Acting · Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan · Born February 16, 1931
Ken Takakura (高倉 健, Takakura Ken), born Gouichi Oda (February 16, 1931, in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan), was a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles. Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka. This subject was covered in one of his most famous movies, Showa Zankyo-den (Remnants of Chivalry in the Showa Era), in which he played an honorable old-school yakuza among the violent post-war gurentai. A graduate of Meiji University in Tokyo Takakura happened by an audition in 1955 at the Toei Film Company, and decided to look in. Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. Japan experienced a boom in gangster films in the 1960s as the Japanese people struggled with the generational differences between those raised in pre-war and post-war Japan and these were Takakura's stock and trade. His breakout role would be in the 1965 film Abashiri Prison, and its sequel Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen (Abashiri Prison: Longing for Home, also 1965), in which he played an ex-con antihero. By the time Takakura would leave Toei in 1976, he had appeared in over 180 films. Takakura gained international recognition after starring in the 1970 war film Too Late the Hero as the cunning Imperial Japanese Major Yamaguchi, the 1975 Sydney Pollack sleeper hit The Yakuza with Robert Mitchum and is probably best known in the West for his role in Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989) where he surprises American cops played by Michael Douglas and Andy García with the line, "I do speak fucking English". He again proved himself bankable to Western audiences with the 1992 Fred Schepisi comedy Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck. While he has slowed down a bit in his older years, he is still active. His most recent film was the 2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles by Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Takakura, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
MovieKen San
2016
as Self
MovieDearest
2012
as Eiji Shimakura
MovieBlack Rain: Making The Film
2006
as Self (archive footage)
MovieRiding Alone for Thousands of Miles
2005
as Gou-ichi Takata
MovieThe Firefly
2001
as Yamaoka Shuji
MovieRailroad Man
1999
as Otomatsu Sato
TVSMAP×SMAP
1996
as Bistro Guest
MovieThe detective whose path was crossed by a snake
1995
Movie47 Ronin
1994
as Kuranosuke Oishi
TVKorekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi
1993
MovieMr. Baseball
1992
as Uchiyama
TVAn Elegy of Tyrole
1992
as Tateishi Jiro
MovieRobert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star
1991
as Self (archive footage)
MovieBuddies
1989
as Kadokura
MovieBlack Rain
1989
as Masahiro
MovieUmi e, See You
1988
as Eiji Honma
MovieDemon
1985
as Shuji
MovieA Portrait of the Author
1984
as Self
MovieChoji Snack Bar
1983
as Eiji
MovieAntarctica
1983
as Ushioda
MovieThe Longest Tunnel
1982
as Go Akutsu
MovieKarate Cop
1982
as Detective Mikami
MovieStation
1981
as Eiji Mikami
MovieA Distant Cry from Spring
1980
as Kosaku Tajima
MovieThe Revolt
1980
as Keisuke Miyagi
MovieNever Give Up
1978
as Takeshi Ajisawa
MovieWinter's Flower
1978
as Hidetsugu Kano
TVOlder brother
1977
as Eiji
MovieThe Yellow Handkerchief
1977
as Yusaku Shima
MovieMount Hakkoda
1977
as Captain Tokushima
MovieManhunt
1976
as Morioka
MovieThe International Gang of Kobe
1975
as Masato Dan
MovieThe Bullet Train
1975
as Tetsuo Okita
MovieGreat Jailbreak
1975
as Ichiro Kozue
MoviePath of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack
1975
MovieThe Yakuza
1974
as Tanaka Ken
MovieThe Homeless
1974
as Jokichi Anabuki
MovieThird Generation Boss
1974
MovieGolgo 13
1973
as Duke Togo / Golgo 13
MovieYakuza of the Present
1973
as Ryoichi Shimaya
MovieJapan's Top Gangster
1973
as Kazuo Taoka
MovieContemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die
1972
MovieNew Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm
1972
MovieThe Pledge
1972
MovieLullaby for a Tough Guy
1972
MovieThe Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang
1972
as Kuramoto
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter
1971
MovieThe Man
1971
MovieContemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love
1971
as Hidejiro Hanada
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape
1971
MoviePatience Has An End
1971
as Isamu Tekada
MovieDagger
1971
MovieBloodiest Flower
1971
MovieThe Path of the King
1971
as Ryutaro Fudo
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow
1970
MovieThe Domain: Rising Dragon
1970
MovieThe Last Kamikaze
1970
as Koji Yashiro
MovieBrutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny
1970
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri
1970
MovieYukyo-retsuden
1970
MovieToo Late the Hero
1970
as Major Yamaguchi
MovieThe Japan Derby Race
1970
MovieA Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life
1970
MovieHouse of Gamblers
1970
MovieBrave Red Flower of the North
1970
MovieGambler's Legacy
1969
as Tsukuda Ginjiro
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town
1969
MovieBrutal Tales of Chivalry 6
1969
MovieMemoir of Japanese Assassinations
1969
as Saburo Aizawa
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri 2
1969
MovieSamurai Geisha
1969
as Shimada Seikichi
MovieThe Domain: Flower and Dragon
1969
as Kingoro Tamai
MovieBrothers Serving Time
1969
MovieThe Biggest Gamble
1969
as Shuzo Honjo
MovieRed Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony
1969
as Koji Yashiro
MovieBrutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo
1969
as Hanada Hidejiro
MovieRed Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game
1969
as Shogo Hanaoka
MovieNew Prison Walls of Abashiri
1968
as Katsuji Suehiro
MovieGambler Biography
1968
The Day the Sun Rose
1968
MovieHishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza
1968
MovieRogue
1968
as Isamu Oba
MovieRed Peony Gambler
1968
as Naoki Katagiri
MovieHistories of the Chivalrous
1968
MovieThe Drifting Avenger
1968
as Ken Kato
MoviePrison Boss
1968
MovieThe Domain: Severed Relations
1968
MovieA Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm
1967
as Shin-ichi Tachibana
MovieCode of Chivalry
1967
MovieThe Domain: Where The Blade Enters
1967
MovieAbashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil
1967
as Shin-ichi Tachibana
MovieContemporary Tales of Chivalry 4
1967
MovieClassmates
1967
as First Lieutenant Kenmochi
MovieThe Chivalrous Life
1967
as Ryuma Ibuki
MovieAbashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido
1967
MovieThe Domain: White Blade
1967
MovieAbashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country
1966
MovieGlorious Fights
1966
as Ichiro Takita
MovieThe Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate
1966
MovieAbashiri Prison: Duel in the South
1966
MovieContemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf
1966
MovieShowdown of Men
1966
MovieThe Kamikaze Guy
1966
as Fumio Kuroki
MovieThe Bullet and the Horse
1966
MovieThe Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown
1966
MovieContemporary Tales of Chivalry 2
1966
MoviePrison Walls of Abashiri 4
1965
as Shin'ichi Tachibana
MoviePrison Walls of Abashiri 3
1965
as Shinichi Tachibana
MovieBrutal Tales of Chivalry
1965
as Seiji Terajima
MovieMiyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro
1965
as Sasaki Kojiro
MovieThe Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry
1965
MoviePrison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2
1965
as Shinichi Tachibana
MovieAbashiri Prison
1965
as Shinichi Tachibana
MovieTokyo Untouchable
1965
as Yoshio Harada
MovieThe Domain: The Naniwa Story
1965
MovieA Fugitive from the Past
1965
as Ajimura
MovieThe Boss
1965
MovieStorm Party
1964
MovieWolves, Pigs & Men
1964
as Jiro Kuroki, the second brother
MovieThe Domain
1964
MovieMain Street in the Underworld
1964
MovieAn Outlaw
1964
as Minami
MovieJakoman and Tetsu
1964
as Tetsu
MovieTokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang
1964
MovieMiyamoto Musashi IV: The Duel at Ichijo-ji Temple
1964
as Sasaki Kojiro
MovieGang Loyalty and Vengeance
1963
as Asano
MovieBlackmail
1963
MovieMiyamoto Musashi III: Birth of Two Sword Style
1963
as Sasaki Kojiro
MovieDuel of the Underworld
1963
MovieDefeat the Boss
1963
MovieThe Big Boss
1963
MovieLife of Hishakaku
1963
MovieTokyo Untouchable: Escape
1963
as Yoshio Harada
MovieViolent Street
1963
MovieEleven Gangsters
1963
as Sawagami
MovieUragirimono wa jigoku daze
1962
MovieOperation Diamond
1962
MovieHell's Kitchen
1962
Movie365 Nights
1962
MovieTokyo's Business District
1962
MovieSong of Kagoshima
1962
as Shuhei Tategami
MovieTales of President Mito
1962
as Sukesaburo Sasa
MovieLady Sen and Hideyori
1962
as Naomori
MovieAll Rascals
1962
MovieThe Escape
1962
MovieThe Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka
1962
MovieSouth Pacific Waves Are High
1962
MovieDevil's Nursery Rhyme
1961
as Kosuke Kindaichi
MovieFeisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san
1961
as Kenichi Oka
MovieMannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues
1961
as Tarô Mannen
MovieThe Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado
1961
MovieFlower, Storm and Gangster
1961
as 'Smiley' Ken
MovieA Fishwife's Tale
1961
MovieThe World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Whirlwind
1961
as Tarō Senpū
MovieHell's Juggler
1961
MovieThe Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4
1961
as Kenichi Hanamura
MovieIf You're Man Enough
1960
MovieStorming Squadron
1960
MovieThe Sand City in Manchuria
1960
as Hari
MovieThe Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3
1960
MovieThe World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Rush
1960
MovieOutlaw Under a Blue Canopy
1960
MovieDelinquent Angel
1960
MovieThe Great Road
1960
The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2
1960
Movie続べらんめぇ芸者
1960
MovieThe Second Bullet is Marked
1960
MovieThe World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Eternity
1960
MovieThe Counterfeiters
1959
MovieFour Hours of Terror
1959
as Captain Yamamoto
MovieThe Silent Murder
1959
MovieNight of the Suspicions
1959
as 久里 / 島
MovieHell's Companion
1959
MovieA Dead Drifter
1959
MovieA Man's Dark Finger
1959
MovieThe Happy Family
1959
MovieThe Bastards of Lawless Town
1959
as Fumio Sone
MovieSister with Sister
1958
as Hiroshi Ishioka
MovieThe Outsiders
1958
as Ichitaro Kazamori
MovieWith Songs in My Heart
1958
MovieMidair Circus
1958
MovieDetective Duel
1958
MovieHis Pistol is Hell
1958
MovieBeyond the Seasonal Wind
1958
Romance Freestyle
1958
MovieMonsoon Son Pt.2
1958
MovieMonsoon Son
1958
MovieMan of Thirteen Eyes
1958
MovieNo Advice Taken
1958
MovieJet Air Base 101
1957
as Jiro Nakata
MovieShowdown in Blood
1957
MovieThe Deep Blue Sea
1957
MovieMen Fighting Whales
1957
as Yosuke Yamagami
Employee Full of Fight
1957
as Tani
Movie恐怖の空中殺人
1956
as 島田寿夫
MovieMother Peacock
1956
MovieManchurian Sunset
1956
as Shintaro
MovieG-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization
1956
MovieThe Chop Professor
1956
MovieLightning Karate Blow
1956
MovieMeteor Karate Strike
1956
