
Cast
Kinuyo Tanaka
Acting
Cast
Kinuyo Tanaka
Known for
Acting
Born
1909-11-28
From
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
Died
1977-03-21
Also known as 다나카 키누요, کینو تاناکا, 田中 絹代
Biography
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.

Red Beard
as Madame Yasumoto

Sansho the Bailiff
as Tamaki

Ugetsu
as Miyagi

Sandakan No. 8
as Old Osaki

The Ballad of Narayama
as Orin

The Life of Oharu
as Oharu

Her Brother
as Mother

The Three Treasures
as Princess Yamato

Equinox Flower
as Kiyoko Hirayama

Forever a Woman
as Neighbor's Wife

Lullaby of the Earth

Ginza Cosmetics
as Yukiko Tsuji

Alone Across the Pacific
as Youth's Mother

Army
as Waka

The Moon Has Risen
as Yoneya

Mother
as Masako Fukuhara

Flowing
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu

The Munekata Sisters
as Setsuko Munekata

A Wanderer's Notebook
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother

Women of the Night
as Fusako Owada

The Scent of Incense
as Tsuna

Love Letter
as Landlady

The Love of the Actress Sumako
as Sumako Matsui

Dragnet Girl
as Tokiko

Eternity of Love
as Michi's Mother

The Woman in the Rumor
as Hatsuko Mabuchi

Utamaro and His Five Women
as Okita

The Eternal Rainbow
as Fumi

Kinuyo's First Love

Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
as Oiwa / Osode

Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
as Oiwa / Osode

King of the Land
as Namiko

A Man's Recompense: Part 1

Marriage
as Fumie Matsukawa

I Graduated, But...
as Machiko Nomoto

Kono sora no aru kagiri

A Hen in the Wind
as Tokiko Amamiya

On This Earth
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother

Women in Prison
as Prison Warden

Flame of My Love
as Eiko Hirayama

Where Chimneys Are Seen
as Hiroko Ogata

Mama, I Need You!

Bright Sea
as Nobuko Yazaki

The New Road: Ryota

Okoto and Sasuke
as Okoto

Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
as Self

The Man Who Has Returned

Okinu and Banto

Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
as Chiyo

The Storm

The Tree of Love
as Katsue Takaishi

A Certain Woman

My Elder Brother
as Sumako

Let's Go in Good Spirits

Burden of Life
as Itsuko Kuriyama

I Flunked, But...
as Cafe's Waitress

The Fencing Master
as Oharu

The Lady of Musashino
as Michiko Akiyama

A Legend or Was It?
as Shizuko Sonobe

Song of the Flower Basket
as Yoko

Let's Go, Grandma!
as Kiku Sasaki

Wedding Ring
as Noriko Kuki

Stepbrothers
as Rie

Miss Oyu
as Oyû Kayukawa

Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
as The Old Family Mistress

Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
as Oshige

Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
as Mayumi

Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
as Mayumi

Woman of Tokyo
as Harue

Victory Song
as Woman who sings lullaby

The New Road: Akemi

House of Many Pleasures
as Oshige

The Ataka Family
as Kuniko Ataka

Yellow Crow
as Yukiko Matsumoto

The Loyal 47 Ronin
as Yae

Five Sisters

Miyamoto Musashi
as Shinobu Nonomiya

ABC Lifeline

The Inner Palace Conspiracy
as Onaka

The Blacksmith of the Forest
as Omitsu

Sincere Heart
as Kuniko

The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
as Haruko, bride

Record of a Woman Doctor

Cape of the North
as Old Nun

Sisters of Nishijin

Tsukiyo no kasa

Double Wedding

Symphony of Youth
as Kinuko Noguchi

Okayo's Preparedness
as Okayo

Useless Button

An Heir's Place
as Hisa Hosho

Osaka Woman

Confession

The Village Bride

How Sorrowful

Victory of Women
as Hiroko Hosokawa

Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations

An Innocent Maid
as Oshige

Ornamental Hairpin
as Emi

Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
as Kiyo

Banchō sarayashiki

Honeymoon

Lady Doctor Kinuyo
as Kinuyo Yamaoka

The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
as Wife of the Playwright

Men vs. Women

Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
as Myokan

Flower

The Big City: Labor
as Okimi (cleaning woman)

The Dancing Girl of Izu
as Kaoru, a dancer

Young Lady
as Kinuko

Sakura Ondo

Kaisen no Zenya

The Road to Marriage

Storm in the City

Shine, Japanese Women
as Shigeko

The Age of Emotion

Immortal Love

Weeds with flowers

The Model of New Women

Spring Thunder

A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
as Okinu

Mother and Child
as Chieko

The Village Where the Skylark Sings

Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
as Self (archive footage)

Zoku aizen katsura

A Man's Recompense: Part 2

Victory or Defeat

The Genealogy of Women
as Otsuta

Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter

The Eternal Heart

Phoenix
as Sayoko Aihara

Sanbaba

Townspeople

Story of Lightning

Hahakogusa
as Shige Ozawa

Yakko no Koman

Song of Youth
as Kinuko Yamada

Geisha in the Old City
as Oei

Shōnen shikeishū

Record of Love and Desire

The Father and His Son

Nature Is the Judge

Marching On
as Toshiko Yamamoto

Him and Life

Sorrow Is Only for Women

Young Master
as Tamako (Geisha in training)

Sisters: Part 1

Daphne
as Tamayō (Geisha)

Osayo Koi Sugata
as Osayo

Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name

The Golden Demon
as Omiya

Sôbô
as Yoshiko Chō

Iron Virgin
as Namiko

Youth, Why Do You Cry?
as Kozue Uesugi

Takada no Baba

Triumphant Song of the Mountain
as Yuki Matsuyama

Village Pasture
as Oharu

The Little Traveling Entertainer
as Okiku

A Smiling Life

Studio Romance: A Guide to Love

Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?

The Great Ship

That Night's Woman

Sisters: Part 2

Before the Wedding
as Yukiko Takada

Troubled Days
as Osaki (Reiko's Sister)

Thank You for Your Hard Work

Secret Struggle

Echigo Lion

The Glory of the Shōwa Era
as Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa Chapter)

If Only She...

The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
as Self (archive footage)

Night is a Trickster

Buried Youth

The Beating

A Woman from the Genroku Era

Brave Love

Himitsu

The Tale of Kinuyo
as Kinuyo

The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge

The Willows of Ginza

Clear and Cloudy
as Fusako Kawahara

Modern Warrior Training

The Betrayed
as O-Fumi

Mother of the East
as Taeko

The Cheerleading Captain's Love
as Omitsu

The Cursed Sword
as Owaka

The Big City: Explosion

Cry of the Raging Current
as Okimi

ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter

Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
as Oshizu (Tazaemon's Daughter)

A Wife Quits

Storm Zone

Cheerful Song
as Mamoko

Magic

The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
as Otami

Torrent

This Is Home

Love's Snare
as Osato (Thread Shop Owner)

No Need for Your Opinion
as Daughter

The Face of Humanity

Kanojo no hatsugen

Her

The Basement

An Embarrassing Dream

My Brother's a Fool

Love in Tokyo

Lovers' Suicide at Kiso

Madame Pearl

Cry Cheerfully!

What a Handsome Man!
as Shikanyu (geisha)

Love and Courage

Where Do Women Go?
as Omitsu

Flashing Blade

Song of the Border Patrol
as Tsutae

The Harakiri at Tennōji

The Sun Rises from the East
as Miyoko

Chronicles of a Sea Country
as Oaki (Sister)

The Tramp and His Daughter

The Oath of a Thousand Kills
as Kaōgi (Courtesan)

Fallen Samurai
as Omaki
