Shintaro Katsu

Shintaro Katsu
Shintaro Katsu in 1956
Born	Toshio Okumura (1931-11-29)29 November 1931 Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan
Died	21 June 1997(1997-06-21) (aged 65) Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
Occupation(s)	Actor, singer, producer, writer and director
Years active	1954–97
Spouse	Tamao Nakamura

Shintaro Katsu (Japanese: 勝 新太郎, Hepburn: Katsu Shintarō, 29 November 1931 – 21 June 1997) was a Japanese actor, singer, and filmmaker. He is known for starring in the Akumyo series, the Hoodlum Soldier series, and the Zatoichi series.

Life and career

Born Toshio Okumura (奥村 利夫 Okumura Toshio) on 29 November 1931. He was the son of Minoru Okumura (奥村 実), a noted kabuki performer who went by the stage name Katsutōji Kineya (杵屋 勝東治) and who was renowned for his nagauta and shamisen skills. He was the younger brother of actor Tomisaburo Wakayama.

Shintaro Katsu began his career in entertainment as a shamisen player. He switched to acting because he noticed it was better paid. In the 1960s he starred simultaneously in three long-running series of films, the Akumyo series, the Hoodlum Soldier series, and the Zatoichi series.

He played the role of blind masseur Zatoichi in a series of 25 films between 1962 and 1973, in 100 episodes across a four season television series from 1974 to 1979, and in a 26th and final film in 1989, which he also directed.^[1]

In 1967, Katsu formed the company Katsu Productions.^[2]

Katsu had a troubled personal life. A heavy drinker, Katsu had several brushes with the law over drug use as well, including marijuana, opium and cocaine with arrests in 1978, 1990 and 1992.^[3]

He had also developed a reputation as a troublemaker on set. When director Akira Kurosawa cast him for the lead role in Kagemusha (1980), Katsu left before the first day of shooting was over.^[4] Though accounts differ as to the incident, the most consistent one details Katsu's clash with Kurosawa regarding bringing his own film crew to the set (to film Kurosawa in action for later exhibition to his own acting students).^[5][6] Kurosawa is reputed to have taken great offense at this, resulting in Katsu's termination (he was replaced by Tatsuya Nakadai). In her book, Waiting on the Weather, about her experiences with director Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami chalks the differences between Katsu and Kurosawa up to a personality clash that had unfortunate artistic results.^[7]

He was the husband of actress Tamao Nakamura (married in 1962), and father of actor Ryutaro Gan (Gan Ryūtarō).^[8]

Stunt actor Yukio Kato was killed on the set of the 26th Zatoichi film by Katsu's son, who was co-starring, when an actual sword was mistaken for a prop, fatally wounding Kato.

In her book, Geisha, A Life, Kyoto geisha Mineko Iwasaki claimed to have had a long time affair with Katsu, whom she calls by his given name, Toshio. The affair ended in 1976, and eventually the two became good friends until his death.^{[citation needed]}

Katsu produced the manga-based Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami) series of jidaigeki films starring his brother Tomisaburo Wakayama, two of which were later compiled into the movie Shogun Assassin, as well as co-writing, producing, and acting alongside his brother in the TV jidaigeki series Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (Mute Samurai) and Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun.

His other television work includes the police drama Keishi-K [Wikidata] (Superintendent K) which he starred in (as Katsutoshi Gatsu), co-wrote, directed, and produced. His daughter, Masami Okumura [Wikidata], co-starred.

His film work includes the Hanzo the Razor series as Detective Itami Hanzo. He was also an accomplished shamisen player, as well as a vocalist, recording several albums in both pop and Enka.

He died of pharyngeal cancer on 21 June 1997.

The character Fujitora in the manga series One Piece is based on him.

Filmography

As actor

Year	Title	Japanese	Romanization	Character
1955	A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love	薔薇いくたびか	Bara ikutabika	Akira Takakura
1956	Migratory Birds of the Flowers	花の渡り鳥	Hana no Wataridori
1956	The Renyasai Yagyu Hidden Story	柳生連也斎 秘伝月影抄	Yagyū Ren'yasai Hidentsuki Kageshō
1956	Sisters of the Gion	祇園の姉妹	Gion no shimai
1956		まらそん侍	Marason zamurai
1956	Ghost-Cat of Gojusan-Tsugi	怪猫五十三次	Kaibyo Gojusan-tsugi
1956		月形半平太	Tsukigata Hanpeita
1957	An Osaka Story	大阪物語	Osaka monogatari
1957		二十九人の喧嘩状	Nijūkyū-nin no Kenka-jō
1957	Ghost Cat of Yonaki Swamp	怪猫夜泣き沼	Kaibyo Yonaki numa
1958	Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion	日蓮と蒙古大襲来	Nichiren to mōko daishūrai
1958	The Gay Masquerade	弁天小僧	Benten kozō
1958	The Loyal 47 Ronin	忠臣蔵	Chūshingura
1958	Ghost-Cat Wall of Hatred	怪猫呪いの壁	Kaibyō noroi no kabe
1959	Samurai Vendetta	薄桜記	Hakuōki
1959		関の弥太っぺ	Seki no yatappe
1959		紅あざみ	Beni azami
1959	Beauty Is Guilty	美貌に罪あり	Bibō ni tsumi ari
1959		初春狸御殿	Hatsuharu tanuki gotten
1960		続次郎長富士	Zoku Jirocho Fuji
1960	The Demon of Mount Oe	大江山酒呑童子	Ooe-yama Shuten-dōji	Watanabe no Tsuna
1960	Secrets of a Court Masseur also titled The Blind Menace and Agent Shiranui	不知火檢校	Shiranui kengyō
1960		月の出の決闘	Tsukinode no ketto
1961		水戸黄門海を渡る	Mito komon umi o wataru
1961		風と雲と砦	Kaze to kumo to toride
1961		花くらべ狸道中	Hanakurabe tanuki dochu
1961	Blind Devotion	みだれ髪	Midaregami
1961	Tough Guy	悪名	Akumyō	Asakichi
1961	Buddha	釈迦	Shaka	Devadatta
1961	Tough Guy, Part 2	続悪名	Zoku akumyo	Asakichi
1962	Killer Whale	鯨神	Kujira gami
1962	The Tale of Zatoichi	座頭市物語	Zatōichi monogatari	Ichi
1962	New Bad Reputation	新悪名	Shin akumyo	Asakichi
1962	The Great Wall	秦・始皇帝	Shin no shikōtei
1962	The Tale of Zatoichi Continues	続・座頭市物語	Zoku Zatōichi monogatari	Ichi
1962	New Bad Reputation Continues	続・新悪名	Zoku shin akumyo	Asakichi
1963	The Money Dance	ど根性物語 銭の踊り	Dokonjo monogatari – zeni no odori
1963		第三の悪名	Daisan no akumyo	Asakichi
1963	An Actor's Revenge	雪之丞変化	Yukinojo henge
1963	New Tale of Zatoichi	新・座頭市物語	Shin Zatōichi monogatari	Ichi
1963		悪名市場	Akumyo ichiba	Asakichi
1963	Zatoichi The Fugitive	座頭市兇状旅	Zatōichi kyojo tabi	Ichi
1963		悪名波止場	Akumyo hatoba	Asakichi
1963	Zatoichi on the Road	座頭市喧嘩旅	Zatōichi kenka-tabi	Ichi
1963		悪名一番	Akumyo ichiban	Asakichi
1964	Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold	座頭市千両首	Zatōichi senryō-kubi	Ichi
1964		駿河遊侠伝 賭場荒し	Suruga yūkyōden: Toba arashi
1964	Zatoichi's Flashing Sword	座頭市あばれ凧	Zatōichi abare tako	Ichi
1964		悪名太鼓	Akumyo daiko	Asakichi
1964		駿河遊侠伝 破れ鉄火	Suruga yūkyōden yabure tekka
1964	Fight, Zatoichi, Fight	座頭市血笑旅	Zatōichi kesshō-tabi	Ichi
1964	Kojiki Taishō	乞食大将	Kojiki taisho	Gotō Matabei
1964	If You're Happy, Clap Your Hands	幸せなら手をたたこう	Shiawasa nara te wo tatakou
1964	Adventures of Zatoichi	座頭市関所破り	Zatōichi sekisho yaburi	Ichi
1964			Rōnin-gai
1964		ど根性物語 図太い奴	Dokonjō monogatari: Zubutoiyatsu
1965		駿河遊侠伝 度胸がらす	Suruga yūkyōden: Dokyō garasu
1965	The Hoodlum Soldier	兵隊やくざ	Heitai yakuza	Kisaburo Omiya
1965	Zatoichi's Revenge	座頭市二段斬り	Zatōichi nidan-kiri	Ichi
1965			Akumyo nobori	Asakichi
1965	Life of Matsu the Untamed	無法松の一生	Muhomatsu no issho
1965	Zatoichi and the Doomed Man	座頭市逆手斬り	Zatōichi sakate giri	Ichi
1965		悪名無敵	Akumyo muteki	Asakichi
1965	Zatoichi and the Chess Expert	座頭市地獄旅	Zatōichi Jigoku tabi	Ichi
1965	Hoodlum Soldier and the C.O.	続・兵隊やくざ	Zoku heitai yakuza	Ichi
1966		悪名桜	Akumyo zakura	Asakichi
1966	Zatoichi's Vengeance	座頭市の歌が聞える	Zatōichi no uta ga kikoeru	Ichi
1966	Zatoichi's Pilgrimage	座頭市海を渡る	Zatōichi umi o wataru	Ichi
1966	Hoodlum Soldier Deserts Again	新・兵隊やくざ	Shin heitai yakuza
1966		兵隊やくざ 脱獄	Heitai yakuza datsugoku
1966		兵隊やくざ 大脱走	Heitai yakuza daidassō
1967	The Hoodlum Priest	やくざ坊主	Yakuza bozu
1967		兵隊やくざ 俺にまかせろ	Heitai yakuza ore ni makasero
1967	Zatoichi's Cane Sword	座頭市鉄火旅	Zatōichi tekka tabi	Ichi
1967		悪名一代	Akumyo ichidai	Asakichi
1967	Zatoichi the Outlaw	座頭市牢破り	Zatōichi rōyaburi	Ichi
1967	Hoodlum Soldier on the Attack	兵隊やくざ 殴り込み	Heitai yakuza nagurikomi
1967	Zatoichi Challenged	座頭市血煙り街道	Zatōichi chikemuri kaidō	Ichi
1968		続やくざ坊主	Zoku yakuza bozu
1968		とむらい師たち	Tomuraishi tachi
1968		兵隊やくざ 強奪	Heitai yakuza godatsu
1968		悪名十八番	Akumyo juhachi-ban	Asakichi
1968	The Man Without a Map	燃えつきた地図	Moetsukita chizu
1968	Zatoichi and the Fugitives	座頭市果し状	Zatōichi hatashi-jō	Ichi
1968	Samaritan Zatoichi	座頭市喧嘩太鼓	Zatōichi kenka-daiko	Ichi
1969	Devil's Temple	鬼の棲む館	Oni no sumu yakata
1969	Hitokiri	人斬り	Hitokiri	Okada Izō
1969	The Magoichi Saga	尻啖え孫市	Shirikurae Magoichi	Oda Nobunaga
1969		悪名一番勝負	Akumyo ichiban shobu	Asakichi
1970		喧嘩屋一代 どでかい奴	Kenka ichidai: Dodekai yatsu
1970	Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo	座頭市と用心棒	Zatōichi to Yōjinbō	Ichi
1970		玄海遊侠伝 破れかぶれ	Genkai yūkyōden: Yabure kabure
1970	Incident at Blood Pass	待ち伏せ	Machibuse
1970	Yakuza Zessyō	やくざ絶唱	Yakuza zessyō
1970	Zatoichi at the Fire Festival	座頭市あばれ火祭り	Zatōichi abare-himatsuri	Ichi
1970	Fuji sanchō	富士山頂	Fuji sanchō
1971	Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman	新座頭市・破れ！唐人剣	Shin Zatōichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken	Ichi
1971	Inn of Evil	いのちぼうにふろう	Inochi bō ni furō
1971	The Gift of the Fox	狐のくれた赤ん坊	Kitsune no kureta akanbō
1971	Kaoyaku	顔役	Kaoyaku
1972	Zatoichi at Large	座頭市御用旅	Zatōichi goyō-tabi	Ichi
1972		新・兵隊やくざ 火線	Shin heitai yakuza: Kasen
1972	Zatoichi in Desperation	新座頭市物語・折れた杖	Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue aka	Ichi also director
1972	Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice	御用牙	Goyōkiba	Hanzo Itami
1973	Mute Samurai	唖侍鬼一法眼	Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (TV series)	Manji
1973	Zatoichi's Conspiracy	新座頭市物語・笠間の血祭り	Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri	Ichi
1973		王将	Ōshō	Sankichi Sakata
1973	Hanzo the Razor: The Snare	御用牙　かみそり半蔵地獄責め	Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme	Hanzo Itami
1974	The Homeless	無宿	Yadonashi
1974	Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?	御用牙 鬼の半蔵やわ肌小判	Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban	Hanzo Itami
1974	Akumyo: Notorious Dragon	悪名 縄張荒らし	Akumyo: shima arashiaka	Asakichi
1974	Zatōichi monogatari (TV series)	座頭市物語	Zatōichi monogatari	Ichi
1975	Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun (TV series)	痛快!河内山宗俊	Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun	Kōchiyama Sōshun
1983		迷走地図	Meiso chizu
1987	The one-eyed dragon Masamune (TV series)	独眼竜政宗	Dokuganryu Masamune	Toyotomi Hideyoshi
1988	Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis	帝都物語	Teito Monogatari	Shibusawa Eiichi
1989	Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally	座頭市	Zatōichi	Ichi also director
1990	Saga of the Phoenix	孔雀王アシュラ伝説	Kujaku ō: Ashura densetsu
1990	Ronin Gai	浪人街	Rōnin-gai

As producer

Year	Title	Japanese	Romanization	Role
1970	Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo		Zatōichi to Yōjinbō	producer
1970	Zatoichi at the Fire Festival		Zatōichi abare-himatsuri	producer
1971	Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman		Shin Zatōichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken	producer
1971	Kaoyaku		Kaoyaku	executive producer
1972	Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice		Goyōkiba	producer
1972	Zatoichi at Large		Zatōichi goyō-tabi	producer
1972	New Hoodlum Soldier Story: Firing Line		Shin heitai yakuza: Kasen	producer
1972	Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance		Kozure Ōkami: Kowokashi udekashi tsukamatsuru	producer
1972	Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx		Kozure Ōkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma	producer
1972	Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades		Kozure Ōkami: Shinikazeni mukau ubaguruma	producer
1972	Zatoichi in Desperation		Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue	producer
1973	Mute Samurai		Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (TV series)	executive producer
1973	Zatoichi's Conspiracy		Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri
1973	Hanzo the Razor: The Snare		Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme
1974	The Homeless		Yadonashi	producer
1974	Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?		Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban	producer
1974	Akumyo: Notorious Dragon		Akumyo: shima arashiaka
1980	Shogun Assassin			producer
1989	Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi		Zatōichi

As director

Year	Title	Japanese	Romanization
1971	Kaoyaku		Kaoyaku
1972	Zatoichi in Desperation		Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue
1973	Mute Samurai		Oshi samurai (TV series)
1974	Zatoichi		Zatōichi monogatari (TV series) (episode "A Memorial Day and the Bell of Life")
1989	Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally		Zatōichi

As writer

Year	Title	Japanese	Romanization
1970	Zatoichi at the Fire Festival		Zatōichi abare-himatsuri
1971	Kaoyaku		Kaoyaku
1989	Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally		Zatōichi

As himself

Year	Film	Film type
1978	The Blind Swordsman	Documentary

References

1. West, David (2006). Chasing dragons: an introduction to the martial arts film. I.B.Tauris. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-85043-982-0. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
2. Standish, Isolde (8 May 2006). A New History of Japanese Cinema: A Century Of Narrative Film. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 359. ISBN 978-0-8264-1790-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
3. West, Mark D. (2006). Secrets, Sex, and Spectacle: The Rules of Scandal in Japan and the United States. University of Chicago Press. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-226-89408-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
4. Galloway, Patrick (1 May 2005). Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-880656-93-8. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
5. Kurosawa, Akira; Cardullo, Bert (2008). Akira Kurosawa: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-57806-997-2. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
6. Cowie, Peter (1981). International Film Guide. Tantivy Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-498-02530-3. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
7. Nogami, Teruyo (2006). Waiting on the Weather: Making Movies with Akira Kurosawa. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. pp. 251–60. ISBN 978-1-933330-09-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
8. Galloway, Patrick (1 May 2005). Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-880656-93-8. Retrieved 16 October 2010.

Bibliography

• Shintaro Katsu Illustrated. Pie-Books. 24 June 2005. ISBN 978-4-89444-303-7. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Desjardins, Chris (22 July 2005). Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-090-1. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Dougill, John (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 978-0-19-530137-3. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Iwasaki, Mineko; Brown, Rande (October 2002). Geisha: A Life. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7434-5304-2. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Moeran, Brian (August 1996). A Japanese Advertising Agency: An Anthropology of Media and Markets. University of Hawai ̕i Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-1872-2. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Richie, Donald (1996). Public People, Private People: Portraits of Some Japanese. Kodansha International. ISBN 978-4-7700-2104-5. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Richie, Donald (2005). The Japan Journals: 1947–2004. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1-880656-97-6. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Whiting, Robert (30 March 1999). Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan. Pantheon Books. ISBN 978-0-679-41976-1. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
• Nogami, Teruyo (2006). Waiting on the Weather: Making Movies with Akira Kurosawa. Stone Bridge Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1-933330-09-9. Retrieved 16 October 2010.

External links

• Shintaro Katsu at IMDb
• Shintaro Katsu at the Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese)