Koma and Takeo Namba 1916-1925

Were American Japanese Frederick Inagaki (Koma 1892-1971) and Harry Inagaki (Takeo 1894-1934).

1916 August – arrived in Britain

1916 September – at the Royal Hippodrome, Dublin

1916 November – Those to whom a novel performance particularly attracts will beyond doubt be pleased with the turn of Takio and Koma Namba, Japanese Variety entertainers, who are as versatile as they are clever. They open with smart cross-talk and a duet, and conclude with the more active and sensational part of their performance. Their head to head balancing is very neatly done, the performers being able to keep up a conversation all the time. But the feat of mounting a staircase with the head where the feet are, under ordinary circumstances, excites the wonder of the audience and brings their applause as well. The Era. Euston Palace

1916 December – TAKEO & KOMA NAMBA, Most Wonderful of Japs – Dundee

1917 January – Takeo and Koma Namba, Japanese eccentrics, have a brilliant act. Their versatility as comedians and equilibrists is remarkable, and nothing like Koma Namba’s head-balancing performance has been seen in Dundee

1917 September – Takeo and Koma Namba, Japanese-American eccentric entertainers, score in a unique performance – Lanark

1918 April – Frederick/Koma marries Eleanor Wright Haste

1918 May – Takeo and Koma Namba in their bits and pieces Coventry

1919 February – Joan, daughter of Frederick/Koma and Eleanor, born in Hull

1919 June – Harry and Fred Namba, formerly known as Takio and Koma Namba, are at present appearing on the Controlling Tour, Southend.

1919 November – Takeo and Koma Namba Japanese American eccentric entertainers gave a remarkable performance – Sheffield

1920 April Takeo and Koma Namba are clever Japo American performers Blackpool

1921 March Takio and Koma Namba depart for South Africa from Southampton to fulfil an engagement with the African Theatres Trust.

1921 June return from South Africa

1922 September Takeo and Koma Namba are Japo-American eccentric entertainers, who combine with their comedy some equilibristic stunts Leeds

1923 August Takeo and Koma Namba, Japo-American entertainers, perform clever and amusing acrobatic tricks, and one of the duo walks upstairs on his head. Derby

1924 March depart for Sydney

1925 May Harry Inagaki/Namba sentenced to 4 months’ imprisonment and deportation having his possession diamond, well knowing it to have been stolen outside the United Kingdom. The diamond belonged to a ring valued £250 lost by Miss Bessie Clifford, vaudeville actress. It went missing when they were both in Sydney and was later found in a London shop.

1925 Harry Inagaki travels to New York

1925 October Frederick Inagaki departs for New York