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Yoko Tani (1928-1999) was a Japanese actress and nightclub entertainer. Some writers have described her as “Eurasian” or “half French”. These half white labels were thought necessary because there was a belief she would be accepted more as an exotic than as a Japanese woman by European post World War II audiences. The reality is that both her parents were Japanese but worked for the Japanese embassy in Paris. She was conceived on a boat to France and born in Paris. She was given the name “Yoko” which means “ocean child”. She and her family returned to Japan in 1930 and she returned to France in 1950 after finishing her schooling in Japan. She went back to France because she was awarded a scholarship to study aesthetics at the University of Paris. She stayed in school for a couple of years but it did not hold her interest. She developed a strong attraction to the world of cabarets, night clubs and music halls. She entered into “show business” and became known as an “exotic oriental beauty” with her provocative sexy “geisha” dances. These dances often ended with her slipping out of her kimono. She also appeared in “cheesecake photographs”. Discovered by Marcel Carne, a French film director, she entered into his social world of filmdom. She met and later married Roland Lesaffre, the French actor. It would be the first of two marriages. She soon began acting in films. Until the mid 1950’s her acting roles were confined to stereotyped Asians in French films. In 1956 she appeared in French films in more substantial roles. While in Japan, she appeared in a film with a “women in prison” theme. Between 1957 and 1962, Tani appeared in international films. Her first English language film was Graham Greene’s “The Quiet American”. She had a small role playing a French speaking Vietnamese nightclub hostess. In regard to English language films, Tani’s first great success was in “The Wind Cannot Read” (1958). She had a leading actress role and her success helped land her additional English language roles (Great Britain and the United States). Additional Hollywood parts included My Geisha (1962) and “Who’s Been Sleeping In My Bed” (1963). In about 1963, she became more of a European based actress. She worked on mainly low budget Italian films and in femme fatale roles in British television. Tani maintained her love for cabaret and nightclubs throughout her career. The producer of “The Wind Cannot Read” wrote that when looking to recruit Tani for the picture, she found her in a “girlie club”, basically, a strip tease joint in Paris. It was reported that in the 1960’s, she worked in the Le Crazy Horse de Paris nightclub. In 1997, at nearly 50 years of age, she was in Brazil to play a small role in a sexploitation film. Also in 1977 she starred in a transvestite show in downtown Sao Paulo. The IMDb credits Tani with 53 film acting credits between 1949 and 2018.
Postcard 1 showcases the beauty of Yoko Tani. This photograph is certainly a “cheesecake” image. Tani seems to be falling out of her robe (kimono). Let there be no doubt, sex sells. This was true in the 1950’s and 1960’s as well as today. Unfortunately, women were, and are, seen as objects. This vintage real photo postcard was made in France and published by the “Globe”. The card was part of a series (no.713). The photograph was taken by famed celebrity photographer Sam Levin. Levin was popular both in Europe as well as the United States. This photo postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
Postcard 2 is a risque photograph of Miss Tani. She is wearing the same robe as the one she wears in Postcard 1. It is strategically ill fitting. The postcard is made in Paris and published by the globe as part of a series (no.469). The photographer is Sam Levin. This photo postcard is in very good condition.
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3116
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$14.72
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #3116
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$23.22
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3117
To purchase this item, click on the Pay with PayPal button below
$22.16
Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) #3117
To purchase this item, click on the Pay with PayPal button below
$30.66
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