Ken Takakura

Ken Takakura

Date of Birth:

Feb 16, 1931

Place of Birth:

Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan

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.

filmography:

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

1971

Song of Kagoshima Song of Kagoshima

1962

The Drifting Avenger The Drifting Avenger

1968

Yakuza of the Present Yakuza of the Present

1973

Life of Hishakaku Life of Hishakaku

1963

The Domain: Flower and Dragon The Domain: Flower and Dragon

1969

Samurai Geisha Samurai Geisha

1969

Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

1964

Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

1963

A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

1967

Beyond the Seasonal Wind Beyond the Seasonal Wind

1958

Memoir of Japanese Assassinations Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

1969

Bloodiest Flower Bloodiest Flower

1971

Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

1969

Man of Thirteen Eyes Man of Thirteen Eyes

1958

Mother Peacock Mother Peacock

1956

Gambler's Legacy Gambler's Legacy

1969

Brothers Serving Time Brothers Serving Time

1969

Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2 Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

1965

Third Generation Boss Third Generation Boss

1974

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

1971

Jakoman and Tetsu Jakoman and Tetsu

1964

Prison Walls of Abashiri 3 Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

1965

No Advice Taken No Advice Taken

1958

Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

1960

The Bullet and the Horse The Bullet and the Horse

1966

Patience Has An End Patience Has An End

1971

Man of the World 2 Man of the World 2

1960

Tales of President Mito Tales of President Mito

1962

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

1962

Ken San Ken San

2016

365 Nights 365 Nights

1962

Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

1961

House of Gamblers House of Gamblers

1970

The Pledge The Pledge

1972

Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6 Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

1969

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

1972

New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2 New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

1969

The Chivalrous Life The Chivalrous Life

1967

The Second Bullet is Marked The Second Bullet is Marked

1960

Eleven Gangsters Eleven Gangsters

1963

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

1961

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

1960

Black Rain: Making The Film Black Rain: Making The Film

2006

The Escape The Escape

1962

The Biggest Gamble The Biggest Gamble

1969

The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

1966

The Domain: Where The Blade Enters The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

1967

The Domain: Severed Relations The Domain: Severed Relations

1968

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

1975

The Domain: White Blade The Domain: White Blade

1967

The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

1966

The Domain: Rising Dragon The Domain: Rising Dragon

1970

The Domain: The Naniwa Story The Domain: The Naniwa Story

1965

Showdown of Men Showdown of Men

1966

Dagger Dagger

1971

See You See You

1988

A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

1970

The Chop Professor The Chop Professor

1956

Yukyo-retsuden Yukyo-retsuden

1970

Gambler Biography Gambler Biography

1968

The detective whose path was crossed by a snake The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

1995

Histories of the Chivalrous Histories of the Chivalrous

1968

Hell's Kitchen Hell's Kitchen

1962

The Great Road The Great Road

1960

Hell's Juggler Hell's Juggler

1961

Duel of the Underworld Duel of the Underworld

1963

Lady Sen and Hideyori Lady Sen and Hideyori

1962

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

The Japan Derby Race The Japan Derby Race

1970

The Big Boss The Big Boss

1963

Lullaby for a Tough Guy Lullaby for a Tough Guy

1972

Men in a Rough Town Men in a Rough Town

1959

Great Jailbreak Great Jailbreak

1975

Gang Loyalty and Vengeance Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

1963

The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

1961

Man of the World Man of the World

1960

The Happy Family The Happy Family

1959

The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

1965

Storm Party Storm Party

1964

Employee Full of Fight Employee Full of Fight

1957

Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

1967

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

1970

Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

1967

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

1970

Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

1966

Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

1966

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

Japan's Top Gangster Japan's Top Gangster

1973

The Boss The Boss

1965

The International Gang of Kobe The International Gang of Kobe

1975

Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

1968

Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

1969

The Outsiders The Outsiders

1958

Tokyo's Business District Tokyo's Business District

1962

Brave Red Flower of the North Brave Red Flower of the North

1970

Hell's Companion Hell's Companion

1959

Golgo 13 Golgo 13

1973

Manhunt Manhunt

1976

Main Street in the Underworld Main Street in the Underworld

1964

An Outlaw An Outlaw

1964

A Distant Cry from Spring A Distant Cry from Spring

1980

Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

1965

Mount Hakkoda Mount Hakkoda

1977

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

1966

Demon Demon

1985

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

1970

Manchurian Sunset Manchurian Sunset

1956

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

1966

Dearest Dearest

2012

Buddies Buddies

1989

Station Station

1981

A Fugitive from the Past A Fugitive from the Past

1965

Red Peony Gambler Red Peony Gambler

1968

Kyôkatsu Kyôkatsu

1963

A Dead Drifter A Dead Drifter

1959

Never Give Up Never Give Up

1978

Rogue Rogue

1968

The Yakuza The Yakuza

1974

South Pacific Waves Are High South Pacific Waves Are High

1962

Tokyo Gang Vs. Hong Kong Gang Tokyo Gang Vs. Hong Kong Gang

1964

Black Rain Black Rain

1989

Operation Diamond Operation Diamond

1962

The Yellow Handkerchief The Yellow Handkerchief

1977

47 Ronin 47 Ronin

1994

Men Fighting Whales Men Fighting Whales

1957

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

2005

Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

1961

Mr. Baseball Mr. Baseball

1992

Tenka no Kaidanji Senpû Tarô Tenka no Kaidanji Senpû Tarô

1961

Railroad Man Railroad Man

1999

The Bullet Train The Bullet Train

1975

Bad Angel Bad Angel

1960

Tokyo Untouchable Tokyo Untouchable

1962

The Kamikaze Guy The Kamikaze Guy

1966

Antarctica Antarctica

1983

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

1969

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

1967

The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

1960

The Revolt The Revolt

1980

With Songs in My Heart With Songs in My Heart

1958

The Sand City in Manchuria The Sand City in Manchuria

1960

Classmates Classmates

1967

The Last Kamikaze The Last Kamikaze

1970

Choji Snack Bar Choji Snack Bar

1983

The Day the Sun Rose The Day the Sun Rose

1968

The Path of the King The Path of the King

1971

The Deep Blue Sea The Deep Blue Sea

1957

Prison Walls of Abashiri 4 Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

1965

New Prison Walls of Abashiri New Prison Walls of Abashiri

1968

Sister with Sister Sister with Sister

1958

Detective Duel Detective Duel

1958

A Fishwife's Tale A Fishwife's Tale

1961

Glorious Fights Glorious Fights

1966

Jet Air Base 101 Jet Air Base 101

1957

Devil's Nursery Rhyme Devil's Nursery Rhyme

1961

Flower, Storm and Gangster Flower, Storm and Gangster

1961

Romance Freestyle Romance Freestyle

1958

Four Hours of Terror Four Hours of Terror

1959

Prison Boss Prison Boss

1968

Lightning Karate Blow Lightning Karate Blow

1956

All Rascals All Rascals

1962

The Man The Man

1971

Karate Cop Karate Cop

1982

Tokyo Untouchable: Escape Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

1963

Wolves, Pigs & Men Wolves, Pigs & Men

1964

Abashiri Prison Abashiri Prison

1965

Brutal Tales of Chivalry Brutal Tales of Chivalry

1965

Showdown in Blood Showdown in Blood

1957

If You're Man Enough If You're Man Enough

1960

The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

1972

Uragirimono wa jigoku daze Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

1962

The Homeless The Homeless

1974

A Portrait of the Author A Portrait of the Author

1984

Too Late the Hero Too Late the Hero

1970

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

1971

The Domain The Domain

1964

Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

1991

The Firefly The Firefly

2001

Winter's Flower Winter's Flower

1978

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

1956

The Longest Tunnel The Longest Tunnel

1982

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