Masakazu Tamura (田村 正和, Tamura Masakazu, 1 August 1943 - 3 April 2021) was a Japanese film and theatre actor.[1]

Masakazu Tamura
田村 正和
Masakazu Tamura in 1966
Born(1943-08-01)1 August 1943
Kyoto, Japan
Died3 April 2021(2021-04-03) (aged 77)
Education
OccupationActor
Years active1960–2018
AgentShinwa Jimusho
Known for
Height1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Children1
Parent
Relatives
AwardsMonte-Carlo Television Festival Outstanding Actor

Profile edit

Masakazu Tamura was born 1 August 1943 in Kyoto, Japan to Japanese actor Tsumasaburō Bandō.[2] Tsumasaburō Bandō died when Tamura was only nine years old. His brothers Takahiro and Ryō are also actors. He had been thinking of becoming an actor in the future since he was a child.[3] He was thus trained in fighting with swords and more traditional forms of Japanese theatre like Kabuki and Nihon Buyō. He graduated from Seijo University.[4][2][5][6]

In 1960, he made a cameo appearance in the film Hatamoto Gurentai, in which his older brother Takahiro starred.[7] The following year, he signed a contract with the Shōchiku Ōfuna company while he was still in university.[2] In the same year, he made his official film debut in the film Eternal Woman directed by Keisuke Kinoshita.[5] His first leading film role was Kono koenaki sakebi directed by Hirokazu Ichimura in 1965.[5] He left Shōchiku in 1966 and established his own agency.[5] In 1967, He released the first and last song in his career "Sora Ippai no Namida". His breakthrough came in 1970 after landing a role in the television series Fuyu no Tabi on TBS.[8] From 1970s, Tamura focused predominately on television with occasional film appearances[9] including Yasuharu Hasebe's film Female Prisoner Scorpion: 701's Grudge Song [10] and Yasuo Furuhata's film Nihon no Fixer . From the mid-1960s to the 1970s, Tamura was called the Japanese Alain Delon.[11][12]

He appeared in many period dramas (jidaigeki) such as Naruto Hichō on NHK and most of his roles were skilled swordsmen.[5] He played the role of "Nemuri Kyoshirō" and won great popularity in 1972; it is Tamura's most famous role in jidaigeki.[5] Later, five special version of the drama were made.[13] He played the same role on the stage in 1973 and 1981. From 1963 to 1967,Tamura appeared in the Taiga drama 5 years in a row. He also appeared in the Taiga drama in Haru no Sakamichi (1971) and Shin Heike Monogatari (1972).

From the late 1980s he began to appear in comedy dramas such as Papa wa Newscaster or home dramas and gained new popularity.[5][2]

In 1993, Tamura played the role of "Ogami Ittō" in Akira Inoue's film Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict by Kazuo Koike's strong request.[14][15] His photo book of the film was also released.[16]

He is most famous for his role as the polite and highly idiosyncratic police detective "Furuhata Ninzaburō" in a self-titled drama by Japanese playwright Kōki Mitani.[13] This drama was one of the most popular in its time and one of the most popular dramas in the history of Japanese television. The drama started in 1994 and Tamura continued playing Detective Furuhata until 2006.[2][17]( In 1997, Tamura and Mitani worked together again in Sōrito Yobanaide on Fuji TV.[18])

In 2007, Tamura appeared in the film for the first in 14 years in Last Love.[2][19]

Tamura won "Outstanding Actor" at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for his work in the TV special Ah, You're Really Gone Now in 2009.[20] Tamura appeared in several television dramas related to Chushingura and finally he played the role of "Ōishi Kuranosuke" for the first time in the special drama Chushingura Sono Otoko Ōishi Kuranosuke in 2010.[21]

In 2018, he played the role of "Nemuri Kyoshirō" for the first time in about 20 years in Nemuri Kyoshirō The Final on Fuji TV.[22] But he hinted at his retirement from acting soon after appearing in that TV movie.[23]

He died of heart failure on 3 April 2021 at the age of 77.[24][25][1]

Selected filmography edit

Films edit

Year Title Role Director Notes
1960 Hatamoto Gurentai Mori Takehichi Seiichi Fukuda [26]
1961 Immortal Love Eiichi Keisuke Kinoshita
1962 Love Under the Crucifix Brother of Ogin Kinuyo Tanaka
1964 The Scent of Incense Ezaki's son Keisuke Kinoshita
1964 Kojiki Taishō Hanawaka Tokuzō Tanaka
1965 Kono koenaki Sakebi Sasaki Shinichi Ichimura Taichi Main role
1966 Ameno Nakan Futari Kasuga Ryuji Sakurai Hideo Main role
1966 Sora Ippai no Namida Sugi Shunsuke Junzo Mizukawa Main role
1966 Our Wonderful Years Yoshida Shun Heinosuke Gosho
1967 A Fool's Love Hamada Nobuo Yasuzo Masumura
1967 Onna no Issho Yayoi Senichi Heinosuke Gosho
1967 Double Suicide: Japanese Summer Boy Nagisa Oshima
1968 A Woman and the Beancurd Soup Sakimura Heinosuke Gosho
1968 Higashi Shinakai Chiba Rokurō Tadahiki Isomi Main role[27]
1968 The Yoshiwara Story Naojirō Kazuo Mori
1968 Curse of the Blood[28] Shinichirō Kazuo Hase Main role
1969 Chōkōsō no Akebono Shimamura Hideo Sekigawa
1969 Kuro bara no yakata Wataru Kinji Fukasaku
1969 Samurai Banners Takeda Nobushige Hiroshi Inagaki
1969 Gendai Yakuza: Yotamono Jingi Katsumata Toru Yasuo Furuhata
1969 The Wild Sea Shimamura Ken Tokujirō Yamazaki
1969 Nemuri Kyōshirō manji giri Umezu Ichirōta Kazuo Ikehiro
1970 Decapitation Island Santarō Isahaya Kunihara Toshiaki Main role
1970 Onna Gokuakuchō Isogai Iori Kazuo Ikehiro Main role
1970 Yakuza Zessyō Yuji Yasuzo Masumura
1971 Tabiji Kitamura Takashi Kōichi Saitō
1973 Female Convict Scorpion: Grudge Song Teruo Kudo Yasuharu Hasebe
1976 Kitano Yadokara Higashihata Osamu Hirokazu Ichimura
1979 Nihon no Fixer Imaizumi Takeo Yasuo Furuhata Main role
1993 Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict Ogami Ittō Akira Inoue Main role
2007 Last Love Agawa Akira Meiji Fujita Main role

Television dramas edit

Year Title Role Notes
1963 Hana no Shōgai (花の生涯) Tada Tatewaki Taiga drama
1964 Akō Rōshi (赤穂浪士) Taiga drama
1965 Taikōki (太閤記) Toyotomi Hidetsugu Taiga drama
1966 Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経) Fujiwara no Tadahira Taiga drama
1971 Daichūshingura (大忠臣蔵) Yatō Emoshichi
1971 Haru no Sakamichi (春の坂道) Fuwa Bansaku Taiga drama
1972 Shin Heike Monogatari(新、平家物語) Emperor Sutoku Taiga drama
1972-73 Nemuri Kyōshirō (眠狂四郎) Nemuri Kyōshirō Main role
1973 Shinsho Taikōki (新書太閤記) Takenaka Hanbei
1974 Unmeitouge (運命峠) Akizuki Rokurota Main role
1977 Naruto Hichō (鳴門秘帖) Norizuki Gennojō Main role
1977 Suna no Utsuwa (砂の器) Eiryō Waga
1979 Akō Rōshi (赤穂浪士) Hotta Hayato Main role
1983 Natsu ni Koisuru Onnatachi Kurahashi Mitsuo Main role
1984 Uchi no Ko ni Kagitte... Ishibashi Toru Main role
1984 Kawaite sōrō (乾いて候) Kainage Mondo Main role
1987 Papa wa Newscaster Kagami Ryutarō Main role
1988 New York koi Monogatari Tajima Masayuki Main role
1989 Nemuri Kyôshirô Nemuri Kyōshirō Main role
1991 Papa to Natchan Shimura Gorō Main role
1993 Nemuri Kyoshiro: Conspiracy at Edo Castle Nemuri Kyōshirō Main role
1994 Furuhata Ninzaburo Furuhata Ninzaburo Main role
1996 Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Man with No Tomorrow Nemuri Kyōshirō Main role
1997 Sōrito Yobanaide Prime Minister Main role
1998 Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Woman Who Loved Kyoshiro Nemuri Kyōshirō Main role
1998 Jinbē Takanashi Jinbē Main role
2000 Oyajî Kanichi Kanzaki Main role
2001 Sayônara, Ozu-sensei Ozu Main role
2006 Furuhata Ninzaburo Final Furuhata Ninzaburo Main role
2006 Dare Yorimo Mama o Ai su Kamon Kazutoyo Main role
2007 Chushingura Otonashino Ken Yūki Keinosuke Main role
2009 Ah, You're Really Gone Now Main role
2010 Chushingura Sono Otoko Ōishi Kuranosuke Ōishi Yoshio Main role
2009 Giwaku Takukichi Sahara Main role
2011 Kokuhatsu Kokusen Bengonin Takuji Sahara Main role
2013 Samurai Rebellion(上意討ち~拝領妻始末) Isaburo Sasahara Main role
2018 Nemuri Kyoshirō The Final Nemuri Kyōshirō Main role

Awards edit

Year Award Category Work Result
1994 The television drama academy Awards Best Actor Furuhata Ninzaburo Won
1996 The television drama academy Awards Best Actor Furuhata Ninzaburo Won
2001 The television drama academy Awards Best Actor Sayônara, Ozu-sensei Won
2009 Monte-Carlo Television Festival Outstanding Actor Ah, You're Really Gone Now Won

References edit

  1. ^ a b "俳優の田村正和さん死去、77歳 「古畑任三郎」などで人気". Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Masakazu Tamura biography". Kinema Junpo. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ^ 鳴門秘帖 ガイドブック 上 NHKドラマ制作班 1977 p.149
  4. ^ "Masakazu Tamura". kotobank. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g 日本映画人名事典 1996年度 下 P.150-151 キネマ旬報社 ISBN 4873761891
  6. ^  役者は一日にしてならず 春日太一 田村亮インタビュー p.271ISBN 978-4093798693
  7. ^ "Masakazu Tamura profile". VIPTIMES. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ^ 昭和の名優100列伝 P.278北辰堂出版 ISBN 4864271852
  9. ^ "テレビの中心に居続ける美学 京都撮影所で語った田村正和さん". 47NEWS. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  10. ^ "女囚さそり 701号怨み節". 日本映画情報. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  11. ^ 週刊Heibon 1983年 第1232号 p.24-25
  12. ^ "「無名の兄」が明かす 弟・田村正和との「帰らざる日々」". Shūkan Gendai. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  13. ^ a b 昭和の名優100列伝 P.278-279 北辰堂出版 ISBN 4864271852
  14. ^ "Kozure Ōkami: Sono chiisaki te ni". 一般社団法人 日本映画製作者連盟. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  15. ^ 子連れ狼 その小さき手に Official pamphlet P.4
  16. ^ 田村正和 子連れ狼その小さき手に 1992 Shueisha, Noriaki Yokosuka ISBN 9784087801736
  17. ^ 現代日本映画人名事典 男優篇 キネマ旬報社 2012 P.180-181 ISBN 978-4873763873
  18. ^ 総理と呼ばないで (in Japanese). ファミリー劇場. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  19. ^ "ラストラブ". 日本映画情報. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  20. ^ "『そうか、もう君はいないのか』主演の田村正和さんが「モンテカルロ・テレビ祭」で最優秀男優賞を受賞". Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  21. ^ "ドラマスペシャル 忠臣蔵〜その男、大石内蔵助". ザテレビジョン. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  22. ^ "田村正和「眠狂四郎The Final」始動 "最後"の当たり役に入魂". 産経新聞. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  23. ^ "俳田村正和が本誌に引退宣言 僕はもう十分にやったよ". Friday. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Actor Masakazu Tamura, star on TV and in film over 60-year career, dies at 77". Japantimes. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Popular Japanese actor Masakazu Tamura with 60-year career dies at 77". The Mainichi. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Hatamoto Gurentai". Schochiku. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  27. ^ "東シナ海". 日本映画情報システム. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  28. ^ "Curse of the Blood". eiga.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.

External links edit