Kumeko Urabe
Actor
October 5, 1902 — October 26, 1989 (87 years)
Kumeko Urabe (Japanese: 浦辺粂子), born Kimura Kume ((木村 くめ)), (October 5, 1902 – October 26, 1989) was a Japanese movie actress, one of the first in the country. She worked on stage and in film and television. Urabe was born in a rural part of the Shizuoka Prefecture. She lived in several homes while growing up, as she relocated with her father, a Buddhist priest, among the temples to which he was assigned. Urabe completed her education in Numazu, and left school in 1919 to join a theatre company, touring under various stage names as an actor and dancer.
In 1923, Urabe auditioned at the film studio Nikkatsu, and adopted the name Kumeko Urabe, by which she was known for the rest of her life. She appeared in her first film the following year, and continued to act until 1987. She worked with such directors as Kenji Mizoguchi and Mikio Naruse, and performed in over 320 films, including Ikiru, Older Brother, Younger Sister, Portrait of Madame Yuki, She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum, and Street of Shame. She also starred in television dramas, including thirteen episodes of Toshiba Sunday Theatre between 1958 and 1980. In the following decade, she carved a niche as a Grandma idol, until her death in 1989.
In 1923, Urabe auditioned at the film studio Nikkatsu, and adopted the name Kumeko Urabe, by which she was known for the rest of her life. She appeared in her first film the following year, and continued to act until 1987. She worked with such directors as Kenji Mizoguchi and Mikio Naruse, and performed in over 320 films, including Ikiru, Older Brother, Younger Sister, Portrait of Madame Yuki, She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum, and Street of Shame. She also starred in television dramas, including thirteen episodes of Toshiba Sunday Theatre between 1958 and 1980. In the following decade, she carved a niche as a Grandma idol, until her death in 1989.
Known For
Filmography
| 1987 | The Story of Hachikō · as Tobacco Shop Owner |
| 1985 | Lonely Heart · as Fuki Inoue |
| 1984 | Itoshiki hibiyo · as Old Lady |
| 1983 | Matsumoto Seichô no Zero no shôten · as Cast |
| 1980 | Sound of the Tides · as Toyo |
| 1977 | The Life of Chikuzan · as Daikoku-San |
| 1976 | |
| 1976 | Torakku yarô: tenka gomen · as Cast |
| 1975 | He's Like a Devil · as Haru Hachimura |
| 1974 | Izu no odoriko · as Cast |
| 1974 | Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman · as CastOn Plex |
| 1973 | |
| 1973 | Kôkotsu no hito · as Kadotani |
| 1971 | |
| 1971 | |
| 1970 | |
| 1969 | Miyo-chan no tame nara zen'in shûgô!! · as Cast |
| 1969 | |
| 1969 | |
| 1968 | |
| 1968 | Mexican Free-for-All · as Ume Suzuki |
| 1967 | |
| 1967 | |
| 1966 | Game of Chance · as Sugi |
| 1966 | |
| 1966 | Moment of Terror · as Hisako Kanematsu |
| 1965 | Kekkon sôdan · as Tokiko Tsurukawa |
| 1965 | |
| 1965 | |
| 1964 | Japan Paradise · as Kesa |
| 1964 | |
| 1964 | Jakoman and Tetsu · as Taka |
| 1964 | Yearning · as Bar Madam |
| 1963 | 18 Who Cause a Storm · as Gin Ishii |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | Being Two Isn't Easy · as Ino |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | The Outcast · as Owner Of The Hotel |
| 1960 | |
| 1959 | Floating Weeds · as ShigeOn Plex |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | Anata to watashi no aikotoba: Sayônara, konnichiwa · as Restaurant Owner |
| 1958 | The Eternal Rainbow · as Osamu's Mother |
| 1958 | Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion · as Yasaburo's Wife |
| 1958 | Stakeout · as Proprietress Of The Hotel Hizen-Ya |
| 1957 | Northern Elegy · as Grandma |
| 1957 | Oneesan to issho · as Cast |
| 1957 | Tokyo Twilight · as Komatsu's MistressOn Plex |
| 1957 | |
| 1956 | |
| 1956 | |
| 1956 | |
| 1956 | Street of Shame · as OtaneOn Plex |
| 1956 | Early Spring · as Shige KitagawaOn Plex |
| 1955 | She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum · as Grandmother |
| 1955 | A Man Among Men · as Okimi |
| 1954 | Somewhere Under the Broad Sky · as Shige, Ryoichi's Stepmother |
| 1954 | Twenty-Four Eyes · as Otoko Sensei No Tsuma |
| 1954 | Konjiki yasha · as Tose |
| 1953 | Gan · as Otsune |
| 1953 | Older Brother, Younger Sister · as Riki - The Mother |
| 1953 | Where Chimneys Are Seen · as Kayo Nojima |
| 1952 | Ikiru · as Tatsu Watanabe |
| 1952 | Lightning · as Osei |
| 1951 | The Life of a Horsetrader · as Onobu |
| 1951 | Repast · as Taniguchi Shige |
| 1950 | Portrait of Madame Yuki · as San |
| 1950 | Hakuchû no kettô · as Boarding House Landlady |
| 1949 | |
| 1949 | |
| 1949 | Nijiotoko · as Kane Nonomura |
| 1948 | Women of the Night · as Brothel KeeperOn Plex |
| 1946 | |
| 1943 | Marai no tora · as Tomi |
| 1937 | The Straits of Love and Hate · as Ume |
| 1933 | The Water Magician · as Ogin |
| 1930 | Tôjin Okichi · as Omatsu |
| 1975 |