Koji Tsuruta
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
actor
who appeared in almost 260 feature film
s.
as Eiichi Ono, Tsuruta was studying at Kansai University
when he was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Navy. After the war he joined Kōkichi Takada's theater troupe and made his film debut at Shochiku
in 1948 with Yūkyō no mure (Crowd of Aso). Later moving to Toho
and then to Toei
, he played handsome leads or, in a number of films, Toshirō Mifune
's rival, as he did in the Samurai Trilogy
. In the 1960s, he starred in many of Toei's ninkyo eiga
as chivalric but world-weary yakuza
. Tsuruta was also a successful singer, scoring hits with such songs as Kizudarake no jinsei.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
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...
who appeared in almost 260 feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s.
Career
Born in Shizuoka PrefectureShizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
as Eiichi Ono, Tsuruta was studying at Kansai University
Kansai University
, or , is a private non-sectarian and coeducational university located in Suita, Osaka, Japan and in two other locations: Osaka City; and Takatsuki, Osaka.-History:Kansai University was founded as Kansai Law School in November 1886, in Osaka...
when he was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Navy. After the war he joined Kōkichi Takada's theater troupe and made his film debut at Shochiku
Shochiku
is a Japanese movie studio and production company for kabuki. It also produces and distributes anime films. Its best remembered directors include Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Yōji Yamada...
in 1948 with Yūkyō no mure (Crowd of Aso). Later moving to 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...
and then to Toei
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
, he played handsome leads or, in a number of films, Toshirō Mifune
Toshiro Mifune
Toshirō Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 170 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, from 1948 to 1965, in works such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo...
's rival, as he did in the Samurai Trilogy
Samurai Trilogy
The Samurai Trilogy is a film trilogy directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and starring Toshirō Mifune as Musashi Miyamoto and Koji Tsuruta as Kojirō Sasaki...
. In the 1960s, he starred in many of Toei's ninkyo eiga
Yakuza film
is a popular film genre in Japanese cinema which focuses on the lives and dealings of yakuza, also referred to as the Japanese Mafia.-Ninkyo eiga:...
as chivalric but world-weary yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
. Tsuruta was also a successful singer, scoring hits with such songs as Kizudarake no jinsei.
Filmography
- Eden no umi (1950) - directed by Noboru Nakamura
- Ochazuke no aji (1952) - directed by Yasujiro OzuYasujiro Ozuwas a prominent Japanese film director and script writer. He is known for his distinctive technical style, developed during the silent era. Marriage and family, especially the relationships between the generations, are among the most persistent themes in his body of work...
- A Night in Hawaii (Hawai no yoru) (1953)
- Samurai TrilogySamurai TrilogyThe Samurai Trilogy is a film trilogy directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and starring Toshirō Mifune as Musashi Miyamoto and Koji Tsuruta as Kojirō Sasaki...
(1954–1956) - directed by Hiroshi InagakiHiroshi Inagakiwas a Japanese filmmaker most known for the Academy Award-winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, which he directed in 1954.-Career:Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining the Nikkatsu studio as an actor in 1922...
- Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji TempleSamurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Templeis a color 1955 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the second film of the Samurai Trilogy. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi...
(1955) - Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu IslandSamurai III: Duel at Ganryu Islandis a 1956 color Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the third film of the Samurai Trilogy. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi...
(1956)
- Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
- A Man Among Men (Dansei No. 1) (1955) - directed by Kajiro YamamotoKajirō Yamamotowas a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor who was known for his war films and comedies and as the mentor of Akira Kurosawa.-Early life:Born in Tokyo, Yamamoto attended Keio University where he helped form a film appreciation society...
- Nemuri Kyôshirô burai hikae (1956) - directed by Shigeaki Hidaka
- Ninjitsu aka Yagyu Secret Scrolls (Yagyu bugeicho) - part 1 (1957) - directed by Hiroshi InagakiHiroshi Inagakiwas a Japanese filmmaker most known for the Academy Award-winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, which he directed in 1954.-Career:Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining the Nikkatsu studio as an actor in 1922...
- (おしどり喧嘩笠 Oshidori kenkagasaOshidori kenkagasais a 1957 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Ryo Hagiwara.- Cast :* Hibari Misora* Kōji Tsuruta* Akio Kobori * Machiko Kitagawa * Shunji Sakai * Kyu Sazanka * Nakajiro Tomita * Joji Kaieda...
) (1957) - Yagyu Secret Scrolls (Yagyu bugeicho Ninjitsu) - part 2 (1958) - directed by Hiroshi InagakiHiroshi Inagakiwas a Japanese filmmaker most known for the Academy Award-winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, which he directed in 1954.-Career:Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining the Nikkatsu studio as an actor in 1922...
- The Loyal 47 RoninThe Loyal 47 Roninis a 1958 color Jidaigeki Japanese film directed by Kunio Watanabe.- Cast :* Kazuo Hasegawa as Ōishi Kuranosuke * Shintarō Katsu as Genzō Akagaki* Kōji Tsuruta as Kin'emon Okano* Raizō Ichikawa as Takuminokami Asano...
(忠臣蔵 ChūshinguraChushingurais the name for fictionalized accounts of the historical revenge by the Forty-seven Ronin of the death of their master, Asano Naganori. Including the early , the story has been told in kabuki, bunraku, stage plays, films, novels, television shows and other media...
) (1958) - directed by Kunio Watanabe - Boss of the Underworld (Ankokugai no kaoyaku) (1959) - directed by Kihachi OkamotoKihachi Okamotowas a Japanese film director who has worked in several different genres, including jidaigeki.-Career:Born in Yonago, Okamoto attended Meiji University, but was drafted in 1943 and entered World War II during its most difficult hours, an experience that had a profound effect on his later film work,...
- The Birth of JapanThe Birth of Japan, also called The Three Treasures, is a 1959 Japanese tokusatsu fantasy epic film. Telling the story of the creation of Japan according to Japanese mythology, specifically the Shinto religion, it is considered Japan's answer to The Ten Commandments...
(1959) - directed by Hiroshi InagakiHiroshi Inagakiwas a Japanese filmmaker most known for the Academy Award-winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, which he directed in 1954.-Career:Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining the Nikkatsu studio as an actor in 1922... - Secret of the TelegianSecret of the TelegianThe Secret of the Telegian, released in Japan as , is a 1960 tokusatsu sci-fi/horror/mystery film. Produced by Toho Company, Ltd., the film was directed by Jun Fukuda , and written by Shinichi Sekizawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya and some scenes by Teruyoshi Nakano...
(1960) - directed by Jun FukudaJun Fukuda, was a Japanese director. He was born in Manchuria. He has directed dozens of films, perhaps best known for his contributions to the Godzilla film series in the 1970s... - ChushinguraChushingurais the name for fictionalized accounts of the historical revenge by the Forty-seven Ronin of the death of their master, Asano Naganori. Including the early , the story has been told in kabuki, bunraku, stage plays, films, novels, television shows and other media...
(1962) - directed by Hiroshi InagakiHiroshi Inagakiwas a Japanese filmmaker most known for the Academy Award-winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, which he directed in 1954.-Career:Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining the Nikkatsu studio as an actor in 1922... - Jinsei gekijo: hisha kaku (1963) - directed by Tadashi SawashimaTadashi Sawashima, a Japanese film director. He directed films from 1950s to 1960s.- Filmography :He directed 49 films and he made 9 screenplays:as director:* Torawakamaru the Koga Ninja...
- BakutoBakutoBakuto were itinerant gamblers in Japan from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. They were one of the forerunners of the modern Japanese crime gangs known as yakuza....
(1964) - directed by Shigehiro Ozawa - Meiji kyokyakuden - sandaime shumei (1965) - directed by Tai KatoTai Katowas a Japanese film director and writer, most famous for making jidaigeki and yakuza films at the Toei Company. He directed films from the 1950s to the 1980s....
- Bakuchi-uchi: socho tobaku (1968) - directed by Kosaku Yamashita
- Kizudarake no Jinsei (1971) - directed by Shigehiro Ozawa
- Golgo 13: Assignment KowloonGolgo 13: Assignment Kowloonis a 1977 action movie starring Sonny Chiba as the international assassin Golgo 13. It was the second live-action movie based on the Golgo 13 manga.-Plot:...
(1977) - - Yakuza senso: Nihon no Don (1977) - directed by Sadao NakajimaSadao Nakajimais a Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his work in yakuza film and jidaigeki.-Career:Born in Chiba Prefecture, he attended Hibiya High School and then the University of Tokyo before joining the Tōei studio in 1959...
- Saigo no bakuto (1985) - directed by Kosaku Yamashita