Acting · Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan · Born February 27, 1908
Kazuo Hasegawa was a Japanese film and stage actor. He appeared in over 300 films from 1927 to 1963. Born to a sake brewing family in Kyoto, he first appeared on stage at age five in a theater run by his family as a side business. In 1918, he became a student of Nakamura Ganjirō I and performed kabuki in the Kansai region. He joined the Shochiku studio in 1927 and made his film debut in Chigo no kenpō under the name Chōjirō Hayashi. His good looks and graceful fighting style made him a major jidaigeki star, and he appeared in more than 120 films for Shochiku in 11 years, with the best works being directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. He moved to the Toho studio in 1937. On 11 November 1937, however, he was attacked by ruffians and his face slashed with razor blades. According to the historian Daisuke Miyao, "Even though there was no clear evidence, it was widely assumed that this violent incident was Shochiku's retaliatory measure against Hayashi's so-called betrayal." He recovered and changed his stage name to his real name, Kazuo Hasegawa. Hasegawa appeared in many successful films for Toho, including several "national-policy pictures with Chinese settings," such as Song of the White Orchid (1939) and China Night (1940), with co-star Ri Koran. He moved to Daiei Film in 1950 and continued appearing in the popular Zenigata Heiji series. He also appeared in many classic films including Kozaburo Yoshimura's The Tale of Genji (1951), Kinugasa's Gate of Hell (1953), and Kenji Mizoguchi's The Crucified Lovers (1954). He was appointed to Daiei's board of directors in 1957. To celebrate his 300th film, Hasegawa appeared in a new version of Yukinojō henge (known abroad as An Actor's Revenge) in 1963, directed by Kon Ichikawa. He left Daiei that year and continued to appear on stage and television, including starring in the second NHK Taiga drama Akō Rōshi in 1964. He also directed the Takarazuka Revue version of The Rose of Versailles in 1974.
TVAkō Rōshi
1964
as Ooishi Kuranosuke
MovieAn Actor's Revenge
1963
as Yukinojo Nakamura / Yamitaro the Thief
MovieThe Great Wall
1962
MovieThe Demon of Sendai's Castle
1962
MovieNakayoshi ondo: Nippon ichi dayo
1962
MovieSabakareru Echizen no kami
1962
MovieThe Casebooks of Zenigata Heiji: The Beautiful Shark
1961
MovieMito Komon’s Journey to Ezo
1961
as Mito Komon
Zenigata Heiji Case Files: Enma's Nightly Ledger
1961
as Zenigata Heiji
Movie晴小袖
1961
Movie風来物語 あばれ飛車
1960
MovieScars of Honor
1960
as Chouemon Takakura
MovieThe Last Betrayal
1960
as Ryūtarō Tsumura
Jirocho Fuji 2: The Chivalrous
1960
MovieThe Demon of Mount Oe
1960
as Shuten-dôji
MovieThe Casebooks of Heiji Zenigata: Beautiful Spider
1960
as Zenigata Heiji
MovieThe Two Musashis
1960
Movie風来物語任侠篇
1959
MovieUtamaro, Painter of the Woman
1959
as Kitagawa Utamaro
MovieActor Shark
1959
MovieThe Ghost of Yotsuya
1959
as Iemon Tamiya
MovieJirocho Fuji
1959
as Shimizu no Jirocho
MovieThe Gaijin
1959
MovieThe Woman and the Pirate
1959
as 御崎庄五郎
MovieGambler and the Princess
1959
as Yatarô
MovieAmbush at Iga Pass
1958
as Araki Mataemon
MovieNichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion
1958
as Nichiren
MovieHana no yukyo-den
1958
MovieInochi wo Kakeru Otoko
1958
MovieThe Loyal 47 Ronin
1958
as Kuranosuke Ôishi
MovieShogun's Holiday
1958
MovieThe Magnificent Five
1958
MovieSecret of Naruto
1957
MovieNinjō misui
1957
MovieFloating Vessel
1957
MovieDaiei Studio is Bustling
1957
MovieCase Files of Zenigata Heiji: The Cursed Coin
1957
MovieTsukigata Hanpeita
1956
as Tsukigata Hanpeita
Notebooks of Heiji Zenigata: Spider on the Skin
1956
MovieZangiku monogatari
1956
as Kikunosuke
MovieZenigata Heiji Case Files: The Dead Beauty in the Bathhouse
1956
MovieThree Women Around Yoshinaka
1956
as Jirô-Yoshinaka Kiso
MovieMigratory Birds of the Flowers
1956
MovieTôjûrô no koi
1955
as Tojuro Sakata
MovieA Girl Isn't Allowed to Love
1955
MovieChikamatsu Monogatari
1954
as Mohei
MovieZenigata Heiji: Ghost Lord
1954
A Samurai's Love
1954
MovieOmatsuri hanjiro
1953
MovieGate of Hell
1953
as Moritō Endō
MovieAn Heir's Place
1953
as Yagoro Hosho
MovieOne Thousand Ryo Ship in the Wind and Clouds
1952
勘太郎月夜唄
1952
Dedication of the Great Buddha
1952
Movie治郎吉格子
1952
as 治郎吉
MovieThe Man from the Moon
1951
MovieLantern Under a Full Moon
1951
MovieThe Tale of Genji
1951
as Hikaru Genji
MovieJudge of the Ashuras
1951
MoviePhoenix
1950
MovieKoga Manshion
1949
MovieZenigata Heiji Detective Story: Heiji Covers All of Edo
1949
as Zenigata Heiji
MovieYūkyō no mure
1948
MovieGhosts Die at Dawn
1948
as Kohei
MovieThe Devil of Edo
1947
MovieLord for a Night
1946
MovieHinoki Butai
1946
MovieA Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945
as Kanbei Kanzamon
I Believe I Am Being Followed
1945
Harbor of Life
1944
MovieThe Way of Drama
1944
MovieIdaten Kaido
1944
as Hagiwara
MovieThe Sculpture of Master Choji
1943
as Chōji
Movie音楽大進軍
1943
as Kazuo Hasegawa
MovieKantaro of Ina
1943
MovieDance of the Capital
1942
MovieOmokage no machi
1942
Onna keizu
1942
as Hayase
MovieThe Man Who Waited
1942
MovieA Man's Flower Road of Triumph
1941
as Utaemon Nakamura
MovieThe Battle of Kawanakajima
1941
as Hyakuzô
MovieDancers of Awa
1941
MovieIemitsu and Hikoza
1941
MovieThe Seven Changes of a Paper Crane (Part 2)
1941
MovieThe Seven Changes of a Paper Crane (Part 1)
1941
MovieThe Man Who Disappeared Yesterday
1941
MovieOath on the Burning Sands
1940
MovieZoku Hebihimesama
1940
as Hinokiya Sentarô
MovieThe Burning Sky
1940
The Snake Princess
1940
as Hinokiya Sentarô
MovieChina Night
1940
Song of the White Orchid
1939
as Kokichi Matsumura
MovieThe Fighting Firemen
1939
as Kichigoro
MovieBlizzard Ronin
1939
MovieTsuruhachi and Tsurujiro
1938
as Tsurujiro
MovieTojuro's Love
1938
as Sakata Tojuro
MovieBanchō sarayashiki
1937
MovieThe Siege of Osaka
1937
Yukinojō henge, Kanketsu-hen
1936
MovieThe Palanquin Carrier Magistrate
1935
as Echizen'nokami Ôoka
MovieAn Actor's Revenge
1935
as Yokinojo, Yamitaro and Yokinojo's mother (as Chôjirô Hayashi)
The Groom Talks in His Sleep
1935
as Yasuo the Bridegroom
MovieMy Elder Brother
1934
as Fumio
With a Single Sword Bale
1934
MovieGenpei the Carp
1933
as Koina no Ginpei
MovieTwo Lanterns
1933
MovieChûshingura - Zempen: Akahokyô no maki
1932
MovieThe Loyal 47 Ronin
1932
as Asano Takuminokami and Yoshida Sawaemon (as Chôjirô Hayashi)
Rikugun Daikoshin
1932
The Golden Demon
1932
as Kanichi Hazama
MovieReimei izen
1931
Nogitsune Sanji
1930
as Nogitsune Sanji
Kurotegumi Sukeroku
1929
Tôribêyama shinjû
1928
as Kikuchi Hankuro
Kaitō Samimaro
1928
Kagaribi
1928
MovieCastle of Wind and Clouds
1928
as Aizawa Shinpachi
MovieChronicles of a Sea Country
1928
as Shirogoro (Second Son)
Benten kozo
1928
as Benten Kozo Kikunosuke
Demon Thistle
1927
as Reizaburo Namiki
