Masakazu Tamura
Native name田村 正和
Birth date1 August 1943
Birth placeKyoto, Japan
Death date3 April 2021 (aged 77)
Education
OccupationActor
Years active1960–2018
AgentShinwa Jimusho
Known for
Height1.74 m
FatherTsumasaburō Bandō
Relatives
AwardsMonte-Carlo Television Festival Outstanding Actor

Masakazu Tamura (田村 正和, Tamura Masakazu) was a Japanese film and theatre actor.[1]

Profile

Masakazu Tamura was born 1 August 1943 in Kyoto, Japan to Japanese actor Tsumasaburō Bandō.[2] Tsumasaburō Bandō died when Tamura was only nine years old. His brothers Takahiro and Ryō are also actors. He had been thinking of becoming an actor in the future since he was a child.[3] He was thus trained in fighting with swords and more traditional forms of Japanese theatre like Kabuki and Nihon Buyō. He graduated from Seijo University.[4][2][5][6]

In 1960, he made a cameo appearance in the film Hatamoto Gurentai, in which his older brother Takahiro starred.[7] The following year, he signed a contract with the Shōchiku Ōfuna company while he was still in university.[2] In the same year, he made his official film debut in the film Eternal Woman directed by Keisuke Kinoshita.[5] His first leading film role was Kono koenaki sakebi directed by Hirokazu Ichimura in 1965.[5] He left Shōchiku in 1966 and established his own agency.[5] In 1967, He released the first and only song in his career "Sora Ippai no Namida". His breakthrough came in 1970 after landing a role in the television series Fuyu no Tabi on TBS.[8] From 1970s, Tamura focused predominately on television with occasional film appearances[9] including Yasuharu Hasebe's film Female Prisoner Scorpion: 701's Grudge Song [10] and Yasuo Furuhata's film Nihon no Fixer . From the mid-1960s to the 1970s, Tamura was called the Japanese Alain Delon.[11][12]

He appeared in many period dramas (jidaigeki) such as his lead role in Naruto Hichō on NHK and most of his roles were skilled swordsmen.[5] From 1963 to 1966 Tamura had non-starring appearances in the annual Taiga drama for 4 years in a row. He also appeared in the Taiga drama Haru no Sakamichi (1971) and Shin Heike Monogatari (1972). He played the title role of "Nemuri Kyoshirō" and won great popularity in 1972; it is Tamura's most famous role in jidaigeki.[5] Five sequel special's of the drama were made over a span of 45 years,[13] he also played the same role on the stage in 1973 and 1981.

From the late 1980s he began to appear in comedy dramas such as Papa wa Newscaster or home dramas and gained new popularity.[5][2]

In 1993, Tamura played the role of "Ogami Ittō" in Akira Inoue's film Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict by Kazuo Koike's strong request.[14][15] His photo book of the film was also released.[16]

He is most famous for his role as the polite and highly idiosyncratic police detective "Furuhata Ninzaburō" in a self-titled drama by Japanese playwright Kōki Mitani.[13] This drama was one of the most popular in its time and one of the most popular dramas in the history of Japanese television. The drama started in 1994 and Tamura continued playing Detective Furuhata until 2006.[2][17]( In 1997, Tamura and Mitani worked together again in Sōrito Yobanaide on Fuji TV.[18])

In 2007, Tamura appeared in the film for the first in 14 years in Last Love.[2][19]

Tamura won "Outstanding Actor" at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for his work in the TV special Ah, You're Really Gone Now in 2009.[20] Tamura appeared in several television dramas related to Chushingura and finally he played the role of "Ōishi Kuranosuke" for the first time in the special drama Chushingura Sono Otoko Ōishi Kuranosuke in 2010.[21]

In 2018, he played the role of "Nemuri Kyoshirō" for the first time in about 20 years in Nemuri Kyoshirō The Final on Fuji TV.[22] But he hinted at his retirement from acting soon after appearing in that TV movie.[23]

He died of heart failure on 3 April 2021 at the age of 77.[24][25][1]

Selected filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1960Hatamoto GurentaiMori TakehichiSeiichi Fukuda[26]
1961Immortal LoveEiichiKeisuke Kinoshita
1962Love Under the CrucifixBrother of OginKinuyo Tanaka
1964The Scent of IncenseEzaki's sonKeisuke Kinoshita
1964Kojiki TaishōHanawakaTokuzō Tanaka
1965Kono koenaki SakebiSasaki ShinichiIchimura TaichiMain role
1966Ameno Nakan FutariKasuga RyujiSakurai HideoMain role
1966Sora Ippai no NamidaSugi ShunsukeJunzo MizukawaMain role
1966Our Wonderful YearsYoshida ShunHeinosuke Gosho
1967A Fool's LoveHamada NobuoYasuzo Masumura
1967Onna no IsshoYayoi SenichiHeinosuke Gosho
1967Double Suicide: Japanese SummerBoyNagisa Oshima
1968A Woman and the Beancurd SoupSakimuraHeinosuke Gosho
1968Higashi ShinakaiChiba RokurōTadahiki IsomiMain role[27]
1968The Yoshiwara StoryNaojirōKazuo Mori
1968Curse of the Blood[28]ShinichirōKazuo HaseMain role
1969Chōkōsō no AkebonoShimamuraHideo Sekigawa
1969Kuro bara no yakataWataruKinji Fukasaku
1969Samurai BannersTakeda NobushigeHiroshi Inagaki
1969Gendai Yakuza: Yotamono JingiKatsumata ToruYasuo Furuhata
1969The Wild SeaShimamura KenTokujirō Yamazaki
1969Nemuri Kyōshirō manji giriUmezu IchirōtaKazuo Ikehiro
1970Decapitation IslandSantarō IsahayaKunihara ToshiakiMain role
1970Onna GokuakuchōIsogai IoriKazuo IkehiroMain role
1970Yakuza ZessyōYujiYasuzo Masumura
1971TabijiKitamura TakashiKōichi Saitō
1973Female Convict Scorpion: Grudge SongTeruo KudoYasuharu Hasebe
1976Kitano YadokaraHigashihata OsamuHirokazu Ichimura
1979Nihon no FixerImaizumi TakeoYasuo FuruhataMain role
1993Lone Wolf and Cub: Final ConflictOgami IttōAkira InoueMain role
2007Last LoveAgawa AkiraMeiji FujitaMain role

Television dramas

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963Hana no Shōgai (花の生涯)Tada TatewakiTaiga drama
1964Akō Rōshi (赤穂浪士)Taiga drama
1965Taikōki (太閤記)Toyotomi HidetsuguTaiga drama
1966Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経)Fujiwara no TadahiraTaiga drama
1971Daichūshingura (大忠臣蔵)Yatō Emoshichi
1971Haru no Sakamichi (春の坂道)Fuwa BansakuTaiga drama
1972Shin Heike Monogatari(新、平家物語)Emperor SutokuTaiga drama
1972-73Nemuri Kyōshirō (眠狂四郎)Nemuri KyōshirōMain role
1973Shinsho Taikōki (新書太閤記)Takenaka Hanbei
1974Unmeitouge (運命峠)Akizuki RokurotaMain role
1977Naruto Hichō (鳴門秘帖)Norizuki GennojōMain role
1977Suna no Utsuwa (砂の器)Eiryō Waga
1979Akō Rōshi (赤穂浪士)Hotta HayatoMain role
1983Natsu ni Koisuru OnnatachiKurahashi MitsuoMain role
1984Uchi no Ko ni Kagitte...Ishibashi ToruMain role
1984Kawaite sōrō (乾いて候)Kainage MondoMain role
1987Papa wa NewscasterKagami RyutarōMain role
1988New York koi MonogatariTajima MasayukiMain role
1989Nemuri KyôshirôNemuri KyōshirōMain role
1991Papa to NatchanShimura GorōMain role
1993Nemuri Kyoshiro: Conspiracy at Edo CastleNemuri KyōshirōMain role
1994Furuhata NinzaburoFuruhata NinzaburoMain role
1996Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Man with No TomorrowNemuri KyōshirōMain role
1996Kyōsōkyoku (協奏曲)Ebisawa KōsukeMain role
1997Sōrito YobanaidePrime MinisterMain role
1998Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Woman Who Loved KyoshiroNemuri KyōshirōMain role
1998JinbēTakanashi JinbēMain role
2000OyajîKanichi KanzakiMain role
2001Sayônara, Ozu-senseiOzuMain role
2006Furuhata Ninzaburo FinalFuruhata NinzaburoMain role
2006Dare Yorimo Mama o Ai suKamon KazutoyoMain role
2007Chushingura Otonashino KenYūki KeinosukeMain role
2009Ah, You're Really Gone NowMain role
2010Chushingura Sono Otoko Ōishi KuranosukeŌishi YoshioMain role
2009GiwakuTakukichi SaharaMain role
2011Kokuhatsu Kokusen BengoninTakuji SaharaMain role
2013Samurai Rebellion(上意討ち～拝領妻始末)Isaburo SasaharaMain role
2018Nemuri Kyoshirō The FinalNemuri KyōshirōMain role

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1994The television drama academy AwardsBest ActorFuruhata Ninzaburo
1996The television drama academy AwardsBest ActorFuruhata Ninzaburo
2001The television drama academy AwardsBest ActorSayônara, Ozu-sensei
2009Monte-Carlo Television FestivalOutstanding ActorAh, You're Really Gone Now

References

  1. ^ "俳優の田村正和さん死去、77歳 「古畑任三郎」などで人気" (in Japanese). Tokyo Shimbun. 2021-05-18. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Masakazu Tamura biography". Kinema Junpo. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ^ 鳴門秘帖　ガイドブック　上　NHKドラマ制作班　1977 p.149
  4. ^ "Masakazu Tamura". kotobank. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  5. ^ 日本映画人名事典 1996年度　下 P.150-151 キネマ旬報社 ISBN 4873761891
  6. ^ 役者は一日にしてならず　春日太一　田村亮インタビュー　p.271ISBN 978-4093798693
  7. ^ "Masakazu Tamura profile". VIPTIMES. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ^ 昭和の名優100列伝　P.278北辰堂出版 ISBN 4864271852
  9. ^ "テレビの中心に居続ける美学 京都撮影所で語った田村正和さん". 47NEWS. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  10. ^ "女囚さそり 701号怨み節". 日本映画情報. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  11. ^ 週刊Heibon 1983年　第1232号　p.24-25
  12. ^ "「無名の兄」が明かす 弟・田村正和との「帰らざる日々」". Shūkan Gendai. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  13. ^ 昭和の名優100列伝　P.278-279 北辰堂出版 ISBN 4864271852
  14. ^ "Kozure Ōkami: Sono chiisaki te ni". 一般社団法人 日本映画製作者連盟. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
  15. ^ 子連れ狼 その小さき手に Official pamphlet P.4
  16. ^ 田村正和 子連れ狼その小さき手に 1992 Shueisha, Noriaki Yokosuka ISBN 9784087801736
  17. ^ 現代日本映画人名事典　男優篇 キネマ旬報社　2012　P.180-181 ISBN 978-4873763873
  18. ^ "ja:総理と呼ばないで" (in Japanese). ファミリー劇場. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  19. ^ "ラストラブ". 日本映画情報. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  20. ^ "『そうか、もう君はいないのか』主演の田村正和さんが「モンテカルロ・テレビ祭」で最優秀男優賞を受賞". Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  21. ^ "ドラマスペシャル 忠臣蔵〜その男、大石内蔵助". ザテレビジョン. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  22. ^ "田村正和「眠狂四郎The Final」始動 "最後"の当たり役に入魂". 産経新聞. 2017-07-11. Retrieved 2017-08-14.
  23. ^ "俳田村正和が本誌に引退宣言 僕はもう十分にやったよ". Friday. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Actor Masakazu Tamura, star on TV and in film over 60-year career, dies at 77". Japantimes. 2021-05-19. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  25. ^ "Popular Japanese actor Masakazu Tamura with 60-year career dies at 77". The Mainichi. 2021-05-19. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  26. ^ "Hatamoto Gurentai". Schochiku. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  27. ^ "東シナ海". 日本映画情報システム. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
  28. ^ "Curse of the Blood". eiga.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.