KT
Kinuyo Tanaka
Actor, Director, Additional Credits
Born November 28, 1909Died March 21, 1977 (67 years)
Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director.
Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at an early age, appearing in Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929. The following year she played the lead in Aiyoku no ki, and in 1931 she appeared in Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Heinosuke Gosho.
She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975. Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki.
Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role.
Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at an early age, appearing in Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929. The following year she played the lead in Aiyoku no ki, and in 1931 she appeared in Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Heinosuke Gosho.
She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975. Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki.
Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 1976 | |
| 1976 | Cape of the North · as Old Nun |
| 1975 | |
| 1974 | Sandakan No. 8 · as Old Osaki |
| 1972 | Tora-san's Dream-Come-True · as The Old Family Mistress |
| 1966 | Arupusu no wakadaishô · as Shinjiro Ishiyama |
| 1965 | Red Beard · as Madame Yasumoto |
| 1964 | The Scent of Incense. Part 1 · as Tsuna |
| 1963 | Alone on the Pacific · as Youth's Mother |
| 1963 | Legend of a Duel to the Death · as Shizuko Sonobe |
| 1962 | Fencing Master · as Oharu |
| 1962 | A Wanderer's Notebook · as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother |
| 1960 | Brother · as Mother |
| 1959 | The Three Treasures · as Princess Yamato |
| 1959 | Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka · as Myokan |
| 1958 | The Eternal Rainbow · as Fumi |
| 1958 | Equinox Flower · as Kiyoko Hirayama |
| 1958 | The Ballad of Narayama · as Orin |
| 1957 | Stepbrothers · as Rie |
| 1957 | Behold Thy Son · as Yukiko Matsumoto |
| 1956 | Flowing · as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu |
| 1956 | Zakkyo kazoku · as Cast |
| 1955 | The Eternal Breasts · as Neighbor's Wife |
| 1955 | |
| 1955 | The Moon Has Risen · as Yoneya |
| 1954 | The Woman of Rumour · as Hatsuko Mabuchi |
| 1954 | Sansho the Bailiff · as Tamaki |
| 1953 | Love Letter · as Landlady |
| 1953 | |
| 1953 | Where Chimneys Are Seen · as Hiroko Ogata |
| 1953 | Sincere Heart · as Kuniko |
| 1952 | Mother · as Masako Fukuhara |
| 1952 | People of Akata · as Kuniko Ataka |
| 1952 | The Life of Oharu · as Oharu |
| 1951 | The Lady of Musashino · as Michiko Akiyama |
| 1951 | |
| 1951 | Ginza Cosmetics · as Yukiko Tsuji |
| 1950 | The Munekata Sisters · as Setsuko Munekata |
| 1950 | Wedding Ring · as Noriko Kuki |
| 1949 | The Ghost of Yotsuya: Part II · as Oiwa / Osode |
| 1949 | The Ghost of Yotsuya: Part I · as Oiwa / Osode |
| 1949 | Flame of My Love · as Eiko Hirayama |
| 1948 | A Hen in the Wind · as Tokiko Amamiya |
| 1948 | Women of the Night · as Fusako Owada |
| 1947 | Phoenix · as Sayoko Aihara |
| 1947 | The Love of Sumako the Actress · as Sumako Matsui |
| 1947 | Marriage · as Fumie Matsukawa |
| 1946 | Utamaro and His Five Women · as Okita |
| 1946 | Victory of Women · as Hiroko Hosokawa |
| 1945 | A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo · as Okinu |
| 1945 | Victory Song · as Woman Who Sings Lullaby |
| 1944 | Miyamoto Musashi · as Shinobu Nonomiya |
| 1944 | |
| 1941 | Ornamental Hairpin · as Emi |
| 1938 | Aizen katsura · as Katsue Takaishi |
| 1938 | Mother and Child · as Chieko |
| 1935 | Burden of Life · as Itsuko Kuriyama |
| 1935 | Shunkinsho: Okoto to Sasuke · as Okoto |
| 1935 | An Innocent Maid · as Oshige |
| 1933 | Dragnet Girl · as Tokiko |
| 1933 | Woman of Tokyo · as Harue |
| 1933 | The Dancing Girl of Izu · as Kaoru, A Dancer |
| 1932 | Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth? · as Oshige |
| 1931 | The Neighbor's Wife and Mine · as Wife Of The Playwright |
| 1930 | Young Lady · as Kinuko |
| 1930 | |
| 1930 | I Flunked, But... · as Cafe's Waitress |
| 1929 | I Graduated, But... · as Machiko Nomoto |