Chiyonosuke Azuma (東 千代之介, Azuma Chiyonosuke; 19 August 1926 – 9 November 2000) was a Japanese actor and Nihon-buyō…Chiyonosuke Azuma (東 千代之介, Azuma Chiyonosuke; 19 August 1926 – 9 November 2000) was a Japanese actor and Nihon-buyō dancer. He appeared in more than 40 films from 1954 to 1993.
Hiroshi Koizumi (小泉博, Koizumi Hiroshi; birth name written as 小泉 汪) (12 August 1926 – 31 May 2015) was a Japanese actor…Hiroshi Koizumi (小泉博, Koizumi Hiroshi; birth name written as 小泉 汪) (12 August 1926 – 31 May 2015) was a Japanese actor, best known for his starring role in the 1955 film Godzilla Raids Again as well as other Toho Studios monster movies. He was born in Japan. He is a graduate of Keio University in Tokyo. In a 1999 interview with Steve Ryfle, Koizumi laments that while he stated he has easy parts to play, he felt he could have done more in his performances. Despite his roles where he usually plays a scientist, he plays a powerful role in Late Chrysanthemums, playing a young man that married an older wealthy woman to escape from the slums. On 31 May 2015, Koizumi died at a hospital in Tokyo from pneumonia at the age of 88.
Yoshihiro Hamaguchi (浜口 喜博, Hamaguchi Yoshihiro; June 23, 1926 – August 9, 2011) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. He…Yoshihiro Hamaguchi (浜口 喜博, Hamaguchi Yoshihiro; June 23, 1926 – August 9, 2011) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. He represented Japan at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. There, he won a silver medal as a member of the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay team, alongside Toru Goto, Hiroshi Suzuki and Teijiro Tanikawa. Also competed in the 100m freestyle advancing to the semifinals, missing the finals by a narrow margin. After retiring he debuted as an actor in the 1955 film Buruuba as a Japanese version of Tarzan. He also appeared in the TV Show Shōnen Jet, a detective adventure show made by Kadokawa Pictures.
Taketoshi Naito (内藤 武敏, Naitō Taketoshi; 16 June 1926 – 21 August 2012) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than…Taketoshi Naito (内藤 武敏, Naitō Taketoshi; 16 June 1926 – 21 August 2012) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1953 and 2003. He died of lymphoma on 21 August 2012.
Noboru Ando (Japanese: 安藤 昇, Hepburn: Andō Noboru; 24 May 1926 – 16 December 2015) was a Japanese actor, writer, singer…Noboru Ando (Japanese: 安藤 昇, Hepburn: Andō Noboru; 24 May 1926 – 16 December 2015) was a Japanese actor, writer, singer and former yakuza. He is known for utilizing his experiences as a criminal in his many roles in yakuza films. He had a large knife scar on his left cheek, the result of a brawl with a Korean gangster as a young man.
Hideyo Amamoto (天本 英世, Amamoto Hideyo; January 2, 1926 – March 23, 2003) was a Japanese actor. He is best known for…Hideyo Amamoto (天本 英世, Amamoto Hideyo; January 2, 1926 – March 23, 2003) was a Japanese actor. He is best known for portraying Dr. Shinigami in the original Kamen Rider series as well as many other characters in tokusatsu films such as the Godzilla series. Amamoto also used the pseudonym of Eisei Amamoto for most of his career, Eisei being a misreading of the kanji in his real name, Hideyo. He died on March 23, 2003, of complications from pneumonia at 77.
Sachio Sakai (堺 左千夫, Sakai Sachio; 8 September 1925 – 11 March 1998), born Yukio Abe (阿部 幸男, Abe Yukio), was a Japanese…Sachio Sakai (堺 左千夫, Sakai Sachio; 8 September 1925 – 11 March 1998), born Yukio Abe (阿部 幸男, Abe Yukio), was a Japanese actor. In 1947, he made his film debut with Akira Kurosawa's One Wonderful Sunday. He often worked with Akira Kurosawa and Kihachi Okamoto.
Asao Sano (佐野 浅夫, Sano Asao; 13 August 1925 – 28 June 2022) was a Japanese actor. He was known for playing the role of…Asao Sano (佐野 浅夫, Sano Asao; 13 August 1925 – 28 June 2022) was a Japanese actor. He was known for playing the role of Tokugawa Mitsukuni on the television jidaigeki series Mito Kōmon. Sano died on 28 June 2022, at the age of 96.
Hideji Ōtaki (大滝 秀治, Ōtaki Hideji; June 6, 1925 – October 2, 2012) was a Japanese actor. He served as President of the…Hideji Ōtaki (大滝 秀治, Ōtaki Hideji; June 6, 1925 – October 2, 2012) was a Japanese actor. He served as President of the Mingei Theatre Company.
Eiichi Ono (Japanese: 小野 榮一, Hepburn: Ono Eiichi; December 6, 1924 – June 16, 1987), better known by his stage name…Eiichi Ono (Japanese: 小野 榮一, Hepburn: Ono Eiichi; December 6, 1924 – June 16, 1987), better known by his stage name Kōji Tsuruta (鶴田 浩二, Tsuruta Kōji), was a Japanese actor and singer. He appeared in almost 260 feature films and had a unique style of singing.
Yoichi Numata (沼田 曜一, Numata Yōichi) (19 July 1924 – 29 April 2006) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 27 films…Yoichi Numata (沼田 曜一, Numata Yōichi) (19 July 1924 – 29 April 2006) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 27 films between 1949 and 2001.
Saburo Date (伊達三郎, Date Saburō; 27 March 1924 – 12 September 1991) was a Japanese actor. In 1945, he signed a contract…Saburo Date (伊達三郎, Date Saburō; 27 March 1924 – 12 September 1991) was a Japanese actor. In 1945, he signed a contract with Daiei Film company and started his acting career. Following year, he made his film debut with Okagura Kyōdai directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. At the same time, he was given the stage name Saburo Date by Inagaki. As the Daiei studio gave up film production in 1970, he left Daiei and became a freelance actor. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1947 and 1990.
Akira Kume (久米 明, Kume Akira; February 8, 1924 – April 23, 2020) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator. As of…Akira Kume (久米 明, Kume Akira; February 8, 1924 – April 23, 2020) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator. As of 2019, with his role as the narrator of the NHK show Tsurube's Salute to Families, he was the world's oldest active voice actor.
Ryōhei Uchida (内田良平, Uchida Ryōhei; 5 February 1924 – 15 June 1984) was a Japanese actor. Uchida appeared in nearly 300…Ryōhei Uchida (内田良平, Uchida Ryōhei; 5 February 1924 – 15 June 1984) was a Japanese actor. Uchida appeared in nearly 300 films between 1950 and 1984. He specialized in playing villains and yakuza roles. He got acquainted with film director Masaki Kobayashi through a friend's introduction. He was able to sign his contract with Shochiku film company with the help of Kobayashi. In 1953, he made his film debut with Kabe Atsukiheya directed by Masaki Kobayashi. His first starring role in a film was playing Kazama in League of Gangsters (1963) directed by Kinji Fukasaku. He died of myocardial infarction on 15 June 1984 at the age of 60.
Minoru Ōki (大木 実, Ōki Minoru; 16 December 1927 – 30 March 2009) was a Japanese actor. His notable film appearances were…Minoru Ōki (大木 実, Ōki Minoru; 16 December 1927 – 30 March 2009) was a Japanese actor. His notable film appearances were Lone Wolf and Cub films, Stakeout, and Not Forgotten. Ōki started working as a shooting assistant at the Nikkatsu Tamagawa studio at the age of 16. In 1951, he made his film debut with Aa Seishun at Shin Saburi and Michiyo Kogure's recommendation. In the same year, he officially signed his contract with Shochiku film company and became an actor. In 1963, he left Shochiku and transferred to Toei. In Toei, he mainly appeared in yakuza films. In 2000, he won the best actor award at the Three Continents Film Festival for his role in Not Forgotten. He died of pancreatic cancer in 2006.
Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, Kobayashi Keiju; 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2010) was a Japanese actor who appeared in 253…Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, Kobayashi Keiju; 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2010) was a Japanese actor who appeared in 253 films in a career spanning 67 years. Born in Gunma Prefecture, he began acting at the Nikkatsu studio after dropping out of Nihon University and made his film debut in 1942. In 1956 he moved to Toho film company. In a career that spanned 65 years, he appeared in over 250 films, most famously in the "Company President" (Shachō) comedy films made at Toho, where he worked alongside Hisaya Morishige, Daisuke Katō, Norihei Miki, and others. There he helped define the popular image of the postwar salaryman. He also won many awards for his acting, including best actor awards at the Mainichi Film Awards for The Naked General in 1958 (where he played Kiyoshi Yamashita), for Kuroi gashū in 1960, and for The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman in 1963. Kobayashi appeared in films made by such notable directors as Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse, and Kihachi Okamoto. He continued to give powerful performances after largely moving to television in the late 1960s. He also portrayed the voice of the "Shirō Nishi" in the original Japanese version of the Studio Ghibli anime film Whisper of the Heart in 1995. He died on 16 September 2010 of heart failure at the age of 86.
Tomio Aoki (青木 富夫, Aoki Tomio; October 7, 1923 – January 24, 2004) aka Tokkan Kozō (突貫小僧) was a Japanese film actor.…Tomio Aoki (青木 富夫, Aoki Tomio; October 7, 1923 – January 24, 2004) aka Tokkan Kozō (突貫小僧) was a Japanese film actor. Aoki became famous as a child actor after debuting at the age of six in silent films directed by Yasujirō Ozu. His leading role in Ozu's 1929 short comedy Tokkan kozo gave Aoki his nickname. I Was Born, But... (1932), Passing Fancy (1933) and An Inn in Tokyo (1935) were three other Ozu films in which Aoki had notable roles. Aoki disappeared from Japanese cinema in 1940, at the age of 16, but returned to film acting in Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp (1956). During the 1960s he appeared in films for directors Seijun Suzuki and Teruo Ishii before retiring again in 1972. He again returned to the screen in 1995 in Makoto Shinozaki's Okaeri, and appeared in Suzuki's Pistol Opera (2001). He continued appearing in films, and in short comedies by Shinozaki until his death in 2004. He shared the Best Actor award at the French Three Continents Festival with two of his co-stars for Shinozaki's Not Forgotten (2000). By the time of his death, at the age of 80, Aoki had performed in over 300 films.
Jun Negami (根上 淳, Negami Jun; born Fujio Mori; September 20, 1923 - October 24, 2005) was a Japanese actor. He was best…Jun Negami (根上 淳, Negami Jun; born Fujio Mori; September 20, 1923 - October 24, 2005) was a Japanese actor. He was best known internationally for his role as Ryū Ibuki on the tokusatsu television series Return of Ultraman (1971–72).
Isao Kimura (木村 功, Kimura Isao; 22 June 1923 – 4 July 1981), sometimes credited as Kō Kimura, was a Japanese stage and…Isao Kimura (木村 功, Kimura Isao; 22 June 1923 – 4 July 1981), sometimes credited as Kō Kimura, was a Japanese stage and film actor who appeared in more than one hundred films of directors such as Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, Tadashi Imai and Yoshishige Yoshida.
Seijun Suzuki (鈴木 清順, Suzuki Seijun), born Seitaro Suzuki (鈴木 清太郎, Suzuki Seitarō) (24 May 1923 – 13 February 2017)…Seijun Suzuki (鈴木 清順, Suzuki Seijun), born Seitaro Suzuki (鈴木 清太郎, Suzuki Seitarō) (24 May 1923 – 13 February 2017), was a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are known for their florid visual style, absurd humour, and a playful rejection of traditional film grammar. He made 40 predominately B-movies for the Nikkatsu Company between 1956 and 1967, working most prolifically in the yakuza genre. His increasingly surreal style began to draw the ire of the studio in 1963 and culminated in his ultimate dismissal for what is now regarded as his magnum opus, Branded to Kill (1967), starring notable collaborator Joe Shishido. Suzuki successfully sued the studio for wrongful dismissal, but he was blacklisted for 10 years after that. As an independent filmmaker, he won critical acclaim and a Japanese Academy Award for his Taishō trilogy, Zigeunerweisen (1980), Kagero-za (1981) and Yumeji (1991). His films remained widely unknown outside Japan until a series of theatrical retrospectives beginning in the mid-1980s, home video releases of key films such as Branded to Kill and Tokyo Drifter in the late 1990s and tributes by such acclaimed filmmakers as Jim Jarmusch, Takeshi Kitano, Wong Kar-wai and Quentin Tarantino signaled his international discovery. Suzuki continued making films, albeit sporadically, until the early 2000s.
Toshio Takahara (高原 駿雄, Takahara Toshio; 1 May 1927 – 26 February 2000) was a Japanese actor. Notable film appearances…Toshio Takahara (高原 駿雄, Takahara Toshio; 1 May 1927 – 26 February 2000) was a Japanese actor. Notable film appearances were Seven Samurai and Twenty-Four Eyes. He is also known for his role as Commander Gonpachi Edogawa in the tokusatsu superhero series Himitsu Sentai Gorenger. He started his acting career at the Bungakuza theatre company in 1941. In 1943, he made his stage debut with Denen . He gave his film debut with Ginza no Odoriko in 1950. Takahara signed his contract with Nikkatsu studio between 1956 and 1960 and starred in many Nikatsu films, including Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate directed by Yūzō Kawashima and Pigs and Battleships directed by Shōhei Imamura. He died of heart failure on 26 February 2000.
Nobuo Kaneko (金子信雄, Kaneko Nobuo; 27 March 1923 – 20 January 1995) was a Japanese actor. His wife was actress Yatsuko…Nobuo Kaneko (金子信雄, Kaneko Nobuo; 27 March 1923 – 20 January 1995) was a Japanese actor. His wife was actress Yatsuko Tanami. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1946 and 1993.
Eiji Funakoshi (船越 英二, Funakoshi Eiji; 17 March 1923 – 17 March 2007) was a Japanese actor. He received the Kinema…Eiji Funakoshi (船越 英二, Funakoshi Eiji; 17 March 1923 – 17 March 2007) was a Japanese actor. He received the Kinema Junpo Award for Best Actor and the Mainichi Film Concours for Best Actor for his performance in Fires on the Plain.
Rentarō Mikuni (Japanese: 三國連太郎, Hepburn: Mikuni Rentarō; 20 January 1923 – 14 April 2013) was a Japanese actor and…Rentarō Mikuni (Japanese: 三國連太郎, Hepburn: Mikuni Rentarō; 20 January 1923 – 14 April 2013) was a Japanese actor and film director. He starred in several films of Keisuke Kinoshita, Mikio Naruse, Tadashi Imai, Shōhei Imamura, Tomu Uchida and many others. Mikuni received numerous awards for his performances and was awarded the Jury Prize at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival for his film Shinran: Path to Purity, which he wrote and directed.
Tetsurō Tamba (Japanese: 丹波 哲郎, Hepburn: Tanba Tetsurō), born Shozaburo Tanba (丹波 正三郎, Tanba Shōzaburō; July 17, 1922 –…Tetsurō Tamba (Japanese: 丹波 哲郎, Hepburn: Tanba Tetsurō), born Shozaburo Tanba (丹波 正三郎, Tanba Shōzaburō; July 17, 1922 – September 24, 2006), was a Japanese actor with a career spanning five decades. He appeared in nearly 300 film and television productions, both in leading and supporting roles, and was the winner of the 1981 Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor. At the height of his career, he was one of Japan's most esteemed and prolific leading men, and worked with many significant directors including Kinji Fukasaku, Shōhei Imamura, Masaki Kobayashi, Masahiro Shinoda and Takashi Miike. Several of his films were identified with the Japanese New Wave movement. He also appeared in several international films, notably as Japanese secret service chief Tiger Tanaka in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Later in his life, Tamba became known for his well-publicized interest in psychic phenomena, publishing several books on the subject and acting as a spokesperson for the Risshō Kōsei Kai new religious movement. He continued acting until 2006, when he died of pneumonia.
Yoshio Inaba (稲葉 義男, Inaba Yoshio; July 15, 1920 – April 20, 1998) was a Japanese actor best known for his role as…Yoshio Inaba (稲葉 義男, Inaba Yoshio; July 15, 1920 – April 20, 1998) was a Japanese actor best known for his role as Gorobei in Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. In addition to his career in film, Inaba was also a prolific theater actor and a member of the prestigious Haiyuza Theatre Company. He died of a heart attack at the age of 77.
Eiji Okada (岡田 英次, Okada Eiji; 13 June 1920 – 14 September 1995) was a Japanese film actor from Chōshi, Chiba. Okada…Eiji Okada (岡田 英次, Okada Eiji; 13 June 1920 – 14 September 1995) was a Japanese film actor from Chōshi, Chiba. Okada served in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II and was a miner and traveling salesman before becoming an actor. Internationally, his best-remembered roles include Lui ("him" in French) in the 1959 film Hiroshima mon amour, directed by Alain Resnais. In this film, Eiji Okada had to learn the screenplay phonetically because he did not speak French. He is also known for playing the entomologist Niki Junpei in Hiroshi Teshigahara's 1964 film Woman in the Dunes, an adaptation of Kōbō Abe's novel. He was also second billed under Marlon Brando in the 1963 political thriller The Ugly American. Okada was married to Aiko Wasa, with whom he ran a theatre company in Japan. He died on 14 September 1995 of heart failure, at the age of 75.
Hiroshi Akutagawa (芥川比呂志, Akutagawa Hiroshi; 30 March 1920 – 28 October 1981) was a Japanese stage and film actor and…Hiroshi Akutagawa (芥川比呂志, Akutagawa Hiroshi; 30 March 1920 – 28 October 1981) was a Japanese stage and film actor and director. In his 30 years spanning career, he appeared in numerous stage productions and films by directors such as Shirō Toyoda, Tadashi Imai, Heinosuke Gosho, Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Ōshima.
Yūnosuke Itō (伊藤 雄之助, Itō Yūnosuke; 3 August 1919 – 11 March 1980) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than…Yūnosuke Itō (伊藤 雄之助, Itō Yūnosuke; 3 August 1919 – 11 March 1980) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than ninety films from 1947 to 1979.
Yasuo Hisamatsu (6 June 1919 – 15 June 1982) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, television executive, and educator. In…Yasuo Hisamatsu (6 June 1919 – 15 June 1982) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, television executive, and educator. In 1959 he was made director of the Pacific Television Corporation. He was the first president of the Seiji Juku; a school for actors in Tokyo that was founded by Aoni Production. Some of his credits include the roles of Antares in Galaxy Express 999 and its film adaptation, Quincy Harker in The Tomb of Dracula, Narrator in Arrow Emblem: Hawk of the Grand Prix, Genzo Umon in Uchu Enban Daisenso, Merlin in King Arthur, Mihara in Lady from Hell, and Kajiwara's messenger in The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail.
Kaku Takashina (高品格, Takashina Kaku) (February 22, 1919 - March 11, 1994) was a Japanese actor. He won the award for…Kaku Takashina (高品格, Takashina Kaku) (February 22, 1919 - March 11, 1994) was a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 9th Hochi Film Award and at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for Mahjong hōrōki.
Ryō Ikebe (池部 良, Ikebe Ryō; 11 February 1918 – 8 October 2010) was a Japanese actor. He graduated from Rikkyō…Ryō Ikebe (池部 良, Ikebe Ryō; 11 February 1918 – 8 October 2010) was a Japanese actor. He graduated from Rikkyō University and originally wanted to be a director, but ended up debuting as an actor at Tōhō in 1941. He did not achieve popularity until starring in a series of youth films in the late 1940s. He expanded his acting range in the 1950s, while still frequently appearing in genre films, such as Tōhō tokusatsu films and yakuza films at Tōei. One key role of his was in the 1964 film noir Pale Flower. Apparently, he was cast by Masahiro Shinoda despite saying that he was a "ham actor". Shinoda stated that he cast him because of his sleek features present in films such as Early Spring (1956) and wanted to feel the "quality of a man down on his luck." (at the time of production, Ikebe happened to be at home because of a bad experience he had acting in a play where he couldn't remember his lines). He was also known as an essayist. On 8 October 2010, he died of blood poisoning. He was 92 years old.
Jun Tatara (多々良純, Tatara Jun), whose real name was Shigeji Tatarai (田足井 重二, Tatarai Shigeji; 4 August 1917 in…Jun Tatara (多々良純, Tatara Jun), whose real name was Shigeji Tatarai (田足井 重二, Tatarai Shigeji; 4 August 1917 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture – 30 September 2006 in Tokyo) was a Japanese actor.
Minoru Chiaki (Japanese: 千秋 実, Hepburn: Chiaki Minoru; April 28, 1917 – November 1, 1999) was a Japanese actor who…Minoru Chiaki (Japanese: 千秋 実, Hepburn: Chiaki Minoru; April 28, 1917 – November 1, 1999) was a Japanese actor who appeared in eleven of Akira Kurosawa's films, including Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and The Hidden Fortress. He was also one of Kon Ichikawa's favourite actors. He attended, but did not graduate from, Chuo University. Later in his career, he appeared as a secondary actor in many Toei films. In 1986, he won the Best Actor at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony for his performance in Gray Sunset (1985). He died of cardiac and pulmonary failure at age 82. His son Katsuhiko Sasaki is also an actor.
Tōru Abe (安部 徹, Abe Tōru; 28 March 1917 – 18 July 1993) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films…Tōru Abe (安部 徹, Abe Tōru; 28 March 1917 – 18 July 1993) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1944 to 1985.
Shinsuke Ashida (芦田伸介, Ashida Shinsuke; 14 March 1914 – 10 January 1999) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than…Shinsuke Ashida (芦田伸介, Ashida Shinsuke; 14 March 1914 – 10 January 1999) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1952 and 1996.
Ichirō Arishima (有島 一郎, Arishima Ichirō; March 1, 1916 – July 20, 1987) was a Japanese comedian and actor. Nicknamed…Ichirō Arishima (有島 一郎, Arishima Ichirō; March 1, 1916 – July 20, 1987) was a Japanese comedian and actor. Nicknamed "The Japanese Chaplin", he is best known outside Japan for his appearance as Tako, the promoter of King Kong in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962).
Taiji Tonoyama (殿山 泰司, Tonoyama Taiji; October 17, 1915 – April 30, 1989) was a Japanese character actor who made many…Taiji Tonoyama (殿山 泰司, Tonoyama Taiji; October 17, 1915 – April 30, 1989) was a Japanese character actor who made many appearances in films and on television from 1939 to 1989. He was a close friend of Kaneto Shindo and one of his regular cast members. He was also an essayist. In 1950 he helped form the film company Kindai Eiga Kyokai with Shindo and Kōzaburō Yoshimura. He served in the Japanese military in China in the Second Sino-Japanese War and considered himself to have narrowly escaped from death. He was married but also had a mistress and maintained relationships with both women until the end of his life. He was a keen reader of detective stories and a fan of jazz music. He wrote a series of semi-autobiographical essays under the title Sanmon Yakusha (三文役者), meaning "third rate actor". Kaneto Shindo wrote a biography of Tonoyama called Sanmon yakusha no shi, meaning "The death of a third-rate actor", which he also filmed as By Player.
Tatsuo Matsumura (松村 達雄, Matsumura Tatsuo; 18 December 1914 – 18 June 2005) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more…Tatsuo Matsumura (松村 達雄, Matsumura Tatsuo; 18 December 1914 – 18 June 2005) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 70 films from 1959 to 2004 and performed in several editions of the film series Otoko wa Tsurai yo. He graduated from Hosei University. He made his debut in movies with the film Otome no inori directed by Shin Saburi in 1959.
Jūkichi Uno (宇野重吉, Uno Jūkichi) (real name Nobuo Terao (寺尾 信夫); 27 September 1914 – 9 January 1988) was a Japanese…Jūkichi Uno (宇野重吉, Uno Jūkichi) (real name Nobuo Terao (寺尾 信夫); 27 September 1914 – 9 January 1988) was a Japanese actor. In 1950, he formed the Gekidan Mingei (劇団民藝) with Osamu Takizawa and others.
Jūshirō Konoe (近衛 十四郎, Konoe Jūshirō; 10 April 1914 – 24 May 1977) was a Japanese jidaigeki actor. He was born Toraichi…Jūshirō Konoe (近衛 十四郎, Konoe Jūshirō; 10 April 1914 – 24 May 1977) was a Japanese jidaigeki actor. He was born Toraichi Meguro in Nagaoka, Niigata. Debuting at Ajia Eiga in 1934, Konoe appeared in jidaigeki at Daito Eiga, Shochiku, and Toei, the latter having him star in a popular series about Yagyu Jubei. Konoe was known for his dazzling swordplay and appeared in over 200 movies and TV dramas. He retired in 1973 due to his worsening diabetes. Konoe's sons Hiroki Matsukata and Yūki Meguro are actors.
Seiji Miyaguchi (宮口精二, Miyaguchi Seiji; 15 November 1913 – 12 April 1985) was a Japanese stage and film actor who…Seiji Miyaguchi (宮口精二, Miyaguchi Seiji; 15 November 1913 – 12 April 1985) was a Japanese stage and film actor who appeared in films of Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita, Tadashi Imai and many others.
Jun Tazaki (田崎 潤, Tazaki Jun; 28 August 1913 – 18 October 1985), born Minoru Tanaka, was a Japanese actor best known…Jun Tazaki (田崎 潤, Tazaki Jun; 28 August 1913 – 18 October 1985), born Minoru Tanaka, was a Japanese actor best known for his various roles in kaiju films produced by Toho, often portraying scientists or military personnel.
Hisaya Morishige (森繁 久彌, Morishige Hisaya; May 4, 1913 – November 10, 2009) was a Japanese actor and comedian. Born in…Hisaya Morishige (森繁 久彌, Morishige Hisaya; May 4, 1913 – November 10, 2009) was a Japanese actor and comedian. Born in Hirakata, Osaka, he graduated from Kitano Middle School (now Kitano High School), and attended Waseda University. He began his career as a stage actor, then became an announcer for NHK, working in Manchukuo. He became famous in films first for comedy roles, appearing in series such as the "Company President" (Shacho) and "Station Front" (Ekimae) series, produced by Toho. He appeared in nearly 250 films, both contemporary and jidaigeki. He was also famous on stage playing Tevye in the Japanese version of Fiddler on the Roof. He also appeared in television series and specials, and was the first guest on the television talk show Tetsuko's Room in 1975. He was long-time head of the Japan Actors Union. Among many honors, Morishige received the Order of Culture from the Emperor of Japan in 1991. Hisaya Morishige died of natural causes at a hospital in Tokyo on November 10, 2009, at the age of 96.
Shūji Sano (佐野周二, Sano Shūji; October 10, 1912 – December 21, 1978) was a Japanese actor active from 1936 to 1977. A…Shūji Sano (佐野周二, Sano Shūji; October 10, 1912 – December 21, 1978) was a Japanese actor active from 1936 to 1977. A popular star of the Shōchiku film studios, he is best known for his appearances in the films of Yasujirō Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita, Heinosuke Gosho and Hiroshi Shimizu.
Katsumi Tezuka (手塚 勝巳, Tezuka Katsumi; born August 31, 1912, date of death unknown) was a Japanese actor. He is best…Katsumi Tezuka (手塚 勝巳, Tezuka Katsumi; born August 31, 1912, date of death unknown) was a Japanese actor. He is best known for playing monsters in several Toho science fiction and horror films directed by Ishirō Honda.
Ryūtarō Ōtomo (大友柳太朗, Ōtomo Ryūtarō) (5 June 1912 – 27 September 1985) was a Japanese film and television actor most…Ryūtarō Ōtomo (大友柳太朗, Ōtomo Ryūtarō) (5 June 1912 – 27 September 1985) was a Japanese film and television actor most famous for his starring roles in jidaigeki. In 1936, he made his debut in movies with the film Aozura Roshi. Overall Ryūtarō Ōtomo appeared in more than 100 movies. He ended his life by leaping from the top of a building in 1985. His final appearance in the film was Tampopo directed by Juzo Itami in 1985.
Susumu Fujita (藤田 進, Fujita Susumu; 8 January 1912 – 23 March 1991) was a Japanese film and television actor. He played…Susumu Fujita (藤田 進, Fujita Susumu; 8 January 1912 – 23 March 1991) was a Japanese film and television actor. He played the lead role in Akira Kurosawa's first feature, Sanshiro Sugata, and appeared in other Kurosawa films including The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail (as Togashi, commander of the border guards) and The Hidden Fortress (as General Tadokoro). Later, he was a supporting actor in Ishirō Honda's Mothra vs. Godzilla, among many other films. Before and during World War II Fujita was considered one of the great stars of Japanese cinema. In the post-war period he became known for supporting roles, often playing a soldier in war films, such as in Masaki Kobayashi's The Human Condition (film series). During the 1960s and 1970s he played minor roles in "special effects pictures" such as Ultraman and Frankenstein vs. Baragon.
Akitake Kōno (河野 秋武, Kōno Akitake; 8 October 1911 – 17 March 1978) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than…Akitake Kōno (河野 秋武, Kōno Akitake; 8 October 1911 – 17 March 1978) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than sixty films from 1943 to 1973.