Akira Takarada
Akira Takarada | |
---|---|
![]() Takarada in 1956 | |
Born | [1] | April 29, 1934
Occupation | Actor, tarento |
Years active | 1954-present |
Spouse(s) | Akiko Kojima (1966-1984) (divorced) |
Children | Michiru Kojima |
Akira Takarada (宝田 明, Takarada Akira, April 29, 1934) is a Japanese film actor best known 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), 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.[citation needed] 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 | Kubota | |
1957 | narrator | ||
Tamao Memata | |||
A Rainbow Plays in My Heart | Tatsuo Itō | ||
1958 | |||
1959 | The Birth of Japan | Prince Wakatarashi | |
Life of an Expert Swordsman | |||
1960 | Communications officer | ||
Daughters, Wives and a Mother | |||
1961 | The Last War | Takano | |
Kohayagawa-ke no aki | Tadashi Teramoto | ||
1962 | A Wanderer's Notebook | Kō Fukuchi | |
1964 | Mothra vs. Godzilla | News Reporter Ichirō Sakai | |
1965 | Invasion of Astro-Monster | Astronaut K. Fuji | |
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 | |
1992 | Minbo | ||
General Manager Kobayashi | |||
Godzilla vs. Mothra | Jōji Minamino | ||
1996 | Hissatsu! Mondo Shisu | Mizuno Tadakuni | Hissatsu series |
1997 | Police commissioner | ||
2000 | Tales of the Unusual | ||
2004 | Godzilla: Final Wars | Natarō Daigo | |
2005 | Fantastipo | Kintarō Koinobori | |
2007 | Glory to the Filmmaker! | ||
2014 | Godzilla | Deleted scene | |
2018 | Ashita ni Kakeru Hashi | ||
2018 | The Great Buddha Arrival | Storyteller | |
2019 | Dance with Me | Machin Ueda |
Television[]
Television drama[]
- Shiratori Reiko de Gozaimasu! (1993) (Shōtarō Hakuchō)
- (1998) (Takatsukasa Masamichi)
- (2000) (Jōji Murai)
- (2001) (Mononobe no Moriya)
- (2002) (Kaichō Tatsumi)
- Saka no Ue no Kumo (2009) (Fujino Susumu)
- Carnation (2011) (Seizaburō Matsuzaka)
- (2015) (Ikeda Shigeaki)
Dubbing roles[]
Live action[]
- The Ambushers (Matt Helm)
- Cats (Gus "Asparagus" the Theatre Cat (Ian McKellen))[4]
- Doctor Dolittle (Doctor Dolittle)
- Murderers' Row (Matt Helm)
Animation[]
- Aladdin (1993) (Jafar)[5][6]
- Disney's House of Mouse (Ratigan, Jafar)[6]
- Disney's The Great Mouse Detective (Ratigan)[8]
- Star Wars Rebels Season 3 (Bendu)[9]
Video games[]
- Adventure of Tokyo Disney Sea ~Losing of Jewel's Secret (Jafar)
- Kingdom Hearts (2002) (Jafar)[6][10]
- Kingdom Hearts II (2005) (Jafar)[6]
- Kingdom_Hearts_Re:coded (2010) (Jafar)[6]
Stage productions[]
Other[]
- Tokyo Disneyland attraction: Country Bear Jamboree (Henry)
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e 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.
- ^ Rome, Florence (1971). The Scarlett Letters. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-46171-1., p.154.
- ^ Filmography: "AKIRA TAKARADA". Complete Index to World Film. Retrieved 2010-01-29., Akira Takarada at IMDb, 宝田明 たからだ・あきら (in Japanese). allcinema.net. Retrieved 2010-01-29., 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. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
- ^ "映画「キャッツ」に山寺宏一や宝田明が参加、日本語版の新キャスト発表". Natalie. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ disney-studio.jp Aladdin DVD
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "声優さん出演リスト 個別表示:宝田 明(Akira Takarada)" [Voice actor's appearance list individual display: Tomomichi Nishimura]. Voice Artist Database (in Japanese). GamePlaza-HARUKA-. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ^ disney-studio.jp The Return of Jafar DVD
- ^ disney-studio.jp Olivia-chan no Daibōken(The Great Mouse Detective) BD/DVD
- ^ [1][permanent dead link]
- ^ "Akira Takarada - 9 Character Images | Behind The Voice Actors". behindthevoiceactors.com. Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources.CS1 maint: postscript (link)
Bibliography[]
- "AKIRA TAKARADA". Complete Index to World Film. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
- Akira Takarada at IMDb
- 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.
- 宝田明 たからだ・あきら (in Japanese). allcinema.net. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
- 宝田明 (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
- 宝田明( 出演 ) (in Japanese). Kinema Junpo. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
External links[]
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- 1934 births
- Living people
- 20th-century Japanese male actors
- 21st-century Japanese male actors