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…
Movies & TV Shows
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Ugetsu (1953) — Miyagi
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Sansho the Bailiff (1954) — Tamaki
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Red Beard (1965) — Madame Yasumoto
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The Life of Oharu (1952) — Oharu
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Equinox Flower (1958) — Kiyoko Hirayama
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The Ballad of Narayama (1958) — Orin
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Miss Oyu (1951) — Oyû Kayukawa
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A Hen in the Wind (1948) — Tokiko Amamiya
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The Woman in the Rumor (1954) — Hatsuko Mabuchi
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The Munekata Sisters (1950) — Setsuko Munekata
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Woman of Tokyo (1933) — Harue
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Flowing (1956) — Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
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Utamaro and His Five Women (1946) — Okita
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Forever a Woman (1955) — Neighbor's Wife
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Women of the Night (1948) — Fusako Owada
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Love Letter (1953) — Landlady
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Dragnet Girl (1933) — Tokiko
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I Graduated, But... (1929) — Machiko Nomoto
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The Moon Has Risen (1955) — Yoneya
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Ornamental Hairpin (1941) — Emi
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Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth? (1932) — Oshige
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Mother (1952) — Masako Fukuhara
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The Lady of Musashino (1951) — Michiko Akiyama
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Sandakan No. 8 (1974) — Old Osaki
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Her Brother (1960) — Mother
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Army (1944) — Waka
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The Neighbour's Wife and Mine (1931) — Wife of the Playwright
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A Legend or Was It? (1963) — Shizuko Sonobe
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Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1 (1949) — Oiwa / Osode
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I Flunked, But... (1930) — Cafe's Waitress
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Lullaby of the Earth (1976)
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Ginza Cosmetics (1951) — Yukiko Tsuji
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The Three Treasures (1959) — Princess Yamato
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Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2 (1949) — Oiwa / Osode
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Where Chimneys Are Seen (1953) — Hiroko Ogata
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Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director (1975) — Self
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Alone Across the Pacific (1963) — Youth's Mother
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A Wanderer's Notebook (1962) — Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
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Wedding Ring (1950) — Noriko Kuki
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Miyamoto Musashi (1944) — Shinobu Nonomiya