Yoshio Tsuchiya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yoshio Tsuchiya
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| Born | May 18, 1927 |
| Died | February 8, 2017 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1952 - 2014 |
Yoshio Tsuchiya (土屋 嘉男, Tsuchiya Yoshio, May 18, 1927 – February 8, 2017) was a famous Japanese actor. He was born on May 18, 1927, and passed away on February 8, 2017. Yoshio Tsuchiya starred in many movies, including some very well-known ones like Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Red Beard. He also loved acting in science fiction films, often playing aliens or people controlled by them.
Contents
About Yoshio Tsuchiya
Yoshio Tsuchiya was born in Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan, in 1927. His very first movie was a film called Murder Suspect in 1952.
How He Became an Actor
Yoshio Tsuchiya didn't plan to audition for Akira Kurosawa's famous movie Seven Samurai. He was just watching the auditions when Kurosawa, the director, noticed him and picked him for a role! This was a big break for him.
His Love for Sci-Fi Movies
While filming Seven Samurai, Yoshio Tsuchiya often visited the set of the first Godzilla movie. He really wanted to be in a Godzilla film. He even said, "Because I was doing Seven Samurai I couldn't appear in the first Godzilla. That's why I insisted they put me in the sequel." His wish came true, and he appeared in Godzilla Raids Again.
Yoshio Tsuchiya acted in many films by Akira Kurosawa, but he also loved science fiction movies. He said that for him, acting in sci-fi films was just as important as acting in Kurosawa's movies. He especially enjoyed playing aliens or characters who were controlled by aliens.
Playing Aliens
For example, in the movie The Mysterians, he was offered a role as one of the heroes. But he turned it down! Instead, he wanted to play the leader of the Mysterians, who were aliens. He liked playing "interesting, strong and/or twisted characters." Even when the director, Ishirō Honda, told him that the Mysterian leader wore a mask and his face wouldn't be seen, Tsuchiya said, "That's all right. I just want to play the alien!"
His Interest in UFOs
Yoshio Tsuchiya had a personal interest in space and even said he had seen several UFOs. He was very interested in the Space Race, which was a competition between countries to explore space. He even joined an organization that wanted to send a mission to the moon. He got his fellow actors, like Mifune and Shimura, to join too.
However, he later found out that this organization was not honest and actually wanted to divide up the moon and sell it! He was so upset that in The Mysterians, when the Earth scientists didn't want to give the Mysterians land, he added a line himself, saying, "But you're trying to divide up the moon and sell it!"
Later Career and Passing
Yoshio Tsuchiya returned to the Godzilla series in 1991, after a long time away. He played a character named Shindo in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. Shindo was a World War II veteran who had met a young Godzilla before it became the giant monster.
Yoshio Tsuchiya passed away on February 8, 2017, at the age of 89, due to lung cancer. He left behind a legacy of many memorable roles in both classic dramas and exciting science fiction films.
Selected Filmography
Movies
- Murder Suspect (1952)
- Seven Samurai (1954) - Rikichi
- Godzilla Raids Again (1955) - Tajima
- I Live in Fear (1955) - Factory Worker
- Throne of Blood (1957) - Washizu samurai
- The Mysterians (1957) - Leader of the Mysterians
- The Hidden Fortress (1958) - Samurai on horse
- Battle in Outer Space (1959) - Iwomura
- The Bad Sleep Well (1960) - ADA secretary
- The Human Vapor (1960) - Mizuno the Librarian
- Yojimbo (1961) - Kohei
- Sanjuro (1962) - Samurai
- High and Low (1963) - Detective Murata
- Matango (1963) - Masafumi Kasai - Owner
- Red Beard (1965) - Dr. Handayû Mori
- Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) - Controller of Planet X
- Son of Godzilla (1967) - Furukawa
- Kill! (1968) - Shinroku Matsuo
- Destroy All Monsters (1968) - Dr. Otani
- Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) - Gonda
- Space Amoeba (1970) - Dr. Kyoichi Mida
- Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) - Businessman Yasuaki Shindo
- Mifune: The Last Samurai (2015) - as Himself
TV Shows
- Ultra Q (1966) - Ono (episode 2)
- Ultraman (1966) - Dr. Morita (episode 18)
- Ultraseven (1967) - Dr. Tsuchida (episodes 14 and 15)
