Akira Takarada

Akira Takarada

Akira Takarada in detail from movie poster of Japanese movie Godzilla (1954)
Born (1934-04-29) April 29, 1934[1]
Japan-occupied Korea[1]
Occupation Actor, tarento
Years active 1954-present
Spouse(s) Akiko Kojima (1966-?) (divorced)
Children Michiru Kojima

Akira Takarada (宝田 明 Takarada Akira, April 29, 1934 -) is a Japanese film actor who is most known in the west for his roles in the Godzilla film series.

Life and career

Takarada was born in Japan-occupied Korea, and lived for a time in Harbin, China.[1] His father worked as an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway. After the war, he remained in Harbin, and he is able to speak Mandarin Chinese and English.

Takarada moved to Japan with his family in 1948. He joined Toho as part of their "New Face" program in April 1953.[1] In his film debut, he had a small role in And Then the Liberty Bell Rang, a biography of the educator Fukuzawa Yukichi.[1] His big break came when he was cast as navy diver Hideto Ogata in the original Godzilla (1954). He became a popular actor at Toho for his good looks and charismatic, sophisticated character. He continued his association with the Godzilla series in Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), and Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966). He returned to the series in 1992 with Godzilla vs. Mothra and appeared again in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Other Toho science-fiction/special-effects films in which he appeared include Half Human (1955), The Last War (1961), Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), King Kong Escapes (1967), and Latitude Zero (1969).

Toho prepared a musical production of Gone with the Wind with Broadway composer-lyricist Harold Rome for its new Teigeki theater in 1970. Entitled Scarlett, Takarada was originally scheduled to play the role of Rhett Butler. However, injuries sustained in an accident in which he fell off a bulldozer while filming prevented him from participating in this stage production.[2]

Takarada made a guest appearance at the fan convention G-Fest XVII in 2010, and once more at G-Fest XIX in July 2012. On March 27, 2013, Takarada posed for publicity photographs with director Gareth Edwards on the set of the Legendary/Warner Bros Godzilla reboot, suggesting a cameo of sorts in the new movie. His scenes were filmed, but ultimately cut from the movie. He is still listed in the movie credits.

Roles

Selected Filmography

Year Title[3] Role Notes
1954 Godzilla Hideto Ogata
1955 Half Human Takeshi Iijima
1956 Romantic Daughters (ロマンス娘 Romansu musume) narrator voice
1957 Ōatari Sanshoku Musume narrator voice
Aoi Sanmyaku Tamao Memata
A Rainbow Plays in My Heart (わが胸に虹は消えず Waga mune ni niji wa kiezu) narrator voice
1958 A Holiday in Tokyo
1959 The Birth of Japan Prince Wakatarashi voice
1960 Hawaii Midway Daikai Kūsan: Taiheiyō Noarashi Communications officer voice
1961 The Last War Takano voice
Kohayagawa-ke no aki Tadashi Teramoto voice
1962 A Wanderer's Notebook Kō Fukuchi voice
1964 Mothra vs. Godzilla News Reporter Ichirō Sakai voice
1965 Invasion of Astro-Monster Astronaut K. Fuji voice
1966 Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster Yoshimura
1967 King Kong Escapes Lieutenant Commander Jirō Nomura
1968 Fancy Paradise Kō Maeno
1969 Latitude Zero Doctor Ken Tashirō
1990 Tales of a Golden Geisha Inukai voice
1992 Minbo
General Manager Kobayashi
Godzilla vs. Mothra Jōji Minamino
1997 Marutai no Onna Police commissioner
2004 Godzilla: Final Wars Natarō Daigo
2005 Fantastipo Kintarō Koinobori
2007 Glory to the Filmmaker!
2014 Godzilla Deleted scene

Television

Television drama

Dubbing roles

Live action

Animation

Video games

Stage productions

Other

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Ryfle, Steve (1998). "Akira Takarada: Mr. Handsome". Japan's favorite mon-star: the unauthorized biography of "The Big G". Miami: ECW Press. pp. 94–95. ISBN 1-55022-348-8.
  2. ↑ Rome, Florence (1971). The Scarlett Letters. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-46171-1., p.154.
  3. ↑ Filmography: "AKIRA TAKARADA". Complete Index to World Film. Retrieved 2010-01-29., Akira Takarada at the Internet Movie Database, 宝田明 たからだ・あきら (in Japanese). www.allcinema.net. Retrieved 2010-01-29. External link in |publisher= (help), 宝田明 (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-29., and 宝田明( 出演 ) (in Japanese). Kinema Junpo. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  4. ↑ disney-studio.jp Aladdin DVD
  5. ↑ disney-studio.jp The Return of Jafar DVD
  6. ↑ disney-studio.jp Olivia-chan no Daibōken(The Great Mouse Detective) BD/DVD
  7. ↑

Bibliography

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