Entertainer Hitoshi Ueki, a former member of the popular group "Hajime Hana and the Crazy Cats," died from respiratory failure at a hospital in Tokyo on Tuesday, sources close to him said. He was 80. Born into a Buddhist family in Mie Prefecture on Feb. 25, 1927, Ueki came to Tokyo at age 11 to receive Buddhism training. He later entered Toyo University in the capital. Ueki became a member of a band in 1946, and played in nightclubs. He joined "Sakai Frankie and the City Slickers" in 1954 and became a member of the Crazy Cats in 1957. After appearing in the popular Nippon TV variety show program, "Shabon-dama (soap bubble) Holiday," and releasing the song, "Sudarabushi," in the early 1960s, Ueki became a national celebrity. He also starred in the hit movie "Nippon Musekinin Jidai" in 1962. Following the success of the movie, Ueki acted in various TV dramas and shows. Ueki suffered from lung problems from around 1997. After being hospitalized in January this year, his condition worsened in mid-March. (Published in the Mainichi Newspapers, March 28, 2007
Entertainer Hitoshi Ueki, a former member of the popular group "Hajime Hana and the Crazy Cats," died from respiratory failure at a hospital in Tokyo on Tuesday, sources close to him said. He was 80. Born into a Buddhist family in Mie Prefecture on Feb. 25, 1927, Ueki came to Tokyo at age 11 to receive Buddhism training. He later entered Toyo University in the capital. Ueki became a member of a band in 1946, and played in nightclubs. He joined "Sakai Frankie and the City Slickers" in 1954 and became a member of the Crazy Cats in 1957. After appearing in the popular Nippon TV variety show program, "Shabon-dama (soap bubble) Holiday," and releasing the song, "Sudarabushi," in the early 1960s, Ueki became a national celebrity. He also starred in the hit movie "Nippon Musekinin Jidai" in 1962. Following the success of the movie, Ueki acted in various TV dramas and shows. Ueki suffered from lung problems from around 1997. After being hospitalized in January this year, his condition worsened in mid-March. (Published in the Mainichi Newspapers, March 28, 2007
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