A Majority Of One

1961

DirectorMervyn LeRoy
ProducerHarry Stradling
Production CompanyWarner Bros.
Release DateDecember 27th, 1961
CastRosalind Russell (Bertha Jacoby), Alec Guinness (Koichi Asano), Ray Danton (Jerry Black), Madlyn Rhue (Alice Black), Mae Questel (Essie Rubin), Marc Marno (Eddie), Gary Vinson (Mr. McMillan), Sharon Hugueny (Bride), Frank Wilcox (Noah Putnam), Francis De Sales (American Embassy Representative), Yuki Shimoda (Mr. Asano’s Secretary), Harriet McGibbon (Lily Putnam), Alan Mowbray (Cpt. Norcross, his final film role), George Takei (Mr. Asano’s Majordomo), Maria McClay (Mr. Asano’s Maid)

A Majority Of One is an American comedy film adapted from the play of the same name by Leonard Spigelgass, which was a Broadway hit in the 1959-1960 season, starring Gertrude Berg and Cedric Hardwicke.

Bertha Jacoby (Rosalind Russell), a Jewish widow, is convinced by her daughter Alice Black (Madlyn Rhue) to move from Brooklyn, New York to Tokyo in order for Bertha to be closer to her along with her husband Jerry Black (Ray Danton), now stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Her feelings about the Japanese with regards to her son’s death in World War II start to change on board the ship to Tokyo, where she meets Koichi Asano, a Japanese Buddhist and businessman (Alec Guinness), who also lost a spouse and two children in the war. The two share a bond over lives, their families, and their faiths, which develops into a romance. When she announces to her family of Asano’s courtship, her daughter and son-in-law object to the idea of an interracial marriage.

Maria McClay as a maid at Mr. Asano’s place with another maid, Bertha Jacoby (Rosalind Russell), Mr. Asano’s daughter-in-law (Tsuruko Kobayashi) and Mr. Asano (Alec Guinness).

Maria plays a maid in Mr. Asano’s household and helps get everything set up for an unplanned dinner for two when Bertha Jacoby (Rosalind Russell) shows up unexpectedly at Mr. Asano’s (Alec Guinness) home. Mr. Asano instructs her to pile up some pillows for their guest who is not used to Japanese style seating arrangements. Aside from Alec Guinness’ being in Yellow Face, which is rather uncomfortable to watch for modern eyes, there is a lot of good acting here and one would imagine that Maria very much enjoyed meeting one of the all-time great actors of her time.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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Japanese Maid in A Majority Of One

Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, New York, USA, May 27th, 1961

(Unknown Author)

Maria appears in a brief blurb about her playing the role of a Japanese maid alongside Alec Guinness in A Majority Of One. For some reason her name is misspelled as “Maria Tsien McLay”. The blurb was printed, with the misspelling and all, in a number of newspapers throughout the month of May, 1961.

27 May 1961, Sat The Ithaca Journal (Ithaca, New York) Newspapers.com

Maria is Japanese Maid in A Majority Of One

Various Papers, May 1961

(Unknown Author)

Maria appears in a brief blurb about her playing the role of a Japanese maid alongside Alec Guinness in A Majority Of One. For some reason her name is misspelled as “Maria Tsien McLay”. The blurb was printed, with the misspelling and all, in a number of newspapers throughout the month of May, 1961.

Japanese Maid in A Majority Of One

Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, New York, USA, May 27th, 1961

(Unknown Author)

Maria appears in a brief blurb about her playing the role of a Japanese maid alongside Alec Guinness in A Majority Of One. For some reason her name is misspelled as “Maria Tsien McLay”. The blurb was printed, with the misspelling and all, in a number of newspapers throughout the month of May, 1961.

Japanese Maid in A Majority Of OneJapanese Maid in A Majority Of One 13 May 1961, Sat The Daily Times (New Philadelphia, Ohio) Newspapers.com

Maria McClay