Ken Takakura facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ken Takakura
Junior Third Rank
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| 高倉 健 | |
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| Born |
Goichi Oda
February 16, 1931 Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan
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| Died | November 10, 2014 (aged 83) Tokyo, Japan
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| Alma mater | Meiji University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1956–2014 |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Spouse(s) |
Chiemi Eri
(m. 1959; div. 1971) |
Ken Takakura (born Goichi Oda; February 16, 1931 – November 10, 2014) was a famous Japanese actor and singer. People often called him "Ken-san." He was known for his quiet, strong characters in movies. He starred in more than 200 films during his career.
Ken Takakura won the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role four times. This is more than any other actor. He also received several important awards from Japan. These included the Japanese Medal of Honor with purple ribbon in 1998. In 2006, he got the Person of Cultural Merit award. His final major award was the Order of Culture in 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Acting Career
Ken Takakura was born in Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan, in 1931. He went to Tochiku High School. There, he was part of the boxing team. He also joined the English society. During this time, he watched many yakuza movies. These films helped him develop his tough-guy image.
After high school, he studied at Meiji University in Tokyo. In 1955, he went to an audition at the Toei Film Company. He was actually applying for a manager job. But Toei saw his natural talent for acting.
Starting in Films
Takakura's first movie was Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. In 1959, he married singer Chiemi Eri. They divorced in 1971.
His big break came in 1965. He starred in the film Abashiri Prison. He played an ex-convict who was a hero. He also appeared in its sequel, Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen. By 1976, when he left Toei, he had acted in over 180 movies.
International Recognition
Ken Takakura became known around the world for his roles. In 1970, he was in the war film Too Late the Hero. He played a clever Japanese Major. In 1974, he starred with Robert Mitchum in The Yakuza.
Many people in the West know him from Ridley Scott's film Black Rain (1989). He also appeared in the 1992 comedy Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck.
Popularity in China
Takakura was one of the few Japanese actors popular in China. This was because of his 1976 crime drama Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare. This was the first foreign film shown in China after the Cultural Revolution. He also played the main character in Golgo 13 (1973). This film was based on a Japanese manga series.
Later Career and Legacy
After 2000, Ken Takakura appeared in a few more films. These included Hotaru (The Firefly) in 2001. He also starred in Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005). This film was directed by Chinese director Zhang Yimou. His last movie was Anata e (Dearest) in 2012.
Ken Takakura passed away on November 10, 2014, from lymphoma. Many people, especially in China, shared their sadness. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he helped connect the cultures of China and Japan.
A documentary about his life, called Ken San, came out in 2016. It included interviews with famous filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and John Woo.
Awards and Honors
Ken Takakura received many important awards for his acting:
- Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
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- 1978 – for his role in The Yellow Handkerchief
- 1981 – for his role in A Distant Cry from Spring
- 1982 – for his role in Station
- 1999 – for his role in Poppoya
- Japan Academy Prize for Special Award of Honour from the Association (2013)
- Blue Ribbon Awards
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- 1977 – for The Yellow Handkerchief
- 1999 – for Poppoya
- Japanese Medal of Honor (Purple Ribbon) (1998)
- Person of Cultural Merit (2006)
- Order of Culture (2013)
- Junior Third Rank (2014; given after his death)
Images for kids
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Ken Takakura
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Ken Takakura (far right) receiving the Order of Culture in 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Ken Takakura para niños
