, occasionally miscredited as Masakazu Hirose and nicknamed for his survival in the naval

Battle of the Eastern Solomons The naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons (also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands and, in Japanese sources, as the Second Battle of the Solomon Sea) took place on 24–25 August 1942, and was the third carrier battle of the Pacific cam ...

, was a Japanese

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), l ...

. Hirose portrayed

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film '' Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produ ...

's archenemy

King Ghidorah is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', which first appeared in Ishirō Honda's 1964 film ''Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster''. Although the name of the character is officially trademarked by Toho as "King Ghidorah", the character was originally ...

and

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

in ''

King Kong vs. Godzilla is a 1962 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the third film in both the ''Godzilla'' and ''King Kong'' franchises, as well as the first T ...

'', along with several "tough guy" roles.

Career

In 1950, he started working at the Toho, where he played minor roles in films. Due to the popularity of the kaijū-eiga genre, he was interested in playing the monster in one of these films. This opportunity arose in 1962, when

Eiji Tsuburaya was a Japanese special effects director and cinematographer. Known as the he worked on 250 feature films in a career spanning 50 years. He is regarded as one of the co-creators of the ''Godzilla'' series, as well as the main creator of the ' ...

offered him the role of King Kong in the emerging ''

''. Tsuburaya ordered Hirose to go to the zoo and study gorilla behavior in order to better play the role of a monster. In later years, Hirose confessed that he never went to the zoo and then lied to Tsuburaya, saying that he had gained a lot of experience during the alleged visit. Despite his enthusiasm for working with the special effects team, he had difficulty playing King Kong, because the zipper sewn into the costume (in order to hide it) forced him to stay in it for a long time: “Sweat was pouring out of me and even getting into my eyes. After I left

he costume He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

I was pale." The next role in a kaijū-type movie was

in ''

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster is a 1964 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd., it is the fifth film in the ''Godzilla'' franchise, and was the second ''Godzilla'' film produced ...

'' in 1964, which he received after Haruya Sakamoto, who played him, quit due to his overweight suit. A year later he repeated the role in the '' Invasion of Astro-Monster''. Equally, the film's special effects directors Koichi Kawakita and

Teruyoshi Nakano was a Japanese special effects director. Early life Nakano was born on in Andong, Manchukuo (now Dandong, Liaoning, China). His father worked for an affiliate of South Manchuria Railway called International Transport. His childhood was cha ...

, then assistants to the special effects operator, believed that

in ''

'' was played by Kōji Uruki, who also played

Rodan is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', which first appeared as the title character in Ishirō Honda's 1956 film '' Rodan'', produced and distributed by Toho. Following its debut standalone appearance, Rodan went on to be featured in numerous en ...

. Kawakita was of the opinion that Hirose could not play Ghidorah due to his short stature. Hirose was Eiji Tsuburaya's first choice for the role of Sanda in ''

The War of the Gargantuas is a 1966 ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Referred by film historian Stuart Galbraith IV as a "quasi–sequel" to '' Frankenstein vs. Baragon'', the film was a Japanese-American co-production; i ...

'' in 1966, however, he declined, preferring a role he was offered in another film where he could show his face. In 1971, during the financial crisis that hit Japan, all actors contracted with Toho were restructured, and Hirose remained in the studio as a stage worker, where he worked until the 1990s. However, at the same time, he suffered from a herniated disc and was admitted to the Tokyo Labor Disaster Hospital in Tokyo. He died shortly after living in a nursing home for several years, but the exact date of his death is unknown.

Filmography

Film

*1952: ''Minato e kita otoko'' *1953: ''Hana no naka no musumetachi'' *1954: ''Zoku Take-chan shacho'' *1954: ''

Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire seven ...

'' - Bandit #2 *1954: ''

Tomei Ningen is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Motoyoshi Oda, with special effects and cinematography by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1897 H.G. Wells story ''The Invisible Man''. Plot In Ginza, the dead body ...

'' - Policeman *1955: ''

Godzilla Raids Again is a 1955 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Motoyoshi Oda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Co., Ltd., it is the second film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' franchise. The film stars Hir ...

'' - Convict *1955: '' Oen-san'' *1955: '' Half Human'' - Mountain Searcher *1955: ''Meoto zenzai'' *1955: ''Kaettekita wakadan'na'' *1956: ''Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island'' *1956: ''Ankokugai'' *1956: ''Onibi'' *1956: ''Hadashi no seishun'' *1956: ''Okashi-na yatsu'' - Daisuke's Friend *1956: ''

'' - F-86F pilot (uncredited) *1957: ''Zoku Goyôkiki monogatari'' - Travelling salesman *1957: ''Ôban'' - The Man On The Train *1957: ''Salaryman shusse taikôki'' - Thief *1957: ''Ikiteiru Koheiji'' *1957: ''Tôhoku no zunmu-tachi'' *1957: ''Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen'' - Tahei *1957: ''

The Mysterians is a 1957 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film begins with a giant fissure destroying an entire village. This leads to an investigation whereby the source is discov ...

'' - Detective in Etsuko's house *1958: ''Yagyû bugeichô: Sôryû hiken'' *1958: ''Futari dake no hashi'' *1958: ''Yajikata dôchû sugoroku'' *1958: '' The H-Man'' - Fire department officer *1958: ''

Varan the Unbelievable is a 1958 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd, it stars Kōzō Nomura, Ayumi Sonoda, and Koreya Senda, with Haruo Nakajima as Varan. In the film, ...

'' - Fisherman *1958: ''

The Hidden Fortress is a 1958 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' adventure film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It tells the story of two peasants who agree to escort a man and a woman across enemy lines in return for gold without knowing that he is a general and the woman is a pri ...

'' - Yamana soldier *1959: ''Ankokugai no kaoyaku'' *1959: '' Monkey Sun'' *1959: ''Kitsune to tanuki'' *1959: '' Gigantis, the Fire Monster'' - Convict *1959: ''

The Three Treasures is a 1959 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. The film is based on the legends ''Kojiki'' and '' Nihon Shoki'' and the origins of ''Shinto''. The film was the highest-grossing film of 1959 for Toho and the second highest grossing domestic ...

'' *1959: ''Yari hitosuji nihon bare'' *1959: ''Bakushô Mito Kômon man'yûki'' - Gejimasa *1960: ''Boku wa dokushin shain'' *1960: ''Ginza taikutsu musume'' *1960: ''

The Secret of the Telegian () is a 1960 tokusatsu science fiction- horror and mystery film. Produced by Toho Company, Ltd., the film was directed by Jun Fukuda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Herts-Lion International Corp. acquired the western hemisphere ri ...

'' - Onishi's Henchman *1960: ''Man Against Man'' - Genpachi *1960: '' The Human Vapor'' - Doomed Burly Guard *1961: ''Nasake muyo no wana'' *1961: ''

Yojimbo is a 1961 Japanese samurai film co-written, produced, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film stars Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katō, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara, and Atsushi W ...

'' - Ushitora Follower *1961: ''Nakito gozansu'' *1961: ''

Mothra is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', that first appeared in the 1961 film '' Mothra'', produced and distributed by Toho Studios. Mothra has appeared in several Toho ''tokusatsu'' films, most often as a recurring character in the ''Godzilla'' ...

'' - Dam Worker *1961: ''Arigataya sandogasa'' *1961: ''Witness Killed'' *1962: ''

Sanjuro is a 1962 black-and-white Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune. It is a sequel to Kurosawa's 1961 ''Yojimbo''. Originally an adaptation of the Shūgorō Yamamoto novel ''Hibi Heian'', the script ...

'' - Samurai on watch duty *1962: ''

'' -

*1962: ''Ankokugai no kiba'' *1963: ''

Attack Squadron! is a 1963 Japanese film directed by Shue Matsubayashi, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film is about Lt. Colonel Senda (Toshiro Mifune) who commands three fighter squadrons, eventually being dominated by Allied forces in June 1944. ...

'' *1963: ''Onna ni tsuyoku naru kufû no kazukazu'' - Detective *1963: ''Nippon jitsuwa jidai'' *1963: ''Chintao yôsai bakugeki meirei'' *1963: ''Kureji sakusen: Kudabare! Musekinin'' *1963: ''

Atragon is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film produced and distributed by Toho. It is based on ''The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure'' by Shunrō Oshikawa and ''The Undersea Kingdom'' by Shigeru Komatsuzaki. The film i ...

'' - Mu Henchman *1963: ''Honolulu, Tokio, Hong Kong'' - Shoe maker *1964: ''Kyô mo ware ôzora ni ari'' *1964: ''Nippon ichi no horafuki otoko'' *1964: ''Hadaka no jûyaku'' *1964: ''

Dogora, the Space Monster is a 1964 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Studios, the film stars Yosuke Natsuki, Nobuo Nakamura, Hiroshi Koizumi, and Akiko Wakabayashi, along ...

'' - Diamond Truck Driver *1964: ''Horafuki taikôki'' *1964: ''Danchi: Nanatsu no taizai'' *1964: ''Hana no oedo no musekinin'' *1964: ''

'' -

*1965: ''Ankokugai gekitotsu sakusen'' - Man from Kyushu *1965: '' Red Beard'' - Thug *1965: ''Nippon ichi no goma suri otoko'' *1965: ''Taiheiyô kiseki no sakusen: Kisuka'' - Yamashita *1965: ''Umi no wakadaishô'' *1965: '' Frankenstein vs. Baragon'' - Tunnel Worker *1965: ''

Crazy Adventure is a 1965 Japanese comedy action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling ...

'' - Police officer *1965: '' Invasion of the Astro-Monster'' - King Ghidorah *1966: ''Bangkok no yoru'' *1966: ''

'' - Soldier *1966: ''Kureji daisakusen'' *1966: '' Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster'' - Escaped Slave *1967: ''Kureji ogon sakusen'' *1967: ''

King Kong Escapes is a 1967 ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film was a Japanese–American co-production between Toho and Rankin/Bass, and stars Rhodes Reason, Linda Miller, Akira Takarada, Mie Hama, ...

'' - Henchman #7 *1967: ''Bâkushoyarô daijiken'' - Kurokawa *1968: ''Nippon ichi no uragiri-otoko'' *1969: ''Nippon ichi no danzetsu otoko'' *1969: ''Mito Kômon man'yûki'' *1970: ''Nagurikomi Shimizu Minato'' *1970: ''Gekido no showashi 'Gunbatsu - Hama (uncredited) *1970: ''Nippon ichi no warunori otoko'' *1971: ''

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

'' *1971: ''Nishi no petenshi Higashi no sagishi'' - Doya's Husband *1971: ''Nippon ichi no shokku otoko'' *1973: '' Lady Snowblood'' *1974: ''Kigeki damashi no jingi'' *1974: ''Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance'' *1974: ''Rupan Sansei: Nenriki chin sakusen'' - Museum Guard *1975: ''

Terror of Mechagodzilla is a 1975 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda (his final film as a director), written by Yukiko Takayama, and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka and Henry G. Saperstein, with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. Distributed by Toho and pr ...

'' *1977: ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air ...

'' - Ramen Trucker *1981: ''Kôfuku'' - (final film role)

Television

*1966: '' Kaiju Booska''

References

Bibliography

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hirose, Shoichi 1918 births Year of death missing Place of birth missing Japanese male film actors