Shintaro Katsu

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Shintaro Katsu
Shintaro Katsu in 1956
Born
Toshio Okumura

(1931-11-29)29 November 1931
Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan
Died21 June 1997(1997-06-21) (aged 65)
Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
Occupation(s)Actor, singer, producer, writer and director
Years active1954–97
SpouseTamao Nakamura

Shintaro Katsu (Japanese: 勝 新太郎, Hepburn: Katsu Shintarō, 29 November 1931 – 21 June 1997) was a Japanese actor, singer, and filmmaker. He is known for starring in the Akumyo series, the Hoodlum Soldier series, and the Zatoichi series.

Life and career[edit]

Born Toshio Okumura (奥村 利夫 Okumura Toshio) on 29 November 1931. He was the son of Minoru Okumura (奥村 実), a noted kabuki performer who went by the stage name Katsutōji Kineya (杵屋 勝東治) and who was renowned for his nagauta and shamisen skills. He was the younger brother of actor Tomisaburo Wakayama.

Shintaro Katsu began his career in entertainment as a shamisen player. He switched to acting because he noticed it was better paid. In the 1960s he starred simultaneously in three long-running series of films, the Akumyo series, the Hoodlum Soldier series, and the Zatoichi series.

He played the role of blind masseur Zatoichi in a series of 25 films between 1962 and 1973, in 100 episodes across a four season television series from 1974 to 1979, and in a 26th and final film in 1989, which he also directed.[1]

In 1967, Katsu formed the company Katsu Productions.[2]

Katsu had a troubled personal life. A heavy drinker, Katsu had several brushes with the law over drug use as well, including marijuana, opium and cocaine with arrests in 1978, 1990 and 1992.[3]

He had also developed a reputation as a troublemaker on set. When director Akira Kurosawa cast him for the lead role in Kagemusha (1980), Katsu left before the first day of shooting was over.[4] Though accounts differ as to the incident, the most consistent one details Katsu's clash with Kurosawa regarding bringing his own film crew to the set (to film Kurosawa in action for later exhibition to his own acting students).[5][6] Kurosawa is reputed to have taken great offense at this, resulting in Katsu's termination (he was replaced by Tatsuya Nakadai). In her book, Waiting on the Weather, about her experiences with director Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami chalks the differences between Katsu and Kurosawa up to a personality clash that had unfortunate artistic results.[7]

He was the husband of actress Tamao Nakamura (married in 1962), and father of actor Ryutaro Gan (Gan Ryūtarō).[8]

Stunt actor Yukio Kato was killed on the set of the 26th Zatoichi film by Katsu's son, who was co-starring, when an actual sword was mistaken for a prop, fatally wounding Kato.

In her book, Geisha, A Life, Kyoto geisha Mineko Iwasaki claimed to have had a long time affair with Katsu, whom she calls by his given name, Toshio. The affair ended in 1976, and eventually the two became good friends until his death.[citation needed]

Katsu produced the manga-based Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami) series of jidaigeki films starring his brother Tomisaburo Wakayama, two of which were later compiled into the movie Shogun Assassin, as well as co-writing, producing, and acting alongside his brother in the TV jidaigeki series Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (Mute Samurai) and Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun.

His other television work includes the police drama Keishi-K (Superintendent K) which he starred in (as Katsutoshi Gatsu), co-wrote, directed, and produced. His daughter, Masami Okumura, co-starred.

His film work includes the Hanzo the Razor series as Detective Itami Hanzo. He was also an accomplished shamisen player, as well as a vocalist, recording several albums in both pop and Enka.

He died of pharyngeal cancer on 21 June 1997.

The character Fujitora in the manga series One Piece is based on him.

Filmography[edit]

As actor[edit]

Year Title Japanese Romanization Character
1955 A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love 薔薇いくたびか Bara ikutabika Akira Takakura
1956 Migratory Birds of the Flowers 花の渡り鳥 Hana no Wataridori
1956 The Renyasai Yagyu Hidden Story
1956 Sisters of the Gion 祇園の姉妹 Gion no shimai
1956 まらそん侍 Marason zamurai
1956 Ghost-Cat of Gojusan-Tsugi 怪猫五十三次 Kaibyo Gojusan-tsugi
1956 Tsukigata Hanpeita
1957 An Osaka Story 大阪物語 Osaka monogatari
1957 二十九人の喧嘩状 Nijūkyū-nin no Kenka-jō
1957 Ghost Cat of Yonaki Swamp 怪猫夜泣き沼 Kaibyo Yonaki numa
1958 Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion 日蓮と蒙古大襲来 Nichiren to mōko daishūrai
1958 The Gay Masquerade 弁天小僧 Benten kozō
1958 The Loyal 47 Ronin 忠臣蔵 Chūshingura
1958 Ghost-Cat Wall of Hatred 怪猫呪いの壁 Kaibyō noroi no kabe
1959 Samurai Vendetta 薄桜記 Hakuōki
1959 Seki no yatappe
1959 Beni azami
1959 Beauty Is Guilty Bibō ni tsumi ari
1959 Hatsuharu tanuki gotten
1960 Zoku Jirocho Fuji
1960 The Demon of Mount Oe 大江山酒呑童子 Ooe-yama Shuten-dōji Watanabe no Tsuna
1960 Secrets of a Court Masseur
also titled The Blind Menace
and Agent Shiranui
Shiranui kengyō
1960 Tsukinode no ketto
1961 Mito komon umi o wataru
1961 Kaze to kumo totoride
1961 Hanakurabe tanuki dochu
1961 Blind Devotion Midaregami
1961 Tough Guy 悪名 Akumyō Asakichi
1961 Buddha Shaka Devadatta
1961 Tough Guy, Part 2 Zoku akumyo Asakichi
1962 The Tale of Zatoichi 座頭市物語 Zatōichi monogatari Ichi
1962 New Bad Reputation Shin akumyo Asakichi
1962 The Whale God Kujira gami
1962 The Great Wall Shin no shikōtei
1962 The Tale of Zatoichi Continues 続・座頭市物語 Zoku Zatōichi monogatari Ichi
1962 New Bad Reputation Continues Zoku shin akumyo Asakichi
1963 The Money Dance Dokonjo monogatari – zeni no odori
1963 Daisan no akumyo Asakichi
1963 An Actor's Revenge 雪之丞変化 Yukinojo henge
1963 New Tale of Zatoichi 新・座頭市物語 Shin Zatōichi monogatari Ichi
1963 Akumyo ichiba Asakichi
1963 Zatoichi The Fugitive 座頭市兇状旅 Zatōichi kyojo tabi Ichi
1963 Akumyo hatoba Asakichi
1963 Zatoichi on the Road 座頭市喧嘩旅 Zatōichi kenka-tabi Ichi
1963 Akumyo ichiban Asakichi
1964 Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold 座頭市千両首 Zatōichi senryō-kubi Ichi
1964 Suruga yūkyōden: Toba arashi
1964 Zatoichi's Flashing Sword 座頭市あばれ凧 Zatōichi abare tako Ichi
1964 Akumyo daiko Asakichi
1964 Suruga yūkyōden
1964 Fight, Zatoichi, Fight 座頭市血笑旅 Zatōichi kesshō-tabi Ichi
1964 Kojiki Taishō 乞食大将 Kojiki taisho Gotō Matabei
1964 If You're Happy, Clap Your Hands Shiawasa nara te o tatake
1964 Adventures of Zatoichi 座頭市関所破り Zatōichi sekisho yaburi Ichi
1964 Rōnin-gai
1964 Dokonjō monogatari: Zuputo iyatsu
1965 Suruga yūkyōden: Dokyō garasu
1965 The Hoodlum Soldier 兵隊やくざ Heitai yakuza Kisaburo Omiya
1965 Zatoichi's Revenge 座頭市二段斬り Zatōichi nidan-kiri Ichi
1965 Akumyo nobori Asakichi
1965 Life of Matsu the Untamed Muhomatsu no issho
1965 Zatoichi and the Doomed Man 座頭市逆手斬り Zatōichi sakate giri Ichi
1965 Akumyo muteki Asakichi
1965 Zatoichi and the Chess Expert 座頭市地獄旅 Zatōichi Jigoku tabi Ichi
1965 Hoodlum Soldier and the C.O. 続・兵隊やくざ Zoku heitai yakuza Ichi
1966 Akumyo zakura Asakichi
1966 Zatoichi's Vengeance 座頭市の歌が聞える Zatōichi no uta ga kikoeru Ichi
1966 Zatoichi's Pilgrimage 座頭市海を渡る Zatōichi umi o wataru Ichi
1966 Hoodlum Soldier Deserts Again 新・兵隊やくざ Shin heitai yakuza
1966 兵隊やくざ 脱獄 Heitai yakuza datsugoku
1966 兵隊やくざ 大脱走 Heitai yakuza daidassō
1967 The Hoodlum Priest Yakuza bozu
1967 兵隊やくざ 俺にまかせろ Heitai yakuza ore ni makasero
1967 Zatoichi's Cane Sword 座頭市鉄火旅 Zatōichi tekka tabi Ichi
1967 Akumyo ichidai Asakichi
1967 Zatoichi the Outlaw Zatōichi rōyaburi Ichi
1967 Hoodlum Soldier on the Attack 兵隊やくざ 殴り込み Heitai yakuza nagurikomi
1967 Zatoichi Challenged 座頭市血煙り街道 Zatōichi chikemuri kaidō Ichi
1968 Zoku yakuza bozu
1968 Tomuraishi tachi
1968 Heitai yakuza godatsu
1968 Akumyo juhachi-ban Asakichi
1968 The Man Without a Map 燃えつきた地図 Moetsukita chizu
1968 Zatoichi and the Fugitives 座頭市果し状 Zatōichi hatashi-jō Ichi
1968 Samaritan Zatoichi Zatōichi kenka-daiko Ichi
1969 Devil's Temple Oni no sumu yakata
1969 Hitokiri 人斬り Hitokiri Okada Izō
1969 The Magoichi Saga Shirikurae Magoichi Oda Nobunaga
1969 Akumyo ichiban shobu Asakichi
1970 Kenka ichidai: Dodekai yatsu
1970 Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo 座頭市と用心棒 Zatōichi to Yōjinbō Ichi
1970 Genkai yūkyōden: Yabure kabure
1970 Incident at Blood Pass Machibuse
1970 Yakuza Zessyō やくざ絶唱 Yakuza zessyō
1970 Zatoichi at the Fire Festival 座頭市あばれ火祭り Zatōichi abare-himatsuri Ichi
1970 Fuji sanchō 富士山頂 Fuji sanchō
1971 Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman 新座頭市・破れ!唐人剣 Shin Zatōichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken Ichi
1971 Inn of Evil いのちぼうにふろう Inochi bō ni furō
1971 Kitsune no kureta akanbō
1971 Kaoyaku
1972 Zatoichi at Large 座頭市御用旅 Zatōichi goyō-tabi Ichi
1972 Shin heitai yakuza: Kasen
1972 Zatoichi in Desperation 新座頭市物語・折れた杖 Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue aka Ichi

also director

1972 Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice 御用牙 Goyōkiba Hanzo Itami
1973 Mute Samurai 唖侍鬼一法眼 Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (TV series) Manji
1973 Zatoichi's Conspiracy 新座頭市物語・笠間の血祭り Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri Ichi
1973 Ōshō Sankichi Sakata
1973 Hanzo the Razor: The Snare 御用牙 かみそり半蔵地獄責め Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme Hanzo Itami
1974 The Homeless 無宿 Yadonashi
1974 Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold? 御用牙 鬼の半蔵やわ肌小判 Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban Hanzo Itami
1974 Akumyo: Notorious Dragon Akumyo: shima arashiaka Asakichi
1974 Zatōichi monogatari (TV series) Ichi
1975 Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun (TV series) 痛快!河内山宗俊 Kōchiyama Sōshun
1983 Meiso chizu
1987 The one-eyed dragon Masamune (TV series) 独眼竜政宗 Dokuganryu Masamune Toyotomi Hideyoshi
1988 Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis 帝都物語 Teito monogatari Shibusawa Eiichi
1989 Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally 座頭市 Zatōichi Ichi

also director

1990 Saga of the Phoenix 孔雀王アシュラ伝説 Kujaku ō: Ashura densetsu
1990 Ronin Gai 浪人街 Rōnin-gai

As producer[edit]

Year Title Japanese Romanization Role
1970 Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo Zatōichi to Yōjinbō producer
1970 Zatoichi at the Fire Festival Zatōichi abare-himatsuri producer
1971 Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman Shin Zatōichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken producer
1971 Kaoyaku Kaoyaku executive producer
1972 Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice Goyōkiba producer
1972 Zatoichi at Large Zatōichi goyō-tabi producer
1972 New Hoodlum Soldier Story: Firing Line Shin heitai yakuza: Kasen producer
1972 Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance Kozure Ōkami: Kowokashi udekashi tsukamatsuru producer
1972 Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx Kozure Ōkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma producer
1972 Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades Kozure Ōkami: Shinikazeni mukau ubaguruma producer
1972 Zatoichi in Desperation Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue producer
1973 Mute Samurai Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (TV series) executive producer
1973 Zatoichi's Conspiracy Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri
1973 Hanzo the Razor: The Snare Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme
1974 The Homeless Yadonashi producer
1974 Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold? Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban producer
1974 Akumyo: Notorious Dragon Akumyo: shima arashiaka
1980 Shogun Assassin producer
1989 Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi Zatōichi

As director[edit]

Year Title Japanese Romanization
1971 Kaoyaku Kaoyaku
1972 Zatoichi in Desperation Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue
1973 Mute Samurai Oshi samurai (TV series)
1974 Zatoichi Zatōichi monogatari (TV series)
(episode "A Memorial Day and the Bell of Life")
1989 Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally Zatōichi

As writer[edit]

Year Title Japanese Romanization
1970 Zatoichi at the Fire Festival Zatōichi abare-himatsuri
1971 Kaoyaku Kaoyaku
1989 Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally Zatōichi

As himself[edit]

Year Film Film type
1978 The Blind Swordsman Documentary

References[edit]

  1. ^ West, David (2006). Chasing dragons: an introduction to the martial arts film. I.B.Tauris. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-85043-982-0. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  2. ^ Standish, Isolde (8 May 2006). A New History of Japanese Cinema: A Century Of Narrative Film. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 359. ISBN 978-0-8264-1790-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  3. ^ West, Mark D. (2006). Secrets, Sex, and Spectacle: The Rules of Scandal in Japan and the United States. University of Chicago Press. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-226-89408-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  4. ^ Galloway, Patrick (1 May 2005). Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-880656-93-8. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  5. ^ Kurosawa, Akira; Cardullo, Bert (2008). Akira Kurosawa: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-57806-997-2. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  6. ^ Cowie, Peter (1981). International Film Guide. Tantivy Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-498-02530-3. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  7. ^ Nogami, Teruyo (2006). Waiting on the Weather: Making Movies with Akira Kurosawa. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. pp. 251–60. ISBN 978-1-933330-09-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  8. ^ Galloway, Patrick (1 May 2005). Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-880656-93-8. Retrieved 16 October 2010.

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]