W9- Japan - Actresses and Early Cinema.
list order -by first IMDb credit.
from: Harue Ichikawa. 1870 -., to Hideko Yoshida. 1944 -present.
Sumiko Kurishima. IMDb credits, 119 credits, 1909-1956.
from: Harue Ichikawa. 1870 -., to Hideko Yoshida. 1944 -present.
Sumiko Kurishima. IMDb credits, 119 credits, 1909-1956.
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- Ayako Wakao was born on 8 November 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Seisaku's Wife (1965), Women Are Born Twice (1961) and A Wife Confesses (1961).11-8-1933-.
130+ credits, 1952-2015.
4 self credits. 1975-2015. - Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
She began acting after high school as part of a theatre troupe. Her stage name was Yuuki Chiho. Years later she would relay that she only started acting for the money. Her father had wanted her to become a pharmacologist, but she missed her examination due to a fractured foot. She changed her alias to Kirin Kiki after being asked to auction something on a television show claiming she possessed nothing else she could offer. Her marriage to fellow trouper Kishida Shin came to an end after four years in 1968. She married pop musician Uchida Yuya in 1973. The couple quickly raised eyebrows by opting to live under separate roofs. They had a daughter. They are separated today. Her daughter, Uchida Yayako, portrayed the younger character of Kiki's in Tokyo Tower: Mom And Me, And Sometimes Dad. Uchida Yayako is married to the actor Motoki Masahiro of Departures fame. Kirin's granddaughter acted alongside her in Red Bean. Uchida Yayako lives in Great Britain. Kirin appeared in many television serials, feature films and inevitably commercials like the Tora-San series, the offbeat Pistol Opera, Tokyo Tower: Mom And Me, And Sometimes Dad and the dismal Red Beans by which time she was very well-known. She has focused on the big screen, instead of television, in recent years. Heartache struck successively in 2003 and 2004 when she had to contend with a detached retina in her left eye, which made her believe she would go blind, and breast cancer which later - as of 2017 - would be announced incurable and terminal. She wanted people to know she undergone a mastec-tomy following her breast cancer diagnosis. Kirin won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Yokohama Film Festival for her work in the comedy Kamikaze Girls and Half A Confession in 2004 and the Japan Academy Prize for Mom And Me, And Sometimes Dad for Best Actress in 2008. She reports that she is a preferred recluse who does not like children and preferably does not interact with her own child or grandchild. She has managed herself through a fax machine since the death of her manager circa 2008.1943 -.
131+ credits, 1966 -.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Michiyo Kogure was born on 31 January 1918 in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan. She was an actress, known for Aoi sanmyaku (1949), Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955) and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956). She died on 13 June 1990.1-31-1918. - 6-13-1990. (72).
116 credits, 1938-1984.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Reiko Sato was born on 19 December 1931 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Flower Drum Song (1961), The Ugly American (1963) and Woman on the Run (1950). She died on 28 May 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA.1931-1981, (49).
12 credits, 1950-1963.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Fujiko Yamamoto was born on 11 December 1931 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Twilight Story (1960), Shirasagi (1958) and A Woman's Testament (1960).1931 -
64 credits, 1953-1963.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Miyoshi Umeki was born as the youngest of 9 children. The daughter of a prominent Japanese iron factory owner, she developed an early passion for music, learning to play the mandolin, harmonica & piano. She also enjoyed singing American-styled tunes, much to the chagrin of her parents. This propensity for Americanized pop songs later paid off.
Although she projected the typical Japanese female stereotype of humbleness, delicacy & subservience in most of her prime film & stage roles, she was nevertheless an assertive scene-stealer. This docile & deceptive-looking talent w/ cropped hair as well as a heart-shaped face radiated charm in addition to innocence so effortlessly, she managed to make history at Academy Awards time as the 1st Asian actor to receive an acting Oscar for her superb work in the tragic post-WWII film drama Sayonara (1957).
Following World War II, she traveled w/ a U.S. Army G.I. jazz band in Japan as Nancy Umeki & was the 1st to record American songs for RCA Victor Japan. She became an extremely popular radio & nightclub artist, which sparked a move to the U.S. in 1955. Again, she demonstrated a demure prowess for gaining attention w/ her 1-season regular role (1955-1956) on the musical variety show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (1949). W/ that popularity, she was able to sign w/ Mercury Records, eventually releasing 2 albums.
The timing couldn't have been more perfect. From this recognition, she was immediately cast in Sayonara (1957), which was based on James A. Michener's best-selling romantic tale. Inspired casting opposite comedian Red Buttons in a tragic, counterpoint romance as a World War II airman & his naive Japanese war bride who fall victim to post-war prejudice led to supporting Academy Awards for both actors. Despite her win, she would not make another film for 4 years.
Following her Oscar win, she starred on Broadway w/ the 1958 musical Flower Drum Song, in which she proved a highlight as a starry-eyed Chinese immigrant/mail-order bride w/ her captivating rendition of A Hundred Million Miracles, earning a Tony nomination in the process. She scored additional points after recreating her role for the film version of Flower Drum Song (1961).
In total, she made only 5 American films in all. Her other appearances were supporting roles in the naval comedy Cry for Happy (1961), The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) & A Girl Named Tamiko (1962). She also tread fairly lightly on TV w/ random 60s appearances on The Donna Reed Show (1958), Dr. Kildare (1961), Rawhide (1959) & Mister Ed (1961), among others.
Duing the 50s & 60s, she was an occasional guest on variety shows for TV titans such as Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Andy Williams & Ed Sullivan. Arguably her biggest claim to fame was Mrs. Livingston in the heart-tugging TV comedy The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969). Following this renewed attention, she went into a complete self-imposed retirement.
She lived a sedate family life for more than 3 decades. Her 1958 marriage to TV producer/director Win Opie ended in divorce after 9 years. She subsequently married TV director Randall Hood in 1968. They ran a business renting editing equipment to film studios & university film programs until his sudden death in Los Angeles in 1976. A longtime resident of North Hollywood, she eventually moved to Missouri w/ advancing age to be nearer to her son & his family. She died of cancer at age 78 on August 28, 2007 in Licking, Missouri.1929 - 2007, (78).
Japan. USA.- Toshia Mori was born on 1 January 1912 in Kyoto, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Secrets of Wu Sin (1932), The Man Without a Face (1928) and Roar of the Dragon (1932). She was married to Allen Jung. She died on 26 November 1995 in The Bronx, New York, USA.1912 - 1995, (83).
21 credits, 1926-1937. - Shima Iwashita was born on 3 January 1941 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Harakiri (1962), Ballad of Orin (1977) and Clouds at Sunset (1967). She has been married to Masahiro Shinoda since 1967.1941 -,
116+ credits, 1960-2016. - Natsuko Kahara was born on 3 January 1921. She was an actress, known for The Bad Sleep Well (1960), Anyakôro (1959) and When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960). She died on 20 February 1991.January 3, 1921 - February 20, 1991. (70).
69 acting credits, 1946-1988. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Setsuko Hara became one of Japan's best-loved stars over her 30-year film career. Her signature character type, variations on a daughter devoted to her parents and home, inspired the nickname that stayed with her until retirement: the Eternal Virgin. To some extent, reality mirrored her roles in these films. In a society that considers marriage and parenting almost obligatory, she remained single and childless, something of a controversy in Japan in the 1950s. Fortunately she was popular enough to avoid criticism, but the 1950s were still a hard decade. She was plagued by ill health, missing out on several top roles as a result, and she witnessed the death of her camera-man brother in a freak train accident on set.
In 1963, shortly after the death of her mentor, director Yasujirô Ozu, she suddenly walked away from the film industry. At age 43, and at the height of her popularity, she bluntly refused to perform again, angering her fans, the industry, and the press. She implied acting had never been a pleasure and that she had only pursued a career in order to provide for her large family; this explanation is seen as the cause of her popularity backlash. She moved to a small house in picturesque Kamakura where she remained, living alone (though apparently sociable with friends), and refusing all roles offered.
She is undoubtedly known mostly for her work with Yasujiro Ozu, making six films with the great director, including the so-called Noriko trilogy, of which Tokyo Story (1953) is probably the best-known. She also worked with Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, Hiroshi Inagaki, and many others.June 17, 1920 - September 5, 2015, (95).
31 #1. Credits.
77 acting credits, 1935-1962.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Yoshiko Kuga was born on 21 January 1931 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Taiyô to bara (1956), Somewhere Under the Broad Sky (1954) and Jôshû to tomo ni (1956). She was previously married to Akihiko Hirata.January 21, 1931-
73 credits, 1947-2000.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Isuzu Yamada was born on 5 February 1917 in Osaka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Throne of Blood (1957), Yojimbo (1961) and A Cat and Two Women (1956). She was married to Tsutomu Shimomoto, Yoshi Katô, Kazuo Takimura, Ichirô Tsukida and Teinosuke Kinugasa. She died on 9 July 2012 in Inagi, Tokyo, Japan.February 5, 1917 - September 7, 2012. (95).
139 credits, 1930-1985.
3 self credits, 1975, 1991, 2000.- Actress
- Art Department
Born Tsuru Kawakami, Tsuru emigrated to the U.S. in 1903 with her aunt and uncle, who were in the theater business. She found work on stage before moving to film. She worked in L.A., then moved to San Francisco and New York before returning to California. At a time when even in her home country female leads were non-existent, she garnered top billing in a series of films by Thomas H. Ince, who had seen her on stage in L.A., including 1913's "The Oath of Tsuru San". She met her future husband Sessue Hayakawa on the set of O Mimi San (1914). They married in 1914 and went on to star together several times. She retired from acting 10 years later to raise her adopted children and only returned once, which was just prior to her death. This last performance was her sole speaking role.1892-1961. (69).
44 credits, 1913-1960. USA/France/UK- A few movie countries.
#1 credit:
The Oath of Tsuru San (1913). 1913. USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Machiko Kyô was born on 25 March 1924 in Osaka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Rashomon (1950), The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) and Gate of Hell (1953). She died on 12 May 2019 in Tokyo, Japan.March 25. 1924.
85+ acting credits, 1949-2000.
5 self credits.- Actress
- Writer
Kyôko Kishida was born on 29 April 1930 in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress and writer, known for Woman in the Dunes (1964), An Autumn Afternoon (1962) and Ninja, a Band of Assassins (1962). She was married to Noboru Nakaya. She died on 17 December 2006 in Tokyo, Japan.April 29, 1930 - December 17, 2006. (76).
122 acting credits, 1956-2006.
6 self credits.
1 writer credit.- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Along with Hara Setsuko and Tanaka Kinuyo, Takamine Hideko remains one of Japan's most admired and prolific film actresses. Born as Hirayama Hideko in Hakodate, Hokkaido in northern Japan in 1924, she became a child actress for Shochiku Studio at age five appearing in the film Haha. She would go on to work with directors like Kinoshita, Ozu, and arguably most notably Naruse Mikio. Mid-career she had switched to P.C.L. Film Studio (later Toho Studios) and then become independent yet she would work for notable directors nonetheless. By the time she married director Matsuyama Zenzo in 1955 she had acquired a reputation as depicting feminist roles where women seek their independence or are oppressed. She died in 2010 of lung cancer, but had recorded songs and written biographies before her death.March 27, 1924 - December 28, 2010. (86).
52 #1. Credits.
178 acting credits, 1929-1979.
Assistant Director.
Costume Designer.
Soundtrack credit.
Self.- Michiyo Aratama was born on 15 January 1930 in Nara, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959), The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959) and The Sword of Doom (1966). She died on 17 March 2001 in Tokyo, Japan.January 15, 1930 - March 17, 2001. (71).
102 acting credits, 1951-1976. - Yaeko Mizutani was born on 16 April 1939 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Afraid to Die (1960), Zenigata Heiji torimono hikae: Bijin-gumo (1960) and The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962). She was previously married to Hideo Shiraki.1929 -
20 credits, 1921-1962. - Toyo Takahashi was born on 15 July 1903 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Tokyo Story (1953), Shiosai (1964) and Furimuita hanayome (1961). She died on 14 March 1981.July 15, 1903. - March 14, 1981. (77).
65 credits, 1924-1973. - Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Tanaka Kinuyo was a highly regarded and prolific actress best known for her films with director Mizoguchi Kenji. She was immersed in the world of film having received her start in the world of entertainment at age fourteen, being a filmmaker herself, being the cousin of director Kobayashi Masaki and, very much like Hara Setsuko and Ozu Yasujiro, being anecdotally romantically linked with the aforementioned Mizoguchi. The director would later recommend against her being hired as a director, which caused a rift between the two. She received her first known credit in Shochiku's Genroku Onna in 1924. She stayed to become the studio's biggest actress, and a paradigm of beauty, until approximately 1949 when she travelled to the United States Of America as an ambassador of Japanese culture. Upon her return from the US the Japanese detected a change of attitude in her, as well as noting a new short hairdo, which momentarily lead to some criticism. She had married director Shimizu Hiroshi, with whom she had worked, in 1929. Sources claim this was a mere cohabitation however. The marriage lasted a matter of months, but the two worked together beyond their romantic union. She married another one of her directors Gosho Heinosuke, but not before also starring in several Ozu films. It looked like films like Aizen Katsu and Naniwa Onna would be the height of her fame with all their popularity, but post-war films like Life Of Oharu, Sansho The Bailiff and Ugetsu were even bigger classics and immortalized the actress. Another of her many other noteworthy performances was in The Ballad Of Narayama based on a tradition and folklore of Japan. As if to complete her tour de force of Japanese cinema she directed several films and even worked with Kurosawa Akira in Red Beard. She died of a brain tumor in 1977.November 28, 1910 - March 21, 1977. (66).
181 acting credits, 1924-1976.
6 Director credits.
2 self credits.- Miyake kuniko was born in the Iwatsuki ward of Saitama City, Saitama just north of Tokyo on 17.09.1916 as Miura Yasu and died on 04.11.1992 in Tokyo. In between she was in dozens of films most notably multiple collaborations with director Ozu Yasujiro in classics of cinema like Tokyo Story and Early Summer. She joined Shochiku studio and appeared in Yume No Sasayaki ('Sasayaki's Dream) in 1934. She retired from the business upon marriage in 1942, but returned in 1948 after World War II and played her most notable roles. Beginning the 1960s she was mostly active in television serials. She died of heart failure at age 76.9-17-1916. - 11-4-1992. (76).
93 credits, 1934-1991. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Mitsuko Mito was born on 23 March 1919 in Fukushima, Japan. She was an actress, known for Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954), Ugetsu (1953) and Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955). She died on 5 April 1981.March 23, 1919 - April 5, 1981. (73).
81 acting credits, 1935-1973.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mieko Takamine was born on 2 December 1918 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Inugami Family (1976), Hi no tori (1978) and The Shogun Assassins (1979). She died on 27 May 1990 in Japan.December 2, 1918. - May 27, 1990. (71).
80 credits, 1936-1989.- Chieko Higashiyama was born on 30 September 1890 in Chiba, Japan. She was an actress, known for Tokyo Story (1953), Sen-hime (1954) and The Idiot (1951). She died on 8 May 1980.September 30, 1890 - May 8. 1980. (89).
66 acting credits. 1936-1967.
#1 credits :
Sakura no sono (1936). 1936.
Chikai no minato (1942). 1942.
Nagasaki no uta wa wasureji (1952). 1952. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Haruko Sugimura was born on 6 January 1909 in Hiroshima, Japan. She was an actress, known for Tokyo Story (1953), A Last Note (1995) and Repast (1951). She died on 4 April 1997 in Tokyo, Japan.January 1, 1909 - April 4, 1997. (88).
101 credits, 1937-1995.
4 self credits.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Nobuko Otowa was born on 1 October 1924 in Tottori, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Strange Tale of Oyuki (1992), Onibaba (1964) and Epitome (1953). She was married to Kaneto Shindô. She died on 22 December 1994.October 1, 1924 - December 22, 1994. (70).
158 acting credits, 1950-2000.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Born in Namegata, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1931, Kagawa Kyoko (also Makino Kyoko) has endured through the golden age of Japanese cinema, into the end of the century and onto the new to act in many of the more important films from her native country. Growing up she had aspired to learn English and then to become a ballerina after watching Swan Lake, but fate and a beauty contest sponsored by The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper intervened and cast her into the role of an actress. She began her career at the defunct Shintoho Studio in 1949. Films like Tokyo Story, Sansho The Bailiff and High And Low directed respectively by Ozu, Yasujiro, Mizoguchi, Kenji and Kurosawa, Akira have captured and immortalized her. She married and moved to New York City, USA with her husband, a reporter, and child for three years in 1965. She went through a couple of dry spells mid-career when roles had vanished, one of which lasted three years and was broken when a call came from Kurosawa to work on Maadadayo. It was the first time the actress and director worked together in 28 years. Kagawa won a Japanese Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film. She was awarded a Japanese Medal With Purple Ribbon in 1998 for her contribution to Japanese life and arts. She was the subject of a film perspective at the Tokyo International Film Festival and Japan's National Film Centre in 2011. She also received an award in the same year from The International Federation Of Film Archives for her movie preservation effort. She was the first Japanese actor to receive this prize. She has done commercial work in the '70s and '80s (House Foods) and more recently for Lawson stores and Kirin Brewery. Overall she has a dozen awards, a couple of books and even a music single to her credit.12-5-1931- .
98+ credits, 1950-2015.
9+ self credits, 1975-2015,- Actress
- Soundtrack
Yôko Minamida was born on 1 March 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for House (1977), Samurai no ko (1963) and Aoi sanmyaku (1963). She was married to Hiroyuki Nagato. She died on 21 October 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.3-1-1933. - 10-21-2009. (76).
95 credits, 1952-2006.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Akemi Negishi might never have become an actress but for Josef von Sternberg. The legendary director was in Japan looking for a woman to play the seductress who leads a bunch of soldiers astray in his upcoming (and as it turned out, last) movie _Anatahan (1954)_. But Sternberg spotted Negishi one night, dancing on the cabaret stage, and chose her at once. This was the first in a long string of exotic roles, most unusual for the average Japanese actress, but which became her trademark, in films as various as _Kingukongu tai Gojira (1962)_ and Dodes'ka-den (1970). She was a favorite actress of both Akira Kurosawa and Ishirô Honda, both directors seeing beyond the kind of role in which she was usually typecast, and thereby encouraging her to some of the best work any Japanese actress did in the 1950s and 1960s. Her most memorable roles are probably for Kurosawa, in The Lower Depths (1957) and Dodes'ka-den (1970); but she is probably best known outside Japan for playing the woman who leads the dance of tribute to Kong in _Kingukongu tai Gojira (1962)_. Negishi was an unusual presence in Japanese film at that time, since her presence was so aggressively, obviously sensual. This militated against her becoming a major star in the conservative Japanese atmosphere of the time, but she was fortunate to be able to do excellent character work throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Following her arresting cameo as the beautiful lone housewife in Dodes'ka-den (1970), it appears that Negishi retired.3-26-1934. - 3-11-2008. (73).
60 credits, 1953-2005.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Yôko Tsukasa was born on 20 August 1934 in Sakai-minato, Japan. She is an actress, known for Yojimbo (1961), The Kii River (1966) and Moment of Terror (1966). She has been married to Hideyuki Aizawa since 1969.August 20, 1934.
111+ acting credits, 1955-2003+.- Misao Ogawa was born on 5 March 1898 in Tenma, Osaka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Yamabuki neko (1940). She was married to Yukio Okawa. She died on 1 April 2015 in Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan.1898 - 2015. (117).
- As the first female Japanese film star, Kurishima's pioneering contributions to Japanese film cannot be overlooked. In 1921, she joined Shochiku Kamata Studios and made her debut in Henry Kotani's Bijinso. Her 1923 Sendo Kouta became a big hit and she was dubbed the "Queen of Kamata." She eventually married longtime leading man Yoshinobu Ikeda. In 1935, she starred in Eien no Ai, a film released in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the founding of Kamata Studios, and retired shortly after, leaving the film world while still a superstar. Later, apart from being called out of retirement a few times for special film appearances, she devoted herself to dancing and became active as head of the Mizuki school of dance, which has tens of thousands of disciples across Japan. Two extant, though incomplete, versions of her films are Fujoki (1922) and Hatachi no Koro (1924).March 15, 1902. - August 16, 1987. (85).
First female Japanese Star.
119 credits, 1909-1956.
Shin Momotarô (1909). 1909. - Sumako Matsui was born on 1 November 1886 in Nagano, Nagano, Japan. She was an actress, known for Katyusha no uta (1914). She died on 5 January 1919 in Japan.
- 14 credits, 1915-1917.
- Kaoru Futaba was born on 7 October 1871 in Kanda, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Renbo kouta (1929), Haru hiraku (1928) and Reijin (1930). She died on 22 January 1948.
- Utako Suzuki was born on 29 January 1880 in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Nanatsu no umi: Zenpen - Shojo-hen (1931), Nanatsu no umi: Kôhen - Teisô-hen (1932) and Yamato Zakura (1925).January 29, 1880-.
102 credits, 1915-1937.
#1 credit :
Kôjo Yoshiko (1922). 1922.
Tabî no onna geinîn (1923). 1923. The Traveling Female Entertainer.
Samidare sôshi (1924). 1924. A Chronicle of the May Rain. - Harue Koike was born on 26 November 1893 in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Hito murasame (1917), Ogon kutsu (1917) and Umi no kôshô (1924).1893 -.
44 credits, 1917-1933. - Utako Nakayama was born on 15 November 1893 in Japan. She is known for Menashi dori (1921), Yasaka no hômare (1921) and Kaikon no kanata e (1923).1893 -.
19 credits, 1917-1923. - Shizue Natsukawa was born on 9 March 1909 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Kono taiyô - Dai sampen (1930), Kono taiyô - dainihen Tamie no maki (1930) and Wakai hito (1937). She was married to Nobuo Iida. She died on 24 January 1999 in Tokyo, Japan.3-9-1909. - 1-24-1999. (89).
87 credits, 1919-1984. - Yoshiko Kawada was born on 17 October 1895 in Niigata, Japan. She was an actress, known for Yôfu gonin onna - Dai sanpen: Sempatsu Oyoshi (1926), Hiramekû yaiba (1926) and Sora no kanata e (1928). She died on 24 March 1970.October 17, 1895. - March 24, 1970. (74).
86 credits, 1920-1946.
8 -#1. Credits.
1.-Shima no onna (1920). 1920. - Yôko Benisawa was born on 28 August 1901 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She was an actress, known for Late Spring (1949), Crazed Fruit (1956) and A Chain of Islands (1965). She died on 27 April 1985.August 28, 1901 - April 27, 1985. (83).
41 acting credits, 1920-1965. - Actress
- Writer
Chieko Matsui was born on 4 December 1899 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress and writer, known for Haru no ame (1927), Aratama (1927) and Tetsu no shojo (1928). She died on 2 April 1929 in Kitakamata, Tokyo, Japan.-1929.
31 credits, 1920-1928.- 10 credits, 1920-1926.
- Sakai Yoneko was famous for playing the part of strong-willed female characters for which her striking facial features made her ideal. Born in 1898 in Tokyo, she moved into acting at an early age, appearing in George Bernard Show's famous play Umadorobo when she was only twelve. She had a harsh experience at the Geijutsu company where she was treated badly by Matsui Sumako, but she rose above this and in 1920 joined Nikkatsu. She costarred in Tanaka Eizo's films Asahi Sasumae and Nagareyuku Onna, and later played mature roles in Tabino Onna Geinin and Aino Mibojin with Umemura Yoko. Sakai became the leading actress in Nikkatsu samurai films such as Omitsu to Seizaburo under director Murata Minoru, and she is particularly remembered for the role Okinu in the film Kutsukake Tokijiro in which she costarred with Okochi Denjiro. She died in 1958 after a long and successful film career.11-25-1898. - 10-15-1958. (59).
88 credits, 1920-1938. - Chitose Hayashi was born on 22 August 1892 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Mirai-ka: Zengo-hen (1933), Yama koishi (1920) and Arupusu no hana (1920). She died on 21 August 1962.November 22, 1892. - November 21, 1962. (69).
47 credits, 1920-1941. - Komatsu Midori was born in Tokyo in 1891. From the age of five she studied at the Bando dance school and in 1911 joined a female theater which had just been formed, the Nakasu Masagoza. In 1912 at the age of 21 she made her stage debut. In 1913 upon the invitation of Shochiku Gomei, she participated in the female theater group the Kyoto City Second Kyogoku Taishoza where she continued her activities until 1915, when she chose to take the path leading towards action pictures. In 1919 she negotiated with Kunikatsu films and the following year joined the company. She was aiming to be a real movie star. At Kunikatsu she appeared in Shoshurei, Minashi Go and Chishio no Naruto. After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 she joined Shochiku Shimogamo. She concentrated mainly on period dramas such as Nichiren Komachi, Yoshii Masayuki and Kane no Naruhi (The Day the Bell Tolls). In 1925 she transferred to Nikkatsu Daishogun Studios and appeared in Nakayama Yasubei, and Rakka no Mai. From this time onward she came to be in demand for elderly roles and the roles of mothers. From the 1930s she built up a portfolio of supporting roles, and then taking a professional name in the Wakayagi school of dancing, she took on the responsibility of choreography for the Nikkatsu Period Drama Theater. In 1942 she transferred to Daiei. She then concentrated mainly on period dramas until her retirement in 1964. She died in 1982 at the age of 91.September 9, 1891 - October 26, 1982. (91).
59 credits, 1920-1967 - Yuriko Hanabusa was born on 7 March 1900 in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. She was an actress, known for Wakaki hi no yorokobi (1943), Wakai hito (1937) and Haru yo izuko (1940). She died on 7 February 1970.March 7, 1900. - February 7, 1970. (69).
155 credits, 1920-1970 - Michiko Hayama was born on 26 March 1902 in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. She was an actress, known for Amachua kurabu (1920), Dakuryû (1921) and Shindai no boken (1922). She died on 23 June 1996.1902 - 1996, (94).
12 credits, 1920-1930. - Tsuruko Segawa was born on 8 March 1899 in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Koi yori shi e (1922), Yamî no kaorî (1922) and Hito no omoi (1923).March 8, 1899 -
30 credits, 1920-1931. - Yôko Fujita was born on 25 July 1917 in Azabu, Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kyokuba-dan no shimai (1926), Fue no shiratama (1929) and Shôjo no nayami (1924).7-25-1917-.
30 credits, 1920-1931. - Actress
Eiko Azuma was born on 15 March 1903 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Honryû (1926), Kaiso koi wo toshite: kôhen (1926) and Hiren kentô (1927). She died in 1975.1903 - 1975, (71).
43 credits, 1921-1936.- Utako Tamaki was born on 28 October 1901 in Hakodate, Hokkaidô, Japan. She was an actress, known for Orochi (1925), Hi no kuruma Oman (1923) and Mâkan no kiyuru korô (1923). She died on 5 September 1983.1901 - 1983, (81).
59 credits, 1921-1962. - Chiyoko Mimura was born on 12 November 1903 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She was an actress, known for Kenbu no musume (1921), Akuma no gake (1921) and Tasogare no yûbe (1923). She died on 2 January 1974.November 12, 1903. - January 2, 1974. (70).
57 credits, 1921-1925. - Yoshie Nakagawa was born on 10 February 1886 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for A Page of Madness (1926), Dokuso (1931) and The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939). She died on 7 April 1953.February 10, 1886 - April 7, 1953. (67).
50 credits, 1921-1939.
#2 credits :
Mura no higeki (1925). 1925.
Kôjo Shiragiku (1925). 1925.
Kyôrakû hîcho (1928). 1928. The Secret Documents. - Sawamura was born in 1901 in Hokkaido, entering the Shochiku Cinema School of Acting in 1920. After graduating she entered the Shochiku Cinema Research Center, making her debut in the Center's first film, Rojo no Reikon. Following this Sawamura featured in Yama Kururu, going over to Shochiku Kamata upon the dissolution of the Research Center. She then resigned from Kamata after failing to receive any major roles, and took a leading part in Tanaka Yushutu Films' Haru no Inochi (The Life of Spring). In 1923 Sawamura joined Nikkatsu Mukojima. Beginning with Hakuchi no Musume (Daughter of a Fool), she became an actress frequently cast in the role of the "tragic woman." After the Great Kanto Earthquake, Sawamura moved to the Nikkatsu Daishogun Studios, where she appeared in Toge no Uta. After moving to their period drama section in 1924, she established a reputation with her appearances in various films, including Gero (The Servant) and Dohatsu (Towering Rage). From around 1928 the roles began to dry up, and she left the company in 1932 at the time of the Nikkatsu strike. Sawamura was later to return to Nikkatsu Tamagawa, but she retired after being unable to reproduce her past form.1-20-1901. - 1989. (87).
69 credits, 1921-1934. - Momoyo Nakamura is known for Kutsuyâ no kin san (1925), Chuko fûtari mûsume (1921) and Kunisada Chûji: Tonegawa no maki (1925).19 credits, 1921-1925.
- Actress
Kumeko Urabe was born on 5 October 1902 in Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Ikiru (1952), Nippon no obaachan (1962) and Oka wa hanazakari (1952). She died on 26 October 1989.October 5, 1902 - October 26, 1989. (89).
193 acting credits, 1921-1958.
2 self credits.
#1 credits -5:
Osumi to haha (1924). 1924.
Osumi and Her Mother.
Oyuki to Okyô (1925). 1925.- Nobuko Satsuki was born on 13 February 1894 in Saitama, Japan. She was an actress, known for Yotsuya kaidan (1925), Takahashi Oden - Zempen (1926) and Takahashi Oden - Kôhen (1926). She died on 21 July 1959.1894-1959. (65).
54 credits, 1921-1938. - Sumiko Suzuki was born on 26 October 1904 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Oden jigoku (1935), Sunae shibari: Dai-ippen (1927) and Yotsuya kaidan (1928). She died on 18 January 1985.1904 - 1985, (80).
46 credits, 1921-1941. - Yaeko Mizutani was born on 1 August 1905 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Namiko (1932), Dai Chûshingura (1957) and Notes of an Itinerant Performer (1941). She was married to Kanya Morita. She died on 1 October 1979.1905 - 1979, (74).
20 credits, 1921-1964. - 34 credits, 1921-1925.
- Tsuyako Okajima was born on 9 January 1909 in Nagoya, Japan. She was an actress, known for Rakka no mai: zenpen (1925), Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983) and Kouta shû - Dai-ippen: Suzuran (1924). She died on 4 February 1989.1-9-1909. - 2-4-1989. (80).
74 credits, 1921-1984. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Yôko Umemura was born on 21 October 1903 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Kaibyô nazo no shamisen (1938), Zoku ôoka seidan mazohe daiichi (1930) and Ingachô oshidorî monogatari (1925). She died on 8 March 1944.October 21, 1903 - March 8, 1944. (40).
Ingachô oshidorî monogatari (1925). 1925.
A Tale of Destiny.
8 -#1 credits.
96 acting credits. 1922-1944.- Harue Ichikawa was born on 22 October 1870 in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. She is known for Kiri no minato (1923), Koi o tatsu ono (1924) and Yoshioka taisa (1926).October 22, 1870-.
49 credits, 1922-1928.
#1 credit :
Kiri no minato (1923). 1923. Foggy Harbour.
Shinsetsu ono ga tsumi (1926). 1926. My Fault, My Version.
Hito no isshô - Ukiyo wa tsurai ne no maki: Dai nihen (1928). 1928. - Midori Ushio was born on 8 March 1907 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Miyama no oyako (1924), Yoru no kishi (1925) and Seigi no otakebî (1925).1907 -
25 credits, 1922-1925. - Sakuko Yanagi was born on 3 November 1902 in Japan. She was an actress, known for Wakakî onna no shi (1926), Onatsu Seijûro (1926) and Samidare no koro (1926). She died on 20 March 1963.November 3, 1902 - March 20, 1963. (60).
65 credits, 1922-1950. - Mitsuko Takao was born on 22 July 1915 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. She was an actress, known for Akeyuku sora (1929), Tenshi no tsumî (1927) and Otomegokoro (1928). She died on 22 November 1980.July 22, 1915 - November 22, 1980. (65).
73 credits, 1922 -. - Mariko Aoyama was born on 22 December 1901 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Koi no tômeganê (1929), Koi yori shi e (1922) and Kyôren no mai (1924). She died on 29 October 1973.12-22-1901. - 10-29-1973. (77).
29 credits, 1922-1940. - Actress
Utagawa Yaeko was born in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture in 1903. Her real name was Fukagawa Masae. In 1918 she first trod the boards at the Kobe Jurakukan theater. It was while on tour that one day she saw the film Yuhi no Mura, direted by Henry Otani and it became her fervent desire to be a film actress.
In 1922, she joined Shochiku Kamata and appeared in No no Hana, starring Kawada Yoshiko, and Kuzushichi no Ie, starring Katsumi Yotaro. She went on to give an exemplary performance as the maid servant Otake in Ihin no Gunto. As her looks were very similar to those of Kurishima Sumiko, she was also invited by Teikoku Cinema to play opposite Matsumoto Taisuke and in the same year she transferred to Teikoku. After appearing in Morikundo Tetsuro no Tsuyu, she became greatly loved for her fresh yet somehow sorrowful beauty and became popular as the heroine of tragic dramas.
After appearing in Daitoden (Daitoden) and Kanojo no Unmei (Her Destiny), she performed opposite Matsumoto Taisuke in Shuchu Nikki (Diary of a Drunkard), and Nekketsu wo Hisomete, (Hide the Warm Blood). With roles like that of Omiya in Konjiki Yasha (The Golden She-Devil), she was lauded as "the Iwada Yukichi and Kurishima Sumiko of the East", and "the Matsumoto Taisuke and Utagawa Yaeko of the west". She performed in period dramas too, in the likes of Ooka Seidan (The New Ooka Cases) as the Ohana, the girl at the tea-shop, and in Kaigara Ippei, in the role of Nakayama Ogiko.
Of the productions she appeared in at Kanjuro Productions, she showed extraordinary charisma as an older woman, in Yamanaka Sadao's Koban Shigure (Shower of Coins) as Oyone of the local Tavern, and as Oko in Miyamoto Musashi. From Teikoku Cinema to Shinko Cinema, hers was a regal existence in the film world.8-22-1903 - 9-13-1943. (40).
96 credits, 1922-1940.- 13 credits, 1922-1923.
- Sawa was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, in 1903. In 1919 she joined the young girl's theater group of Takarazuka under the stage name of Izumi Ranko. After passing through Shochiku Kamata, Sawa joined Nikkatsu Mukojima in 1923. In 1924 she moved to Teikoku Cinema's Ashiya Studios, where she became a leading actress. She met with great success for her performance in Hoshi wa Midaretobu, before going on to feature in Renbo Jigoku (Love's Hell). In Kago no Tori (The Caged Bird), directed by Matsumoto Eiichi, Sawa was selected to play the heroine alongside Satomi Akira. Teikoku Cinema's version of the film became a surprise hit, giving Sawa an instant popularity second only to that of Utakawa Yaeko. Following this she appeared in films such as Koryu Yokotawaru and Ogon Yorimo Tsuyoshi as the partner of Matsumoto Taisuke.
In 1927 Sawa joined Nikkatsu, where she appeared in Ukiyo Guruma and Chuji Tabi Nikki - Goyohen, with the latter film coming to be regarded as one of her definitive works. Following this, Sawa appeared in films such as Shizumi Yu Ningyo and Aojiroki Bara.
Sawa left Nikkatsu in 1931 after the incident in which she disappeared with Minobe Susumu. She subsequently went to Shochiku Kamata, where she appeared in Ai no Tatakai. In Kanki no Hitoya she gave a fine performance as the city girl who seduced Oka Joji. After becoming a freelance actress, Sawa gave an impassioned performance as Okichi in Nikkatsu's Onna Goroshi Abura Jigoku (The Ladykiller).
Sawa continued performing for the likes of Teikoku Cinema, Nikkatsu and Shochiku until around 1950, specializing in the portrayal of the modern, tomboyish girl. Her love affair with the conductor Konoe Hidemaro was well known, and they had one daughter together before separating.7-25-1903. - 1-11-2003. (99).
61 credits, 1923-1950. - Chouko Iida was born in 1897, in the old downtown of Tokyo, Asakusa.After dropping out of high school and working as a clerk at the Matsuzakaya Department Store, she joined the Nakamura Matsugoro Acting Company. In 1922, Iida entered Shochiku Kamata Productions. Her acting was soon recognized by a director at Shouchiku and she went on to debut in Shinyuku Tsuma (The Dying Wife). She then appeared in Gamaguchi (A Purse) and Goikenmuyo (Useless Opinions) in collaboration with Jun Arai. After her marriage to Hideaki Mohara, a cameraman, she played the principal role in a number of films of Godokoro Hiranosuke: Okame (The Turtle), Ukiyoeburo (The Bath of the Floating World), Onna to Umaretakaranya (Because I Was Born to Be a Woman). She later co-starred with Takeshi Sakamoto in Dekigokoro (Acting on Impulse), Ukigusa Monogatari and Tokyo no yado (A Japanese Inn in Tokyo) the successful series of films by Yasujiro Ozu. Iida received the Jujo Murasaki award in 1963, and the Tanho award fourth prize in 1967. She died in 1972, of lung cancer at the age of 75.4-15-1897. - 12-26-1972. (75).
210 credits. 1923-1970.
#1 credit :
Kurueru haha ni (1924). 1924.
The Mother Who Went Insane.
Physical Beauty (1928). 1928.
Body Beautiful.
Shôwa no onna (1928). 1928. - Nobuko Fushimi was born on 10 October 1915 in Asakusa Kojima, Japan. She is an actress, known for Passing Fancy (1933), Oatsurae Jirôkichi kôshi (1931) and Keiko ogi (1935).32 credits, 1923-1939.
- Mitsuyo Hara was born on 12 April 1902 in Ohara Sekiko, Japan. She was an actress, known for Têtsuro no ôkami (1927), Tokkan koi no hatsujin (1927) and Five Women Around Him (1927). She died on 16 April 1998.1902 - 1998, (96).
credits, 1923-1927. - Actress
Matsuko Senoo is known for Kane (1926), Eikan wo motomete (1925) and Minoo shinju koi no shocho (1924).21 credits, 1923-1926- Actress
- Director
Yoshiko Okada was born Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan on April 1, 1903. She is described as 5 feet, 95 pounds with black eyes and hair. She was educated at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. She was part of Butai Kyokai (Stage Show Association). In 1929 she founded Taishu Eiga-sha. She worked with Shochiku Cinema beginning in 1932.- Kiyoko Umeda is known for Haizan no uta wa kanashi (1923), Yorû yami no sasayakî (1923) and Ai no mibôjin (1923).7 credits, 1923-1924
- Tsuruko Matsueda was born on 15 August 1902 in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. She is known for Yujo nihonbare (1931), Yoarashi okinu (1927) and Tenpo yogarasuden (1930).1902 -
36 credits, 1923-1931. - Born in Nagoya in 1900. While studying the Toma style of Japanese dancing and nagauta music, she became a geisha who worked under the name of Kodama. In 1923, she joined the Nikkatsu Mukojima Studios, where she was selected to star as the heroine in Niku no Eiko, the film version of a popular novel of the period. After a dazzling debut performance, she began to attract attention to Chigusa as an actress suited to alluring female and evil women roles. After Tokyo was struck by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, Chigusa moved to Kyoto where, beginning with the first film to be made following Nikkatsu Mukojima's move there, Omitsu to Seizaburo, she appeared in a number of films, including Kanojo no Unmei (Her Destiny), Gendai no Joo (The Modern Queen) and Konjiki Yasha (The Golden She-Devil). Signing with Teikoku Cinema in 1924, she performed wonderfully in Eiga Joyu (The Film Actress), Yamato Sakura and Kiro ni Tachite (Standing at the Crossroads). Among all the commotion the following year, in which Teikoku Cinema was split into three, she joined the Kosaka team, after which her activities focused on period dramas. The main films she starred in at this time include the Kanto Kyokyakuden series, Kujaku no Hikari (a film which four studios competed to produce their own versions), Kurotegumi Sukeroku and Futeki no Meika. She showed her degree of acting skills across a broad spectrum, being renowned as a role-player of evil women, but also quite at home with heroine performances. In 1926, Asia Films, which had split from the Kosaka team, engaged in a merger. At this time, Chigusa teamed up with Akashi Rokuro in such films as Shinsara Yashiki and Date Sodo, as well as performing in the modern dramas Koi no Shigarami and Sannin no Haha. Between 1924 and 1930, Chigusa was popular enough to record over 100 film performances. In 1930, Chigusa left Teikoku Cinema after appearing in her final film there, Goso Michimoto. She then spent time moving around Ichikawa Productions, Asia Films and Akasawa Cinema until her retirement from the screen.1900 -.
29 credits, 1923-1929. - Sayoko Kuze was born on 26 March 1904 in Yokohama, Japan. She is known for Tsuchî ni tadayoû onna (1931), Wakaki hi no yorokobi (1923) and Sariyukû kage (1925).1904 -
15 credits, 1923-1932. - Hatsuko Takahashi is known for Yoru (1923), Yorû utsukushikî akumâ (1923) and Ore no shorisa (1923).3 credits, 1923.
- Fusako Fujita was born on 2 April 1916 in Azabu, Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Oni susukî (1925), Kanojo to umi (1928) and Haha (1923).1916 -
credits, 1923-1933. - 16 credits, 1923-1925.
- Yoshiko Tokugawa was born on 1 August 1906 in Nagoya, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kitsune (1928), Genkotsu senseî shakaihên (1928) and Habu no minato (1929).1906 -
39 credits, 1923-1933. - Shizuko Mori was born on 25 December 1909 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Ijin musume to bushi (1925), Sunae shibari: Dai-ippen (1927) and Shôbôshu (1934). She died on 31 January 2004.December 25, 1909 - January 31, 2004. (94).
93 acting credits, 1923-1938.
8 self credits. - Shizuko Miyabe was born in 1896 in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Chi no Ningyo (1925), Shiro omu fujin (1925) and Shinsetsu ono ga tsumi (1926).Born 1896.
19 credits, 1924-1926 - Kayoko Saijô is known for Shi no hoko: kôhen (1926), Shi no hoko: zenpen (1926) and Shi no hoko: chuhen (1926).10 credits, 1924-1941.
- Chieko Sono is known for Nekketsu wo hisomete (1924), Nani ga kanojo o sô saseta ka (1930) and Takebayashi tadashichi (1929).22 credits, 1924-1952.
- Kimiko Maki is known for Kono taiyô - Dai ippen (1930), Kono taiyô - Dai sampen (1930) and Kono taiyô - dainihen Tamie no maki (1930).13 credits, 1924-1930.
- Ruriko Utagawa was born on 27 July 1903 in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Koi wo shirû (1928), Habu no minato (1929) and Kaikokû no haha (1925).1903-
17 credits, 1924-1930. - Teruko Makino is known for Robinfuddo no yume (1924), Kachidoki (1926) and Ôedo no ushimitsudoki (1926).54 credits, 1924-1933.
- Eiko Takamatsu is known for Nanatsu no umi: Zenpen - Shojo-hen (1931), Nanatsu no umi: Kôhen - Teisô-hen (1932) and Ojôsan kanpai (1949).58 credits, 1924-1956
- Tsuruko Kumoi is known for Every-Night Dreams (1933), Shunkinsho: Okoto to Sasuke (1935) and Mr. Thank You (1936).16 credits, 1924-1941.
- Fumiko Okamura was born on 24 September 1898 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. She is known for Warning from Space (1956), Love Letter (1953) and Reijin (1930).84 credits, 1924-1973.
- Hatsuko Ikuno was born on 27 April 1907 in Fukuoka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Edo kaizoku-den: Kagebôshi: zenpen (1925), Muromachi joshî (1929) and Awâmeshî no takerû ma (1924). She died in 1936.April 27, 1909 - 1936. (28).
33 credits, 1924-1930. - Shizuko Takizawa was born on 8 April 1902. She was an actress, known for Mazô (1938), Junkyô kesshi nihon nijûroku seijin (1931) and Zoku mazô - Ibara Ukon (1939). She died in March 1952 in Tokyo, Japan.4-8-1902, - 3-1952. (49).
31 credits, 1924-1949. - Yôko Mishima was born on 21 March 1906 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ekisutora gâru (1925), Haha ni chikaite (1926) and Crossword (1926).1906 -
credits, 1924-1926. - Chikako Ejima was born on 8 February 1903 in Tokyo, Japan. She is known for Moyuru ushio (1924), Fûshi shôhin-shû kyô (1924) and Fûshi shôhin-shû: Dai-ippen - Kyô (1924).1903 -
12 credits, 1924 -