Kellye Nakahara

Kellye Nakahara Wallett^[1] (January 16, 1948^[2] – February 16, 2020) was an American actress, best known for playing Nurse Kellye in 167 episodes of the television comedy series M*A*S*H.

Kellye Nakahara
Born	Kellye Nakahara Watson (1948-01-16)January 16, 1948 Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.
Died	February 16, 2020(2020-02-16) (aged 72) Pasadena, California, U.S.
Other names	Kellye Wallett
Occupation(s)	Actress, watercolor artist
Spouse	David Wallett ​ (m. 1967)​
Children	2

Life and career

Nakahara was born in Honolulu.^[1] Before becoming an actress, Nakahara moved to San Francisco to pursue a career in art.^[3] In 1967, she married David Wallett and moved to Los Angeles where she began a career as an actress.^[4] Halfway through the first season of M*A*S*H, she was cast as Nurse Kellye; she appeared in 167 episodes of the long-running series.^[5] Following the series finale of M*A*S*H, Nakahara appeared in television commercials as a spokesperson for IBM. She appeared in several other television shows, and had small parts in the films Clue (1985) as Mrs. Ho, the domestic cook, and in 1995's Black Day Blue Night. She also played a labor and delivery nurse in the 1988 John Hughes film She's Having a Baby.^[6]

Nakahara was also a watercolor artist, who painted and exhibited under her married name, Kellye Wallett.^[7]

Death

Nakahara died of cancer at her home in Pasadena, California, on February 16, 2020.^[1][2]

Filmography

Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	Clue	The Cook
1987	Amazon Women on the Moon	Theatre Customer #4	Segment "Peter Pan Theatre" [TV cut & DVD only]
1988	She's Having a Baby	Hospital Nurse
1991	Shattered	Lydia
1994	3 Ninjas Kick Back	Nurse Hino
1995	Black Day Blue Night	Fat Mama
1998	Dr. Dolittle	Golden Retriever Woman
Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973–83	M*A*S*H	Lt. Nurse Kealani Kellye Yamato	Recurring role (167 episodes)
1975	Kolchak: The Night Stalker	Woman at Lecture	Episode: "The Trevi Collection"
1982	Little House on the Prairie	Japanese Woman	Episode: "Alden's Dilemma"
1983	At Ease	Becky Yamato	Episodes: "A Tankful of Dollars", "A PFC and a Gentleman"
1983	Matt Houston	Charlene	Episode: "Butterfly"
1984	Lottery!		Episode: "Honolulu: 3-2=1"
1985	Otherworld	G.P. Desk Sergeant	Episode: "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar"
1985	Hunter	Mrs. Kim	Episode: "The Beach Boy"
1991	Growing Pains	Reporter	Episode: "Paper Tigers"
1991	Memories of M*A*S*H	Herself	TV special
1995	Dream On	Mrs. Kim	Episode: "Flight of the Pedalbee"
1997	Crisis Center	Florence	Episode: "It's a Family Affair"
1997	NYPD Blue	Cleaning Lady	Episode: "Emission Impossible"
1999	Sabrina the Teenage Witch	Pele	Episode: "The Good, the Bad and the Luau"
2000	The Wild Thornberrys	Yak (voice)	Episode: "Happy Campers"