(born 11 December 1931) is a Japanese film and stage actress. She appeared in over 100 films between 1953 and 1963. She won the first Grand Prix of
Miss Nippon
is Japanese beauty pageant. In the past 56 competitions, the total number of applications is 118,794 people and the Grand Prix is 54 people. It started in 1950 by the Yomiuri Shimbun and is held every year by the "Miss Nippon Association". ...
in 1950.
Career
Yamamoto was born on 11 December 1931, in
Nishi-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It is in the west of central Osaka ("Nishi" means "west"), and is generally flat. 80% of the area was destroyed by bombing in World War II, and was not regenerated until the mid-1960s.Izumi and then
Izumiōtsu
260px, Supermarket in Izumiōtsu
260px, Kirara Town housing complex in Izumiōtsu
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 73,767 in 34920 households and a population density of 5400 persons per km². The ...
, she attended Hamadera Elementary School and began learning traditional Japanese dance from Rokunosuke Hanayagi (花柳禄之助) of the Rokuju Hanayagi (花柳禄寿) school. She graduated from what is now Kyoto Ōki High School.
She won the first Miss Nippon beauty contest in 1950. In 1953 she made her film debut at the
Daiei Studios
Daiei Film Co. Ltd. (Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ''Daiei Eiga Kabushiki Kaisha'') was a Japanese film studio. Founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd., it was one of the major studios during the postwar Golden Age of Japanese cinema, producing ...
. She became one of Daiei's top actresses.
Yamamoto was considered one of Japan's most beautiful women, with "noble" features that represented the classic ideal of Japanese beauty. As such, she was well-suited for costumed parts in the era's popular period dramas, with her less-frequent modern roles (in films like Ozu's ''
Equinox Flower
is a 1958 color Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu which is based on a novel by Ton Satomi.
Plot
Wataru Hirayama (Shin Saburi) is a wealthy Tokyo businessman. When an old schoolmate Mikami ( Chishū Ryū) approaches him for help concerning ...
Being Two Isn't Easy
is a 1962 color Japanese comedy film directed by Kon Ichikawa. It was Japan's submission to the 35th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Mo ...
'') often shot in "
movie star
A movie star (also known as a film star or cinema star) is an actor or actress who is famous for their starring, or leading, roles in movies. The term is used for performers who are marketable stars as they become popular household names and w ...
" closeups that placed her apart from the films' contemporary storytelling.
In 1963, when her contract came up for renewal, she insisted on changes. The head of Daiei,
Masaichi Nagata
was a Japanese businessman and served as president of Daiei Film. The self-proclaimed creator of Gamera, he produced the kaiju's second film ''Gamera vs. Barugon'', with the remainder of the Showa ''Gamera'' films produced instead by his son Hi ...
, refused, unilaterally fired her, and then invoked an agreement between the major studios to prevent her from working again in film. Even though she has appeared frequently on stage and on television, she has not appeared in a film since then.
Selected filmography
* (十代の誘惑
Jūdai no yūwaku
is a 1953 Japanese black-and-white film, directed by Seiji Hisamatsu.
Cast
* Ayako Wakao
* Fujiko Yamamoto
* Yōko Minamida
* Kazuko Fushimi ()
* Mitsuko Kimura ()
* Kyōko Aoyama ()
* Kenji Sugawara ()
* Jun Negami
* Eiji Funakoshi
was a ...
) (1953)
* ''
The Romance of Yushima
(おんなけいず ゆしまのしらうめ), aka ''The White Plum of Yushima'', is a 1955 black-and-white Cinema of Japan, Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.
Plot
A highly esteemed student falls for Otsuta, a geisha.
Remake
A TV re ...
'' (1955)
* ''
A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love
is a 1955 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.
Cast
* Kazuo Hasegawa
* Ayako Wakao
* Hideo Takamatsu
was a Japanese actor from Nankoku, Kōchi Prefecture. Takamatsu appeared in more than 120 films between 1948 and 2007.
Profil ...
Equinox Flower
is a 1958 color Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu which is based on a novel by Ton Satomi.
Plot
Wataru Hirayama (Shin Saburi) is a wealthy Tokyo businessman. When an old schoolmate Mikami ( Chishū Ryū) approaches him for help concerning ...
'' (1958)
* ''
Hitohada Kujaku
, English title: ''The Swishing Sword'' a.k.a. ''Human Skin Peacock'', is a 1958 Japanese film directed by Kazuo Mori.
Cast
* Fujiko Yamamoto
* Raizo Ichikawa as Shinpachiro Nasu
* Shoji Umewaka
* Seizaburo Kozo
* Mieko Kondo
Mieko (written ...
'' (1958)
* ''
The Loyal 47 Ronin
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (忠臣蔵
Chūshingura is the title given to fictionalized accounts in Japanese literature, theater, and film that relate to the historical incident involving the forty-seven ''rōnin'' and their mission to avenge the death of their master, Asano Naganori. Including th ...
) (1958)
* ''
The Snowy Heron
is a 1958 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. It was entered into the 1959 Cannes Film Festival.
Cast
* Fujiko Yamamoto - Oshino
* Keizo Kawasaki - Junichi Inaki
* Yosuke Irie - Takashi Irie
* Shūji Sano - Kumajirō Gosaka
* Hito ...
'' (1958)
* ''
Unforgettable Trail
is a 1959 Japanese drama film directed by Koji Shima. It was entered into the 1st Moscow International Film Festival.
Cast
* Fujiko Yamamoto
(born 11 December 1931) is a Japanese film and stage actress. She appeared in over 100 films be ...
'' (1959)
* ''
Satan's Sword
is a 1960 Japanese samurai film directed by Kenji Misumi, written by Teinosuke Kinugasa, and produced by Masaichi Nagata. The film stars Raizō Ichikawa as samurai Ryunosuke Tsukue, alongside Kojiro Hongo, Tamao Nakamura, Fujiko Yamamoto, Ke ...
'' (1960)
* ''
The Demon of Mount Oe
is a 1960 Japanese horror film directed by Tokuzō Tanaka and produced by Daiei Film
Daiei Film Co. Ltd. ( Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ''Daiei Eiga Kabushiki Kaisha'') was a Japanese film studio. Founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd., i ...
Hunting Rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with bo ...
'' (1961)
* ''
Being Two Isn't Easy
is a 1962 color Japanese comedy film directed by Kon Ichikawa. It was Japan's submission to the 35th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Mo ...
'' (私は二歳, Watashi wa nisai) (1962)
* ''
An Actor's Revenge
, also known as ''Revenge of a Kabuki Actor'', is a 1963 Japanese film directed by Kon Ichikawa, based on a novel by Otokichi Mikami.
Plot
Japan in the late Edo period: Three men — Sansai Dobe, Kawaguchiya and Hiromiya — are responsible fo ...
'' (1963)
Awards
* 1959 Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress
* 1961 Kinema Junpo Award for Best Actress