Free Methodist Ties to Asian American
Show Biz Pioneer

A few Sundays ago in church, Vince Takeuchi's mother stood in front of the congregation, introduced herself and thanked everyone for their support and prayers over the years when she lost her husband, Jospeh, and daughter, Robin. I was immediately impressed by her poise and charm and talked to her after service. Little did I know at the tie that I was speaking with an Asian American legend and pioneer in the world of music. …

Despite experiencing racial and gender prejudice, Florence Ahn Takeuchi was one of the greatest Asian-American female entertainers and singers from the 1940s to 1960s. She was the only Asian-American vaudeville singer to attain star status. For twenty years, she performed in cities throughout the U.S., Canada and Cuba. Yet, she is largely forgotten today, mainly because her performing medium was the stage and not film, so no visual record of her performances remain.

Born in Honolulu, the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents, Florence studied the piano in her early teens and sang with her sisters at the Korean Methodist Church. "Our social life revolved around the Korean Methodist Church on Fort Street. As children, our big treat was to go to the Chinese restaurant after church for lunch. Growing up, we were encouraged to sing in the church choir and to participate in the church socials," said Florence.

While she was a talented pianist, it was her interest in singing that brought her to study at Los Angeles City College (LACC) in1937.

Following LACC, her journey through the music world as young singer flourished. She won a scholarship to the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York, a pioneer achievement for an Asian-American. At Julliard, she majored in voice and also studied opera and bullet under some of the most famous teachers of the time.

As the eldest child, her mother had admonished her to set an example for her three younger sisters. "You have to a Korean. Then your sisters will marry Koreans. "While living at the International House in NYC, she met Kumsung Rie, a Waseda University graduate who had completed studies at Harvard. Although Korean, Mr. Rie had been raised mainly in Japan. "He was a brilliant man, mostly Japanese in thinking." said Florence. They met at a dance and later married. Florence gave birth to their two sons,
Vincent and Laurence.

Soon after the war, her husband moved to Korea to start a business. Florence took her boys to Honolulu to live with family. She began teaching voice and piano and led the church choir. Eager to resume a career, Florence got the prized role of "Patience", in the Gilbert & Sullivan opera, with an all while cast in October 1946.

She sang a Mozart aria with the Honolulu Symphony and appeared in community theatre productions. She so impressed the symphony's all-white Board of Directors with her industriousness that they appointed her to the Board, an unusual achievement for an Asian-American woman still in her late 20's.

"In my quiet, shy way, I was pushy," said Florence. "In the beginning, I was ambitious." Despite experiencing racial and gender prejudice in Honolulu and other parts of the country, she persevered. Shy in social settings, singing became her emotional outlet.

With her husband in Korea, Florence returned to New York to support her family. She began singing in vaudeville theaters and night clubs throughout the country and Canada. "Vaudeville liked sopranos," said Florence. Vaudeville was a form of theatrical entertainment, most typically a variety show popular in the late 19th and ea 20th century. The Palace Theatre in New York City was the leading theater and to appear there was the aspiration of almost every vaudeville performer. Florence Ahn appeared there. After her performance in the Palace, Variety, the authoritative trade journal said of her, "She has a fully developed soprano, which she uses to excellent advantage in the semi-classics."

In 1950, she went to Cuba and quickly became "the toast of Havana." She sang at the San Souci and Tropicana Clubs and the Seville Biltmore Hotel. She was so popular that she remained there with Vince and Laurence for two years. They lived in a $2000 per month penthouse at the Biltmore with a grand piano and a maid. So great was her popularity that the press called her the "Chinese lady of song."

After divorcing her husband, she later met and married Joseph Takeuchi, a professional chef who had trained on the east coast. They settled in Los Angeles and had two daughters, Jenniver and Robin.

Continuing with her career, Florence sang at the Million Dollar Theatre on Broadway in Los Angeles. Radio, television and theaters received her warmly. In 1958, she performed at the Desert Inn and Thunderbird hotels in Las Vegas. "This was the place all entertainers wanted to be," said Florence. In 1959, she joined the cast of "The Flower Drum Song" when they performed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and the Midwest. She retired in 1962.

Today Florence lives quietly with her son-in-law and grandson in Canyon Country. Her son, Vincent, a landscape architect, resides with his wife, Emily, and son, Nicklaus, in Laguna Niguel. Her son Laurence is a professor at Cal State Sacramento and daughter Jenniver is president of a pension administration firm.

The diminutive singer has clearly earned the status and respect due her for her remarkable talents and heroic personality.