Jōji Yanami (八奈見 乗児, Yanami Jōji; born Shigemitsu Shirato (白土 繁満, Shirato Shigemitsu), August 30, 1931 – December 3…
Jōji Yanami (八奈見 乗児, Yanami Jōji; born Shigemitsu Shirato (白土 繁満, Shirato Shigemitsu), August 30, 1931 – December 3, 2021) was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator who was affiliated with Aoni Production. Some of his most prominent voice roles included the narrator, Dr. Briefs, Kaiō-sama (a.k.a. King Kai or North Kaio), and Bobbidi in the Dragon Ball anime series. Other major roles included Dr. Isaac Gilmore in Cyborg 009, Gennai in Digimon, Ittan Momen in GeGeGe no Kitarō, Dr. Yumi in Mazinger Z, and numerous characters in the Time Bokan series. On September 25, 2015, Toei Animation announced that Yanami would be taking medical leave from working on the Dragon Ball Super television anime series for an indefinite amount of time, with his roles as the narrator and Kaiō-sama being taken over by Naoki Tatsuta.
Famous Japanese People: Actor
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Ichikawa Raizō VIII (八代目 市川 雷蔵, Hachidaime Ichikawa Raizō; August 29, 1931 – July 17, 1969) was a Japanese film and…
Ichikawa Raizō VIII (八代目 市川 雷蔵, Hachidaime Ichikawa Raizō; August 29, 1931 – July 17, 1969) was a Japanese film and kabuki actor. His birth name was Akio Kamezaki (亀崎 章雄, Kamezaki Akio), and his name was legally changed several times, first to Yoshio Takeuchi (武内 嘉男, Takeuchi Yoshio), and later to Yoshiya Ōta (太田 吉哉, Ōta Yoshiya), separate from his performing name. Six months after his birth in Kyoto he became the adopted son of Ichikawa Kudanji III (三代目 市川 九團次, Sandaime Ichikawa Kudanji). He made his kabuki acting debut at the age of 15 under the name Ichikawa Enzō (市川延蔵, Ichikawa Enzō). In 1951 he was adopted by Ichikawa Jūkai III (三代目 市川 壽海, Sandaime Ichikawa Jūkai) and was renamed as Ichikawa Raizō VIII. In 1954 he began a career as a film actor. He received breakout acclaim for his performance in Enjō and received several awards for the performance including the Blue Ribbon Award and the Kinema Junpo Award, both for the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Among his fans he was referred to lovingly as "Rai-sama." In June 1968 he was diagnosed with and underwent surgery for rectal cancer, but it metastasized to his liver and he died the following year. Ichikawa Raizō appeared mostly in period dramas (jidaigeki). He is best known for the Sleepy Eyes of Death (Nemuri Kyoshirō) series, Ninja (Shinobi no Mono) series and Nakano Spy School (Rikugun Nakano Gakkō) series (based on the Nakano School). Raizō worked many times with director Kenji Misumi. Their collaborations include The Sword (Ken) (from a book by Yukio Mishima) and Destiny's Son, originally released as 斬る (Kiru). The actor's other notable works include An Actor's Revenge (Yukinojo henge). He was so admired for his gracefulness that in his lifetime he was called "the genius who thinks with his body."
Shinsuke Mikimoto (御木本伸介, Mikimoto Shinsuke; May 22, 1931–August 5, 2002) was a Japanese actor. His credits include at…
Shinsuke Mikimoto (御木本伸介, Mikimoto Shinsuke; May 22, 1931–August 5, 2002) was a Japanese actor. His credits include at least fifty films, as well as numerous television appearances, in a career that spanned several decades.His real name is Syuichi Suzuki.The Suzuki family on his father's side is a family that served as the palace doctor of the Kaga Maeda family for generation.
Asao Koike (小池朝雄, Koike Asao; 18 March 1931 – 23 March 1985) was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for playing yakuza…
Asao Koike (小池朝雄, Koike Asao; 18 March 1931 – 23 March 1985) was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for playing yakuza roles. He is also known as voice actor. In 1950, he joined the Bungakuza Theatre Company. In 1963, he left the Bungakuza Theatre Company and established the Kumo Theatre Company. He appeared in more than 120 films.
Shigeru Amachi (天知 茂, Amachi Shigeru; 4 March 1931 – 27 July 1985) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120…
Shigeru Amachi (天知 茂, Amachi Shigeru; 4 March 1931 – 27 July 1985) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1953 to 1984.
Yū Fujiki (藤木 悠, Fujiki Yū; 2 March 1931 – 19 December 2005), born Yūzō Suzuki (鈴木 悠蔵, Suzuki Yūzō), was a Japanese…
Yū Fujiki (藤木 悠, Fujiki Yū; 2 March 1931 – 19 December 2005), born Yūzō Suzuki (鈴木 悠蔵, Suzuki Yūzō), was a Japanese film and television actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1954 to 2005.
Takeshi Kusaka (日下 武史, Kusaka Takeshi; February 24, 1931 – May 15, 2017) was a Japanese actor and voice actor from…
Takeshi Kusaka (日下 武史, Kusaka Takeshi; February 24, 1931 – May 15, 2017) was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Toshima, Tokyo. He was the founder of the Shiki Theatre Company. He remarried with actress Fujiko Kimura in 2010.
Ken Takakura (Japanese: 高倉 健, Hepburn: Takakura Ken), born Takeichi Oda (小田 剛一, Oda Takeichi; February 16, 1931 –…
Ken Takakura (Japanese: 高倉 健, Hepburn: Takakura Ken), born Takeichi Oda (小田 剛一, Oda Takeichi; February 16, 1931 – November 10, 2014), was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in over 200 films. Affectionately referred to as "Ken-san" by audiences, he was best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brought to his roles. He won the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role four times, tied with Koji Yakusho for the most ever. Takakura additionally received the Japanese Medal of Honor with purple ribbon in 1998, the Person of Cultural Merit award in 2006, and the Order of Culture in 2013.
Susumu Takita (滝田 進, Takita Susumu; 29 November 1930 – 3 May 2015), known by the stage name Yūsuke Takita (滝田 裕介, 祐介…
Susumu Takita (滝田 進, Takita Susumu; 29 November 1930 – 3 May 2015), known by the stage name Yūsuke Takita (滝田 裕介, 祐介, Takita Yūsuke), was a Japanese actor. He was born in Kitazawa, Setagaya (now Kitazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo), Ehara, Tokyo Prefecture. He formerly belonged to Gekidan Haiyūza.
Fuyukichi Maki (牧冬吉, Maki Fuyukichi; November 28, 1930 – June 27, 1998) was a Japanese actor. He worked in TV and film…
Fuyukichi Maki (牧冬吉, Maki Fuyukichi; November 28, 1930 – June 27, 1998) was a Japanese actor. He worked in TV and film from 1951 to 1997. His birth name was Nobuyuki Okamura (岡村 信行). He was born in Ōdate, Akita, Japan. He played the role of the Iga ninja Tombei the Mist (Kiri no Tonbei) in the Edo period historical drama TV series The Samurai. This series became a surprise hit in Australia in 1965 and was the first Japanese TV series shown in that country.
Ichirō Nakatani (Japanese: 中谷 一郎, Hepburn: Nakatani Ichirō; born April 1, 1930) was a Japanese actor. He attended…
Ichirō Nakatani (Japanese: 中谷 一郎, Hepburn: Nakatani Ichirō; born April 1, 1930) was a Japanese actor. He attended Waseda University, but withdrew before completing his degree and joined the Haiyuza Theatre Company. In 1959, Nakatani won Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year. Nakatani was well known for his role as Ninja Kazaguruma no Yahichi in the jidaigeki drama Mito Kōmon.
Takuya Fujioka (藤岡琢也, Fujioka Takuya; 4 September 1930 – 20 October 2006) was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for…
Takuya Fujioka (藤岡琢也, Fujioka Takuya; 4 September 1930 – 20 October 2006) was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for playing the role of Daikichi Okakura on the television drama series Wataru Seken wa Oni Bakari. Fujioka attended Kwansei Gakuin University but dropped out because of illness. His first starring role in the film was in the Gambare Nihondanji. He died of chronic kidney disease on 20 October 2006 at the age of 76. His final film appearance was in The Blooming Again, released in 2004.
Tadao Takashima (高島忠夫, Takashima Tadao) (27 July 1930 – 26 June 2019) was a Japanese actor and jazz musician. He…
Tadao Takashima (高島忠夫, Takashima Tadao) (27 July 1930 – 26 June 2019) was a Japanese actor and jazz musician. He appeared in more than 100 films, including the Toho productions King Kong vs. Godzilla, Atragon, and Frankenstein vs. Baragon. He also performed in stage musicals such as My Fair Lady and appeared in several television shows.
Rokkō Toura (戸浦 六宏, Toura Rokkō; 30 April 1937 – 25 March 1993) was a Japanese stage and film actor active from 1960 to…
Rokkō Toura (戸浦 六宏, Toura Rokkō; 30 April 1937 – 25 March 1993) was a Japanese stage and film actor active from 1960 to 1993. He is mostly associated with the films of director Nagisa Ōshima.
Yōsuke Naka (中 庸助, Naka Yōsuke; born Kazuo Nakajima (中島 和男, Nakajama Kazuo) March 30, 1930 – October 20, 2023) was a…
Yōsuke Naka (中 庸助, Naka Yōsuke; born Kazuo Nakajima (中島 和男, Nakajama Kazuo) March 30, 1930 – October 20, 2023) was a Japanese actor from Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. He is best known for his roles as Admiral Majin in Kamen Rider, Nobisuke Nobi in Doraemon, Ehrenberg in Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Mulligan in Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kings, and Nijūemon Tsuzureya (20 Emon) in 21 Emon.
Masaya Takahashi (高橋 昌也, Takahashi Masaya; March 16, 1930 – January 16, 2014) was a Japanese actor and theatre…
Masaya Takahashi (高橋 昌也, Takahashi Masaya; March 16, 1930 – January 16, 2014) was a Japanese actor and theatre director. He appeared in a wide range of films over six decades, including Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell (1968), Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), Returner (2002), and Air Doll (2009).
Hajime Hana (Japanese: ハナ肇, Hepburn: Hana Hajime; February 9, 1930 – September 10, 1993) was a Japanese actor. He was…
Hajime Hana (Japanese: ハナ肇, Hepburn: Hana Hajime; February 9, 1930 – September 10, 1993) was a Japanese actor. He was the leader of the comic jazz band The Crazy Cats, which featured such talent as Hitoshi Ueki and Kei Tani, and which starred in a series of film comedies (such as the "Irresponsible" (Musekinin) series at Toho) and in TV variety shows such as "Shabondama Holiday." He won the award for best actor at the 31st Blue Ribbon Awards for Kaisha monogatari: Memories of You.
Hideaki Nitani (二谷英明, Nitani Hideaki; 28 January 1930 – 7 January 2012) was a Japanese actor.
Daizen Shishido (宍戸大全, Shishido Daizen) (real name Shishido Kunihiro) is a Japanese stunt double. He has appeared in…
Daizen Shishido (宍戸大全, Shishido Daizen) (real name Shishido Kunihiro) is a Japanese stunt double. He has appeared in many television shows, including regular appearances on long-running series such as Mito Kōmon, Ōoka Echizen, the Hissatsu series and Abarenbo Shogun. He was also the stunt double for Raizo Ichikawa in all eight "Shinobi no Mono" films from 1963-67. After graduating from Nippon Sport Science University, he went to work for Daiei, then Toei, before become a free-lancer in 1970. In 1999 Shishido won the Distinguished Service Award at the Kyoto Film Festival. Archived 2005-11-03 at the Wayback Machine Among his film appearances are Ninpō Chūshingura (from a Futaro Yamada story) and Zenigata Heiji (the 1967 Toei film). In addition to working as a stunt double, he led a group of actors who performed the stunts and the chanbara swordfight scenes in jidaigeki films. Furthermore, Shishido appeared in a speaking role in an episode of Mito Komon.
Hideo Takamatsu (高松 英郎, Hideo Takamatsu; 24 October 1929 – 26 February 2007) was a Japanese actor from Nankoku, Kōchi…
Hideo Takamatsu (高松 英郎, Hideo Takamatsu; 24 October 1929 – 26 February 2007) was a Japanese actor from Nankoku, Kōchi Prefecture. Takamatsu appeared in more than 120 films between 1948 and 2007.
Kōjirō Kusanagi (草薙幸二郎, Kusanagi Kōjirō; September 19, 1929 – November 11, 2007) was a Japanese actor.
Takeshi Katō (加藤 武, Katō Takeshi; 24 May 1929 – 31 July 2015) was a Japanese stage and film actor. He appeared in more…
Takeshi Katō (加藤 武, Katō Takeshi; 24 May 1929 – 31 July 2015) was a Japanese stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films.
Noboru Nakaya (仲谷 昇, Nakaya Noboru; May 4, 1929 – November 16, 2006) was a Japanese actor. His career spanned over five…
Noboru Nakaya (仲谷 昇, Nakaya Noboru; May 4, 1929 – November 16, 2006) was a Japanese actor. His career spanned over five decades in theater, film, and television, with more than 100 credits. Nakaya was best known internationally for his role as a ghost samurai in Kwaidan (1964), and also appeared in Hitokiri (1969) and Lady Snowblood (1973).
Shōichi Ozawa (小沢 昭一, Ozawa Shōichi; April 6, 1929 – December 10, 2012) was a Japanese actor, radio host, singer, and…
Shōichi Ozawa (小沢 昭一, Ozawa Shōichi; April 6, 1929 – December 10, 2012) was a Japanese actor, radio host, singer, and prominent researcher and expert on Japanese folk art. He also founded the Shabondama-za theater company. Ozawa, who was born in Tokyo, graduated from Waseda University. He began acting after college, beginning with his debut stage role in 1951. He also appeared in television and film roles, acting quite frequently in films directed by Shohei Imamura and Yūzō Kawashima. In 1971, Ozawa launched his long running radio show. A respected folk art expert, Ozawa also researched traditional Japanese performing arts. He recorded and released "Nihon no Horo Gei" ("Japan's Itinerant Arts") based on his research. In 2004, Ozawa became the "mayor" of Meiji Mura, an open-air museum in Aichi Prefecture which showcases Meiji Era architecture. The Japanese government awarded Ozawa the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2001 and the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1994 for his body of work. Shōichi Ozawa died on December 10, 2012, at the age of 83.
Hiroshi Inuzuka (犬塚 弘, Inuzuka Hiroshi; 23 March 1929 – 27 October 2023) was a Japanese actor, comedian and bassist.…
Hiroshi Inuzuka (犬塚 弘, Inuzuka Hiroshi; 23 March 1929 – 27 October 2023) was a Japanese actor, comedian and bassist. Inuzuka was one of the members of the Crazy Cats. His first starring role in the film was in Suteki na Konban wa directed by Yoshitarō Nomura and played the leading roles in six films in his acting career. Inuzuka announced his retirement as an actor and made his final appearance in Labyrinth of Cinema directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi in 2019. He then retired to Atami. Hiroshi Inuzuka died on 27 October 2023, at the age of 94.
Gabdulla Safa, also known as a Roy James (Tatar: Габделхәннан Сафа, March 9, 1929, Tokyo – December 29, 1982), was a…
Gabdulla Safa, also known as a Roy James (Tatar: Габделхәннан Сафа, March 9, 1929, Tokyo – December 29, 1982), was a Japanese actor of Tatar descent.
Giichi Nishihara (西原 儀一, Nishihara Giichi; 1929 – 16 August 2009), also known as Shirō Sekiya (関谷四郎, Sekiya Shirō), was…
Giichi Nishihara (西原 儀一, Nishihara Giichi; 1929 – 16 August 2009), also known as Shirō Sekiya (関谷四郎, Sekiya Shirō), was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his low-budget and sensationalistic pink films made for his Aoi Eiga studios in the 1960s and 1970s. He has been called both "Japan's sleaziest movie-maker," and "a cult favorite among devotees of extreme cinema."
Frankie Sakai (フランキー堺, Furankī Sakai) (13 February 1929 – 10 June 1996) was a Japanese comedian, actor, and musician.
Hideo Murata (村田英雄, Murata Hideo; January 17, 1929 – June 13, 2002) was a Japanese rōkyoku and enka singer. He took…
Hideo Murata (村田英雄, Murata Hideo; January 17, 1929 – June 13, 2002) was a Japanese rōkyoku and enka singer. He took part in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen 27 times. Murata was born as a son of rōkyoku singer Senyu Hirosawa (広沢仙遊, Hirosawa Senyū) and Tsutako Yano (矢野ツタ子, Yano Tsutako). However, he was immediately adopted by Sumiko Deriba (出利葉スミ子, Deriba Sumiko) and Haruo Kajiyama (梶山春雄, Kajiyama Haruo) became his stepfather. His real name was Isamu Kajiyama (梶山勇, Kajiyama Isamu). He studied rōkyoku under one of Kumoemon Tochuken's disciples, Kumo Sakai. Murata was scouted by Masao Koga, debuting with "Muhōmatsu no Isshō" (無法松の一生, lit. "Life of Outlaw Pine") in 1958. His 1961 single "Ōshō" sold over one million copies. Along with Hachiro Kasuga and Michiya Mihashi, he became a famous enka singer and Haruo Minami was regarded as his rival. He died on June 13, 2002.
Shigeru Kōyama (神山 繁, Kōyama Shigeru; 16 January 1929 – 3 January 2017) was a Japanese actor.
Haruo Nakajima (Japanese: 中島 春雄, Hepburn: Nakajima Haruo; January 1, 1929 – August 7, 2017) was a Japanese actor and…
Haruo Nakajima (Japanese: 中島 春雄, Hepburn: Nakajima Haruo; January 1, 1929 – August 7, 2017) was a Japanese actor and stuntman. A pioneer of suit acting, he is best known for playing Godzilla in 12 consecutive films, starting from the original Godzilla (1954) until Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972). Nakajima also played various other kaiju in Toho's tokusatsu films, including: Rodan (1956), Mothra (1961) and The War of the Gargantuas (1966) and also appeared in a minor roles in Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo, and Stray Dog (his film debut).
Kei Satō (佐藤 慶, Satō Kei; born December 21, 1928 in Aizuwakamatsu – May 2, 2010) was a Japanese character actor and…
Kei Satō (佐藤 慶, Satō Kei; born December 21, 1928 in Aizuwakamatsu – May 2, 2010) was a Japanese character actor and narrator. He is known for his work with Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Oshima, and for several films with Kaneto Shindo, such as Onibaba and Kuroneko. He won the best actor award from Kinema Junpo for the films The Ceremony and Nihon no akuryō. He also worked as a narrator for many documentaries, both on television and film.
Tappei Shimokawa (下川 辰平, Tappei Shimokawa; December 11, 1928 – March 25, 2004) was a Japanese actor. He attended…
Tappei Shimokawa (下川 辰平, Tappei Shimokawa; December 11, 1928 – March 25, 2004) was a Japanese actor. He attended Musashino Art University, but withdrew before completing his degree. In 1964, he joined Bungakuza Theatre Company but left in 1977. He is well known for his role as Chōsan (Detective Tarō Nozaki) in the detective drama television series Taiyō ni Hoero!. His notable films are The Sands of Kurobe (1968), Akira Kurosawas film Dodes'ka-den (1970) and Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare (1976).
Takahiro Tamura (田村高廣, Tamura Takahiro; 31 August 1928 – 16 May 2006) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 100…
Takahiro Tamura (田村高廣, Tamura Takahiro; 31 August 1928 – 16 May 2006) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1954 and 2005. He and his younger brothers Masakazu and Ryō were known as the three Tamura brothers. They were sons of actor Tsumasaburo Bando.
Shōji Yasui (安井 昌二, Yasui Shōji; 16 August 1928 – 3 March 2014) was a Japanese actor. He was best known for playing the…
Shōji Yasui (安井 昌二, Yasui Shōji; 16 August 1928 – 3 March 2014) was a Japanese actor. He was best known for playing the central role of Private Mizushima in Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp.
Kiyoshi Atsumi (Japanese: 渥美 清, Hepburn: Atsumi Kiyoshi), born Yasuo Tadokoro (田所 康雄, Tadokoro Yasuo; 10 March 1928 – 4…
Kiyoshi Atsumi (Japanese: 渥美 清, Hepburn: Atsumi Kiyoshi), born Yasuo Tadokoro (田所 康雄, Tadokoro Yasuo; 10 March 1928 – 4 August 1996), was a Japanese actor. He is best known for portraying Tora-san in the Japanese comedy film series Otoko wa Tsurai yo, a role he played 48 times over 26 years.
Tatsumi Hijikata (土方 巽, Hijikata Tatsumi; March 9, 1928 – January 21, 1986) was a Japanese choreographer, and the…
Tatsumi Hijikata (土方 巽, Hijikata Tatsumi; March 9, 1928 – January 21, 1986) was a Japanese choreographer, and the founder of a genre of dance performance art called Butoh. By the late 1960s, he had begun to develop this dance form, which is highly choreographed with stylized gestures drawn from his childhood memories of his northern Japan home. It is this style which is most often associated with Butoh by Westerners.
Akihiko Onoda (小野田昭彦, Onoda Akihiko; December 16, 1927 – July 25, 1984), known professionally as Akihiko Hirata (平田昭彦…
Akihiko Onoda (小野田昭彦, Onoda Akihiko; December 16, 1927 – July 25, 1984), known professionally as Akihiko Hirata (平田昭彦, Hirata Akihiko), was a Japanese film actor. He is known for his work in the kaiju genre, including such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla, The Mysterians, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Terror of Mechagodzilla, and his most famous role of Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the brilliant but disturbed young scientist in the original Godzilla, released in 1954. He starred in many movies, including two out of the three films of Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy.
Mizuho Suzuki (鈴木 瑞穂, Suzuki Mizuho; October 23, 1927 – November 19, 2023) was a Japanese actor. He was a drop-out of…
Mizuho Suzuki (鈴木 瑞穂, Suzuki Mizuho; October 23, 1927 – November 19, 2023) was a Japanese actor. He was a drop-out of Kyoto University. He died on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96.
Shōbun Inoue (井上 昭文, Inoue Shōbun; 22 August 1927 – 28 January 2013) was a Japanese actor. Inoue started his acting…
Shōbun Inoue (井上 昭文, Inoue Shōbun; 22 August 1927 – 28 January 2013) was a Japanese actor. Inoue started his acting career at the Haiyuza Theatre Company. Later, he signed his contract with Nikkatsu film company.
Koji Nanbara (南原 宏治, Nanbara Kōji; June 7, 1927 – December 20, 2001) was a Japanese actor. He was born in Yokohama…
Koji Nanbara (南原 宏治, Nanbara Kōji; June 7, 1927 – December 20, 2001) was a Japanese actor. He was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. In 1951, he signed with Daiei film company. and made his film debut with Kamikaze Tokkotai. Mostly famous later in his career for playing villains, he began acting in the 1950s under the name Shinji Nanbara. He died of a myocardial infarction in Chōfu, Tokyo at age 74.
Yoshio Tsuchiya (土屋 嘉男, Tsuchiya Yoshio; May 18, 1927 – February 8, 2017) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in such…
Yoshio Tsuchiya (土屋 嘉男, Tsuchiya Yoshio; May 18, 1927 – February 8, 2017) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in such films as Toshio Matsumoto's surreal Funeral Parade of Roses and Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Red Beard, and Kihachi Okamoto's Kill!. He had a long-standing interest in UFOs and wrote several books on the subject. He preferred starring in science fiction films, usually as aliens, or people possessed by them, in such films as Battle in Outer Space, Monster Zero, and Destroy All Monsters.
Hisashi Katsuta (勝田 久, Katsuta Hisashi; 2 April 1927 – 21 February 2020) was a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is…
Hisashi Katsuta (勝田 久, Katsuta Hisashi; 2 April 1927 – 21 February 2020) was a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is best known for his voice-over portrayal of Professor Ochanomizu in three anime adaptations of the Astro Boy franchise, and also voiced Dr. Hoshi in Astroganger (1972–1973), Professor Tobishima in Groizer X (1976–1977), and Shin'ichirō Izumi in Tōshō Daimos (1978–1979).
Kazuo Kitamura (北村 和夫, Kitamura Kazuo; 11 March 1927 – 6 May 2007) was a Japanese actor. His son is actor Yukiya…
Kazuo Kitamura (北村 和夫, Kitamura Kazuo; 11 March 1927 – 6 May 2007) was a Japanese actor. His son is actor Yukiya Kitamura. Kitamura met Shōhei Imamura when he was a student of Waseda University and became a close friend so often worked with Imamura. Kitamura joined Bungakuza theatre company and started his acting career in 1950. In 1953, he made his film debut with An Inlet of Muddy Water directed by Tadashi Imai.
Hitoshi Ueki (植木 等, Ueki Hitoshi; February 25, 1927 – March 27, 2007) was a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and…
Hitoshi Ueki (植木 等, Ueki Hitoshi; February 25, 1927 – March 27, 2007) was a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and guitarist. He won six awards for acting. His film credits stretch from 1960 to 1995. Ueki came to fame through the comic jazz-band The Crazy Cats led by Hajime Hana. His major appearances were in the Musekinin Otoko film series, the comedy variety show Shabondama Holiday, the prime-time television series The Hangman, and the ten 2-hour television shows in the Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari franchise. He appeared in the Akira Kurosawa epic jidaigeki film Ran in 1985, receiving a nomination for the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, and earned the Japanese Academy, Kinema Junpo, and Mainichi film awards for best supporting actor for his role as the eccentric grandfather in Big Joys, Small Sorrows in 1987. On stage, he portrayed Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago, voiced the Roddy McDowall role in the Japanese market release of Planet of the Apes, and served as the narrator in the Japanese version of Tom and Jerry. His hit song with Hana Hajime and the Crazy Cats, Sūdara-bushi, placed in the Oricon top ten, and landed him an appearance on the NHK annual music spectacular Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Ueki received the Purple Ribbon Medal of Honour in 1993 and the 4th Class Order of the Rising Sun in 1999. In 2011, new technology was used to create a Vocaloid voicebank using his voice.
Junkichi Orimoto (織本 順吉, Orimoto Junkichi; 9 February 1927 – 18 March 2019) was a Japanese actor. Orimoto often worked…
Junkichi Orimoto (織本 順吉, Orimoto Junkichi; 9 February 1927 – 18 March 2019) was a Japanese actor. Orimoto often worked with Kinji Fukasaku and Sadao Nakajima. He started his acting career at the Shinkyō theatre company in 1949. His first film appearance was in the 1952 film Yamabiko Gakkō directed by Tadashi Imai. In 2019, he died of old age at the age of 92. His final film appearance was in the 2018 film blank13.
Kazuo Kumakura (熊倉 一雄, Kumakura Kazuo; January 30, 1927 – October 12, 2015) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and…
Kazuo Kumakura (熊倉 一雄, Kumakura Kazuo; January 30, 1927 – October 12, 2015) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and theatre director. He was the head of the Theatre Echo agency at the time of his death.
Rinichi Yamamoto (山本 麟一, Yamamoto Rin'ichi) was a Japanese actor from Hokkaido. In 1953, he signed to the Toei Company…
Rinichi Yamamoto (山本 麟一, Yamamoto Rin'ichi) was a Japanese actor from Hokkaido. In 1953, he signed to the Toei Company and made his film debut in Gakusei Goninotoko. He is most famous for playing villains, and appeared more than 200 films. He also had many guest appearances as a villain in television dramas. His final role was Yoshinaka in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun.
Keiji Sada (佐田 啓二, Sada Keiji; December 9, 1926 – August 17, 1964) is the stage name for a Japanese cinema actor active…
Keiji Sada (佐田 啓二, Sada Keiji; December 9, 1926 – August 17, 1964) is the stage name for a Japanese cinema actor active from the late-1940s to the early 1960s. His real name was Kanichi Nakai. He won the award for best actor at the 7th Blue Ribbon Awards for Anata Kaimasu (I Will Buy You) and Taifū Sōdōki. He was the father of the actor Kiichi Nakai and actress Kie Nakai.
Teiji Takahashi (高橋 貞二, Takahashi Teiji; 20 October 1926 – 3 November 1959) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in…
Teiji Takahashi (高橋 貞二, Takahashi Teiji; 20 October 1926 – 3 November 1959) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than twenty films from 1950 to 1959. Takahashi died in a traffic accident.