- 7 minutes ago
The death of Jack Soo in 1979 marked the passing of both a fine comedy actor and one of TV's most memorable characters: Nick Yemana, the deadpan detective.
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00:0312 precinct sergeant amana yes sir a stolen car uh what kind of car mr rivelli
00:16studebaker
00:19will you describe the car please black fenders silver doors
00:26green hood coconut uh seat covers monkey fur dashboard
00:35maybe it wasn't stolen maybe it ran away
00:46mr rivelli uh will you hold it a minute i i gotta find a pencil
01:01okay go ahead
01:06don't mention
01:09oh my god i ate my eraser
01:14that was jack sue as nick yamana the role he played in over 80 episodes of barney miller until his
01:20death this past january
01:22i'm hal linden and with me is the rest of the cast of our show
01:25what follows is a a recollection of some of jack's best moments on barney miller enjoy them
01:35were you carrying cash or travelers checks
01:38oh shame on you don't you pay attention to carl malden
01:47i'm sorry to hear that sir but uh you better dig up some more money or you're gonna get picked
01:53up for vagrancy
02:00oh
02:05oh
02:06oh
02:35guitar solo
02:48guitar solo
03:07There were many facets to Nick Humana, but for some reason what a lot of people remember
03:11most vividly is his coffee and how bad it was.
03:17This is where some of the worst concoctions in America were brewed, and over the years
03:23Nick made hundreds of pots, but somehow he never got it quite right.
03:27No.
03:29Coffee?
03:31Oh!
03:32I'd almost forgotten it existed.
03:36I ran out in 1944.
03:40You're in for a treat.
03:48It's funny.
03:50I don't remember it tasting like this.
03:55Progress, Mr. Unger.
03:58Would you like some more coffee?
04:00What?
04:02Coffee.
04:04Oh, no, thank you.
04:05I can't drink coffee.
04:06Do you have any more of this?
04:13Would you like some coffee?
04:15Uh, yeah, sure.
04:18These cups look different.
04:19I scrubbed off all the mold and milled you.
04:23I thought it was a pattern.
04:26How is it, Mrs. Hanson?
04:28It tastes like pencils.
04:31That's not the coffee.
04:33That's the cup.
04:36We had two phones, two cars, two beds.
04:41Too bad.
04:43We're going to be here in about ten minutes, but in the meantime, we've got to get her to empty
04:46her stomach.
04:47You know.
04:48I'm shut.
04:52All right.
04:53Uh, Nick.
04:53Yeah, I know.
04:54Give her some coffee.
04:57Keep pouring it in her.
04:59Two cups ought to do it.
05:03Come on, on your feet.
05:05Come on.
05:06All right.
05:07Yeah, I don't feel so.
05:11Roger, get a doctor.
05:12Give me a spot.
05:16It was a fresh pot.
05:24Of course, Nicky Amano was more than just a maker of bad coffee.
05:29He had a unique attitude and presence that gave scenes a special quality.
05:34He had an ability to take in stride in the most bizarre of situations and the most abrasive of people.
05:41But mostly, he was able to see the humor in things and he was never hesitant to say so.
05:48Hey, Barney, is he going to spray the whole room?
05:52We've got roaches all over the place.
05:56Oh.
05:58You sound like you're going to miss him.
06:00A little.
06:02Nick, they're filthy, slimy, dirty little things.
06:06Yeah, but they kind of grow on you.
06:09One of them always crawls up that leg and while I'm making coffee in the morning and tries to steal
06:17a cube of sugar.
06:22It's just about as close as I've ever come to having a pet.
06:28Hey.
06:28Yeah.
06:29Will I get a phone call?
06:31Sure.
06:34Maybe that's it now.
06:38At best, this is a tawdry flick, suffering from inept scripting, cheap jack production values, and lackluster performances.
06:48Despite these obvious disadvantages, this film has been doing buffo box office.
06:53There's a report on that porno flick.
06:55DA's office called three times.
06:56Your mom is typing it up now.
06:58Finished?
06:59Yeah.
07:01A man and a woman and another woman is a filthy movie.
07:08Well, it is.
07:10That's all?
07:11Hey, what happened to all that stuff I was dictating?
07:14I thought you were talking on the phone.
07:17Card number 14, Sergeant Germano.
07:19Now, what does the inkblot suggest to you?
07:22Uh, an elephant wearing a hat.
07:27Now, turn the card around.
07:30Now, what does the, uh, inkblot suggest to you?
07:34An elephant lying on his back.
07:38Wear a hat.
07:41I think that'll do, thank you.
07:44Let me put some more of these.
07:45It's fun.
07:46No, that's okay.
07:48How'd I do?
07:49Just fine.
07:51You're not keeping somebody from me?
07:53Not at all.
07:56Uh, did, uh, anybody else, uh, see an elephant wearing a hat?
08:02No, yours was a unique interpretation.
08:05Thanks.
08:07You know, uh, I'm not Chinese.
08:11Maybe it doesn't make any difference.
08:13Maybe not now.
08:20I guess it's true what they say, you know, that if one loses one of the senses, that the
08:24remaining ones are sharper and more perceptive.
08:27It sure does.
08:28Like I can tell from the sound of your voice.
08:31You're over six feet tall and you're a chain smoker.
08:35I don't smoke.
08:36And you're a liar.
08:37And something else.
08:39You're very nervous.
08:41How can you tell?
08:43Oh, by the way, he keeps tapping his foot on the floor, pulling at his collar, wrapping
08:47his fingers on the desk.
08:49I'm not nervous.
08:51I'm just rhythmic.
08:56How do I feel?
08:57You?
08:58Well, you're cool and collected.
09:02Got a lot of personal discipline.
09:04You're very, very intelligent.
09:06Either that or you're Japanese.
09:11We chased Kopechny into Central Park and when we finally caught him, there he was laying
09:15on the ground, kicking and growling and clawing at the dirt.
09:18Growling?
09:19What the hell is that?
09:24It's Kopechny, Barney.
09:25He's a werewolf.
09:32I better put some papers down in the cage.
09:40Anybody have the time?
09:42Ah, a little before midnight.
09:45Oh, my God.
09:47You feeling all right, Mr. Kopechny?
09:50I don't know.
09:51I'm starting to feel strange.
09:53You look fine.
09:54Don't you look fine?
09:55I don't know.
09:56Why don't you go take a look?
09:56Not me.
09:59It happens slowly.
10:01Sometimes it's hard to notice at first.
10:03Here, here, here.
10:03Take it easy.
10:05I'm starting to itch.
10:07Oh, that's normal, Ron.
10:10Here we go.
10:14It's like all the hair on my legs is wriggling.
10:18Don't do that.
10:19Just aggravate it.
10:21Don't.
10:22Don't.
10:22Don't.
10:24I feel hot.
10:26And my teeth hurt.
10:29And my tongue is sweating.
10:34Try not to talk.
10:36I gotta get out of here.
10:38I need air.
10:40Let me out of the cage.
10:41Hey, look, man.
10:42We can't do that.
10:43Let me out of the cage.
10:45Uh, how about some water?
10:47I don't want any water.
10:48I want to go home.
10:50I gotta get some sleep.
10:51And then we gotta go to work.
10:54Morning.
10:57Work.
10:58Work.
10:59Look.
11:00I gotta get out of here.
11:02I gotta get out of here.
11:03That phone call of mine was all a mistake.
11:06It was a joke.
11:07It was a joke.
11:09Look, look, look, man.
11:10Take it easy, man.
11:11Morning.
11:14Get out of here.
11:16I don't want to get out.
11:18I don't want to get out.
11:18I don't want to get out of here.
11:20I don't want to get out of here.
11:22Get down.
11:23Down.
11:23Down.
11:24Arnie.
11:33Arnie.
11:40It's a police station, not a horror movie.
11:44It's starting to change.
11:46I swear.
11:46What change?
11:47Get down from there.
11:50Take a good look.
11:51Hair is growing out of his face.
11:53It's called a beard.
11:55Haven't you ever seen one before?
11:58None in my family.
12:02As you can see, it took a good deal to unnerve Nick.
12:06Although once, after the accidental ingestion of brownies laced with hashish,
12:11Nick's normal reserve was lessened considerably.
12:14What's happening, baby?
12:19The music of life seems to be like a bell that is ringing for me.
12:36And from the way that I knew.
12:44When the bells start, Nick?
12:47Hey, are you all right?
12:50Barney, Barney, Barney.
12:53Where's your mother from Kalani?
12:57Hey, uh, Bart, I think he's stoned.
13:01Stoned? What are you talking about?
13:03Hey, what do you say we guys go down to the beach and shoot some clams?
13:15How many of these things have you had?
13:18Mushy-mushy.
13:21I think there's something in these things.
13:24Have you had any?
13:25Mm-hmm.
13:28Joe!
13:29Uh, he's out, Bart.
13:31I mean, he and Fish are fish and he.
13:34You think you can still function?
13:36Hey, sharp as a tack.
13:37All right.
13:39I think these things have him analyzed and fast, Nick.
13:42Not that way!
13:48I think it's got hash in them, Barney.
13:52Hash?
13:53Yeah, from the way that I feel.
13:57And the best I should hear
14:02It's all meant like being alone
14:18Jack Su was born Goro Suzuki.
14:21And along with many other Japanese Americans
14:23spent a good deal of World War II
14:25in detention camps on the West Coast.
14:28It was an indignity he never forgot.
14:31But rather than retreating into bitterness,
14:33he faced the world with humor.
14:36And he imbued Nick Yamana with a sense of humor
14:38about his ancestry and his heritage,
14:40knowledge, but also a sense of dignity and pride.
14:45This made for some rather interesting confrontations.
14:51Excuse me.
14:53Yeah?
14:56You a cop?
14:58Yeah.
15:01No kidding.
15:05My name is Ravel.
15:07Master Sergeant J.R. Ravel.
15:10United States Army.
15:14I recognize the uniform.
15:17I'll bet you do.
15:22We're going to show you some pictures
15:23and see if you can identify anybody.
15:25Sergeant Yamana here.
15:26We'll help you out.
15:29Here you go.
15:34Yamana.
15:38Well, it sounds pretty, don't it?
15:43You don't make sense.
15:45I mean, why would anyone want to blow up
15:47a United States military installation?
15:51Nostalgia?
15:54What about you, Nick?
15:56Huh?
15:57Do you ever feel any longings to return to your home?
16:00Back to the ancient cultures and traditions?
16:03Back to the shrines and temples of your ancestors?
16:06Back to the terraced hillsides and the cherry trees?
16:12I was born in Omaha.
16:17We got a city in Nebraska.
16:18Sounds just like that.
16:26Hey, what are you doing?
16:28What is, what is this?
16:30It's my lunch.
16:31It smells like garbage.
16:34Garbage?
16:36Are you kidding?
16:36This is a Japanese delicacy.
16:38Fish heads, cabbage leaves,
16:42cucumber rinds,
16:44celery chops.
16:45It's terrific.
16:52Come to think of it, that is garbage.
16:57Listen, everyone, I, uh...
17:01I'd like to apologize to everybody for sharing.
17:03No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
17:04I'm the one who's always saying keep things in perspective and...
17:07Hey, forget it, Barney.
17:08I mean, we all were depressed tonight.
17:10You're just the first person to put it into screen.
17:14Yeah.
17:15But you can't let it get you.
17:18What you gotta do is develop an oriental philosophy.
17:21Like my grandfather used to say,
17:23many things look bleak at the moment of occurrence,
17:26but at least we ain't got locusts.
17:33Jack and I were like little kids together.
17:36We would never get through a scene without breaking up.
17:38And whenever there was something deadly serious going on,
17:41I would be sitting at my desk giggling,
17:43and I'd look over here,
17:44and Jack's entire body would be shaking.
17:47He'd just be shaking with laughter.
17:49He was my friend, and I'll miss him.
17:52We didn't know much about Yamana's private life,
17:55and he seldom exposed personal feelings in the squad room
17:58the way his colleagues did.
18:00But once in a while,
18:01we did get a glimpse into his non-professional side
18:04as in a Christmas Eve episode
18:06in which he meets an attractive mugging victim
18:08who, unknown to him, is also a lady of the streets.
18:27It's hard to tell.
18:29Everyone looks so much alike.
18:31I know what you mean.
18:33I'm Japanese, too.
18:35I'm Sergeant Nick Yamana.
18:38Oh, Dorothy Murakami.
18:44I'm a cop.
18:47I admire you people very much.
18:51Well, it's dirty work, but somebody's got to do it.
18:57Nick, we're out of coffee.
18:58Later.
19:04Well, there's no one here.
19:06Are there any other pictures you want me to see?
19:09There's a double feature playing at the toe.
19:12I mean, is there any other things to do?
19:19No, I guess not.
19:21We'll put out an APB,
19:22and we'll do the best we can, okay?
19:25Oh, I get off at 12 o'clock.
19:30Maybe you care to have a cup of drinks or a bite to eat?
19:35I don't know.
19:37You know, it's nice to be among your own on a holiday.
19:43Um, what time did you say you got off?
19:47At 12.
19:48Where do you live?
19:49I'll come back here.
19:51Great.
19:51Be careful going through the streets.
19:53See you later, John.
19:57It's Nick.
20:01You get off at 12, sorry?
20:03Yeah.
20:04I got to work until two.
20:07Too bad.
20:10She's a hooker, Nick.
20:13What?
20:14That, uh, lady you got a date with.
20:18Harris took her statement.
20:19He told me.
20:23I mean, I just can't figure out what she wants with you, you know?
20:27She knows you're a cop.
20:29Maybe she'll like me.
20:31You got to consider all the possibilities.
20:35Yeah, sure.
20:36Yeah, right.
20:37I mean, uh, I appeal to a lot of people besides comps.
20:49I hope I'm not early.
20:52No.
20:54Should we go now?
20:55Yeah, sure.
21:04If you'd rather not, I understand.
21:08If you'd rather not, I understand, too.
21:12Look, I just thought that you're a nice guy with a sense of humor.
21:17Kind of cute.
21:19Well, I can't add anything to that.
21:24I can't, uh, stay out late.
21:27I'm tired.
21:29Me, too.
21:33Uh, I got to work tomorrow.
21:36Me, too.
21:43Uh, as of now, I'm officially off-duty.
21:53As of now, me, too.
22:06I've seen, uh, we finished about 2.30 in the morning, I think.
22:09And, um, all of us were here, and all of the camera people and directors and other people it takes
22:14to make the show were here.
22:16And you could go through all of those people and all the people who encountered Jack away from the studio
22:22in real life and not find anyone that he hadn't touched in some way at some time.
22:29Because his love for the humanity and people was always, uh, stronger than his anger at the things people had
22:34done to him.
22:35And that's why he was able to give us the gift of Yamana.
22:40No one actor in a show is indispensable, and Barney Miller will continue without Jack.
22:48But it will be different.
22:50There will be times when, in the middle of a crisis, Nick should make a joke, but will not.
22:57Or exasperate Barney, but will not.
23:02He'll be missed.
23:08Uh, made some coffee.
23:12Oh, yeah?
23:14Try a cup?
23:16Sure.
23:23You know, uh, sometimes people will work together for a long time.
23:27They never, ever, uh, say how they really feel.
23:32Yeah.
23:34No sugar.
23:35Uh, right.
23:39So, uh, so I, I want you to know that I feel really lucky to be working with you.
23:47I mean it.
23:47I, uh, I learn a lot from it.
23:51Thanks.
23:55Here goes.
24:04Not too good, huh?
24:06All these years I thought it was me.
24:12To you, Jack.
24:15To you, Jack.
24:15I'm nice.
24:16I'm hungry.
24:22Bye.
24:24Bye.
24:28Bye.
24:30Bye.
24:34Bye.
24:36Bye.
24:37Bye.
24:38Bye.
24:40Bye.
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