1931-02-16 Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan
Ken Takakura (高倉 健, Takakura Ken), born Gouichi Oda (February 16, 1931, in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan), was a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles. Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka. This subject was covered in one of his most famous movies, Showa Zankyo-den (Remnants of Chivalry in the Showa Era), in which he played an honorable old-school yakuza among the violent post-war gurentai. A graduate of Meiji University in Tokyo Takakura happened by an audition in 1955 at the Toei Film Company, and decided to look in. Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. Japan experienced a boom in gangster films in the 1960s as the Japanese people struggled with the generational differences between those raised in pre-war and post-war Japan and these were Takakura's stock and trade. His breakout role would be in the 1965 film Abashiri Prison, and its sequel Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen (Abashiri Prison: Longing for Home, also 1965), in which he played an ex-con antihero. By the time Takakura would leave Toei in 1976, he had appeared in over 180 films. Takakura gained international recognition after starring in the 1970 war film Too Late the Hero as the cunning Imperial Japanese Major Yamaguchi, the 1975 Sydney Pollack sleeper hit The Yakuza with Robert Mitchum and is probably best known in the West for his role in Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989) where he surprises American cops played by Michael Douglas and Andy García with the line, "I do speak fucking English". He again proved himself bankable to Western audiences with the 1992 Fred Schepisi comedy Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck. While he has slowed down a bit in his older years, he is still active. His most recent film was the 2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles by Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Takakura, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
健さん | Self | 2016-08-20 | |
あなたへ | Eiji Shimakura | 2012-08-25 | |
Black Rain: Making The Film | Self (archive footage) | 2006-10-10 | |
千里走单骑 | Gou-ichi Takata | 2005-12-22 | |
ホタル | Yamaoka Shuji | 2001-05-01 | |
鉄道員 | Otomatsu Sato | 1999-06-05 | |
刑事 蛇に横切られる | 1995-07-01 | ||
四十七人の刺客 | Kuranosuke Oishi | 1994-10-22 | |
Mr. Baseball | Uchiyama | 1992-10-01 | |
Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star | Self (archive footage) | 1991-03-10 | |
Black Rain | Masahiro | 1989-09-22 | |
あ・うん | Kadokura | 1989-11-03 | |
海へ 〜See you〜 | 1988-05-18 | ||
夜叉 | Shuji | 1985-08-31 | |
むかし男ありけり | Self | 1984-08-26 | |
居酒屋兆治 | Eiji | 1983-11-12 | |
南極物語 | Ushioda | 1983-07-23 | |
海峡 | Go Akutsu | 1982-10-16 | |
刑事物語 | Detective Mikami | 1982-04-17 | |
駅 STATION | Eiji Mikami | 1981-11-07 | |
動乱 | Keisuke Miyagi | 1980-01-15 | |
遙かなる山の呼び声 | Kosaku Tajima | 1980-03-15 | |
野性の証明 | Takeshi Ajisawa | 1978-10-07 | |
冬の華 | Hidetsugu Kano | 1978-06-17 | |
幸福の黄色いハンカチ | Yusaku Shima | 1977-09-30 | |
八甲田山 | Captain Tokushima | 1977-06-04 | |
君よ憤怒の河を渉れ | Morioka | 1976-02-11 | |
大脱獄 | Ichiro Kozue | 1975-04-05 | |
日本任侠道 激突篇 | 1975-01-15 | ||
神戸国際ギャング | Masato Dan | 1975-10-14 | |
新幹線大爆破 | Tetsuo Okita | 1975-07-05 | |
三代目襲名 | 1974-08-10 | ||
無宿 やどなし | Jokichi Anabuki | 1974-10-09 | |
The Yakuza | Tanaka Ken | 1974-12-21 | |
ゴルゴ13 | Duke Togo / Golgo 13 | 1973-12-29 | |
現代任侠史 | Ryoichi Shimaya | 1973-10-27 | |
山口組三代目 | Kazuo Taoka | 1973-08-11 | |
博奕打ち外伝 | 1972-07-30 | ||
純子引退記念映画 関東緋桜一家 | Kuramoto | 1972-03-04 | |
昭和残侠伝 破れ傘 | 1972-12-30 | ||
望郷子守唄 | 1972-04-01 | ||
新網走番外地 嵐呼ぶダンプ仁義 | 1972-08-12 | ||
任侠列伝 男 | 1971-12-03 | ||
日本女侠伝 血斗乱れ花 | 1971-04-03 | ||
日本侠客伝 刃 | 1971-04-28 | ||
新網走番外地 嵐呼ぶ知床岬 | 1971-08-13 | ||
ごろつき無宿 | Isamu Tekada | 1971-06-25 | |
昭和残侠伝 吼えろ唐獅子 | Hidejiro Hanada | 1971-10-27 | |
新網走番外地 吹雪の大脱走 | 1971-12-29 | ||
日本やくざ伝 総長への道 | Ryutaro Fudo | 1971-03-06 | |
捨て身のならず者 | 1970-05-01 | ||
遊侠列伝 | 1970-07-04 | ||
昭和残侠伝 死んで貰います | 1970-09-22 | ||
新網走番外地 大森林の決斗 | 1970-08-14 | ||
博徒一家 | 1970-03-29 | ||
日本侠客伝 昇り龍 | 1970-12-03 | ||
日本ダービー 勝負 | 1970-05-13 | ||
新網走番外地 吹雪のはぐれ狼 | 1970-12-30 | ||
Too Late the Hero | Major Yamaguchi | 1970-05-20 | |
最後の特攻隊 | Koji Yashiro | 1970-10-29 | |
日本女侠伝 真赤な度胸花 | 1970-01-09 | ||
昭和残侠伝 人斬り唐獅子 | 1969-11-07 | ||
緋牡丹博徒 花札勝負 | Shogo Hanaoka | 1969-02-01 | |
新網走番外地 流人岬の血斗 | 1969-08-13 | ||
日本女侠伝 侠客芸者 | Shimada Seikichi | 1969-07-31 | |
懲役三兄弟 | 1969-05-03 | ||
日本侠客伝 花と龍 | Kingoro Tamai | 1969-05-31 | |
新網走番外地 さいはての流れ者 | 1969-12-27 | ||
昭和残侠伝 唐獅子仁義 | Hanada Hidejiro | 1969-03-06 | |
緋牡丹博徒 二代目襲名 | Koji Yashiro | 1969-04-10 | |
戦後最大の賭場 | Shuzo Honjo | 1969-09-14 | |
渡世人列伝 | Tsukuda Ginjiro | 1969-12-27 | |
日本暗殺秘録 | Saburo Aizawa | 1969-10-16 | |
博徒列伝 | 1968-12-28 | ||
人生劇場 飛車角と吉良常 | 1968-10-25 | ||
侠客列伝 | 1968-08-01 | ||
荒野の渡世人 | Ken Kato | 1968-06-14 | |
新網走番外地 | Katsuji Suehiro | 1968-12-28 | |
日本侠客伝 絶縁状 | 1968-02-22 | ||
ごろつき | Isamu Oba | 1968-10-12 | |
緋牡丹博徒 | Naoki Katagiri | 1968-09-14 | |
獄中の顔役 | 1968-04-18 | ||
祇園祭 | 1968-11-23 | ||
網走番外地 決斗零下30度 | 1967-04-20 | ||
昭和残侠伝 血染の唐獅子 | 1967-07-08 | ||
日本侠客伝 斬り込み | 1967-09-15 | ||
侠骨一代 | Ryuma Ibuki | 1967-05-30 | |
網走番外地 悪への挑戦 | Shin-ichi Tachibana | 1967-08-12 | |
網走番外地 吹雪の斗争 | Shin-ichi Tachibana | 1967-12-23 | |
日本侠客伝 白刃の盃 | 1967-01-28 | ||
あゝ同期の桜 | First Lieutenant Kenmochi | 1967-06-03 | |
昭和残侠伝 一匹狼 | 1966-07-09 | ||
網走番外地 荒野の対決 | 1966-04-23 | ||
網走番外地 南国の対決 | 1966-08-13 | ||
カミカゼ野郎 真昼の決斗 | 1966-06-04 | ||
昭和残侠伝 唐獅子牡丹 | 1966-01-13 | ||
網走番外地 大雪原の対決 | 1966-12-31 | ||
日本侠客伝 雷門の決斗 | 1966-09-17 | ||
男の勝負 | 1966-07-01 | ||
地獄の掟に明日はない | Ichiro Takita | 1966-10-29 | |
日本侠客伝 血斗神田祭り | 1966-02-03 | ||
日本侠客伝 関東篇 | 1965-08-12 | ||
昭和残侠伝 | Seiji Terajima | 1965-10-01 | |
網走番外地 望郷篇 | Shinichi Tachibana | 1965-10-31 | |
宮本武蔵 巌流島の決斗 | Sasaki Kojiro | 1965-09-04 | |
続・網走番外地 | Shinichi Tachibana | 1965-07-10 | |
網走番外地 北海篇 | Shin'ichi Tachibana | 1965-12-31 | |
日本侠客伝 浪花篇 | 1965-01-30 | ||
網走番外地 | Shinichi Tachibana | 1965-04-18 | |
飢餓海峡 | Ajimura | 1965-01-15 | |
顔役 | 1965-01-03 | ||
宮本武蔵 一乗寺の決斗 | Sasaki Kojiro | 1964-01-01 | |
狼と豚と人間 | Jiro Kuroki, the second brother | 1964-08-26 | |
いれずみ突撃隊 | 1964-10-21 | ||
日本侠客伝 | 1964-08-13 | ||
ジャコ萬と鉄 | Tetsu | 1964-02-08 | |
東京ギャング対香港ギャング | 1964-01-01 | ||
暗黒街大通り | 1964-04-25 | ||
ならず者 | Minami | 1964-04-05 | |
ギャング忠臣蔵 | Asano | 1963-10-20 | |
東京アンタッチャブル 脱走 | Yoshio Harada | 1963-03-15 | |
Kyôkatsu | 1963-09-14 | ||
暗黒街の顔役 十一人のギャング | Sawagami | 1963-01-15 | |
最後の顔役 | 1963-04-12 | ||
暗黒街最大の決斗 | 1963-07-13 | ||
人生劇場 飛車角 | 1963-03-16 | ||
宮本武蔵 二刀流開眼 | Sasaki Kojiro | 1963-08-14 | |
千姫と秀頼 | Naomori | 1962-03-25 | |
東京丸の内 | 1962-08-29 | ||
二・二六事件 脱出 | 1962-03-14 | ||
暗黒街最後の日 | 1962-10-12 | ||
南太平洋波高し | 1962-01-09 | ||
遊民街の銃弾 | 1962-12-09 | ||
恋と太陽とギャング | 1962-03-21 | ||
黄門社長漫遊記 | Sukesaburo Sasa | 1962-04-04 | |
三百六十五夜 | 1962-09-09 | ||
べらんめえ芸者と大阪娘 | 1962-02-07 | ||
民謡の旅 桜島 おてもやん | Shuhei Tategami | 1962-05-01 | |
東京アンタッチャブル | Yoshio Harada | 1962-10-21 | |
裏切者は地獄だぜ | 1962-12-23 | ||
べらんめえ芸者罷り通る | Kenichi Hanamura | 1961-01-09 | |
ひばり民謡の旅シリーズ べらんめぇ藝者佐渡へ行く | 1961-08-05 | ||
俺が地獄の手品師だ | 1961-01-15 | ||
万年太郎と姐御社員 | Tarô Mannen | 1961-10-07 | |
ひばり民謡の旅シリーズ べらんめぇ中乗りさん | Kenichi Oka | 1961-10-22 | |
Tenka no Kaidanji Senpû Tarô | Tarô Senpû | 1961-02-14 | |
悪魔の手毬唄 | Kosuke Kindaichi | 1961-11-15 | |
花と嵐とギャング | 'Smiley' Ken | 1961-06-23 | |
魚河岸の女石松 | 1961-05-31 | ||
続べらんめえ芸者 | 1960-03-01 | ||
男ならやってみろ | 1960-11-29 | ||
続々べらんめえ芸者 | 1960-08-07 | ||
天下の快男児 突進太郎 | 1960-07-13 | ||
天下の快男児 万年太郎 | 1960-01-21 | ||
大空の無法者 | 1960-05-10 | ||
二発目は地獄行きだぜ | 1960-01-27 | ||
ずべ公天使 | 1960-03-15 | ||
大いなる旅路 | 1960-03-08 | ||
砂漠を渡る太陽 | Hari | 1960-08-24 | |
漂流死体 | 1959-05-13 | ||
旋風家族 | 1959-01-28 | ||
無法街の野郎ども | Fumio Sone | 1959-01-28 | |
地獄の底までつき合うぜ | 1959-06-01 | ||
高度7000米 恐怖の四時間 | Captain Yamamoto | 1959-09-30 | |
森と湖のまつり | Ichitaro Kazamori | 1958-11-26 | |
ひばりの花形探偵合戦 | 1958-08-06 | ||
娘の中の娘 | Hiroshi Ishioka | 1958-12-09 | |
恋愛自由型 | 1958-04-30 | ||
娘十八御意見無用 | 1958-01-03 | ||
多羅尾伴内 十三の魔王 | 1958-01-15 | ||
希望の乙女 | 1958-09-10 | ||
季節風の彼方に | 1958-06-10 | ||
喧嘩社員 | Tani | 1957-03-13 | |
血まみれの決闘 | 1957-08-28 | ||
鯨と斗う男 | Yosuke Yamagami | 1957-07-09 | |
ジェット機出動 第101航空基地 | Jiro Nakata | 1957-12-15 | |
青い海原 | 1957-07-30 | ||
母孔雀 | 1956-12-05 | ||
流星空手打ち | 1956-01-29 | ||
にっぽんGメン 特別武装班出動 | 1956-07-25 | ||
電光空手打ち | 1956-01-29 | ||
チョップ先生 | 1956-04-04 | ||
夕日と拳銃 | Shintaro | 1956-09-18 |