Kinuyo Tanaka
Kinuyo Tanaka
Biography
Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director. Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at seventeen years old, appearing in Heinosuke Gosho's An Embarrassing Dream in 1927. She proceeded to take leading parts in, among others, Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929, Gosho's Aiyoku no ki in 1930, and in 1931, Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Gosho. She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975. Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki. Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
220
Gender
Female
Birthday
1909-11-28 (115 years old)
Place of Birth
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
Acting

2022

Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About as Self (archive footage)

2009

The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka as Self (archive footage)

1976

Cape of the North as Old Nun

1976

Lullaby of the Earth as Not available

1975

Let's Go, Grandma! as Kiku Sasaki

1974

Sandakan No. 8 as Old Osaki

1974

Sanbaba as Not available

1972

Tora-san's Dream-Come-True as the old family mistress

1970

Mominoki wa Nokotta as Tsuta

1965

Red Beard as Madame Yasumoto

1964

The Scent of Incense as Tsuna

1964

Kono sora no aru kagiri as Not available

1963

A Legend or Was It? as Shizuko Sonobe

1963

Bright Sea as Nobuko Yazaki

1963

Double Wedding as Not available

1963

Alone Across the Pacific as Youth's Mother

1962

A Wanderer's Notebook as Kishi, Fumiko's mother

1962

The Fencing Master as Oharu

1962

Mama, I Need You! as Not available

1961

Wakarete ikiru toki mo as Michi's Mother

1960

Her Brother as Mother

1959

Hahakogusa as Shige Ozawa

1959

The Three Treasures as Princess Yamato

1958

Equinox Flower as Kiyoko Hirayama

1958

The Eternal Rainbow as Fumi

1958

Sorrow Is Only for Women as Not available

1957

Stepbrothers as Rie

1957

Yellow Crow as Yukiko Matsumoto

1957

On This Earth as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother

1956

Flowing as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu

1956

Confession as Not available

1956

Women in Prison as Prison Warden

1956

The Storm as Not available

1956

How Sorrowful as Not available

1955

Forever a Woman as Neighbor's Wife

1955

The Moon Has Risen as Yoneya

1955

Shōnen shikeishū as Not available

1955

Tsukiyo no kasa as Not available

1954

The Woman in the Rumor as Hatsuko Mabuchi

1954

Five Sisters as Not available

1954

Sansho the Bailiff as Tamaki

1953

Ugetsu as Miyagi

1953

Love Letter as Landlady

1953

Sincere Heart as Kuniko

1953

An Heir's Place as Hisa Hosho

1953

Where Chimneys Are Seen as Hiroko Ogata

1952

The Life of Oharu as Oharu

1952

Mother as Masako Fukuhara

1952

The Ataka Family as Kuniko Ataka

1952

Sisters of Nishijin as Not available

1951

Story of Lightning as Not available

1951

Miss Oyu as Oyû Kayukawa

1951

Ginza Cosmetics as Yukiko Tsuji

1951

The Lady of Musashino as Michiko Akiyama

1950

The Munekata Sisters as Setsuko Munekata

1950

Wedding Ring as Noriko Kuki

1949

Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2 as Oiwa / Osode

1949

Flame of My Love as Eiko Hirayama

1949

Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1 as Oiwa / Osode

1948

Women of the Night as Fusako Owada

1948

A Hen in the Wind as Tokiko Amamiya

1947

Phoenix as Sayoko Aihara

1947

Marriage as Fumie Matsukawa

1947

The Love of the Actress Sumako as Sumako Matsui

1946

Victory of Women as Hiroko Hosokawa

1945

Victory Song as Woman who sings lullaby

1944

The Man Who Has Returned as Not available

1944

Army as Waka

1944

Miyamoto Musashi as Shinobu Nonomiya

1943

Kaisen no Zenya as Not available

1942

A Certain Woman as Not available

1941

Ornamental Hairpin as Emi

1941

Record of a Woman Doctor as Not available

1941

Let's Go in Good Spirits as Not available

1941

Flower as Not available

1940

Okinu and Banto as Not available

1940

Kinuyo's First Love as Not available

1940

Osaka Woman as Not available

1939

Spring Thunder as Not available

1939

Okayo's Preparedness as Okayo

1939

Zoku aizen katsura as Not available

1939

Weeds with flowers as Not available

1938

Mother and Child as Chieko

1938

The Tree of Love as Katsue Takaishi

1937

A Man's Recompense: Part 1 as Not available

1937

Banchō sarayashiki as Not available

1937

A Man's Recompense: Part 2 as Not available

1937

Lady Doctor Kinuyo as Kinuyo Yamaoka

1936

The New Road: Akemi as Not available

1936

The New Road: Ryota as Not available

1936

Men vs. Women as Not available

1935

Burden of Life as Itsuko Kuriyama

1935

An Innocent Maid as Oshige

1935

Okoto and Sasuke as Okoto

1934

My Elder Brother as Sumako

1934

Osayo koisugata as Osayo

1934

That Night's Woman as Not available

1934

The Genealogy of Women as Otsuta

1933

Clear and Cloudy as Fusako Kawahara

1933

Before the Wedding as Yukiko Takada

1933

The Road to Marriage as Not available

1933

The Bride Talks in Her Sleep as Haruko, bride

1933

Woman of Tokyo as Harue

1933

Dragnet Girl as Tokiko

1933

The Dancing Girl of Izu as Kaoru, a dancer

1933

Sôbô as Not available

1932

My Brother's a Fool as Not available

1932

Studio Romance: A Guide to Love as Not available

1932

Love in Tokyo as Not available

1932

Shine, Japanese Women as Shigeko

1932

The Willows of Ginza as Not available

1932

The Loyal 47 Ronin as Yae

1932

Victory or Defeat as Not available

1932

Storm Zone as Not available

1932

The Golden Demon as Omiya

1931

The Tramp and His Daughter as Not available

1931

ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter as Not available

1931

ABC Lifeline as Not available

1931

The Neighbour's Wife and Mine as Wife of the playwright

1931

Sisters: Part 1 as Not available

1931

Sisters: Part 2 as Not available

1931

Cry Cheerfully! as Not available

1931

Woman of Suffering as Not available

1930

The Beating as Not available

1930

Song of Youth as Kinuko Yamada

1930

A Smiling Life as Not available

1930

Where Do Women Go? as Omitsu

1930

The Tale of Kinuyo as Kinuyo

1930

Record of Love and Desire as Not available

1930

The Big City: Explosion as Not available

1930

The Great Ship as Not available

1930

Marching On as Toshiko Yamamoto

1930

Young Lady as Kinuko

1930

I Flunked, But... as Cafe's Waitress

1930

Youth, Why Do You Cry? as Kozue Uesugi

1930

Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name as Not available

1929

Cheerful Song as Mamoko

1929

Echigo Lion as Not available

1929

The Father and His Son as Not available

1929

I Graduated, But... as Machiko Nomoto

1929

The Big City: Labor as Okimi (cleaning woman)

1929

The Model of New Women as Not available

1929

Triumphant Song of the Mountain as Yuki Matsuyama

1929

Him and Life as Not available

1928

A Wife Quits as Not available

1928

If Only She... as Not available

1928

Modern Warrior Training as Not available

1928

The Age of Emotion as Not available

1928

The Village Bride as Not available

1928

Thank You for Your Hard Work as Not available

1928

King of the Land as Namiko

1928

What a Handsome Man! as Shikanyu (geisha)

1928

Iron Virgin as Namiko

1928

The Eternal Heart as Not available

1928

The Glory of the Shōwa Era as Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa chapter)

1928

Symphony of Youth as Kinuko Noguchi

1928

Chronicles of a Sea Country as Oaki (sister)

1928

The Face of Humanity as Not available

1928

Immortal Love as Not available

1927

Sankichi the Flying Squirrel as Oshizu (Tazaemon's daughter)

1927

Yakko no Koman as Not available

1927

The Oath of a Thousand Kills as Kaōgi (courtesan)

1927

Secret Struggle as Not available

1927

Night is a Trickster as Not available

1927

Magic as Not available

1927

Takada no Baba as Not available

1927

Madame Pearl as Not available

1927

The Basement as Not available

1927

An Embarrassing Dream as Not available

1927

Lovers' Suicide at Kiso as Not available

1927

The Harakiri at Tennōji as Not available

1926

Young Master as Tamako (Geisha in training)

1926

Troubled Days as Osaki (Reiko's Sister)

1926

Torrent as Not available

1926

Useless Button as Not available

1926

Buried Youth as Not available

1926

Townspeople as Not available

1926

Her as Not available

1926

Oh! Carefree, Aren't You? as Not available

1926

Love and Courage as Not available

1926

The Betrayed as O-Fumi

1926

The Cursed Sword as Owaka

1926

Flashing Blade as Not available

1925

Brave Love as Not available

1925

Love's Snare as Osato (Thread Shop Owner)

1925

Nature Is the Judge as Not available

1925

Fallen Samurai as Omaki

1925

No Need for Your Opinion as Daughter

1924

Village Pasture as Oharu

1924

A Woman from the Genroku Era as Not available
Crew

1961

Girls of the Night Director

1955

Forever a Woman Director

1955

The Moon Has Risen Director

1953

Love Letter Director

1953

Brother and Sister Assistant Director