The Story of Helen Higgins
Helen Higgins was a popular model in the 1950s, known for her western-looking mixed-race features. Learn more about her career, which included magazine features, television appearances, and a few films.
Mulboyne
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ヘレン・ヒギンス (Helen Higgins, also known as Helen Furusawa Higgins) was popular in the 1950s. With a Russian mother, and Japanese father, she was one of the first western-looking mixed-race models. pic.twitter.com/E8TQAveg0o
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A 1954 photo shows her introducing James Michener to actors Takako Mikami and Masao Songoku at the Imperial Theatre. https://t.co/x4hZpVdRFX pic.twitter.com/BTCyvCkEuD
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She was one of the top models of the time, regularly appearing in magazine features, and music shows on television. pic.twitter.com/AWstzKVM9J
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Helen Higgins also starred in a few films, which are interesting in the way they use a Japanese-speaking western-looking character. She appeared with major star Kinnosuke Nakamura in the second film of his Tales of Young Genji Kuro trilogy. Here's a clip from the trailer. pic.twitter.com/rouA7Jo1Lr
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A blog entry on the film says there were plans for a kiss scene between the two but it was dropped. Instead Helen Higgins' character has an unrequited love. pic.twitter.com/IGbsoWKvHT
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No such restraint when she starred alongside Toshio Hosokawa, playing a Russian doctor, helping him escape the Soviet Union. pic.twitter.com/0zTMfeFh4O
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Perhaps the most interesting film is a comedy called 日米花嫁花婿入替取替合戦 (Japanese and American Newly-weds: Swapping Contest). pic.twitter.com/ueqUMkB5CY
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The start of the film shows James and Lily (Higgins) getting married Japanese-style. Meanwhile, next door, Daikichi and Mariko are marrying in Western-style. pic.twitter.com/YbmUbd8sWA
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The set-up of the film is that Lily wants a Japanese lifestyle, while Mariko loves all things Western. Here's a scene, where Mariko puts her long-suffering maid through some Western dance moves. https://t.co/bOGoGg94ec pic.twitter.com/ltIdF3D5ea
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Fortunately, a Japanese Twitter user has already put up a six tweet thread with a plot summary of the film, and two dozen stills, so you can skip straight to that. https://t.co/VCuhYqZMyv
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As that summary says, the couple are mismatched. Daikichi swaps his extravagent western lunch for a simple Japanese bento. James complains that Lily serves him green tea instead of coffee. pic.twitter.com/L5Z9KhP1fL
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With James confiding in Mariko, tension between the couples rises, leading to a comic duel between the husbands. Mariko's father sees it all as a big joke, and suggests they swap partners for a happier life. pic.twitter.com/oOfoW3nYVq
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Incidentally, James is played in this film by George Luiker, who was born in Yokohama to an Estonian father and Armenian mother. He went to school with Erick and Otto Okada, who appeared in this old thread: https://t.co/GEuYmeXOzG pic.twitter.com/bsIGGaU7IX
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For five or six years, Helen Higgins was everywhere, and then seemed to disappear. A 1960 magazine shot says she was off to America. THis blog says Higgins was actually her married name,and husband Fred Higgins was a US businessman. https://t.co/kw8ZoYsFCY pic.twitter.com/5oc3Ewqayz
— Mulboyne (@Mulboyne) March 30, 2023