Ken Takakura
Like American film star John Wayne, Ken Takakura has defined the Japanese man and has had a prolific superstar film career, appearing in more than 200 films, shifting from "yakuza" or crime-action films to more mainstream fare. He thrice received the Japanese Academy Award as Best Actor and has on occasion appeared in English-language films. A graduate of Meiji University, Takakura studied commerce, but turned to acting soon after graduation, making his screen debut in 1955 in "Denko Karate-uchi." He toiled for about a decade before becoming a bona fide star with a string of Japanese hits in the mid-60s, more frequently playing men of the current era rather than mythical samurai or heroic icons of the glory days. When legendary Hollywood director Robert Aldrich needed an actor to play the Japanese officer pursuing Cliff Robertson and Michael Caine in "Too Late the Hero" (1970), he turned to Takakura, who stole the picture. He did the same playing a crime boss for Sydney Pollack in his next English-language effort, "The Yakuza" (1975). Takakura did not pursue any ongoing connection with Hollywood, but rather continued to make Japanese hits, including "Eki/Station" (1981), "Antarctica" (1982), and "A Un/Buddies" (1989), films with little release in the West. Hollywood called again in 1989 with "Black Rain," in which Takakura was Andy Garcia's Japanese police connection, and for "Mr. Baseball" (1992), in which Takakura instructs Tom Selleck on how to play an American game in a foreign land. Takakura next appeared in Kon Ichikawa's international hit "47 Ronin" (1994). The drama "Railroad Man" (1999) and Yasuo Furuhata's acclaimed "The Firefly" (2001) followed. Zhang Yimou's "Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles" (2005) and Furuhata's "Dearest" (2012) proved to be the semi-retired Takakura's final films. Ken Takakura died of lymphoma on November 10, 2014, at the age of 83.
Photos
Ken Takakura
Filmography
Movies
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No Score Yet |
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Dearest | Eiji Kurashima (Character) | - | 2012 |
80% |
|
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles | Gou-ichi Takata (Character) | $251.6K | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hotaru | Yamaoka Shûji (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
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Poppoya: Railroad Man | Otomatsu Sato (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 47 Ronin | Unknown (Character) | - | 1994 |
12% |
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Mr. Baseball | Uchiyama (Character) | $20.3M | 1992 |
54% |
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Black Rain | Asst. Insp. Masahiro Matsumoto (Character) | $44.9M | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Yasha | Shuji (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet |
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Antarctica | Akira Ushioda (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Koudo 7000 Meters | Unknown (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Station | Unknown (Character) | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Revolt | Keisuke Miyagi (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Distant Cry from Spring | Unknown (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Never Give Up | Unknown (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fuyu no Hana | Hidetsugu Kano (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Yellow Handkerchief | Unknown (Character) | - | 1977 |
60% |
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The Yakuza | Tanaka Ken (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Great Jail Break | Ichiro Kozue (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack | Ichizo Ryuzaki (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | International Gangs of Kobe | Masato Dan (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet |
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Bullet Train | Tetsuo Okita (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Third Generation Yamaguchi Gang | Kazuo Taoka (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Golgo 13 | Golgo 13 (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kantô Hizakura Ikka | Kuramoto (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Pledge | Unknown (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape | Unknown (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love | Unknown (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nihon Jokyo-den: Ketto Midare-bana | Unknown (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Patience Has an End | Unknown (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | New Prison Wall of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow | Unknown (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Saigo no Tokkôtai | Unknown (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Dai Shinrin no Ketto | Unknown (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nihon Jokyo-den: Makka na Dokyo-bana | Unknown (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | House of Gamblers | Unknown (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sengo Saidai no Toba | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Saihate no Nagare-mono | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Choeki Sankyodai | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Gambler's Legacy | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet |
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Hibotan Bakuto: Hanafuda Shobu | Shogo Hanaoka (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nihon Jokyo-den: Kyokaku Geisha | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Valiant Red Peony 4 | Koji Yashiro (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Runin-Masaki no Ketto | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: A Lion's Code | Unknown (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet |
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Red Peony Gambler | Shogo Hanaoka (Character) | - | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rogue | Isamu Oba (Character) | - | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hibotan Bakuto | Shogo Hanaoka (Character) | - | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Gokuchu no Kaoyaku | Unknown (Character) | - | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shin Abashiri Bangaichi | Unknown (Character) | - | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Aa Douki no Sakura | First Lieutenant Kenmochi (Character) | - | 1967 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chivalrous Life | Unknown (Character) | - | 1967 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Showa Zankyo-den: Chizome no Karajishi | Unknown (Character) | - | 1967 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Abashiri Bangaichi: Koya no taiketsu | Unknown (Character) | - | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jigoku no Okite ni Asu wa Nai | Nenji Kobayashi (Character) | - | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Showa Zankyo-den: Ippiki Okami | Unknown (Character) | - | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Showa Zankyoden Karajishi Botan | Unknown (Character) | - | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry | Unknown (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Showa Zankyo-den | Unknown (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Abashiri Bangaichi Bokyohen | Shinichi Tsukibana (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nihon Kyokaku-den: Naniwa-hen | Unknown (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Prison Walls of Abashiri 4 | Shin'ichi Tachibana (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Abashiri Prison | Shinichi Tachibana (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Zoku Abashiri Bangaichi | Shinichi Tsukibana (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet |
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A Fugitive From the Past | Ajimura (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wolves, Pigs and Men | Jirô (Character) | - | 1964 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Miyamoto Musashi Ichijoji No Ketto | Unknown (Character) | - | 1964 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nihon Kyokaku-den | Chokichi (Character) | - | 1964 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | An Outlaw | Unknown (Character) | - | 1964 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jinsei Gekijo: Hisha Kaku | Unknown (Character) | - | 1963 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bôryoku gai | Unknown (Character) | - | 1963 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Gang Loyalty and Vengeance | Asano (Character) | - | 1963 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Minyo no Tabi Sakurajima Otemoyan | Unknown (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tales of President Mito | Unknown (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Senhime to Hideyori | Naomori (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sanbyaku Rokujugo Ya | Unknown (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Escape | Unknown (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kashi no Onna Ichimatsu | Unknown (Character) | - | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Beran Me-e Geisha Makari Tôru | Unknown (Character) | - | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hibari Minyo no Tabi Beranme Nakanorisan | Unknown (Character) | - | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Flower, the Storm, and the Gang | Unknown (Character) | - | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Zokuzoku Beranme Geisha | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nihatsume wa Jigoku Ikidaze | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Zoku Beran Me-e Geisha | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Man of the World 2 | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Man of the World | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Untamed of the Sky | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Sand City in Manchuria | Unknown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Abare Kaido | Unknown (Character) | - | 1959 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Musume no Naka no Musume | Unknown (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | With Songs in My Heart | Unknown (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Outsiders | Ichitaro Kazamori (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ren'ai Jiyugata | Unknown (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Musume Juhachi Goiken Muyo | Unknown (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hibari no Hanagata Tantei Gassen | Unknown (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Deep Blue Sea | Unknown (Character) | - | 1957 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Japan's G-Men: Special Arms Squad Going Out | Unknown (Character) | - | 1956 |