Kinuyo Tanaka
Acting
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 seventeen years old, appearing in Heinosuke Gosho's An Embarrassing Dream in 1927. She proceeded to take leading parts in, among others, Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929, Gosho's Aiyoku no ki in 1930, and in 1931, Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by 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.
Media of
Kinuyo Tanaka
Photos (21)
Filmography of
Kinuyo Tanaka
Self (archive footage)
... 2022
Self (archive footage)
... 2009
... 1976
Old Nun
... 1976
Kiku Sasaki
... 1975
Old Osaki
... 1974
... 1974
the old family mistress
... 1972
Madame Yasumoto
... 1965
... 1964
Tsuna
... 1964
Nobuko Yazaki
... 1963
Youth's Mother
... 1963
Shizuko Sonobe
... 1963
... 1963
... 1962
Oharu
... 1962
Kishi, Fumiko's mother
... 1962
Michi's Mother
... 1961
Mother
... 1960
Princess Yamato
... 1959
Myokan
... 1959
Shige Ozawa
... 1959
Fumi
... 1958
Kiyoko Hirayama
... 1958
... 1958
... 1958
Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
... 1957
... 1957
Rie
... 1957
Yukiko Matsumoto
... 1957
Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
... 1956
... 1956
Prison Warden
... 1956
... 1956
... 1956
Neighbor's Wife
... 1955
... 1955
... 1955
... 1955
Yoneya
... 1955
Hatsuko Mabuchi
... 1954
... 1954
Tamaki
... 1954
Landlady
... 1953
Hisa Hosho
... 1953
Miyagi
... 1953
Hiroko Ogata
... 1953
Kuniko
... 1953
Masako Fukuhara
... 1952
Kuniko Ataka
... 1952
Oharu
... 1952
... 1952
... 1951
Michiko Akiyama
... 1951
Oyû Kayukawa
... 1951
Yukiko Tsuji
... 1951
... 1951
Setsuko Munekata
... 1950
Noriko Kuki
... 1950
Oiwa / Osode
... 1949
Oiwa / Osode
... 1949
Eiko Hirayama
... 1949
Tokiko Amamiya
... 1948
Fusako Owada
... 1948
Sayoko Aihara
... 1947
Sumako Matsui
... 1947
Fumie Matsukawa
... 1947
... 1946
Hiroko Hosokawa
... 1946
... 1945
Woman who sings lullaby
... 1945
Shinobu Nonomiya
... 1944
Waka
... 1944
... 1944
... 1943
... 1943
... 1942
... 1941
... 1941
... 1941
... 1941
... 1940
... 1940
... 1940
... 1940
... 1939
... 1939
... 1939
Okayo
... 1939
Katsue Takaishi
... 1938
Chieko
... 1938
... 1937
... 1937
... 1937
Kinuyo Yamaoka
... 1937
... 1937
... 1936
... 1936
... 1936
Itsuko Kuriyama
... 1935
Okoto
... 1935
Oshige
... 1935
Sumako
... 1934
... 1934
Osayo
... 1934
Otsuta
... 1934
... 1933
Tokiko
... 1933
Harue
... 1933
Kaoru, a dancer
... 1933
Haruko, bride
... 1933
... 1932
... 1932
... 1931
Wife of the playwright
... 1931
... 1931
Kinuko
... 1930
Kozue Uesugi
... 1930
... 1930
Kinuyo
... 1930
... 1930
... 1930
... 1930
Omitsu
... 1930
... 1930
Cafe's Waitress
... 1930
Kinuko Yamada
... 1930
Toshiko Yamamoto
... 1930
... 1930
Yuki Matsuyama
... 1929
... 1929
Machiko Nomoto
... 1929
Mamoko
... 1929
... 1929
Okimi (cleaning woman)
... 1929
... 1929
... 1929
... 1929
Omitsu
... 1929
Kinuko Noguchi
... 1928
Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa chapter)
... 1928
Namiko
... 1928
... 1928
... 1928
... 1928
Shikanyu (geisha)
... 1928
Namiko
... 1928
... 1928
... 1928
... 1928
... 1928
... 1928
Oaki (sister)
... 1928
... 1928
... 1927
... 1927
Oshizu (Tazaemon's daughter)
... 1927
Kaōgi (courtesan)
... 1927
... 1927
Tsutae
... 1927
... 1927
... 1927
... 1927
... 1927
... 1927
... 1927
... 1927
... 1926
... 1926
... 1926
... 1926
Owaka
... 1926
... 1926
O-Fumi
... 1926
... 1926
Tamako (Geisha in training)
... 1926
... 1926
... 1926
Osaki (Reiko's Sister)
... 1926
Daughter
... 1925
Omaki
... 1925
Osato (Thread Shop Owner)
... 1925
... 1925
... 1925
... 1925
... 1925
... 1925
Oharu
... 1924
... 1924