The Hawaiian actress Kellye Nakahara portrayed Nurse Kellye on 167 episodes of the hit TV series
Kellye Nakahara, best known as Nurse Kellye on the iconic television series M*A*S*H, has died at the age of 72. Her family confirmed to TMZ that she lost her short battle with cancer passing away peacefully at her family’s Pasadena, California home.
Born on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu, Nakahara moved to San Francisco to pursue an art career. After marrying David Wallett in 1968, she relocated again to Los Angeles to try her hand at acting. In 1973, she landed a role in M*A*S*H where she famously played Nurse Kellye. The show ran from 1972-1983 and focused on the lives of the staff at an Army hospital during the Korean War, according to IMDb.
Nakahara portrayed Nurse Kellye Yamato for 167 episodes of the hit show (according to IMDb). It would go on to be her largest and most memorable role. She followed it up with bit parts in television series such as At Ease, Hunter, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and with film roles in Clue (the cook, Mrs. Ho), Black Day Blue Night (as Fat Mama), and Eddie Murphy’s version of Doctor Dolittle (credited as Beagle Woman).
Following her acting career, Nakahara finally pursued art, producing works primarily in watercolour under her married name, Kellye Wallett. One of her painted Christmas ornaments even made it all the way to hang in the White House.
She leaves behind her husband, two children, and two grandchildren.
“She was a performer and an artist, and she did her artwork to make people happy, which in turn gave her joy,” Coleman said. “People wanted to be near her, she was genuine in her persona,” says sister Nalani Coleman.
You can watch a news video reporting on the passing of Kellye Nakahara below.
Thank you for years of making us laugh. We wish the family and friends of Kellye Nakahara strength at this time.
