Posted on 01/23/2023 2:20:40 PM PST by nickcarraway
He played Fuji Kobiaji, the Japanese prisoner of war turned Seaman 3rd Class, on all 138 episodes of the wacky ABC series.
Yoshio Yoda, who portrayed Fuji Kobiaji, the lovable Japanese prisoner of war who becomes a valued member of the PT-73 crew led by Ernest Borgnine on the 1960s ABC comedy McHale’s Navy, died Jan. 13 in Fullerton, California, it was announced. He was 88.
Yoda appeared on every one of the 138 episodes of McHale’s Navy during the Universal Television show’s 1962-66 run, plus two movies.
His character deserted from the Imperial Japanese Navy and becomes a Seaman 3rd Class, gladly “serving time” cooking and working for Borgnine’s Lt. Commander Quinton McHale and his crew on the fictional Pacific island base of Taratupa.
Fuji’s presence and identity is meant to be kept a secret from Joe Flynn’s Captain Binghamton, so whenever the boss arrives unannounced, he’s told to “head for the hills!” in a popular running gag.
Born in Tokyo on March 31, 1934, Yoda was studying law at Keio University in Japan when he was encouraged to pursue an acting career, and he enrolled at the University of Southern California’s film school in 1958.
MGM producers contacted USC seeking an actor who was bilingual in Japanese and English, and he was cast as Sgt. Roy Tada alongside Jim Hutton and Paula Prentiss in the World War II comedy The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962), directed by Richard Thorpe.
He attended night school while appearing on McHale’s Navy and wound up getting his degree in cinema arts.
After the show ended, Yoda appeared on ABC’s Love, American Style in 1969 and served as an assistant vice president of Toyota Hawaii in Honolulu. He moved to Fullerton when he retired.
He was predeceased in death by his son, Edward. Per his request, no services will be held.
Rest in peace, Fuji.
That’s what you can do if you fight until your enemy succumbs. Just like Sgt Schultze.
“60”s. Hands down.
Hell, shows that ranked number 25 were better than the top 5 shows on now.
Unless you worked for General Motors, Ford or Chrysler
Combat! And 12 o’clock high were my favorites. A couple of westerns too. But Tv has pretty much sucked since then. I recall in the 70’s whenever some show would have an episode with UFOs, that signaled the end of that show’s series soon after. I guess they thought it would bring in viewers and it was a desperate move.
When I was young and watched the show and reruns in the 60’s and 70’s, I thought it was a sitcom. Then I joined the Navy in 1976 and discovered it was a documentary.
McHale’s Navy is on my short list of favorite all-time shows, but I don’t remember the Japanese crewman.
RIP.
IIRC, they used to call him “Fuj”
Citation, please!
Regards,
I remember he had a big PW on the back of his shirt. Didn’t McHale’s guys also call him that?
TV went into the dumper in the 70s
Up until then it GENERALLY re-enforced decent wholesome values that were universally accepted.
Starting in the late 60s, early 70s, it began to work actively to undercut them.
TV today, is largely a waste... more content than ever, and less and less of it worth a damn.
Fuji, who wore a white jumper with PW on the back, was in all 138 episodes of McHale’s Navy, even the ones set in Italy. Usually seen as a cook.
I was there. That’s the citation.
"The Munsters"
Season 1, Episode 18: "If a Martian Answers, Hang Up"
Herman contacts by radio a "Helosian" from "Outer Limits"
Continued till the end of Season 2
"My Three Sons"
Season 7, Episode 17: "You Saw a What?"
No one believes Ernie when he says that he saw a flying saucer.
Continued till the end of Season 12.
"Gilligan's Island"
Season 2, Episode 9: "Nyet, Nyet, Not Yet"
Two Soviet cosmonauts land on the island, way off course from their target.
Continued till the end of Season 3.
"The Wild, Wild West"
Season 2, Episode 6: "The Night of the Flying Pie Plate"
Series continued till the end of Season 4.
That's just a small selection, disproving your "impression."
Regards,
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