Acting · Tokyo, Japan · Born March 1, 1933
Yōko Minamida (南田 洋子, Minamida Yōko, March 1, 1933 – October 21, 2009) was a Japanese actress. Born in Tokyo, Minamida made her screen debut in 1953 for the Daiei studio and quickly rose to stardom, working with Kenji Mizoguchi on two films: “A Story from Chikamatsu” and “Princess Yang Kwei-fei.” In 1955, she moved to the Nikkatsu studio, where she starred in Takumi Furukawa’s “Season of the Sun” (1956), a smash hit that launched the so-called “Sun Tribe” boom for films about rebellious youth looking for sex and kicks on Shonan Beach — Japan’s nearest equivalent to Malibu. Minamida acted in dozens of movies for Nikkatsu, working with Shohei Imamura, Seijun Suzuki, and other directors. In 1961 she married her co-star on “Season of the Sun,” Hiroyuki Nagato. As she acted in fewer movies after the mid-1960s, Minamida made a smooth and successful transition to TV as both an actress and MC. She also continued to appear occasionally in movies, with the last being Nobuhiko Obayashi’s “Song of Goodbye” in 2006. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in November 2008, and a TV documentary was made about her condition and the efforts of her husband to care for her. She died in Tokyo.
MovieSong of Goodbye
2007
as Kyoko Tanabe
MovieThe Motive
2004
as Kinue Ishida
TVGokusen
2002
as Matsubara
TVLost Paradise
1997
as Eto Kuniko
MovieSalaryman Senka
1995
Ai yo, Nemuranaide
1993
砂山の唄殺人事件
1990
MovieYellow Fangs
1990
as Kiyo
TVTears of a Swan
1989
as Atsuko Kawata
MovieThis Story of Love
1987
MovieStar Ranch
1987
MovieZero
1984
as Ine Hamada
TVYôi don
1982
as 栄市の母・せい
MovieAt Noon
1978
MovieTake Me Away!
1978
as Tomi Oguchi
MovieHouse
1977
as Hausu Karei
MovieThe Wild Daisy
1977
as Fuki - Masao's Mother
MovieJapanese Humanity and Justice
1977
MovieAme no meguri ai
1977
TVAkai Shougeki
1976
MovieTime of First Love
1975
MovieKarafuto 1945 Summer
1974
MovieThe Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang
1972
as Maid
TVNiji
1970
as 三谷かな子
MovieA Young Man's Stronghold
1970
MovieChivalrous Pride
1969
MovieTale of the Last Japanese Yakuza
1969
MovieThe Domain: Where The Blade Enters
1967
MoviePortrait of Chieko
1967
as Kazuko Tsubaki
MovieThe Domain: White Blade
1967
MovieDebt of Honor
1966
as Oiku
MovieGlorious Fights
1966
as Akemi
TVNET Playhouse
1966
as Nobuko Muroi
MovieShowdown of Men
1966
MovieThe Kingdom of Jirocho 4
1965
MovieThe Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry
1965
MovieUnderworld Code
1965
MovieIrogotoshi harudanji
1965
as Otama
MovieThe Tattooed Lord
1965
MovieThe Soundless Cry
1965
as Tokie Matsuura
MovieThe Domain: The Naniwa Story
1965
MoviePrison Gambler
1964
as Kimura Uta
MovieThe Domain
1964
MovieGambler
1964
as Kimura Uta
MovieAn Outlaw
1964
MovieJakoman and Tetsu
1964
as Masa
MovieTo Your Majesty, The Emperor 2
1964
as Misato
MovieOkashina yatsu
1963
as Fujiko, Shuntô
MovieThe Gambling Monk
1963
MovieKyu-chan, Draw Your Sword
1963
MovieKiriko's Tango
1963
MovieLove Comes with Youth
1963
MovieI Have the Sun in My Back
1963
as Sachiko
MovieA Modern Samurai Village
1963
as Yasu Tajima
MovieBeyond the Green Hills
1963
as Umetaro
MovieThe Guys Who Put Money on Me
1962
as Sanae Kitazawa
MovieGlass-Hearted Johnny
1962
as Yumi
MovieThe Rambler Returns Home
1962
MovieLast Round
1962
MovieSun and Stars
1962
MovieBlack Dice
1962
MovieOtoko to otoko no ikiru machi
1962
MovieZurari oretacha yōjinbō
1961
MovieWind and waves of the South
1961
as Yasuko, Kazuo's foster mother
MovieGun of Nosappu
1961
MovieThe Crimson Plains
1961
as Sakie Yazaki
MovieThe Man with a Shotgun
1961
as Harue
MovieQuick Draw Joe
1961
as Jane, the dancer
MovieJoe of Aces: Gambling for a Living
1961
as Yuri Harada
MovieTokyo Knights
1961
as Koji's Mother
MoviePigs and Battleships
1961
as Katsuyo
MovieHe Killed Dad
1961
MovieTales of a Gunman: The Man Without Tomorrow
1960
as Sumi
MovieThe Rambler Rides Again
1960
MovieBet on a Seaside Romance
1960
MovieLone Wolf
1960
as Naomi
MovieJungle Block
1960
as Kayoko Komuro
MovieReturn of the Vagabond
1960
MovieYakuza Song
1960
MovieThe Law's Bloody Wounds
1960
as 榎本吟子
MovieWhen a Man Risks His Life
1959
MovieA Turning to Hell
1959
as Takako
MovieElegy to Youth
1959
MovieFarewell to Southern Tosa
1959
MovieYuganda tsuki
1959
as Namiko Eda
MovieUmi wa kurutte iru
1959
MovieWounded Beast
1959
MovieWe Live Today
1959
MovieMasked Woman
1959
MovieGet Over Her
1959
as Yukie
MovieOsaka no kaze
1958
MovieVoice Without a Shadow
1958
as Asako Kotani
MovieTaiyō o buchi otose
1958
MovieUnga
1958
as Ryôko Fujiyama
Movie死の壁の脱出
1958
as Sayan
MovieStolen Desire
1958
as Chidori Yamamura
MovieThe Awakening
1957
MovieMountain Pass
1957
MovieBut the Flesh is Weak
1957
MovieThe Barefoot Girl
1957
MovieA Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1957
as Koharu
MovieThe Champion
1957
as Natsuko Miyagawa
MovieStreetlights
1957
as 早川千鶴子
MovieAishū no sono
1957
MovieDancing Sisters
1957
MovieHungry Soul, Part II
1956
as Reiko Shiba
MovieHungry Soul
1956
as Reiko Shiba
Tonari no yome
1956
MovieOur Town
1956
as Otsuru / Kimie
MovieSeason of the Sun
1956
as Eiko Takeda
The Happy Dancers
1956
as Michiko Morishita
The Motherless
1955
as Tomiko
MovieThe Doctor
1955
MovieA Daughter's Life Guide
1955
as 田部三津子
MoviePrincess Yang Kwei-fei
1955
as Hung-tao
MovieA Girl Isn't Allowed to Love
1955
MovieMiss Teacher
1955
MovieChikamatsu Monogatari
1954
as Otama
MovieHaha tokidori
1954
MovieRakka no mon
1954
MovieJūdai no yūwaku
1953
MovieZoku zoku Jûdai no seiten
1953
MovieZoku jūdai no seiten
1953
as Akiko Yasutomi
MovieJūdai no seiten
1953
Himitsu
1952
