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May 6, 2021 · His father, George Suzuki, was a tailor, and his mother, Haruko Shiozawaa Suzuki, a dressmaker. Goro attended Oakland Technical High School and worked as both a farm laborer and contractor. But he really wanted to be an entertainer from an early age, an unusual choice for American-born Japanese.
- Early life and family
- Early years
- Early career
- Acting career
- Musical career
- Family
- Death
Jack Soo was born on October 28, 1917, as Goro Suzuki. Although his parents lived in Oakland, they decided to give birth to their son in Japan, and Goro Suzuki was born on the ship before it reached Japan.
The son of George Suzuki, a tailor, and Haruko Shiozawaa Suzuki, a dressmaker, Suzuki attended Oakland Technical High School, and worked as a farm laborer and eventually as a contractor, buying melons in Turlock. He decided early in his life that he wanted to be an entertainer a highly unusual choice for a second-generation American born Japanese....
There, Suzuki, then in his mid-20s, quickly earned a reputation as a popular camp entertainer among his fellow internees by singing and performing at events. He later received authorization from the U.S. government to leave the internment camps and later worked in military intelligence in Cleveland, Ohio. After the war, Suzuki began working as a bu...
Suzuki, who took on the stage name of Jack Soo after World War II, returned to the West Coast, and was a popular act at Andy Wongs Sky Room and Charlie Lows Forbidden City in San Francisco, which featured all Chinese performers. It was at the Forbidden City that Soo was discovered by Gene Kelly, who offered Soo the role of nightclub announcer Frank...
But Soos talent stretched far beyond the memorable roles and characters he created for film and television. He began his career as a singer and was often referred to as the Asian Bing Crosby. He was among one of the first non-African American artists signed to Motown records in 1965, and was the first male artist to record the classic, For Once In ...
In 1945, Jack Soo married former model Jan Zdelar, who he met in New York. They had three children: Jayne, James and Richard, and two grandchildren. Jack Soos brother, Michio Mike Suzuki, was the director of policy at the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Washington, D.C.
Sadly, Soo died of cancer on January 11, 1979 at the height of his popularity. His death shocked Soos friends and cast members of the show Barney Miller, which was in its fifth season, and the entire cast stepped out of character in a tribute to Jack in an episode that aired in May of 1979. It was said that his last words to his co-star Hal Linden,...
Haruko "Haru" Suzuki formerly Shiozawa. Born about 20 Mar 1890 in Japan. Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown] [sibling (s) unknown] Wife of Kanichiro Suzuki — married [date unknown] [location unknown] Mother of Goro Adona (Suzuki) Soo and Michio Suzuki.
- Female
- March 20, 1890
- Kanichiro Suzuki
- December 16, 1949
Born on 20 Mar 1890. Died on 16 Dec 1942. Buried in Oakland, California, USA.
Haruko Shiozawaa Suzuki. Save this record and choose the information you want to add to your family tree. Save record. Name. Haruko Shiozawaa Suzuki. Gender. Female. Description. Haruko Shiozawaa Suzuki is a dressmaker.
Haruko Shiozawaa Suzuki. Trivia. His last words to Hal Linden as he was being wheeled into the operating room before his death were "It must have been the coffee." This was a reference to the running gag of his character Nick Yemana from Barney Miller (1975) having the reputation for making horrible coffee.
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