Sadako Sawamura
Acting
Born: November 11, 1908 · Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo, Japan
Died: August 16, 1996 (aged 87)
Highest Rated
Biography
Sadako Sawamura (沢村貞子, Sawamura Sadako; 11 November 1908 – 16 August 1996) was a Japanese stage and film actress and essayist who appeared in more than 350 films between 1935 and 1976. Sawamura was born in the Asakusa district of Tokyo. After dropping out of Japan Women's University, she was active in left-wing theatre groups and was twice arrested for her political beliefs, spending over a year in prison with much of it in solitary confinement. She started acting in films in 1934, first at the Nikkatsu studio, later at Toho. She appeared in many supporting roles after the war, often working with director Mikio Naruse. Sawamura also acted in films by directors including Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujirō Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita and Kaneto Shindō. Her brothers were the actors Daisuke Katō and Kunitarō Sawamura. Her autobiography Watashi no Asakusa has been translated into English as My Asakusa. She was married three times: to actor Shigeo Imamura (1931-33), actor Kamatari Fujiwara (1936-46) and subsequently to film magazine editor and critic Yasuhiko Ohashi (1968-96, though domestic partners from 1946 onward).
Known for
Good Morning
1959
The Life of Oharu
1952
Late Autumn
1960
Street of Shame
1956
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
1960
A Fugitive from the Past
1965
Chûshingura
1962
Late Chrysanthemums
1954
Love Letter
1953
Girls of the Night
1961
The Blue Sky Maiden
1957
Mother
1952
Photos (1)
Movies (276)
Good Morning
Kayoko Fukui
Late Autumn
Fumiko
Edo wa aozora
1958
The Life of Oharu
Sasaya's wife Owasa
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
Toshiko
Street of Shame
Tatsuko Taya
Hero of the Red Light District
1960
Mother
Osei
Chûshingura
1962
Girls of the Night
Kitamura
The Blue Sky Maiden
Tatsuko Ono
A Fugitive from the Past
Motojima's Wife
All of Myself
Kazama’s Aunt
Love Letter
Bookstor's owner
Untamed Woman
Oshima's aunt
Nunnery Confidential
1968
Sky of Hope
Kiyo
I Love You
1956
Firefly Light
1958
The Kii River
Ichi, housekeeper
The Bell of Love
1959
Miyamoto Musashi - Battle at Han'nya Hill
Osaki
Crazy Operation: First Move
1963
Salaryman Idea Book: Concern for Success
Okane
Dorei no machi
1951
A Man's Flower Road of Triumph
1941
Musuko
1959
Sweet Sweat
Matsuko
Snow Country
Dance teacher
The Wandering Princess
Kazuko Sugawara
Tokyo Sweetheart
Jewelry shop proprietress
Here Is a Spring
1955
Yearning
1954
Star of Hong Kong
Sugimoto Natsuko
The Catch
Katsu
At the Side of the Bridge
1962
Haha koiboshi
1949
Little Peach
1958
Bright Young Maidens
Chie Shibata, Sumiko's Mother
Thoroughbred Women Gamblers
1967
Love on the Rainbow
Masako Yamashita
Gendai no yokubô
1956
The Tears of Geisha Konatsu
1955
Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
1952
お月様には悪いけど
鶴田はと子
Shinkon noroke bushi
1953
Japan Beauty Story: A Woman Among Women
1975
Beautiful Days
Imanishi's Mother
Romance Express
1961
The Romance of Yushima
1955
I Was Tokichiro
1955
Policeman's Diary
1955
Faraway Man
1957
So Young, So Bright
Oine
Eddy Currents of Life
Teacher Ikegami
Ottamage ningyo monogatari
1962
The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze
1968
A Wife's Heart
1956
Forbidden Path
1952
A Story from Echigo
1964
Broken Drum
Yasuko
Ghosts Die at Dawn
Takeko
Youth in Fury
Aki Katsura
The Cast-Off
Fumiko
No Advice Taken
1958
Two Bitches
Tetsu Kawabe
Jiyūgaoka fujin
1960
Bridge of Japan
1956
Love on Rainbow Island
Omatsu Hayashi
A Pebble by the Wayside
Sumie
Ponkotsu
1960
Finances in Front of the Train Station
1965
The Valley Between Love and Death
1954
South Pacific Waves Are High
1962
At the Side of the Bridge 2
1962
One Night of Love
Ohama
Tale of Army Brutality
Toki, Yahichi's mother
That Cute Girl
1965
Double Wedding
Shigeko
Kōfuku no genkai
1948
Kyūjin ryokō
1962
Dancing Girl
Mitsue
New Third Class Executive: Husband Education
Kaneko Tsujikura
Victory Song
Captain's mother
My Brother, My Love
Kayo Kitagawa
Mother Never Dies
1942
Dreaming People
1953
Heavenly Gods in Front of the Train Station
1964
A Roaring Trade
1962
Sisters
1953
Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen
Tane
Late Chrysanthemums
Nobu
The President Talks Bank
1956
Whirlpool of Flesh
Tomiko Sekiguchi
Zero Focus
Mrs. Sotaro Uhara
Ripe and Marriageable
Mrs. Nakazato
The Surf
Tomi, Shinji's Mother
Oka wa hanazakari
1952
Duel in Senjo Mountain
1950
A Man from Akagi
1950
Volcano of Station Front Plaza
1968
A Comedy in Front of the Station: Onsen
1962
Hospital in Front of the Train Station
1965
Our Marriage
Mother
Mr. Lucky
1952
Hikkoshi yatsure
1961
The Rickshaw Man’s Son
Taki
Beyond the Hills
Oiku Wada
Miniature
1953
Passionate Poet Ishikawa Takuboku - Hometown
1936
Geisha Konatsu
Kimiso's madame
Whistling in the Morning
1959
Beyond the Seasonal Wind
1958
Curry Rice
1962
Elegy
1951
People Waiting for Spring
Chiyo Tsukagoshi
The Woman Who Touched the Legs
1952
The Street Car Game
Deguchi Ume
Shanghai Rose
Miss Shen
Pig and Goldfish
1962
The Human Wall
1959
Ganko Oyaji to Edokko Shain
1962
Souls in the Moonlight III
1959
Shinkon nanatsu no tanoshimi
1958
Youth Season
1962
The President's Boss
1956
Guntō nanban-sen
1950
Adolescence
Natsu, Mayumi's mother
Flower Cards Chivalry
1967
Mumu Dance
1964
Horse
Kikuko Yamashita
The Naked General
1958
Lemon in the Rainbow
Setsuko Sasaki
Ofukuro
1955
At the Side of the Bridge 3
1963
The Lovers
Mrs. Ushiyama
Wedding Day
1940
Mahiru no wana
Kikuyo
Zoku aizen katsura
1962
Tokyo Profile
Kiyoko
The End of the Night
1953
Geisha Hidekoma
1954
Someday I'll Know
Fusako Kaneko
A Comedy in Front of the Station: Chinese Restaurant
1962
Itsuko to sono haha
Fusako Tashiro
直八子供旅
1958
Glory on the Summit
1962
Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen
Tane
Dancers of Awa
1941
Frame of Snow
Satoko (Ishiyama’s wife)
Hibi no haishin
1958
Boss Takes to the Road
Kimie Morikawa
The Rose on His Arm
Akiyama's mother
Sanctuary
1961
The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka
Otake
Third Class Executives
Mrs. Kuwabara
A Tale of Dung and Urine
1957
The White Orchid
1951
Souls in the Moonlight II
Otsuno
Flame of My Love
1949
Twenty-One Fingerprints
1948
The Dangerous Kiss
1960
The Three Musketeers Reunite
1956
Bellflower
Mother
Story of a Detective's Assistant
Mine
When It Rains, It Pours
Tane Abe
Night Bitch
Matsu Komazaki
Midori naru hito: zenpen wakare no yogisha
1956
Nami kage
1965
Yakyukyō jidai
1948
A Comedy in Front of the Station: Fortune
Sada Banno
Everyone's Sweetheart
1956
Three Pearls
1949
Salaryman Mejiro Sanpei
1955
Hito mo arukeba
Kin Narikin
Cascading White Threads
1956
Pineapple Butai
Omine
The Love Letter Trial
1951
Goblin Courier
1949
Haha to ko no mado
1957
Echo Mountain
Takako Hirasawa
Born in Sin
1962
Ishimatsu of the Forest
1949
I'm a Bodyguard
1964
Towering Waves
Mrs. Tazawa
Shinpen Tange Sazen: Sekigan no maki
Otomi
Avalanche
1956
Next Door to Happiness
1955
Storm on the Silvery Peaks
Kiyo
Onna no hashi
1961
The Estuary
1961
The Cock Crows Twice
1954
Dokuritsu bijin-tai
1963
Salaryman's Medal
1965
Police Precinct: Backing Investigation
1963
Detour to Love
Koto, mother
At the Side of the Bridge 4
1963
Ôban
Tane, Ushinosuke's Mother
The Terrible Game
Yabuki Toyo
Nippon no obaachan
1962
Green Earth
1942
The Days of Youth are Days of Sadness
1954
Koko ni otoko ari
1959
Women of Tokyo
Yuki Takeuchi
The Life of Rikisha-Man
1963
Husband on the Run
1954
Salaryman Idea Book: Man of Worrisome Episodes
Okane
Morning Whistling
1957
The Betrothed
1957
Flower in a Storm
1962
Hideko the Cheerleader
Tomoko, Hideko's mother
Wakai yatsura no kaidan
1961
A Sky Full of Tears
Kikue Sugisaki
Young Tree
Kuniko's mother (uncredited)
When Winter Comes
1985
Police Precinct Part 13
Madam next to Hikariso
Police Precinct Part 13
1960
The Night Before the Meiji Restoration
1941
One Step to Happiness
1958
Youth Season Continued
Sawamura Sawako (Restaurant "Sawamura" proprietress and Keiko's older sister)
One Thousand Ryo Ship in the Wind and Clouds
1952
Koshū
1962
The Passionate Spinster
Riki Tonobe
Police Precinct: The Woman Without A Face
1959
In Search of Mother
Otora
Jiruba no Tetsu
1950
Miren
Hostess at 'Mitsuda'
Princess Finds Her Prince
1953
Triangle Moods
Kame
乾杯！女学生
1954
Lady Sen and Hideyori
Yodogimi
Salaryman Sampei Meijiro: A Wife's Virginal Face
1960
Young Lovers
Ayako Nozaki
My Six Favorite Men — Speedy Men
1954
The Blue Revolution
1953
Ejima and Ikushima
玉椿
Glory to the President of the Henpecked Political Party
1960
The Adorable Trio
Sadako Kamiya
Mama's Diary
1954
Youth
1955
Awamori-kun uridasu
1961
The Big Ambition
Sumie Shida
Four Asakusa Sisters
1952
Young Lovers
1957
Swift Current
1967
A Salaryman's Reckless Family
1963
Door of Flowers
1961
Midori naru hito: kōhen ai no honryū
1956
Bad Reputation: Cherry Blossoms
1966
Three Youngmen and a Dream Girl
Taniyama’s Mother
Monpe-san
1944
Spring Snow
1950
Wedding March
Kumako
Vagabond Lovers
1959
Naite waratta hanayome
1962
The Song from My Heart
1969
The Flower That Crossed the Mountain
1949
Fearless Opposition
1958
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag
1964
The Beauty Expert
1957
Wakai yatsu
1963
Work Hard, Happy Girls!
1959
Toilet Manager
1961
Travels to the East
Apprentice Geisha
Taiyou wo Daku Onna
1964
Zoku santō jūyaku
1952
First Love Questions and Answers
1950
The Lady Was Pawn
1956
Four Sisters
Makiko
Mother's Ambition
1955
Iroha Elegy
1955
My Lover
Sugiko's aunt
Onna no ryūkō
1950
Hanayome no teikō
Seiko Maekawa
Sayonara ressha
1966
Tōkyō no josei
1960
