About

Known credits:
187
Birthday:
1931-02-16
Place of birth:
Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan
Website:
N/A

Ken Takakura

Overview

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.

Known for

Acting
2016 Ken San Actor Self 58
Average
2012 Dearest Actor Eiji Shimakura 59
Average
2006 Black Rain: Making The Film Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles Actor Gou-ichi Takata 60
Fair
2001 The Firefly Actor Yamaoka Shuji 59
Average
1999 Railroad Man Actor Otomatsu Sato 59
Average
1995 The detective whose path was crossed by a snake Actor N/A
N/A
1994 47 Ronin Actor Kuranosuke Oishi 59
Average
1993 Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi Actor N/A
N/A
1992 Mr. Baseball Actor Uchiyama 58
Average
1992 An Elegy of Tyrole Actor Tateishi Jiro N/A
N/A
1991 Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star Actor Self (archive footage) 58
Average
1989 Buddies Actor Kadokura 59
Average
1989 Black Rain Actor Masahiro 63
Fair
1988 See You Actor N/A
N/A
1985 Demon Actor Shuji 59
Average
1984 A Portrait of the Author Actor Self N/A
N/A
1983 Choji Snack Bar Actor Eiji 59
Average
1983 Antarctica Actor Ushioda 60
Fair
1982 The Longest Tunnel Actor Go Akutsu N/A
N/A
1982 Karate Cop Actor Detective Mikami N/A
N/A
1981 Station Actor Eiji Mikami 58
Average
1980 A Distant Cry from Spring Actor Kosaku Tajima 59
Average
1980 The Revolt Actor Keisuke Miyagi 59
Average
1978 Never Give Up Actor Takeshi Ajisawa 58
Average
1978 Winter's Flower Actor Hidetsugu Kano 58
Average
1977 Older brother Actor Eiji N/A
N/A
1977 The Yellow Handkerchief Actor Yusaku Shima 59
Average
1977 Mount Hakkoda Actor Captain Tokushima 59
Average
1976 Manhunt Actor Morioka 59
Average
1975 The International Gang of Kobe Actor Masato Dan 58
Average
1975 The Bullet Train Actor Tetsuo Okita 59
Average
1975 Great Jailbreak Actor Ichiro Kozue 59
Average
1975 Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack Actor N/A
N/A
1974 The Yakuza Actor Tanaka Ken 62
Fair
1974 The Homeless Actor Jokichi Anabuki 59
Average
1974 Third Generation Boss Actor N/A
N/A
1973 Golgo 13 Actor Duke Togo / Golgo 13 58
Average
1973 Yakuza of the Present Actor Ryoichi Shimaya N/A
N/A
1973 Japan's Top Gangster Actor Kazuo Taoka N/A
N/A
1972 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die Actor N/A
N/A
1972 New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm Actor N/A
N/A
1972 The Pledge Actor 59
Average
1972 Lullaby for a Tough Guy Actor N/A
N/A
1972 The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang Actor Kuramoto 58
Average
1971 New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter Actor N/A
N/A
1971 The Man Actor N/A
N/A
1971 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love Actor Hidejiro Hanada 58
Average
1971 New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape Actor 59
Average
1971 Patience Has An End Actor Isamu Tekada 58
Average
1971 Dagger Actor N/A
N/A
1971 Bloodiest Flower Actor 59
Average
1971 The Path of the King Actor Ryutaro Fudo 59
Average
1970 New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow Actor N/A
N/A
1970 The Domain: Rising Dragon Actor N/A
N/A
1970 The Last Kamikaze Actor Koji Yashiro 58
Average
1970 Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny Actor 58
Average
1970 New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri Actor N/A
N/A
1970 Yukyo-retsuden Actor 59
Average
1970 Too Late the Hero Actor Major Yamaguchi 59
Average
1970 The Japan Derby Race Actor N/A
N/A
1970 A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life Actor N/A
N/A
1970 House of Gamblers Actor 59
Average
1970 Brave Red Flower of the North Actor 59
Average
1969 Gambler's Legacy Actor Tsukuda Ginjiro 59
Average
1969 New Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town Actor 58
Average
1969 Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6 Actor N/A
N/A
1969 Memoir of Japanese Assassinations Actor Saburo Aizawa 58
Average
1969 The Biggest Gamble Actor Shuzo Honjo 59
Average
1969 New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2 Actor 58
Average
1969 Samurai Geisha Actor Shimada Seikichi 58
Average
1969 The Domain: Flower and Dragon Actor Kingoro Tamai N/A
N/A
1969 Brothers Serving Time Actor 58
Average
1969 Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony Actor Koji Yashiro 59
Average
1969 Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo Actor Hanada Hidejiro 59
Average
1969 Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game Actor Shogo Hanaoka 58
Average
1968 New Prison Walls of Abashiri Actor Katsuji Suehiro 59
Average
1968 Gambler Biography Actor 59
Average
1968 The Day the Sun Rose Actor 59
Average
1968 Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza Actor 59
Average
1968 Rogue Actor Isamu Oba N/A
N/A
1968 Red Peony Gambler Actor Naoki Katagiri 59
Average
1968 Histories of the Chivalrous Actor N/A
N/A
1968 The Drifting Avenger Actor Ken Kato 58
Average
1968 Prison Boss Actor 59
Average
1968 The Domain: Severed Relations Actor N/A
N/A
1967 A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm Actor Shin-ichi Tachibana N/A
N/A
1967 The Domain: Where The Blade Enters Actor N/A
N/A
1967 Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil Actor Shin-ichi Tachibana N/A
N/A
1967 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4 Actor 59
Average
1967 Classmates Actor First Lieutenant Kenmochi 58
Average
1967 The Chivalrous Life Actor Ryuma Ibuki 59
Average
1967 Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido Actor N/A
N/A
1967 The Domain: White Blade Actor N/A
N/A
1966 Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country Actor N/A
N/A
1966 Glorious Fights Actor Ichiro Takita 59
Average
1966 The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate Actor N/A
N/A
1966 Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South Actor N/A
N/A
1966 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf Actor 59
Average
1966 Showdown of Men Actor N/A
N/A
1966 The Kamikaze Guy Actor 59
Average
1966 The Bullet and the Horse Actor N/A
N/A
1966 The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown Actor N/A
N/A
1966 Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2 Actor 58
Average
1965 Prison Walls of Abashiri 4 Actor Shin'ichi Tachibana N/A
N/A
1965 Prison Walls of Abashiri 3 Actor Shinichi Tachibana N/A
N/A
1965 Brutal Tales of Chivalry Actor Seiji Terajima 59
Average
1965 Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro Actor Sasaki Kojiro 59
Average
1965 The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry Actor 59
Average
1965 Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2 Actor Shinichi Tachibana 58
Average
1965 Abashiri Prison Actor Shinichi Tachibana 59
Average
1965 The Domain: The Naniwa Story Actor 59
Average
1965 A Fugitive from the Past Actor Ajimura 60
Fair
1965 The Boss Actor N/A
N/A
1964 Storm Party Actor N/A
N/A
1964 Wolves, Pigs & Men Actor Jiro Kuroki, the second brother 59
Average
1964 The Domain Actor 59
Average
1964 Main Street in the Underworld Actor N/A
N/A
1964 An Outlaw Actor Minami 58
Average
1964 Jakoman and Tetsu Actor Tetsu 59
Average
1964 Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple Actor Sasaki Kojiro 59
Average
1964 Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang Actor N/A
N/A
1963 Gang Loyalty and Vengeance Actor Asano 59
Average
1963 Kyōkatsu Actor N/A
N/A
1963 Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style Actor Sasaki Kojiro 59
Average
1963 Duel of the Underworld Actor N/A
N/A
1963 The Big Boss Actor N/A
N/A
1963 Life of Hishakaku Actor 59
Average
1963 Tokyo Untouchable: Escape Actor Yoshio Harada N/A
N/A
1963 Eleven Gangsters Actor Sawagami N/A
N/A
1962 Uragirimono wa jigoku daze Actor N/A
N/A
1962 Operation Diamond Actor N/A
N/A
1962 Tokyo Untouchable Actor Yoshio Harada N/A
N/A
1962 Hell's Kitchen Actor N/A
N/A
1962 365 Nights Actor N/A
N/A
1962 Tokyo's Business District Actor N/A
N/A
1962 Song of Kagoshima Actor Shuhei Tategami N/A
N/A
1962 Tales of President Mito Actor Sukesaburo Sasa N/A
N/A
1962 Lady Sen and Hideyori Actor Naomori 59
Average
1962 All Rascals Actor N/A
N/A
1962 The Escape Actor 59
Average
1962 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka Actor N/A
N/A
1962 South Pacific Waves Are High Actor N/A
N/A
1961 Devil's Nursery Rhyme Actor Kosuke Kindaichi N/A
N/A
1961 Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san Actor Kenichi Oka N/A
N/A
1961 Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues Actor Tarô Mannen N/A
N/A
1961 The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado Actor N/A
N/A
1961 Flower, Storm and Gangster Actor 'Smiley' Ken 59
Average
1961 A Fishwife's Tale Actor N/A
N/A
1961 Tenka no Kaidanji Senpū Tarō Actor Tarō Senpū N/A
N/A
1961 Hell's Juggler Actor N/A
N/A
1961 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4 Actor Kenichi Hanamura N/A
N/A
1960 If You're Man Enough Actor N/A
N/A
1960 The Sand City in Manchuria Actor Hari 59
Average
1960 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3 Actor N/A
N/A
1960 Man of the World 2 Actor N/A
N/A
1960 Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy Actor N/A
N/A
1960 Bad Angel Actor N/A
N/A
1960 The Great Road Actor N/A
N/A
1960 The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2 Actor N/A
N/A
1960 The Second Bullet is Marked Actor 58
Average
1960 Man of the World Actor N/A
N/A
1959 Four Hours of Terror Actor Captain Yamamoto 59
Average
1959 Hell's Companion Actor N/A
N/A
1959 A Dead Drifter Actor N/A
N/A
1959 A Man's Dark Finger Actor N/A
N/A
1959 The Happy Family Actor N/A
N/A
1959 Men in a Rough Town Actor Fumio Sone N/A
N/A
1958 Sister with Sister Actor Hiroshi Ishioka N/A
N/A
1958 The Outsiders Actor Ichitaro Kazamori N/A
N/A
1958 With Songs in My Heart Actor N/A
N/A
1958 Detective Duel Actor 59
Average
1958 Beyond the Seasonal Wind Actor N/A
N/A
1958 Romance Freestyle Actor N/A
N/A
1958 Man of Thirteen Eyes Actor N/A
N/A
1958 No Advice Taken Actor N/A
N/A
1957 Jet Air Base 101 Actor Jiro Nakata N/A
N/A
1957 Showdown in Blood Actor N/A
N/A
1957 The Deep Blue Sea Actor 59
Average
1957 Men Fighting Whales Actor Yosuke Yamagami N/A
N/A
1957 Employee Full of Fight Actor Tani 59
Average
1956 Mother Peacock Actor N/A
N/A
1956 Manchurian Sunset Actor Shintaro N/A
N/A
1956 G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization Actor N/A
N/A
1956 The Chop Professor Actor N/A
N/A
1956 Lightning Karate Blow Actor N/A
N/A
1956 Meteor Karate Strike Actor N/A
N/A