Yoshio Yoda Dies: ‘McHale’s Navy’ Actor Was 88
deadline.comYoshio Yoda, who portrayed Fuji, the sweet-natured Japanese prisoner of war befriended by the irreverent gang of American sailors at the center of the 1962-66 ABC World War II-set sitcom McHale’s Navy, died Jan.
13 in Fullerton, CA. He was 88. Yoda, who also went be the name James Yoshio Yoda during his post-acting career as an executive of Toyota Hawaii, was born in Tokyo and studied law at Keio University in Japan before deciding on an acting career.
After moving to the United States, Yoda enrolled at the University of Southern California’s film school. In 1961, when producers for the MGM film The Horizontal Lieutenant contacted the school looking for a young actor who was bilingual in Japanese and English, the school recommended Yoda.
He landed the role, and his performance led directly to his involvement in the McHale’s Navy series and two feature film adaptations.
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