Kei Tani
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese comedian
, actor
and musician
. Born in Tokyo
, he learned to play the trombone
and, while a student at Chuo University
, began playing in jazz
bands performing for American soldiers during the Occupation of Japan. He quit university and joined the City Slickers with Frankie Sakai
in 1953. In 1956, he joined the comic-jazz band The Crazy Cats with Hajime Hana
and Hitoshi Ueki
. He came to fame when the Crazy Cats started appearing on television, especially through their variety show "Shabondama Holiday," and in movies, through comedy series such as the "Irresponsible" (Musekinin) series at Toho
. Some of his nonsense one-word gags such as "gachon" became buzzwords imitated throughout the nation. He also appeared alone in dramatic roles on film and television, was a regular in the "Tsuribaka Nisshi
" film series, and continued to be a popular figure on variety TV.
His real name was Yasuo Watanabe, but his stage name was based on a pun on the name Danny Kaye
.
He died of a brain contusion on 11 September 2010 after falling down the stairs in his Mitaka home.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, he learned to play the trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
and, while a student at Chuo University
Chuo University
Chuo University is a one of the Japanese leading universities. Thus it is competitive in several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university has been ranked 27th, 25th, 34th during 2008-2010 respectively in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai.-Research...
, began playing in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
bands performing for American soldiers during the Occupation of Japan. He quit university and joined the City Slickers with Frankie Sakai
Frankie Sakai
was a Japanese comedian, actor, and musician.-Career:From his days at Keio University, Sakai worked as a jazz drummer at American Army camps during the Occupation of Japan, often doing comic routines with his music...
in 1953. In 1956, he joined the comic-jazz band The Crazy Cats with Hajime Hana
Hajime Hana
was a Japanese actor. He was the leader of the comic jazz band The Crazy Cats, which featured such talent as Hitoshi Ueki and Kei Tani, and which starred in a series of film comedies and in TV variety shows such as "Shabondama Holiday." He won the award for best actor at the 31st Blue Ribbon...
and Hitoshi Ueki
Hitoshi Ueki
was a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and guitarist. He won six awards for acting. His film credits stretch from 1960 to 1995.Ueki came to fame through the comic jazz-band The Crazy Cats led by Hajime Hana...
. He came to fame when the Crazy Cats started appearing on television, especially through their variety show "Shabondama Holiday," and in movies, through comedy series such as the "Irresponsible" (Musekinin) series at Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
. Some of his nonsense one-word gags such as "gachon" became buzzwords imitated throughout the nation. He also appeared alone in dramatic roles on film and television, was a regular in the "Tsuribaka Nisshi
Tsuribaka Nisshi
' is a fishing manga by Jūzō Yamasaki and Kenichi Kitami that has been serialized in Big Comic Original since 1979. It won the 28th Shogakukan Manga Award in 1983...
" film series, and continued to be a popular figure on variety TV.
His real name was Yasuo Watanabe, but his stage name was based on a pun on the name Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
.
He died of a brain contusion on 11 September 2010 after falling down the stairs in his Mitaka home.
Selected filmography
- Nippon musekinin jidai (ニッポン無責任時代) (1962)
- Young Season (若い季節) (1962)
- Zūzūshii yatsu (図々しい奴) (1965)
- Fancy ParadiseFancy ParadiseFancy Paradise is a 1968 Japanese comic science fiction film directed by Takeshi 'Ken' Matsumori from a screenplay by Yasuo Tanami...
(空想天国 Kūsō tengoku) (1968) - Samurai FictionSamurai Fictionis a 1998 comedy-samurai film directed by Hiroyuki Nakano. It is almost entirely black-and-white, and follows a fairly standard plotline for a comedy and jidaigeki samurai film, but the presence of Tomoyasu Hotei's rock-and-roll soundtrack separates it from the films it was inspired by, such as the...
(SF サムライ・フィクション, Esu Efu Samurai Fikushon) (1998) - After Life (ワンダフルライフ, Wandafuru Raifu) (1998)
- WaterboysWaterboys (film)is a 2001 comedy film written and directed by the Japanese film director Shinobu Yaguchi, about five boys who start a synchronized swimming team at their high school...
(ウォーターボーイズ, Wōtā Bōizu) (2001) - Swing GirlsSwing Girlsis a 2004 comedy film co-written and directed by the Japanese filmmaker Shinobu Yaguchi about the efforts of a group of high school girls to form a jazz band....
(スウィングガールズ, Suwingu Gāruzu) (2004)