Born Machie Takigawa, she was active as a dancer at the Asakusa Rock Theater under the stage name Mary Rose in the early 1950s. Due to her appearance, she was affectionately nicknamed Daruma-chan and Jumbo-chan. Soon after moving to the Nichigeki Music Hall, she was scouted by the film industry and made her acting debut in "Gurama-to no yuwaku/The Temptation of Grama Island."