Tsuru Aoki facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tsuru Aoki
Portrait in a newspaper, c. 1916
Born	(1892-09-09)September 9, 1892 Tokyo, Empire of Japan
Died	October 18, 1961(1961-10-18) (aged 69) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1913–1924, 1960
Spouse(s)	Sessue Hayakawa ​ (m. 1914)​
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Tsuru Aoki (青木 鶴子, Aoki Tsuruko, September 9, 1892 – October 18, 1961) was a Japanese actress. She became very well-known in the United States during the silent film era. This was a time in the 1910s and 1920s when movies had no sound. Tsuru Aoki might have been the first Asian actress to get top billing in American movies. This means her name was shown as one of the most important actors.

Early Life and Acting Career

Tsuru Aoki was born in Tokyo, Japan. In 1899, she moved to California, USA. She came with her uncle, Otojirō Kawakami, and his wife, Kawakami Sadayakko. Sadayakko was a geisha, a Japanese artist who entertains. Tsuru performed with their acting group. She also helped Sadayakko at a special tea ceremony in a hotel. People loved her "tiny and graceful" presence.

However, the acting group faced money problems. So, Tsuru's uncle arranged for her to be adopted by Toshio Aoki. He was a sketch artist for a local newspaper. Tsuru later took ballet lessons in New York City. She went there with her uncle Toshio, who was working on a play. After Toshio passed away, a reporter looked after Tsuru.

Starting in Films

Tsuru Aoki began her acting career in Los Angeles. She performed in plays at the city's Japanese Theatre. A film producer named Thomas H. Ince noticed her there. He signed the young actress to a contract. Tsuru also helped find other Japanese actors for a film company called Imperial Japanese Company.

Her first movie was The Oath of Tsuru San in 1913. She acted alongside William Garwood. Her next film was O Mimi San in 1914. It starred American child actress Mildred Harris and a young actor named Sessue Hayakawa. Tsuru had acted with Sessue before at the Japanese Theatre.

Becoming a Star

Tsuru and Sessue started a romantic relationship. They got married on May 1, 1914. This was just weeks before their movie The Wrath of the Gods came out. This film was a big success. It was a drama about a romance between a man played by Frank Borzage and an Asian woman played by Tsuru Aoki. Sessue Hayakawa also starred in it. Over the years, Tsuru and Sessue made more than 20 movies together.

Aoki, c. 1915

One of Tsuru's most famous silent films was The Dragon Painter (1919). In this movie, Tsuru played a young woman named Ume-Ko. She convinces a lonely artist named Tatsu (played by Sessue Hayakawa) to leave the mountains. She helps him become more civilized and improve his art. Other important films she made were The Typhoon (1914), The Vigil (1914), The Geisha (1914), The Chinatown Mystery (1915), His Birthright (1918), and The Breath of the Gods (1920).

Later Career and Retirement

During the 1910s, Tsuru Aoki appeared in about 40 films. She often played the main female character, which was a big deal for an Asian actress at the time. She acted with many famous stars like Marin Sais, Frank Borzage, and Jack Holt.

After a few less successful films, Tsuru's career in the United States slowed down. Meanwhile, her husband Sessue's career became very strong. In 1923, Tsuru and Sessue traveled to France. They filmed a popular drama called La Bataille. After returning to America, Tsuru made only three more movies. She then stopped acting to raise her and Sessue's three children. Her last silent film was The Danger Line in 1924.

Tsuru Aoki returned to acting in 1960. This was her first movie with sound. She appeared with her husband in the drama Hell to Eternity.

Her Final Years

Tsuru Aoki passed away the next year in Japan. She was 69 years old and died from a serious illness called Peritonitis.

Filmography