Daisuke Katō (加東 大介, Katō Daisuke; February 18, 1911 – July 31, 1975) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in over 200…Daisuke Katō (加東 大介, Katō Daisuke; February 18, 1911 – July 31, 1975) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in over 200 films, including Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, and Ikiru. He also worked repeatedly for noted directors such as Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse and Kenji Mizoguchi.
Kinzō Shin (信欣三, Shin Kinzō; 9 July 1910 – 26 December 1988) was a Japanese stage and film actor. Between the early…Kinzō Shin (信欣三, Shin Kinzō; 9 July 1910 – 26 December 1988) was a Japanese stage and film actor. Between the early 1930s and late 1980s, he appeared in over 80 films by directors such as Masaki Kobayashi, Kon Ichikawa, Kaneto Shindō, Tadashi Imai and Yasuzō Masumura.
Sō Yamamura (山村聰, Yamamura Sō; 24 February 1910 – 26 May 2000), sometimes credited as Satoshi Yamamura, was a Japanese…Sō Yamamura (山村聰, Yamamura Sō; 24 February 1910 – 26 May 2000), sometimes credited as Satoshi Yamamura, was a Japanese actor and film director.
Ken Uehara (上原謙, Uehara Ken; 7 November 1909 – 23 November 1991) was a Japanese actor who appeared in approximately 200…Ken Uehara (上原謙, Uehara Ken; 7 November 1909 – 23 November 1991) was a Japanese actor who appeared in approximately 200 films between 1935 and 1990. A graduate of Rikkyo University, Uehara joined the Shochiku film studio in 1935. After the war, he became a freelance actor, before signing with the Toho film studio. Directors Uehara worked with include Mikio Naruse, Yasujirō Shimazu, Hiroshi Shimizu, Keisuke Kinoshita, Yasujirō Ozu, and Kenji Mizoguchi. In 1953, he received the Mainichi Film Award for his performances in Wife and Husband and Wife. He is the father of singer and actor Yūzō Kayama, and the grandfather of actress Emi Ikehata.
Eitarō Ozawa (小沢 栄太郎, Ozawa Eitarō; 27 March 1909 – 23 April 1988), also credited as Sakae Ozawa (小沢栄), was a Japanese…Eitarō Ozawa (小沢 栄太郎, Ozawa Eitarō; 27 March 1909 – 23 April 1988), also credited as Sakae Ozawa (小沢栄), was a Japanese film actor and stage actor and director. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1935 and 1988, directed by notable filmmakers such as Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Kaneto Shindō.
Masao Shimizu (清水将夫, Shimizu Masao; 5 October 1908 – 5 October 1975) was a Japanese actor. His wife was actress Yumi…Masao Shimizu (清水将夫, Shimizu Masao; 5 October 1908 – 5 October 1975) was a Japanese actor. His wife was actress Yumi Takano. His first starring role in the film was in Momoiro no Yuwaku in 1931. In 1947, he formed the Mingei Theatre Company. Shimizu often worked with Akira Kurosawa. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1931 and 1976.
Dick Mine (ディック・ミネ, Dikku Mine; Japanese pronunciation: [dikku͍ mine]) October 10, 1908 – June 10, 1991 was a Japanese…Dick Mine (ディック・ミネ, Dikku Mine; Japanese pronunciation: [dikku͍ mine]) October 10, 1908 – June 10, 1991 was a Japanese singer. His recording career spanned nearly the entire Shōwa era.
Masahiro Makino (マキノ 雅弘, Makino Masahiro; February 29, 1908 – October 29, 1993) was a Japanese film director. He…Masahiro Makino (マキノ 雅弘, Makino Masahiro; February 29, 1908 – October 29, 1993) was a Japanese film director. He directed more than 260 films, primarily in the chanbara and yakuza genres. His real name was Masatada (正唯), but he took the stage name Masahiro, the kanji for which he changed multiple times (including 雅広, 正博, and 雅裕).
Junzaburō Ban (伴淳三郎, Ban Junzaburō; January 10, 1908 – October 26, 1981) was a Japanese comedian and actor. His real…Junzaburō Ban (伴淳三郎, Ban Junzaburō; January 10, 1908 – October 26, 1981) was a Japanese comedian and actor. His real name was Hirosada Suzuki (鈴木寛定, Suzuki Hirosada).
Yasushi Nagata (永田靖, Nagata Yasushi; 11 October 1907 – 12 September 1972) was a Japanese stage, film, and television…Yasushi Nagata (永田靖, Nagata Yasushi; 11 October 1907 – 12 September 1972) was a Japanese stage, film, and television actor.
Eijirō Tōno (東野英治郎, Tōno Eijirō; 17 September 1907 – 8 September 1994) was a Japanese actor who, in a career lasting…Eijirō Tōno (東野英治郎, Tōno Eijirō; 17 September 1907 – 8 September 1994) was a Japanese actor who, in a career lasting more than 50 years, appeared in over 400 television shows, nearly 250 films and numerous stage productions. He is best known in the West for his roles in films by Akira Kurosawa, such as Seven Samurai (1954) and Yojimbo (1961), and films by Yasujirō Ozu, such as Tokyo Story (1953) and An Autumn Afternoon (1962). He also appeared in Kill! by Kihachi Okamoto and Tora! Tora! Tora!, a depiction of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His final film was Juzo Itami's A-ge-man (Tales of a Golden Geisha) in 1990. Tōno also starred as the title character in the long-running television jidaigeki series Mito Kōmon from 1969 to 1983. In the early years of his career he acted under the name of Katsuji Honjo (本庄克二).
Osamu Takizawa (滝沢 修, Takizawa Osamu; 13 November 1906 – 22 June 2000) was a Japanese actor. He was born in Ushigome…Osamu Takizawa (滝沢 修, Takizawa Osamu; 13 November 1906 – 22 June 2000) was a Japanese actor. He was born in Ushigome, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Starting at the Tsukiji Little Theater, Takizawa participated in a number of theatrical troupes before forming Gekidan Mingei with Jūkichi Uno. He was praised for his performance in Death of a Salesman and also directed a version of The Diary of Anne Frank. Perhaps his most notable film role was in Fires on the Plain.
Jun Hamamura (浜村純, Hamamura Jun; 7 February 1906 – 21 June 1995) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 130…Jun Hamamura (浜村純, Hamamura Jun; 7 February 1906 – 21 June 1995) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1938 and 1995.
Heihachiro Okawa (Japanese: 大川 平八郎, Hepburn: Ōkawa Heihachirō; 9 September 1905 – 27 May 1971), also credited as Henry…Heihachiro Okawa (Japanese: 大川 平八郎, Hepburn: Ōkawa Heihachirō; 9 September 1905 – 27 May 1971), also credited as Henry Okawa (ヘンリー大川), was a Japanese film actor active from the 1930s to 1971. With hopes of starting a business, he traveled to the United States in 1923 and studied at Columbia University. He also studied at the Paramount Studios acting school and eventually began working in Hollywood, appearing in films by Howard Hawks and William Wellman. He returned to Japan in 1933 and co-starred in the Photo Chemical Laboratories (PCL) film Horoyoi jinsei. He later appeared in foreign films under the name Henry Okawa. He is best known for Moyuru ōzora (1940), Dawn of Freedom (1944) Tokyo File 212 (1951), Floating Clouds (1955) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
Takashi Shimura (Japanese: 志村 喬, romanized: Shimura Takashi, born Shōji Shimazaki; March 12, 1905 – February 11, 1982)…Takashi Shimura (Japanese: 志村 喬, romanized: Shimura Takashi, born Shōji Shimazaki; March 12, 1905 – February 11, 1982) was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1934 and 1981. He appeared in 21 of Akira Kurosawa's 30 films (more than any other actor), including as a lead actor in Drunken Angel (1948), Rashomon (1950), Ikiru (1952) and Seven Samurai (1954). He played Professor Kyohei Yamane in Ishirō Honda's original Godzilla (1954) and its first sequel, Godzilla Raids Again (1955). In total, Shimura appeared in more than 300 film roles between 1934 and 1980. He was twice nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor, and won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor in 1950. For his contributions to the arts, the Japanese government decorated Shimura with the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1974 and the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette in 1980.
Shigeo Yasui (安惠 重男, Yasui Shigeo; 15 January 1905 – 21 December 1985), better known by his stage name Kamatari…Shigeo Yasui (安惠 重男, Yasui Shigeo; 15 January 1905 – 21 December 1985), better known by his stage name Kamatari Fujiwara (藤原釜足, Fujiwara Kamatari) and also known during wartime as Keita Fujiwara (藤原 鶏太, Fujiwara Keita), was a Japanese stage and film actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1933 and 1984. In addition to regular appearances in the films of Akira Kurosawa, he worked for directors such as Mikio Naruse, Yasujirō Ozu, Heinosuke Gosho and others.
Ryūji Kita (北 竜二, Kita Ryūji; 1 January 1905 – 16 April 1972) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 280 films…Ryūji Kita (北 竜二, Kita Ryūji; 1 January 1905 – 16 April 1972) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 280 films from 1937 to 1972.
Ken'ichi Enomoto (榎本 健一, Enomoto Ken'ichi; October 11, 1904 – January 7, 1970) was a popular Japanese singing comedian…Ken'ichi Enomoto (榎本 健一, Enomoto Ken'ichi; October 11, 1904 – January 7, 1970) was a popular Japanese singing comedian, mostly known by his stage name Enoken (エノケン). A major innovator during his heyday, Enoken's stage shows, radio appearances, and film roles were a major influence within Tokyo theatre before World War II, and was a catalyst for the revival of comedy in the postwar period. Born in Aoyama, Tokyo, the son of rice cracker shop owners, Enomoto fell under the spell of such stars of the Asakusa Opera as Taya Rikizo and Fujiwara Yoshie, and in 1922 he made his stage debut at age 18 as a chorus member of the Asakusa Kinryukan Theatre. The Great Kantō earthquake of the following year dealt a great blow to the opera world in Tokyo, at which time Enomoto shifted to comic theatre. Playing small roles in various comedy productions, he returned to the Asakusa stage in 1929 as part of the troupe Casino Folies. The following year saw him launch his own troupe, Enoken Gekidan, which would firmly establish him as a leading figure in Tokyo theatrical circles. In 1934, he starred in the movie Enoken no Seishun Suikoden (Enoken's Tale of Youth's Folly), and gained national popularity. His subsequent film career saw him parody a whole parade of Japanese historical personages, including Kondō Isami and Sakamoto Ryōma, in a series of "jidai-geki" (historical dramas) and "chanbara" (samurai drama) films, including some directed by Kajirō Yamamoto, Nobuo Nakagawa and Akira Kurosawa. Enomoto became afflicted with necrosis of the right leg in the 1950s, which required amputation, curtailing his film and stage career. He did, however, make a legendary comeback at the Shinjuku Koma Theater 1963 wearing a prosthetic leg. He died in 1970, and is entombed in Hase Temple in Nishi-Azabu, Minato, Tokyo, on whose tombstone is inscribed "The King of Comedy".
Kunio Itō (Japanese: 伊藤圀夫, Hepburn: Itō Kunio; 15 September 1904 – 21 December 1994), known by the stage name Koreya…Kunio Itō (Japanese: 伊藤圀夫, Hepburn: Itō Kunio; 15 September 1904 – 21 December 1994), known by the stage name Koreya Senda (千田是也, Senda Koreya), was a Japanese theatre director, playwright, translator, and actor. He is known for founding the Haiyuza Theatre Company, and translating and directing the works of Bertolt Brecht in post-World War II Japan. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1936 and 1970.
Chishū Ryū (笠 智衆, Ryū Chishū; May 13, 1904 – March 16, 1993) was a Japanese actor, whose career spanned 65 years and…Chishū Ryū (笠 智衆, Ryū Chishū; May 13, 1904 – March 16, 1993) was a Japanese actor, whose career spanned 65 years and over 230 film and television productions. He was best known for his collaborations with director Yasujirō Ozu, whom he worked with on at least 32 films.
Yoshio Kosugi (小杉 義男, Kosugi Yoshio; 15 September 1903 – 12 March 1968) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than…Yoshio Kosugi (小杉 義男, Kosugi Yoshio; 15 September 1903 – 12 March 1968) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1924 to 1967.
Tamaki Tokuyama (徳山 璉, Tokuyama Tamaki; July 27, 1903 – January 28, 1942) was a classically trained baritone and a…Tamaki Tokuyama (徳山 璉, Tokuyama Tamaki; July 27, 1903 – January 28, 1942) was a classically trained baritone and a famous singer of popular music in early Shōwa era Japan.
Masayoshi Ueki (植木 正義, Ueki Masayoshi; March 30, 1903 – March 31, 1983), known professionally as Chiezō Kataoka (片岡…Masayoshi Ueki (植木 正義, Ueki Masayoshi; March 30, 1903 – March 31, 1983), known professionally as Chiezō Kataoka (片岡 千恵蔵, Kataoka Chiezō), was a Japanese film and television actor most famous for his starring roles in jidaigeki.
Tokihiko Okada (岡田 時彦) (February 18, 1903 – January 16, 1934) was a silent film star in Japan during the 1920s and…Tokihiko Okada (岡田 時彦) (February 18, 1903 – January 16, 1934) was a silent film star in Japan during the 1920s and early 1930s. A native of Tokyo, he first started at the Taikatsu studio and later became a leading player for Japanese directors such as Yasujirō Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi. Film critic Tadao Sato recounts that Okada was among the handsome and favorite Japanese actors of the era. Throughout his career, Okada played the role of the quintessential nimaime (translated as "second line") which were romantic, sensitive men as opposed to the rugged and hard-boiled leading men known as tateyaku. He was the father of film actress Mariko Okada. Tokihiko Okada died of tuberculosis at age 30.
Kanjūrō Arashi (嵐 寛壽郎, Arashi Kanjūrō; 8 December 1903 – 21 October 1980) was a Japanese film actor. His nickname was…Kanjūrō Arashi (嵐 寛壽郎, Arashi Kanjūrō; 8 December 1903 – 21 October 1980) was a Japanese film actor. His nickname was "Arakan." He is famous for playing the role of Kurama Tengu series. He entered the film industry in 1927 and came to fame playing Kurama Tengu, a character in the Bakumatsu era created by Jirō Osaragi in his novels. In the 1950s he portrayed the Emperor Meiji in several hit films and appeared in yakuza films in the 1960s. He won Mainichi Film Award for Best Supporting Actor award for his role in The Profound Desire of the Gods.
Shinpei Takagi (高木 新平, Takagi Shinpei; 3 November 1902 – 21 April 1967) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more…Shinpei Takagi (高木 新平, Takagi Shinpei; 3 November 1902 – 21 April 1967) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1923 to 1961.
Tatsuo Saitō (斎藤 達雄, Saitō Tatsuo; 10 June 1902 – 2 March 1968) was a Japanese film actor and director. He appeared in…Tatsuo Saitō (斎藤 達雄, Saitō Tatsuo; 10 June 1902 – 2 March 1968) was a Japanese film actor and director. He appeared in more than two hundred films between 1925 and 1967.
Ryūnosuke Tsukigata (月形龍之介, Tsukigata Ryūnosuke; 18 March 1902 – 30 August 1970) was a Japanese actor known especially…Ryūnosuke Tsukigata (月形龍之介, Tsukigata Ryūnosuke; 18 March 1902 – 30 August 1970) was a Japanese actor known especially for his work in jidaigeki in film and television. His real name was Kiyoto Monden.
Kajirō Yamamoto (山本 嘉次郎, Yamamoto Kajirō; 15 March 1902 – 21 September 1974) was a Japanese film director…Kajirō Yamamoto (山本 嘉次郎, Yamamoto Kajirō; 15 March 1902 – 21 September 1974) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor who was known for his war films and comedies and as the mentor of the Three Crows (Akira Kurosawa, Ishirō Honda, and Senkichi Taniguchi). The combined list of his efforts as a director for documentaries, silent, and sound films includes over 90 film titles during his lifetime.
Ryohei Arai (荒井良平, Arai Ryōhei) (22 October 1901 – 22 October 1980) was a Japanese film director. He directed films…Ryohei Arai (荒井良平, Arai Ryōhei) (22 October 1901 – 22 October 1980) was a Japanese film director. He directed films from the 1930s to 1950s, especially jidaigeki and ghost movies based on kaidan.
Koji Shima (島 耕二, Shima Kōji; 16 February 1901 – 10 September 1986) was a Japanese film director, actor, and…Koji Shima (島 耕二, Shima Kōji; 16 February 1901 – 10 September 1986) was a Japanese film director, actor, and screenwriter.
Denmei Suzuki (鈴木 傳明, Suzuki Denmei; 1 March 1900 – 13 May 1985) was a Japanese film actor most famous for starring…Denmei Suzuki (鈴木 傳明, Suzuki Denmei; 1 March 1900 – 13 May 1985) was a Japanese film actor most famous for starring roles in gendaigeki of the silent era.
Mansaku Itami (伊丹万作; real name Yoshitoyo Ikeuchi 池内義豊; 2 January 1900 – 21 September 1946) was a Japanese film director…Mansaku Itami (伊丹万作; real name Yoshitoyo Ikeuchi 池内義豊; 2 January 1900 – 21 September 1946) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his critical, sometimes satirical portraits of Japan and its history. He is the father of the director Juzo Itami.
Eitarō Shindō (進藤 英太郎, Shindō Eitarō; 10 November 1899 – 18 February 1977) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in…Eitarō Shindō (進藤 英太郎, Shindō Eitarō; 10 November 1899 – 18 February 1977) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1936 and 1975. He is most closely associated with the work of Kenji Mizoguchi, with whom he made twelve films.
Takeshi Sakamoto (坂本武, Sakamoto Takeshi; 21 September 1899 – 10 May 1974) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more…Takeshi Sakamoto (坂本武, Sakamoto Takeshi; 21 September 1899 – 10 May 1974) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1925 and 1965, mostly in productions of the Shōchiku studio. He gained popularity as a supporting character, working for directors such as Yasujirō Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita, Mikio Naruse, Hiroshi Shimizu, and Heinosuke Gosho.
Denjirō Ōkōchi (大河内 傳次郎, Ōkōchi Denjirō; February 5, 1898 – July 18, 1962) was a Japanese film actor best known for…Denjirō Ōkōchi (大河内 傳次郎, Ōkōchi Denjirō; February 5, 1898 – July 18, 1962) was a Japanese film actor best known for starring roles in jidaigeki directed by leading Japanese filmmakers.
Yun Sim-deok (Korean: 윤심덕; Hanja: 尹心悳; 25 July 1897 – 4 August 1926) was a Korean singer. She was the country's first…Yun Sim-deok (Korean: 윤심덕; Hanja: 尹心悳; 25 July 1897 – 4 August 1926) was a Korean singer. She was the country's first professional soprano.
Teinosuke Kinugasa (衣笠 貞之助, Kinugasa Teinosuke; 1 January 1896 – 26 February 1982) was a Japanese filmmaker and actor.…Teinosuke Kinugasa (衣笠 貞之助, Kinugasa Teinosuke; 1 January 1896 – 26 February 1982) was a Japanese filmmaker and actor. His best-known films include the silent avant-garde films A Page of Madness and Crossroads and the Academy Award-winning historical drama Gate of Hell.
Yutaka Abe (阿部 豊, Abe Yutaka; February 2, 1895 in Yamoto, Miyagi – January 3, 1977 in Kyoto) was a Japanese film…Yutaka Abe (阿部 豊, Abe Yutaka; February 2, 1895 in Yamoto, Miyagi – January 3, 1977 in Kyoto) was a Japanese film director and actor.
Musei Tokugawa (徳川 夢声, Tokugawa Musei; 13 April 1894 – 1 August 1971) was a Japanese benshi, actor, raconteur…Musei Tokugawa (徳川 夢声, Tokugawa Musei; 13 April 1894 – 1 August 1971) was a Japanese benshi, actor, raconteur, essayist, and radio and television personality.
Minoru Murata (村田 實, Murata Minoru; 2 March 1894 – 26 June 1937) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor…Minoru Murata (村田 實, Murata Minoru; 2 March 1894 – 26 June 1937) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor who was one of the major directors of the silent era in Japan.
Bokuzen Hidari (左 卜全, Hidari Bokuzen; 20 February 1894 – 26 May 1971) was a Japanese actor and comedian born in…Bokuzen Hidari (左 卜全, Hidari Bokuzen; 20 February 1894 – 26 May 1971) was a Japanese actor and comedian born in Kotesashi Village (now part of Tokorozawa), Iruma District, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He appeared in such films as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, The Lower Depths and Ikiru. Hidari was famous among Japanese audiences for his portrayals of meek, downtrodden men, and although a teetotaller, was renowned for his convincing drunk scenes (see esp. "Ikiru").
Ouyang Yuqian (Chinese: 欧阳予倩; May 12, 1889 – September 21, 1962) was a Chinese playwright, Peking opera actor and…Ouyang Yuqian (Chinese: 欧阳予倩; May 12, 1889 – September 21, 1962) was a Chinese playwright, Peking opera actor and writer, film screenwriter and director, and drama educator. He is considered by drama historians as one of the three founders of the modern Chinese spoken drama, together with Tian Han and Hong Shen. He was also one of the top Peking opera performers, regarded as a southern counterpart of Mei Lanfang. Ouyang Yuqian was the founding president of the Central Academy of Drama from 1950 until his death in 1962. He also served as vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, vice chairman of the Chinese Dramatists Association, and chairman of the Chinese Dancers Association.
Kuninori Kōdō (高堂 国典, Kōdō Kuninori; 29 January 1887 – 22 January 1960), born Saichirō Tanigawa (谷川 佐市郎, Tanigawa…Kuninori Kōdō (高堂 国典, Kōdō Kuninori; 29 January 1887 – 22 January 1960), born Saichirō Tanigawa (谷川 佐市郎, Tanigawa Saichirō), was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than eighty films from 1923 to 1959.
Togo Yamamoto (山本冬郷, Yamamoto Tōgō; November 4, 1886 – March 24, 1952) was a pioneering actor who appeared on stage and…Togo Yamamoto (山本冬郷, Yamamoto Tōgō; November 4, 1886 – March 24, 1952) was a pioneering actor who appeared on stage and film in the United States and Japan.
