Kinuyo Tanaka
Acting
Born: November 28, 1909 · Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
Died: March 21, 1977 (aged 67)
Highest Rated
Biography
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.
Known for
Ugetsu
1953
Sansho the Bailiff
1954
Red Beard
1965
The Life of Oharu
1952
Equinox Flower
1958
The Ballad of Narayama
1958
Miss Oyu
1951
A Hen in the Wind
1948
The Woman in the Rumor
1954
The Munekata Sisters
1950
Woman of Tokyo
1933
Flowing
1956
Photos (4)
Movies (137)
Red Beard
Madame Yasumoto
Ugetsu
Miyagi
Sansho the Bailiff
Tamaki
Sandakan No. 8
Old Osaki
Ornamental Hairpin
Emi
Utamaro and His Five Women
Okita
The Life of Oharu
Oharu
Equinox Flower
Kiyoko Hirayama
The Ballad of Narayama
Orin
Her Brother
Mother
A Hen in the Wind
Tokiko Amamiya
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
Forever a Woman
Neighbor's Wife
Women in Prison
Prison Warden
My Elder Brother
Sumako
The Three Treasures
Princess Yamato
The Tree of Love
Katsue Takaishi
Flame of My Love
Eiko Hirayama
The Woman in the Rumor
Hatsuko Mabuchi
The Munekata Sisters
Setsuko Munekata
Mother
Masako Fukuhara
Army
Waka
Confession
1956
Okinu and Banto
1940
An Heir's Place
Hisa Hosho
I Graduated, But...
Machiko Nomoto
Love Letter
Landlady
ABC Lifeline
1931
Men vs. Women
1936
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
A Legend or Was It?
Shizuko Sonobe
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
The Scent of Incense
Tsuna
Sincere Heart
Kuniko
The New Road: Ryota
1936
Women of the Night
Fusako Owada
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
Flowing
Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
The Fencing Master
Oharu
Zoku aizen katsura
1939
Mother and Child
Chieko
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
Mayumi
Miss Oyu
Oyû Kayukawa
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941
A Certain Woman
1942
Ginza Cosmetics
Yukiko Tsuji
Alone Across the Pacific
Youth's Mother
Okoto and Sasuke
Okoto
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
The Old Family Mistress
The Moon Has Risen
Yoneya
A Wanderer's Notebook
Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
Kinuyo's First Love
1940
The Lady of Musashino
Michiko Akiyama
Cape of the North
Old Nun
Dragnet Girl
Tokiko
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
Oiwa / Osode
Stepbrothers
Rie
On This Earth
Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
Burden of Life
Itsuko Kuriyama
Woman of Tokyo
Harue
Miyamoto Musashi
Shinobu Nonomiya
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
Oshige
Eternity of Love
Michi's Mother
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
Wife of the Playwright
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
Onaka
King of the Land
Namiko
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
Okinu
Song of the Flower Basket
Yoko
Mama, I Need You!
1962
Let's Go, Grandma!
Kiku Sasaki
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
Myokan
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
Oiwa / Osode
Double Wedding
1963
Victory Song
Woman who sings lullaby
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941
The Dancing Girl of Izu
Kaoru, a dancer
The Eternal Rainbow
Fumi
The Storm
1956
Wedding Ring
Noriko Kuki
I Flunked, But...
Cafe's Waitress
Where Chimneys Are Seen
Hiroko Ogata
Shōnen shikeishū
1955
The Ataka Family
Kuniko Ataka
Chronicles of a Sea Country
Oaki (Sister)
Spring Thunder
1939
Osaka Woman
1940
The Genealogy of Women
Otsuta
Hahakogusa
Shige Ozawa
Young Lady
Kinuko
Geisha in the Old City
Oei
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Yae
The Blacksmith of the Forest
Omitsu
Bright Sea
Nobuko Yazaki
Marriage
Fumie Matsukawa
Flower
1941
Banchō sarayashiki
1937
Osayo Koi Sugata
Osayo
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
Kiyo
House of Many Pleasures
Oshige
Story of Lightning
1951
Phoenix
Sayoko Aihara
The Love of the Actress Sumako
Sumako Matsui
Sanbaba
1974
An Innocent Maid
Oshige
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
Kozue Uesugi
Marching On
Toshiko Yamamoto
Record of Love and Desire
1930
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
The New Road: Akemi
1936
Where Do Women Go?
Omitsu
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
Kinuyo Yamaoka
Kaisen no Zenya
1943
Shine, Japanese Women
Shigeko
Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958
Victory of Women
Hiroko Hosokawa
Five Sisters
1954
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
Mayumi
Young Master
Tamako (Geisha in training)
Village Pasture
Oharu
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964
Weeds with flowers
1939
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
Haruko, bride
The Tale of Kinuyo
Kinuyo
Her Secret
1952
The Eternal Heart
1928
Okayo's Preparedness
Okayo
This Is Home
1956
The Glory of the Shōwa Era
Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa Chapter)
Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
1930
Yellow Crow
Yukiko Matsumoto
Fallen Samurai
Omaki
Studio Romance: A Guide to Love
1932
Daphne
Tamayō (Geisha)
Before the Wedding
Yukiko Takada
ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
1931
Victory or Defeat
1932
