobinata Okamoto
| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=y|1924|11|02}}
| birth_place = Sacramento, California
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=y|2016|03|01|1924|11|02}}
| death_place = Manhattan, New York City, New York
| nationality = American
| alma_mater = New York University
| other_names =
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|model|secretary|translator}}
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| parents =
| signature = Signature of Michi Kobi, May 9, 1958.jpg
}}
Michi Kobi (2 November 1924 – 1 March 2016), born Machiko Kobinata Okamoto, was an American actress.{{cite web|url=https://apa.nyu.edu/michi-kobi-papers-tam-697/|title=Michi Kobi Papers (TAM 697)|last=|first=|date=13 August 2018 |publisher=Asian/Pacific/American Institute, New York University|accessdate=27 June 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9506E7D6153AF934A25757C0A9609D8B63.html|title=Kobi, Michi|last=|first=|work=New York Times|date=17 April 2016|accessdate=27 June 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/ns/michi-kobi-obituary/179659326|title=Michi Kobi Obituary|last=|first=|date=16 April 2016 |publisher=Legacy.comTimes|accessdate=27 June 2020}}
Life
Kobi was born 2 November 1924 in Sacramento, California as Machiko Kobinata Okamoto. Her father, Rikikazu Okamoto, came to America at age 17 in 1902 and became a doctor. In 1923 her father went to Japan, married Ito Kobinata, and brought her to Sacramento.{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/03/31/commentary/japan-commentary/became-temporarily-blind-deaf-paralyzed/|title=I became temporarily blind, deaf and paralyzed|last=Hiroaki|first=Sato|publisher=Japan Times|date=31 March 2016|accessdate=27 June 2020}} During World War II, following the signing of Executive Order 9066, Kobi and her mother were sent to Tanforan Assembly Center and then Topaz War Relocation Center.
After the war she went to New York City, seeking to become an actor, and lived there the rest of her life. She studied acting at New York University. In addition to acting on stage, screen, and television, she worked as a model, secretary, and translator. As a translator she worked for the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). She was very outspoken about the sanitized depictions of the conditions in the World War II internment camps and also campaigned for an apology and reparations. She left acting due to the few quality roles for Asian women. She died in Manhattan, New York City on 1 March 2016.
Filmography
- 1954: "The New Adventures of China Smith" (TV)
- 1959: Tokyo After Dark playing Sumi Fukita
- 1960: 12 to the Moon playing Dr. Hideko Murata
- 1960: Hell to Eternity playing Sono
- 1961: Cry for Happy playing Hanakichi
- 1991: American Rickshaw playing Old Madame Luna
- 2004: Law & Order (TV) episode "Gaijin", playing Mrs. Ito
Theater
- 1963–1964: original Broadway production of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" playing 'Nurse Nakamura'
See also
- Hiroaki Sato, who knew Kobi for 30 years and wrote an article upon her death
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm0462134}}
- [http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/tamwag/tam_697/ Michi Kobi Papers], Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University Special Collections
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Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:Actors from Sacramento, California
Category:American actresses of Japanese descent
Category:American film actresses
Category:American television actresses