Teruko Akatsuki

From SSK (Shochiku Girls' Opera Company).

Debuted as a child actress in 1933 (Showa 8).

Became a semi-regular member in 1939 (Showa 14) and performed as one of the four Jolly Sisters with Michiko Namiki and others.

Joined the Furukawa Ropper Theater in 1941 (Showa 16). Also performed on Takarazuka and Shochiku stages.

After the war, she became an exclusive performer at the Ernie Pyle Theater (Tokyo Takarazuka Theater) and gained popularity, being affectionately called "Terry" by foreign soldiers.

In 1948 (Showa 23), she signed a contract with Daiei and made her film debut in "Haru Ranman Tanuki Matsuri".

In 1949 (Showa 24), she changed her name from Teruko to Teruko.

In February 1949 (Showa 24), she became an exclusive performer for Victor Records and debuted with "Minami no Koiuta" and "Kore ga Boogie Woogie".

The composer of this song, "Masao Murasame," is a pen name of Ryoichi Hattori. His songs "Minnesota Egg Seller" and "Tokyo Shoeshine Boy," released in 1951, became his representative hits.

Furthermore, with her physique honed through dance and her boundless cheerfulness, she also excelled in feature films, including musical comedies. From 1957, she gained popularity on television, appearing in shows such as NHK's "Gesture."

In 1958 (Showa 33), she suffered from a chest ailment and effectively retired. On July 20, 1962 (Showa 37), she died of a heart attack at his home in Egota 4-chome, Nakano-ku, at the age of 41. His grave is at Joshinji Temple in Mukogaoka, Bunkyo-ku.

Her ex-husband was Tsuneo Harada (Captain Harada), a former U.S. Army officer and Far East scout for the San Francisco Giants. They married in 1947 and divorced in 1958. In 1951, Akatsuki and Harada had a son, but he died suddenly at the age of seven in 1958.