Utaemon Ichikawa
February 11, 1904 (120 years old) in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
Utaemon Ichikawa was a Japanese film actor famous for starring roles in Jidaigeki from the 1920s to the 1960s. Trained in kabuki from childhood, he made his film debut in 1925 at Makino Film Productions under Shōzō Makino. Quickly gaining popularity, he followed the example of Makino stars such as Tsumasaburō Bandō in starting his own independent production company, Utaemon Ichikawa Productions, in 1927. It was there he first began the "Idle Vassal" (Hatamoto taikutsu otoko) series, which would become his signature role. When his company folded in 1936 as sound film came to the fore, he moved to Shinkō Kinema and then Daiei Studios before helping form the Toei Company after World War II. He served on the board of directors along with fellow samurai star Chiezō Kataoka. Utaemon appeared in over 300 films during his career. His son, Kin'ya Kitaōji, is also a famous actor in film and television.
Known For
Credits
- 1992 · The Diary of Chuji's Travels as
- 1989 · Sanada Yukimura as
- 1986 · Tokugawa Chronicles: Ambition of the 3 Branches as Mito Mitsukuni
- 1973 · The Bored Samurai as
- 1964 · The Lord's spy as
- 1963 · A Prisoner in Search of Daughter as Kumokiri Nizaemon
- 1963 · Bloody Record of the Shinsengumi as
- 1963 · Street of Wandering Men as
- 1963 · The Mysterious Cape as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1963 · Tokaido Fullhouse as
- 1962 · Showdown at Lightning Pass as Takata Matabei Yoshitsugu
- 1962 · Drunken Sword as
- 1962 · Otoko dokyō no ayame kasa as
- 1962 · Kisaragi Sword as Tsukinosuke Ryûtan
- 1962 · Knightly Advice as
- 1962 · Hatamoto taikutsu otoko: nazo no sango yashiki as
- 1961 · Travels of Gonkuro as
- 1961 · The Man Who Challenged 8,000,000-Koku as Yamanouchi Iganosuke
- 1961 · The Cave of the Vampire Bats as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1961 · Samurai Knights as
- 1961 · The Ako Retainers as
- 1961 · Samurai Hawk as
- 1961 · Lord of Steel Heart as Matabei Goto
- 1960 · 素浪人百万石 as
- 1960 · The Swordsman In The Golden Valley as
- 1960 · Lord Mito: All Star Version as
- 1960 · Ninja Assassins as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1960 · Ooka Seidan: Devil Image as Ooka Tadasuke
- 1960 · Runway to Hell as Sôshun Kôchiyama
- 1960 · The Samurai Markets as Chûsuke Yamakawa
- 1960 · Lord of Red Banner as
- 1960 · Bored Hatamoto: Island of No Return as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1960 · Road of Chivalry as
- 1959 · A Sword Against Intrigue as
- 1959 · Bloody Battle at Dawn as
- 1959 · A Spectacular Showdown as Sasagawa no Shigezo
- 1959 · Bored Hatamoto: The Daimonji Conspiracy as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1959 · No Stronger Swords as
- 1959 · Turbulent Highways as
- 1959 · The Unleashed Lord as
- 1959 · The 47 Masterless Samurai as
- 1959 · The Acrobats of Death as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1958 · The Lost Public Funds as Asaka Keinosuke
- 1958 · Drenched Swallow Gonpachi as
- 1958 · Epic Crash as
- 1958 · Bored Hatamoto: Idle Vassal Tribute as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1958 · Eight Views of Samurai as
- 1958 · Seven from Edo as Katsukawa
- 1958 · Aoi Secret Book as Uotaro Toge
- 1958 · A Chivalrous Spirit as Nikichi
- 1957 · The Mansion of Intrigue as Saotome Mondonosuke
- 1957 · Shadow Over Fuji as Sato
- 1957 · Lord Mito as
- 1957 · Rebellion as Satahiko
- 1957 · Lords of Oppression 2 as
- 1957 · Lords of Oppression as
- 1957 · Flowers on the Trail as
- 1957 · 旗本退屈男 謎の紅蓮塔 as
- 1957 · Shimizu Port of Chivalry as Boss Omaeda
- 1956 · 朱鞘罷り通る as
- 1956 · Ancient Coins as
- 1956 · 旗本退屈男 謎の幽霊船 as
- 1956 · Virtue in Spades as
- 1955 · 旗本退屈男 謎の決闘状 as
- 1955 · 旗本退屈男謎の伏魔殿 as
- 1955 · 牢獄の花嫁 as
- 1955 · Four Swordsmen of Ashura as
- 1955 · Golden Valley as
- 1955 · Goblin Warrior as
- 1954 · 旗本退屈男 謎の怪人屋敷 as
- 1954 · 続変化大名 as
- 1954 · 旗本退屈男 謎の百万両 as
- 1954 · 疾風愛憎峠 as
- 1954 · 旗本退屈男 どくろ屋敷 as
- 1953 · The Sun as
- 1953 · 旗本退屈男 八百八丁罷り通る as
- 1952 · 花吹雪男祭り as
- 1952 · Tsukigata Hanpeita as Tsukigata Hanpeita
- 1952 · Kojiki Taishô as Gotō Mototsugu
- 1952 · Travels of Lord Mito Pt.2 as
- 1952 · Travels of Lord Mito Pt.1 as
- 1952 · The Imposter as 早乙女主水之助
- 1951 · Five Men of Edo as Jurozaemon Mizuno
- 1951 · 旗本退屈男 唐人街の鬼 as
- 1951 · 豪快三人男 as
- 1951 · The Killing of Otsuya as Shinsuke
- 1950 · A Thousand Standards of Stone as Sôkichi Fudôyama
- 1950 · Hatamoto taikutsu otoko torimono hikae: Dokusatsu maden as
- 1950 · Hatamoto taikutsu otoko torimono hikae: Shichinin no hanayome as
- 1950 · Fencing Master as
- 1950 · Jiruba no Tetsu as
- 1950 · G-men of Japan 2: Bloody Duel at Shipwreck Cape as
- 1949 · Monsters Catcher Oedo Seven Changes as
- 1949 · Goblin Courier as Haiyaku tengu no Chōta
- 1945 · 東海水滸伝 as
- 1945 · 紅顏鼓笛隊 as
- 1944 · Thus the Divine Wind Blows as
- 1944 · Kokusai Mitsuyudan as
- 1942 · Masujiro Omura as
- 1941 · The 47 Ronin as Tsunatoyo Tokugawa
- 1939 · A Color Print of Edo as
- 1938 · 宝の山に入る退屈男 as
- 1938 · Mito Kōmon Manyu-ki as
- 1937 · 富士に立つ退屈男 as
- 1935 · 十万石を裁く退屈男 as
- 1935 · 中仙道を行く退屈男 as
- 1933 · 爆走する退屈男 as
- 1932 · Chûshingura - Zempen: Akahokyô no maki as
- 1932 · The Loyal 47 Ronin as Awajinokami Wakisaka / Gorobei Kakimi
- 1931 · 江戸へ帰った退屈男 as
- 1931 · 仙台に現はれた退屈男 as
- 1930 · 京へ上がった退屈男 as
- 1930 · 旗本退屈男 as
- 1927 · Skull as Reinosuke Ushio
- 1926 · Botan dôrô as