Asian roles on screen: protests over Lost Horizon and Charlie Chan

Vol. 74, No. 17, May 5, 1972. 6 pages. View this issue

How Asian Americans were cast and shown in the media led the news. The JACL objected to Sir John Gielgud playing Chang in Ross Hunter’s musical remake of Lost Horizon, and Hunter answered that he had long supported Oriental actors and had cast James Shigeta in a major role. The front page also reported a planned Charlie Chan revival, with an NBC series starring Ross Martin in yellow face, and Ed Tokeshi challenged a radio commentator who dismissed such objections. Al Hatate explained the proposed 1973-74 JACL budget, and the Pacific Southwest District Council suggested David Ushio as convention banquet speaker.

Other pages carry Henry T. Tanaka’s column on JACL priorities, Joe Oyama’s Manhattan Echoes, and two book reviews, one of Lucky Come Hawaii and one by Allan Beekman on interracial adoption. Community news includes San Francisco’s Cherry Blossom Festival parade, which drew 85,000 viewers, and Pasadena’s Mishima Week. Michio Suzuki’s move to a federal post is also reported.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL Protests Casting of Gielgud as Chang in ‘Lost Horizon’ Remake, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL objected to casting Sir John Gielgud as Chang in Ross Hunter’s musical remake of Lost Horizon and urged Oriental actors be cast in Oriental roles. Hunter responded that he has consistently supported Oriental talent and cast James Shigeta in a major role.
• ‘Charlie Chan’ Revival Underway in Various Media, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Charlie Chan revival is planned including an NBC television series starring Ross Martin in yellow face, packaged foods, reissued novels, a comic strip, and a cartoon. Columnist Jerry Lee criticized the revival as profiting others while Asian Americans gain nothing.
• California Senator Song Introduces No-Fault Auto Insurance Measure, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Senator Alfred Song introduced SB 40, a comprehensive no-fault automobile insurance bill developed by a commission including national JACL legal counsel Bob Takasugi. The bill provides up to $5,000 in no-fault benefits and limits lawsuits for minor injuries.

Commentary

• Radio Commentator’s Point Challenged, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ed Tokeshi challenged KPOL commentator James Marine’s April 18 remarks dismissing objections to racial stereotyping in the media. Tokeshi argued that while personal speech may be blunt, communications media should exercise self-restraint.
• Priorities, by Henry T. Tanaka, page 2. Henry Tanaka reflects on whether JACL has lost focus, noting that individuals across Los Angeles and San Francisco are personally committed to improving Asian American lives. He asks whether JACL as an organization can match that personal commitment.
• Public Health Nurse Letter Exchange, by George Pickett, page 2. Public health official George Pickett responds to an earlier letter from Issei Yokota regarding the San Mateo County Health Department’s handling of a community nursing transfer. Pickett disputes several claims about his February 29 meeting with JACL members.
• Two Areas of Interest, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A reader writes about JACL’s international advocacy, cautioning that positions favoring Japan’s image may conflict with American interests. The writer also urges planning for Issei retirement homes with direct input from the Issei themselves.
• Manhattan Echoes: Joe Oyama, by Joe Oyama, page 2. Joe Oyama recounts his son Richard’s cross-country trip from New York to California, including a shaky start with a faulty wheel. The son’s letter from Berkeley describes his impressions of California and the reflections of cultural identity.

Community

• Michio ‘Mike’ Suzuki Leaves California Social Welfare Post for Federal Job, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Michio Suzuki, a Nisei who was incarcerated at the Utah camp during WWII, was appointed to direct Children’s and Family Services for HEW’s Community Services Administration in Washington, D.C. He has a long record in state social welfare and JACL leadership, including serving as national vice president.
• Rev. Lloyd Wake May Be First Methodist Bishop, by Toge Fujihira, page 1. The Asian American Caucus nominated Rev. Lloyd Wake, a Nisei minister at Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, for the Episcopacy in the Western Jurisdiction. Wake was born in Reedley, Calif., and has served several Japanese American and Bay Area churches.
• Alhambra High School Paper Earns 13th Consecutive NSPA Award, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Alhambra High School paper The Moor earned an All-American rating from the National Scholastic Press Association, its 18th consecutive and 19th overall. The publication is advised by Nisei teacher Ted Tajima.
• Nisei Named Head of National Park in Hawaii, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii-born Jerry Y. Shimoda was appointed superintendent of City of Refuge National Historical Park in Honaunau, Kona. He has previously served at several National Park Service sites including Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site.
• Bilingual Voter and Precinct Official Bill Passes California Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 1. AB 4, authored by Assemblyman Alex Garcia, passed the California Assembly to allow bilingual precinct officials to assist voters in languages other than English in areas with high concentrations of non-English speakers. The bill now moves to the Senate.
• Assemblyman Garcia Bilingual Bill Passes Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The bill allowing bilingual precinct officials and registrars to assist non-English-speaking voters passed the California Assembly 46-17. It now proceeds to the Senate.
• Pasadena Boy’s Club Member Rodrigo Guerra Honored as Boy of the Year, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rodrigo Guerra, a Pasadena Boys’ Club member, was selected as Boy of the Year and will receive a $4,000 scholarship from the Reader’s Digest Foundation. He was chosen from nearly one million members nationwide.
• Pasadena JACLers Assist Week-Long Mishima Sister City Program, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pasadena JACL participated in Mishima Week celebrating the 15th anniversary of the city’s sister city affiliation with Mishima, Japan. Activities included exhibits, folk dances, and a Mutual Friendship Dinner at the Pasadena Buddhist Church.
• Nisei Named by Jack Anderson for Car Pool Abuse, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Deputy Air Force Undersecretary Robert Naka was named by columnist Jack Anderson for using a military car to meet him at Dulles Airport. Anderson reported broader abuse of official vehicles by Pentagon officials.
• Amerasian Youth Day to Feature Career Panels, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Asian American Education Commission will hold its first Amerasian Youth Day at Belmont High School on May 13 with career discussion panels for junior and senior high students. Keynote speaker will be School Superintendent Bill Johnston.
• Old Tokaido Road Topic of West Valley JACL Talk, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Barbara Fuller, a resident of Japan, gave a talk on the Tokugawa period and the famous travelers along the Tokaido Road. The program was hosted by the West Valley JACL chapter.
• Sonoma County JACL Selects Carol J. Fujii as Scholarship Nominee, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Carol J. Fujii, daughter of Tetsuro Fujii of Sebastopol, was selected as the Sonoma County JACL nominee for the national JACL scholarship. She is an honor student and has served on her high school student body council.
• 85,000 View S.F. Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival parade drew 85,000 viewers along a 1.5-mile route from City Hall to Nihonmachi. It was the best-attended festival in its five-year history.

JACL

• PSWDC Suggests David Ushio as Convention Banquet Speaker, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council unanimously recommended David Ushio, incoming Washington representative, as keynote speaker for the Congressional Banquet at the national JACL convention. The district also nominated Al Hatate for a second term as national treasurer.
• JACL Proposed Basic Budget for 1973-74 Biennium, by Al Hatate, page 1. National Treasurer Al Hatate explains the proposed JACL budget for 1973-74, which totals about $270,180 in basic expenses and includes personnel, overhead, administration, and program costs. He notes the budget will be considered by the National Council at the Washington convention and that additional income options must be weighed against major program proposals.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Sues for Injuries Sustained in Boating Mishap, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Vicki Ogasawara and Allen Okamoto received settlements for burns suffered in a 1970 boating explosion on Lake Berryessa. The settlement was paid by the boat owner and boat builder.

Arts & Entertainment

• Book Review: Lucky Come Hawaii, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The review covers Shirota’s novel about a retired Issei and his family on Oahu, set against the backdrop of Pearl Harbor and wartime Hawaii. The reviewer praises its realistic portrayal of Japanese American life while noting weaknesses in its prose.
• Book Review: Children of Special Value: Interracial Adoption in America, by Allan Beekman, page 5. The review examines the growing acceptance of interracial adoption in America, including a federal court ruling striking down Louisiana’s restrictions. The book explores both the obstacles and rewards for white families adopting nonwhite children.

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