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Ken Takakura

Ken Takakura

Ken Takakura (高倉 健, Takakura Ken), born Gouichi Oda (February 16, 1931, in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan), was a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles. Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka. This subject was covered in one of his most famous movies, Showa Zankyo-den (Remnants of Chivalry in the Showa Era), in which he played an honorable old-school yakuza among the violent post-war gurentai. A graduate of Meiji University in Tokyo Takakura happened by an audition in 1955 at the Toei Film Company, and decided to look in. Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. Japan experienced a boom in gangster films in the 1960s as the Japanese people struggled with the generational differences between those raised in pre-war and post-war Japan and these were Takakura's stock and trade. His breakout role would be in the 1965 film Abashiri Prison, and its sequel Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen (Abashiri Prison: Longing for Home, also 1965), in which he played an ex-con antihero. By the time Takakura would leave Toei in 1976, he had appeared in over 180 films. Takakura gained international recognition after starring in the 1970 war film Too Late the Hero as the cunning Imperial Japanese Major Yamaguchi, the 1975 Sydney Pollack sleeper hit The Yakuza with Robert Mitchum and is probably best known in the West for his role in Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989) where he surprises American cops played by Michael Douglas and Andy García with the line, "I do speak fucking English". He again proved himself bankable to Western audiences with the 1992 Fred Schepisi comedy Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck. While he has slowed down a bit in his older years, he is still active. His most recent film was the 2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles by Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Takakura, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Personal information

Birthday

1931-02-16

Birth Place

Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan

Movies and TV shows :

365 Nights

365 Nights

1962

0.0

Movie
47 Ronin

47 Ronin

1994

7.5

Movie
A Dead Drifter

A Dead Drifter

1959

0.0

Movie
A Distant Cry from Spring

A Distant Cry from Spring

1980

7.2

Movie
A Fishwife's Tale

A Fishwife's Tale

1961

0.0

Movie
A Fugitive from the Past

A Fugitive from the Past

1965

7.5

Movie
A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

1970

0.0

Movie
A Portrait of the Author

A Portrait of the Author

1984

0.0

Movie
A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

1967

0.0

Movie
Abashiri Prison

Abashiri Prison

1965

7.0

Movie
Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

1967

0.0

Movie
Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

1967

0.0

Movie
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

1966

0.0

Movie
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

1966

0.0

Movie
All Rascals

All Rascals

1962

0.0

Movie
poster

An Elegy of Tyrole

1992

0.0

TV
An Outlaw

An Outlaw

1964

4.8

Movie
Antarctica

Antarctica

1983

7.2

Movie
Bad Angel

Bad Angel

1960

0.0

Movie
Beyond the Seasonal Wind

Beyond the Seasonal Wind

1958

0.0

Movie
Black Rain

Black Rain

1989

6.6

Movie
Black Rain: Making The Film

Black Rain: Making The Film

2006

6.0

Movie
Bloodiest Flower

Bloodiest Flower

1971

5.2

Movie
Brave Red Flower of the North

Brave Red Flower of the North

1970

6.0

Movie
Brothers Serving Time

Brothers Serving Time

1969

8.0

Movie
Brutal Tales of Chivalry

Brutal Tales of Chivalry

1965

7.1

Movie
Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo

Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo

1969

7.5

Movie
Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

1969

0.0

Movie
Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny

Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny

1970

6.0

Movie
Buddies

Buddies

1989

6.8

Movie
Choji Snack Bar

Choji Snack Bar

1983

7.0

Movie
Classmates

Classmates

1967

6.5

Movie
Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

1966

7.0

Movie
Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

1967

6.2

Movie
Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

1971

7.0

Movie
Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

1966

6.0

Movie
Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

1972

0.0

Movie
Dagger

Dagger

1971

0.0

Movie
Dearest

Dearest

2012

6.8

Movie
Demon

Demon

1985

7.7

Movie
Detective Duel

Detective Duel

1958

6.0

Movie
Devil's Nursery Rhyme

Devil's Nursery Rhyme

1961

0.0

Movie
Duel of the Underworld

Duel of the Underworld

1963

0.0

Movie
Eleven Gangsters

Eleven Gangsters

1963

0.0

Movie
Employee Full of Fight

Employee Full of Fight

1957

4.0

Movie
Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

1961

0.0

Movie
Flower, Storm and Gangster

Flower, Storm and Gangster

1961

6.0

Movie
Four Hours of Terror

Four Hours of Terror

1959

5.7

Movie
G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization

G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization

1956

0.0

Movie
Gambler Biography

Gambler Biography

1968

5.0

Movie
Gambler's Legacy

Gambler's Legacy

1969

6.5

Movie
Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

1963

5.0

Movie
Glorious Fights

Glorious Fights

1966

7.0

Movie
Golgo 13

Golgo 13

1973

4.5

Movie
Great Jailbreak

Great Jailbreak

1975

7.0

Movie
Hell's Companion

Hell's Companion

1959

0.0

Movie
Hell's Juggler

Hell's Juggler

1961

0.0

Movie
Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen

1962

0.0

Movie
Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

1968

6.0

Movie
Histories of the Chivalrous

Histories of the Chivalrous

1968

0.0

Movie
House of Gamblers

House of Gamblers

1970

7.0

Movie
If You're Man Enough

If You're Man Enough

1960

0.0

Movie
Jakoman and Tetsu

Jakoman and Tetsu

1964

6.0

Movie
Japan's Top Gangster

Japan's Top Gangster

1973

0.0

Movie
Jet Air Base 101

Jet Air Base 101

1957

0.0

Movie
Karate Cop

Karate Cop

1982

0.0

Movie
Ken San

Ken San

2016

6.0

Movie
poster

Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi

1993

0.0

TV
Kyōkatsu

Kyōkatsu

1963

0.0

Movie
Lady Sen and Hideyori

Lady Sen and Hideyori

1962

8.0

Movie
Life of Hishakaku

Life of Hishakaku

1963

8.0

Movie
Lightning Karate Blow

Lightning Karate Blow

1956

0.0

Movie
Lullaby for a Tough Guy

Lullaby for a Tough Guy

1972

0.0

Movie
Main Street in the Underworld

Main Street in the Underworld

1964

5.8

Movie
Man of the World

Man of the World

1960

0.0

Movie
Man of the World 2

Man of the World 2

1960

0.0

Movie
Man of Thirteen Eyes

Man of Thirteen Eyes

1958

0.0

Movie
Manchurian Sunset

Manchurian Sunset

1956

0.0

Movie
Manhunt

Manhunt

1976

6.4

Movie
Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

1961

0.0

Movie
Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

1969

7.0

Movie
Men Fighting Whales

Men Fighting Whales

1957

0.0

Movie
Men in a Rough Town

Men in a Rough Town

1959

0.0

Movie
Meteor Karate Strike

Meteor Karate Strike

1956

0.0

Movie
Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

1965

7.3

Movie
Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

1963

7.0

Movie
Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

1964

7.0

Movie
Mother Peacock

Mother Peacock

1956

0.0

Movie
Mount Hakkoda

Mount Hakkoda

1977

6.8

Movie
Mr. Baseball

Mr. Baseball

1992

5.8

Movie
Never Give Up

Never Give Up

1978

5.7

Movie
New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm

New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm

1972

0.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri

New Prison Walls of Abashiri

1968

6.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

1969

6.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

1970

0.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

1971

0.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

1971

5.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

1970

0.0

Movie
New Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town

1969

6.0

Movie
No Advice Taken

No Advice Taken

1958

0.0

Movie
poster

Older brother

1977

0.0

TV
Operation Diamond

Operation Diamond

1962

0.0

Movie
Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

1960

0.0

Movie
Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack

Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack

1975

0.0

Movie
Patience Has An End

Patience Has An End

1971

5.7

Movie
Prison Boss

Prison Boss

1968

7.0

Movie
Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

1965

0.0

Movie
Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

1965

0.0

Movie
Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

1965

6.0

Movie
Railroad Man

Railroad Man

1999

6.9

Movie
Red Peony Gambler

Red Peony Gambler

1968

7.2

Movie
Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

1969

7.0

Movie
Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

1969

6.2

Movie
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

2005

7.2

Movie
Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

1991

7.0

Movie
Rogue

Rogue

1968

0.0

Movie
Romance Freestyle

Romance Freestyle

1958

0.0

Movie
Samurai Geisha

Samurai Geisha

1969

6.0

Movie
See You

See You

1988

0.0

Movie
Showdown in Blood

Showdown in Blood

1957

0.0

Movie
Showdown of Men

Showdown of Men

1966

0.0

Movie
Sister with Sister

Sister with Sister

1958

0.0

Movie
poster

SMAP×SMAP

1996

8.5

TV
Song of Kagoshima

Song of Kagoshima

1962

0.0

Movie
South Pacific Waves Are High

South Pacific Waves Are High

1962

0.0

Movie
Station

Station

1981

6.1

Movie
Storm Party

Storm Party

1964

0.0

Movie
Tales of President Mito

Tales of President Mito

1962

0.0

Movie
Tenka no Kaidanji Senpû Tarô

Tenka no Kaidanji Senpû Tarô

1961

0.0

Movie
The Big Boss

The Big Boss

1963

0.0

Movie
The Biggest Gamble

The Biggest Gamble

1969

7.0

Movie
The Boss

The Boss

1965

0.0

Movie
The Bullet and the Horse

The Bullet and the Horse

1966

0.0

Movie
The Bullet Train

The Bullet Train

1975

6.7

Movie
The Chivalrous Life

The Chivalrous Life

1967

7.0

Movie
The Chop Professor

The Chop Professor

1956

0.0

Movie
The Day the Sun Rose

The Day the Sun Rose

1968

7.0

Movie
The Deep Blue Sea

The Deep Blue Sea

1957

5.0

Movie
The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

1995

0.0

Movie
The Domain

The Domain

1964

5.8

Movie
The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

1966

0.0

Movie
The Domain: Flower and Dragon

The Domain: Flower and Dragon

1969

0.0

Movie
The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

1966

0.0

Movie
The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

1965

6.0

Movie
The Domain: Rising Dragon

The Domain: Rising Dragon

1970

0.0

Movie
The Domain: Severed Relations

The Domain: Severed Relations

1968

0.0

Movie
The Domain: The Naniwa Story

The Domain: The Naniwa Story

1965

3.2

Movie
The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

1967

0.0

Movie
The Domain: White Blade

The Domain: White Blade

1967

0.0

Movie
The Drifting Avenger

The Drifting Avenger

1968

6.7

Movie
The Escape

The Escape

1962

7.0

Movie
The Firefly

The Firefly

2001

7.0

Movie
The Great Road

The Great Road

1960

0.0

Movie
The Happy Family

The Happy Family

1959

0.0

Movie
The Homeless

The Homeless

1974

7.5

Movie
The International Gang of Kobe

The International Gang of Kobe

1975

5.7

Movie
The Japan Derby Race

The Japan Derby Race

1970

0.0

Movie
The Kamikaze Guy

The Kamikaze Guy

1966

5.0

Movie
The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

1972

6.0

Movie
The Last Kamikaze

The Last Kamikaze

1970

6.0

Movie
The Longest Tunnel

The Longest Tunnel

1982

0.0

Movie
The Man

The Man

1971

0.0

Movie
The Outsiders

The Outsiders

1958

0.0

Movie
The Path of the King

The Path of the King

1971

6.0

Movie
The Pledge

The Pledge

1972

5.0

Movie
The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

1962

0.0

Movie
The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

1960

0.0

Movie
The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

1960

0.0

Movie
The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

1961

0.0

Movie
The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

1961

0.0

Movie
The Revolt

The Revolt

1980

6.0

Movie
The Sand City in Manchuria

The Sand City in Manchuria

1960

6.5

Movie
The Second Bullet is Marked

The Second Bullet is Marked

1960

6.0

Movie
The Yakuza

The Yakuza

1974

7.1

Movie
The Yellow Handkerchief

The Yellow Handkerchief

1977

6.7

Movie
Third Generation Boss

Third Generation Boss

1974

0.0

Movie
Tokyo Gang Vs. Hong Kong Gang

Tokyo Gang Vs. Hong Kong Gang

1964

0.0

Movie
Tokyo Untouchable

Tokyo Untouchable

1962

0.0

Movie
Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

1963

0.0

Movie
Tokyo's  Business District

Tokyo's Business District

1962

0.0

Movie
Too Late the Hero

Too Late the Hero

1970

6.4

Movie
Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

1962

0.0

Movie
Winter's Flower

Winter's Flower

1978

6.2

Movie
With Songs in My Heart

With Songs in My Heart

1958

0.0

Movie
Wolves, Pigs & Men

Wolves, Pigs & Men

1964

8.3

Movie
Yakuza of the Present

Yakuza of the Present

1973

0.0

Movie
Yukyo-retsuden

Yukyo-retsuden

1970

5.0

Movie