Acting · Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan · Born November 28, 1909
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.
MovieKinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009
as Self (archive footage)
MovieLullaby of the Earth
1976
MovieCape of the North
1976
as Old Nun
MovieLet's Go, Grandma!
1975
as Kiku Sasaki
MovieKenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975
as Self
MovieSandakan No. 8
1974
as Old Osaki
MovieSanbaba
1974
MovieTora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
as The Old Family Mistress
TVMominoki wa Nokotta
1970
as Tsuta
MovieRed Beard
1965
as Madame Yasumoto
MovieKono sora no aru kagiri
1964
MovieThe Scent of Incense
1964
as Tsuna
MovieBright Sea
1963
as Nobuko Yazaki
MovieAlone Across the Pacific
1963
as Youth's Mother
MovieA Legend or Was It?
1963
as Shizuko Sonobe
MovieDouble Wedding
1963
MovieMama, I Need You!
1962
MovieThe Fencing Master
1962
as Oharu
MovieA Wanderer's Notebook
1962
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
MovieEternity of Love
1961
as Michi's Mother
MovieHer Brother
1960
as Mother
MovieThe Three Treasures
1959
as Princess Yamato
MovieChikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959
as Myokan
MovieHahakogusa
1959
as Shige Ozawa
MovieThe Eternal Rainbow
1958
as Fumi
MovieEquinox Flower
1958
as Kiyoko Hirayama
MovieThe Ballad of Narayama
1958
as Orin
MovieSorrow Is Only for Women
1958
MovieOn This Earth
1957
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
MovieGeisha in the Old City
1957
as Oei
MovieStepbrothers
1957
as Rie
MovieYellow Crow
1957
as Yukiko Matsumoto
MovieFlowing
1956
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
MovieThe Storm
1956
MovieWomen in Prison
1956
as Prison Warden
How Sorrowful
1956
MovieThis Is Home
1956
MovieConfession
1956
MovieForever a Woman
1955
as Neighbor's Wife
MovieTsukiyo no kasa
1955
MovieShōnen shikeishū
1955
MovieHouse of Many Pleasures
1955
as Oshige
MovieThe Moon Has Risen
1955
as Yoneya
MovieThe Woman in the Rumor
1954
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
MovieFive Sisters
1954
MovieSansho the Bailiff
1954
as Tamaki
MovieLove Letter
1953
as Landlady
MovieAn Heir's Place
1953
as Hisa Hosho
MovieUgetsu
1953
as Miyagi
MovieWhere Chimneys Are Seen
1953
as Hiroko Ogata
MovieSincere Heart
1953
as Kuniko
Himitsu
1952
MovieMother
1952
as Masako Fukuhara
MovieThe Ataka Family
1952
as Kuniko Ataka
MovieThe Life of Oharu
1952
as Oharu
MovieSisters of Nishijin
1952
MovieStory of Lightning
1951
MovieThe Lady of Musashino
1951
as Michiko Akiyama
MovieMiss Oyu
1951
as Oyû Kayukawa
MovieGinza Cosmetics
1951
as Yukiko Tsuji
MovieThe Inner Palace Conspiracy
1951
as Onaka
MovieThe Munekata Sisters
1950
as Setsuko Munekata
MovieWedding Ring
1950
as Noriko Kuki
MovieYotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
MovieYotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
MovieFlame of My Love
1949
as Eiko Hirayama
MovieA Hen in the Wind
1948
as Tokiko Amamiya
MovieWomen of the Night
1948
as Fusako Owada
MoviePhoenix
1947
as Sayoko Aihara
MovieThe Love of the Actress Sumako
1947
as Sumako Matsui
MovieMarriage
1947
as Fumie Matsukawa
MovieUtamaro and His Five Women
1946
as Okita
MovieVictory of Women
1946
as Hiroko Hosokawa
Kanojo no hatsugen
1946
MovieA Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945
as Okinu
MovieVictory Song
1945
as Woman who sings lullaby
MovieMiyamoto Musashi
1944
as Shinobu Nonomiya
MovieArmy
1944
as Waka
MovieThe Man Who Has Returned
1944
MovieAir Raid of the Enemy Plane
1943
as Kiyo
MovieKaisen no Zenya
1943
MovieA Certain Woman
1942
MovieRecord of a Woman Doctor
1941
MovieOrnamental Hairpin
1941
as Emi
MovieFlower
1941
MovieLet's Go in Good Spirits
1941
MovieOkinu and Banto
1940
MovieOsaka Woman
1940
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
1940
as Chiyo
MovieKinuyo's First Love
1940
MovieWeeds with flowers
1939
MovieZoku aizen katsura
1939
MovieSpring Thunder
1939
MovieOkayo's Preparedness
1939
as Okayo
MovieThe Tree of Love
1938
as Katsue Takaishi
MovieMother and Child
1938
as Chieko
MovieBanchō sarayashiki
1937
MovieA Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
MovieA Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
MovieLady Doctor Kinuyo
1937
as Kinuyo Yamaoka
MovieSong of the Flower Basket
1937
as Yoko
MovieThe New Road: Ryota
1936
MovieThe New Road: Akemi
1936
MovieMen vs. Women
1936
MovieBurden of Life
1935
as Itsuko Kuriyama
MovieOkoto and Sasuke
1935
as Okoto
MovieAn Innocent Maid
1935
as Oshige
MovieMy Elder Brother
1934
as Sumako
That Night's Woman
1934
MovieOsayo Koi Sugata
1934
as Osayo
Storm in the City
1934
Honeymoon
1934
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
1934
Sakura Ondo
1934
MovieThe Genealogy of Women
1934
as Otsuta
Mother of the East
1934
as Taeko
Sôbô
1933
as Yoshiko Chō
MovieDaphne
1933
as Tamayō (Geisha)
MovieBefore the Wedding
1933
as Yukiko Takada
The Road to Marriage
1933
Clear and Cloudy
1933
as Fusako Kawahara
MovieDragnet Girl
1933
as Tokiko
The Cheerleading Captain's Love
1933
as Omitsu
MovieWoman of Tokyo
1933
as Harue
MovieThe Dancing Girl of Izu
1933
as Kaoru, a dancer
MovieThe Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933
as Haruko, bride
MovieThe Loyal 47 Ronin
1932
as Yae
Storm Zone
1932
MovieWhere Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932
as Oshige
Love in Tokyo
1932
MovieShine, Japanese Women
1932
as Shigeko
MovieStudio Romance: A Guide to Love
1932
The Sun Rises from the East
1932
as Miyoko
The Willows of Ginza
1932
My Brother's a Fool
1932
MovieVictory or Defeat
1932
The Golden Demon
1932
as Omiya
Woman of Suffering
1931
MovieABC Lifeline
1931
MovieABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
1931
The Tramp and His Daughter
1931
MovieThe Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931
as Wife of the Playwright
Sisters: Part 1
1931
Sisters: Part 2
1931
Cry Cheerfully!
1931
MovieLove, Be with Humanity: Part 1
1931
as Mayumi
MovieLove, Be with Humanity: Part 2
1931
as Mayumi
MovieYoung Lady
1930
as Kinuko
MovieYouth, Why Do You Cry?
1930
as Kozue Uesugi
MovieRecord of Love and Desire
1930
MovieThe Tale of Kinuyo
1930
as Kinuyo
MovieMother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
1930
The Great Ship
1930
The Big City: Explosion
1930
MovieWhere Do Women Go?
1930
as Omitsu
A Smiling Life
1930
MovieI Flunked, But...
1930
as Cafe's Waitress
Song of Youth
1930
as Kinuko Yamada
MovieMarching On
1930
as Toshiko Yamamoto
The Beating
1930
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
1929
as Yuki Matsuyama
The Father and His Son
1929
MovieI Graduated, But...
1929
as Machiko Nomoto
Cheerful Song
1929
as Mamoko
The Model of New Women
1929
The Big City: Labor
1929
as Okimi (cleaning woman)
The Village Where the Skylark Sings
1929
Him and Life
1929
Echigo Lion
1929
MovieThe Blacksmith of the Forest
1929
as Omitsu
Symphony of Youth
1928
as Kinuko Noguchi
MovieThe Glory of the Shōwa Era
1928
as Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa Chapter)
MovieKing of the Land
1928
as Namiko
Thank You for Your Hard Work
1928
A Wife Quits
1928
The Face of Humanity
1928
What a Handsome Man!
1928
as Shikanyu (geisha)
Iron Virgin
1928
as Namiko
MovieThe Eternal Heart
1928
Immortal Love
1928
The Age of Emotion
1928
The Village Bride
1928
If Only She...
1928
MovieChronicles of a Sea Country
1928
as Oaki (Sister)
Modern Warrior Training
1928
Night is a Trickster
1927
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
1927
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
1927
as Oshizu (Tazaemon's Daughter)
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
1927
as Kaōgi (Courtesan)
Madame Pearl
1927
Song of the Border Patrol
1927
as Tsutae
Magic
1927
An Embarrassing Dream
1927
Takada no Baba
1927
The Harakiri at Tennōji
1927
The Basement
1927
Yakko no Koman
1927
Secret Struggle
1927
Her
1926
Flashing Blade
1926
Buried Youth
1926
The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge
1926
Useless Button
1926
The Cursed Sword
1926
as Owaka
Love and Courage
1926
The Betrayed
1926
as O-Fumi
Torrent
1926
MovieYoung Master
1926
as Tamako (Geisha in training)
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
1926
Townspeople
1926
Troubled Days
1926
as Osaki (Reiko's Sister)
No Need for Your Opinion
1925
as Daughter
MovieFallen Samurai
1925
as Omaki
Love's Snare
1925
as Osato (Thread Shop Owner)
The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
1925
as Otami
Nature Is the Judge
1925
Brave Love
1925
Cry of the Raging Current
1925
as Okimi
The Little Traveling Entertainer
1925
as Okiku
MovieVillage Pasture
1924
as Oharu
A Woman from the Genroku Era
1924
