Osman Yusuf

Osman Yusuf
オスマン・ユセフ
Born	(1920-05-20)20 May 1920 Istanbul, Turkey
Died	29 August 1982(1982-08-29) (aged 62) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Actor

Osman Yusuf (オスマン・ユセフ Osuman Yusefu, May 23, 1920 - August 29, 1982), also credited under a variety of other names, was a Turkish actor who appeared frequently in Japanese films and television.

Characterized by his large stature and tendency to wear dark sunglasses in many of his roles, Yusuf was born in the Ottoman Empire in 1920 and moved to Japan prior to World War II, earning permanent residence. As a foreigner fluent in Japanese, Yusuf became a valuable supporting actor in Japanese productions. Yusuf also worked as an interpreter for Toho along with fellow actor Henry Okawa. Yusuf's younger brother, Omar "Turk" Yusuf, was also a professional wrestler and actor in Japan. Osman Yusuf died on August 29, 1982, at the age of 62.

Life

Turkish born actor living in Japan. Yusef was somewhat fluent in Japanese, which made him a hot commodity for films that required actors of Western appearance that could convincingly interact with Japanese co-stars. Yusef also served as a translator between actors of different nationalities, along with fellow actor Heihachiro “Henry” Okawa, who also spoke English. Yusef’s hooded eyes and broad physique led to his casting in intrepid or officials roles, such as astronauts and submarine officers. He also had a notable appearance as one of Jerry Ito’s henchmen in Mothra (1961). He, along with fellow English-speaking actor Harold Conway, appeared in scenes filmed for Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) that were only shown outside of Japan.

Films

• All films on IMDb