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.
Known for
Acting223
movieKinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieCape of the North
1976
Old Nun
movieLet's Go, Grandma!
1975
Kiku Sasaki
movieSandakan No. 8
1974
Old Osaki
movieTora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
The Old Family Mistress
movieRed Beard
1965
Madame Yasumoto
movieBright Sea
1963
Nobuko Yazaki
movieAlone Across the Pacific
1963
Youth's Mother
movieA Legend or Was It?
1963
Shizuko Sonobe
movieA Wanderer's Notebook
1962
Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
movieEternity of Love
1961
Michi's Mother
movieHer Brother
1960
Mother
movieThe Three Treasures
1959
Princess Yamato
movieHahakogusa
1959
Shige Ozawa
movieEquinox Flower
1958
Kiyoko Hirayama
movieOn This Earth
1957
Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
movieYellow Crow
1957
Yukiko Matsumoto
movieFlowing
1956
Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
movieWomen in Prison
1956
Prison Warden
movieForever a Woman
1955
Neighbor's Wife
movieThe Woman in the Rumor
1954
Hatsuko Mabuchi
movieLove Letter
1953
Landlady
movieAn Heir's Place
1953
Hisa Hosho
movieUgetsu
1953
Miyagi
movieWhere Chimneys Are Seen
1953
Hiroko Ogata
movieSincere Heart
1953
Kuniko
movieMother
1952
Masako Fukuhara
movieThe Ataka Family
1952
Kuniko Ataka
movieThe Lady of Musashino
1951
Michiko Akiyama
movieMiss Oyu
1951
Oyû Kayukawa
movieGinza Cosmetics
1951
Yukiko Tsuji
movieThe Munekata Sisters
1950
Setsuko Munekata
movieWedding Ring
1950
Noriko Kuki
movieYotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949
Oiwa / Osode
movieYotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949
Oiwa / Osode
movieFlame of My Love
1949
Eiko Hirayama
movieA Hen in the Wind
1948
Tokiko Amamiya
movieWomen of the Night
1948
Fusako Owada
moviePhoenix
1947
Sayoko Aihara
movieThe Love of the Actress Sumako
1947
Sumako Matsui
movieMarriage
1947
Fumie Matsukawa
movieVictory of Women
1946
Hiroko Hosokawa
movieVictory Song
1945
Woman who sings lullaby
movieMiyamoto Musashi
1944
Shinobu Nonomiya
movieArmy
1944
Waka
movieThe Tree of Love
1938
Katsue Takaishi
movieLady Doctor Kinuyo
1937
Kinuyo Yamaoka
movieBurden of Life
1935
Itsuko Kuriyama
Sôbô
1933
Yoshiko Chō
movieDaphne
1933
Tamayō (Geisha)
movieBefore the Wedding
1933
Yukiko Takada
Clear and Cloudy
1933
Fusako Kawahara
movieDragnet Girl
1933
Tokiko
movieThe Dancing Girl of Izu
1933
Kaoru, a dancer
movieThe Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933
Haruko, bride
movieThe Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931
Wife of the Playwright
movieYoung Lady
1930
Kinuko
movieYouth, Why Do You Cry?
1930
Kozue Uesugi
movieI Flunked, But...
1930
Cafe's Waitress
Song of Youth
1930
Kinuko Yamada
movieMarching On
1930
Toshiko Yamamoto
movieI Graduated, But...
1929
Machiko Nomoto
The Big City: Labor
1929
Okimi (cleaning woman)
Symphony of Youth
1928
Kinuko Noguchi
movieThe Glory of the Shōwa Era
1928
Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa Chapter)
What a Handsome Man!
1928
Shikanyu (geisha)
movieChronicles of a Sea Country
1928
Oaki (Sister)
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
1927
Oshizu (Tazaemon's Daughter)
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
1927
Kaōgi (Courtesan)
movieYoung Master
1926
Tamako (Geisha in training)
Troubled Days
1926
Osaki (Reiko's Sister)
Love's Snare
1925
Osato (Thread Shop Owner)
Directing7
movieLove Under the Crucifix
1962
Director
movieGirls of the Night
1961
Director
movieThe Wandering Princess
1960
Director
movieForever a Woman
1955
Director
movieThe Moon Has Risen
1955
Director
movieLove Letter
1953
Director
movieBrother and Sister
1953
Assistant Director