Takei began his career in Hollywood in the late 1950s, providing voiceover for characters in the English dubbing of the Japanese monster films "Rodan" (1956, US: 1957) and "Godzilla Raids Again" (1955, US: "Gigantis the Fire Monster", 1959). He appeared in the anthology television series "Playhouse 90" and the "Perry Mason" episode "The Case of the Blushing Pearls" (both 1959) and a handful of times in "Hawaiian Eye" during the 1960–61 season, including an eponymous episode as Thomas Jefferson Chu. He originated the role of George in the musical "Fly Blackbird!", but when the show traveled from Los Angeles to Off-Broadway the West Coast actors were forced to audition and the role went to William Sugihara instead. Eventually Sugihara had to give up the role and Takei closed out the show's final months.