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 (), li ...

. He attended

Waseda University , abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the ''Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō'' by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. The university has numerou ...

, but withdrew before completing his degree and joined the

Haiyuza Theatre Company The is a Japanese theatre company based in Tokyo, Japan. Along with the Mingei Theatre Company and Bungakuza it is considered one of the "Big Three" among Shingeki theatre troupes. Former Members *Eijirō Tōno *Koreya Senda *Eitaro Ozawa ...

. In 1959, Nakatani won

Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year The Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year is an award given at the Elan d'or Awards The are awards presented annually by the All Nippon Producers Association (ANPA) in Japan to recognize outstanding achievements in domestic motion picture ...

. Nakatani was well known for his role as Ninja ''Kazaguruma no Yahichi'' in the jidaigeki drama ''

Mito Kōmon is a Japanese ''jidaigeki'' or period drama that was on prime-time television from 1969 to 2011, making it the longest-running ''jidaigeki'' in Japanese television history. The title character is the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni, former vice-''sh ...

''.

Selected filmography

Film

* ''Shujinsen'' (1956) * ''

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 ent ...

'' (1956) - Senkichi, miner, killed by Meganuron (uncredited) * ''Sanjûrokunin no jôkyaku'' (1957) - Yamaoka * ''Kampai! Miai kekkon'' (1958) * '' Lucky Dragon No. 5'' (1959) - Squad Leader * ''The Last Gunfight'' (1960) - Tsugiseki Mochizuki * ''Seppun dorobô'' (1960) * ''Aoi yaju'' (1960) - Goda * ''Fundoshi isha'' (1960) - Genta * ''Dokuritsu gurentai nishi-e'' (1960) * ''Kane-dukuri taikô-ki'' (1960) - Yûji Hirayama * ''Ankokugai no dankon'' (1961) - Shizuo Komatsu * ''Nasake muyo no wana'' (1961) - Izaki, police detective * ''Kaoyaku akatsukini shisu'' (1961) * ''Atomic no obon: Surimasuwayo no maki'' (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 Watanabe. ...

'' (1961) - First Samurai * ''Atomic no obon, onna oyabuntaiketsu no maki'' (1961) * ''Ankokugai gekimetsu meirei'' (1961) - Kamiya * ''Josei jishin'' (1962) - Shinkichi Sakagami * ''Dobunezumi sakusen'' (1962) * ''

Harakiri , sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people ...

'' (1962) - Hayato Yazaki * ''Yama-neko sakusen'' (1962) * ''Ankokugai no kiba'' (1962) * ''

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. R ...

'' (1963) * ''Sengoku yarô'' (1963) * ''Otoko no monshô'' (1963) * ''Hiken'' (1963) * ''Zokû otoko no monshô'' (1963) * ''Aa bakudan'' (1964) - Yasaburo Yatou * ''Nemuri Kyôshirô: Joyôken'' (1964) - Takebe * ''

Kwaidan is a Japanese word consisting of two kanji: 怪 (''kai'') meaning "strange, mysterious, rare, or bewitching apparition" and 談 (''dan'') meaning "talk" or "recited narrative". Overall meaning and usage In its broadest sense, ''kaidan'' refers ...

'' (1964) - (segment "Miminashi Hôichi no hanashi") * ''Yuhi no okâ'' (1964) * ''Otoko no monshô - fuun futatsu ryu'' (1964) * ''Otoko no monsho: hana to nagadosu'' (1964) * ''Kuroi kaikyo'' (1964) - Tetsuji Onuki * ''Zoku Abashiri bangaichi'' (1965) * ''Abashiri bangaichi: Bôkyô hen'' (1965) * ''Supai'' (1965) * ''Gohiki no shinshi'' (1966) * ''Dai-bosatsu tōge'' (1966) - Bunnojo Utsuki * ''Nemuri Kyôshirô: Tajôken'' (1966) * ''Otokonokao wa rirekisho'' (1966) * ''The Betrayal'' (1966) * ''Heitai yakuza datsugoku'' (1966) * ''Nihon ânkokugai'' (1966) * Kûhaku no kiten' yori: Onna wa fukushû suru'' (1966) - Detective Takarai * ''Tonogata goyôjin'' (1966) * ''Futeki na âitsu'' (1966) * ''Samurai Wolf II'' (1967) - Ikkaku * ''

Japan's Longest Day is a 1967 Japanese war film directed by Kihachi Okamoto. The subject of the majority of the movie is the period between noon on August 14, 1945 and noon on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito's decision to surrender to the Allies in World W ...

'' (1967) - First Lieutnenant Kuroda * ''Aru koroshiya no kagi'' (1967) * ''Abashiri bangaichi: Fubuki no tôsô'' (1967) - Nankai * ''Taiketsu'' (1967) * ''Teppô denraiki'' (1968) - Sakuji * '' Isoroku'' (1968) - (uncredited) * ''Ama-kuzure'' (1968) - Goro * ''

The Human Bullet is a 1968 Japanese satiric anti-war film about a soldier who becomes assigned to a suicide mission against the US Forces during the late stage of World War II. It was written and directed by Kihachi Okamoto. Plot During the last days of the wa ...

'' (1968) * ''Kanto onna yakuza'' (1968) * '' Outlaw:Black Dagger'' (1968) * (1969) * '' Hitokiri'' (1969) * '' Red Lion'' (1969) - Narrator (voice) * ''Tengu-tô'' (1969) - Chôgorô * ''

Shinsengumi The was a special police force organized by the (military government) during Japan's Bakumatsu period (late Tokugawa shogunate) in 1863. It was active until 1869. It was founded to protect the shogunate representatives in Kyoto at a time when ...

'' (1969) - Moribe Tani * ''Gonin no Shôkin Kasegi'' (1969) - Mondo Shibaike * ''Kanto onna do konjo'' (1969) * ''

Nemuri Kyōshirō manji giri is a 1969 Japanese film directed by Kazuo Ikehiro. It is based on Renzaburō Shibata's novel series '' Nemuri Kyoshiro''. The lead star is Hiroki Matsukata. He played the role of Nemuri Kyoshiro as a replacement for Ichikawa Raizō. In this f ...

'' (1969) * ''

Fuji sanchō is a 1970 Japanese film directed by Tetsutaro Murano. Based on Jiro Asada`s novel of the same title. The film depicts how People built Mount Fuji Radar System on the top of Mount Fuji. Cast *Yūjirō Ishihara as Gorō Umehara * Tetsuya Watari a ...

'' (1970) * (1970) - Sano (uncredited) * ''Wakamono no hata'' (1970) * ''Koroshiya ninbetsucho'' (1970) * ''Gokuaku bozu nenbutsu sandangiri'' (1970) * ''Deka monogatari'' (1971) * ''Zubekô banchô: Zange no neuchi mo nai'' (1971) - Mari's poor husband * ''Kitsune no kureta akanbô'' (1971) - Ushigoro Umakata * ''

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) * ''

Inn of Evil is a 1971 Japanese film directed by Masaki Kobayashi. The film set during the Tokugawa Shogunate and is about a tavern in Edo which smugglers use as a base of operations. The film was adapted from the novel ''Fukagawa anarakutei'' () by Shugoro ...

'' (1971) - Hacchôbori officer, Okajima * '' Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades'' (1972) - Yagyu Samurai * ''Shinobu-ito'' (1973) * ''

The Homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

'' (1974) * ''

Orenochi wa Taninnochi is a 1974 Japanese Science fiction film directed by Toshio Masuda. Based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel of the same title. Shōhei Hino made his film debut in the film. Plot Kinugawa Ryosuke transfused yakuza's blood when he was a child because o ...

'' (1974) - Itami * ''

Sandakan No. 8 is a 1974 Japanese drama film directed by Kei Kumai, starring Yoko Takahashi, Komaki Kurihara and Kinuyo Tanaka. It was nominated for the 1975 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It also became one of the highest-grossing Japanese fi ...

'' (1974) - Yamamoto * '' New Battles Without Honor and Humanity'' (1974) - Nanba * '' The Fossil'' (1975) - Taisuke, Tajihei's brother * ''Tokkan'' (1975) - Narrator * ''Kinkanshoku'' (1975) * ''Bodo shimane keimusho'' (1975) * ''Zoku ningen kakumei'' (1976) * ''Shin joshû Sasori: 701-gô'' (1976) - Dietman Miura * ''

Fumō Chitai is a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, Yamasaki worked as a journalist for the Mainichi Shimbun from 1945 to 1959 after graduating from Kyoto Women's University in Japanese literature. She published her fi ...

'' (1976) * ''

Hokuriku Proxy War is a 1977 film directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starring Sonny Chiba and Hiroki Matsukata. Plot Kawada Noboru is a peasant from Mikuni who becomes a yakuza in the Tomiyasu Group in Fukui. He holds a letter from his boss Mr. Yasuhara promising t ...

'' (1977) * ''Sugata Sanshiro'' (1977) * ''

Shogun's Samurai ''Shogun's Samurai'', known in Japan as , is a 1978 Japanese historical martial arts period film directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is the first of two period films by Fukasaku starring Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba as Jūbei Mitsuyoshi Yagyū, the ...

'' (1978) - Gyobu Amano (Masterless Samurai) * ''Dainamaito don don'' (1978) - Yuichi * '' Blue Christmas'' (1978) * ''

'' (1978) * (1979) * ''

Nihon no Fixer is a 1979 Japanese film directed by Yasuo Furuhata. Inspired by Lockheed bribery scandals. Modeling on Kakuei Tanaka and Yoshio Kodama, the film depicts the collusion between Japanese right-wing organizations and the political and business wo ...

'' (1979) * ''

Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of B ...

'' (1979) * '' Imperial Navy'' (1981) * ''

Willful Murder ''Willful Murder'' () is a 1981 Japanese drama film directed by Kei Kumai. It was entered into the 32nd Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Tatsuya Nakadai * Kei Yamamoto * Yōko Asaji * Kaneko Iwasaki * Ichirō Nakatani * Junkichi Ori ...

'' (1981) - Toyama * ''Jirô monogatari'' (1987) * ''

Rainbow Kids is a 1991 Japanese comedy film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and starring Tanie Kitabayashi and Ken Ogata. The film won several Japanese film awards, including Tanie Kitabayashi who won awards for Best Actress at Kinema Junpo Awards, Mainichi Film ...

'' (1991) - President of Wakayama TV (final film role)

Television

* ''

'' (1969-1999) - Kazaguruma no Yahichi * ''

Tasukenin Hashiru is a Japanese television ''jidaigeki'' or period drama, that was broadcast in 1973–1974. It is the third in the Hissatsu series and is based on Saga Sen's ''Seibei-ryū Gokui''. Plot Seibie used to be a famous bandit. Now Seibie's official job ...

'' (1973) - Tsuji Hainai * ''

Onihei Hankachō is a series of historical novels written by Japanese author Shōtarō Ikenami. Following the character Heizo Hasegawa in the Edo period of Japan, Ikegami wrote the first story for the December 1967 issue of the light novel magazine ' published by ...

'' (1975) * ''

Edo o Kiru or ''Slashing Edo'' was a popular ''jidaigeki'' on Japan's Tokyo Broadcasting System. During the decades from its 1973, premiere until 1994, finale, 214 episodes aired. It lasted through eight series, with several casts and settings. It ran on Mon ...

'' (1975–1976) - Chiba Shūsaku

References

20th-century Japanese male actors 1930 births 2004 deaths {{Japan-film-actor-stub