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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
November 28, 1909
Died
March 21, 1977
Place of Birth
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
Also Known As
- 다나카 키누요
- کینو تاناکا
Kinuyo Tanaka
1.5 Popularity
Biography
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.
Known For
0.0
Self (archive footage)
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022
4.0
Self (archive footage)
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009
6.1
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
0.0
Old Nun
Cape of the North
1976
0.0
Kiku Sasaki
Let's Go, Grandma!
1975
7.1
Self
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975
7.7
Old Osaki
Sandakan No. 8
1974
0.0
Sanbaba
1974
7.6
the old family mistress
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
0.0
Tsuta
Mominoki wa Nokotta
1970
Credits
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
as Self (archive footage)
2022
0.0
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
as Self (archive footage)
2009
4.0
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
6.1
Cape of the North
as Old Nun
1976
0.0
Let's Go, Grandma!
as Kiku Sasaki
1975
0.0
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
as Self
1975
7.1
Sandakan No. 8
as Old Osaki
1974
7.7
Sanbaba
1974
0.0
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
as the old family mistress
1972
7.6
Mominoki wa Nokotta
as Tsuta
1970
0.0
Red Beard
as Madame Yasumoto
1965
8.1
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964
0.0
The Scent of Incense
as Tsuna
1964
7.2
Bright Sea
as Nobuko Yazaki
1963
0.0
Alone Across the Pacific
as Youth's Mother
1963
6.9
A Legend or Was It?
as Shizuko Sonobe
1963
6.5
Double Wedding
1963
0.0
Mama, I Need You!
1962
0.0
The Fencing Master
as Oharu
1962
5.5
A Wanderer's Notebook
as Kishi, Fumiko's mother
1962
7.2
Wakarete ikiru toki mo
as Michi's Mother
1961
0.0
Her Brother
as Mother
1960
6.9
The Three Treasures
as Princess Yamato
1959
5.3
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
as Myokan
1959
5.0
Hahakogusa
as Shige Ozawa
1959
0.0
The Eternal Rainbow
as Fumi
1958
6.3
Equinox Flower
as Kiyoko Hirayama
1958
7.4
The Ballad of Narayama
as Orin
1958
7.5
Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958
0.0
On This Earth
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
1957
0.0
Geisha in the Old City
as Oei
1957
0.0
Stepbrothers
as Rie
1957
7.0
Yellow Crow
as Yukiko Matsumoto
1957
6.2
Flowing
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
1956
7.1
The Storm
1956
9.0
Women in Prison
as Prison Warden
1956
1.0
🎬
How Sorrowful
1956
0.0
Confession
1956
0.0
Forever a Woman
as Neighbor's Wife
1955
7.5
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
0.0
Shōnen shikeishū
1955
0.0
(Street of Wandering Pigeons) When Will the Birds Come Home
as Oshige
1955
0.0
The Moon Has Risen
as Yoneya
1955
6.8
The Woman in the Rumor
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
1954
7.2
Five Sisters
1954
7.7
Sansho the Bailiff
as Tamaki
1954
8.1
Love Letter
as Landlady
1953
6.8
An Heir's Place
as Hisa Hosho
1953
0.0
Ugetsu
as Miyagi
1953
8.0
Where Chimneys Are Seen
as Hiroko Ogata
1953
6.4
Sincere Heart
as Kuniko
1953
6.3
Mother
as Masako Fukuhara
1952
6.8
The Ataka Family
as Kuniko Ataka
1952
5.5
The Life of Oharu
as Oharu
1952
7.7
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
8.0
Story of Lightning
1951
0.0
The Lady of Musashino
as Michiko Akiyama
1951
5.9
Miss Oyu
as Oyû Kayukawa
1951
7.2
Ginza Cosmetics
as Yukiko Tsuji
1951
6.1
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
as Onaka
1951
0.0
The Munekata Sisters
as Setsuko Munekata
1950
7.0
Wedding Ring
as Noriko Kuki
1950
6.5
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
as Oiwa / Osode
1949
6.5
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
as Oiwa / Osode
1949
6.5
Flame of My Love
as Eiko Hirayama
1949
5.1
A Hen in the Wind
as Tokiko Amamiya
1948
7.1
Women of the Night
as Fusako Owada
1948
7.1
Phoenix
as Sayoko Aihara
1947
5.9
The Love of the Actress Sumako
as Sumako Matsui
1947
6.8
Marriage
as Fumie Matsukawa
1947
7.0
Utamaro and His Five Women
as Okita
1946
7.1
Victory of Women
as Hiroko Hosokawa
1946
6.5
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
as Okinu
1945
5.8
Victory Song
as Woman who sings lullaby
1945
5.2
Miyamoto Musashi
as Shinobu Nonomiya
1944
6.1
Army
as Waka
1944
6.7
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
0.0
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
as Kiyo
1943
0.0
Kaisen no Zenya
1943
0.0
A Certain Woman
1942
0.0
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941
6.0
Ornamental Hairpin
as Emi
1941
6.7
Flower
1941
0.0
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941
0.0
Okinu and Banto
1940
0.0
Osaka Woman
1940
0.0
🎬
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
as Chiyo
1940
0.0
Kinuyo's First Love
1940
6.0
Weeds with flowers
1939
0.0
Zoku aizen katsura
1939
0.0
Spring Thunder
1939
0.0
Okayo's Preparedness
as Okayo
1939
7.0
The Tree of Love
as Katsue Takaishi
1938
6.5
Mother and Child
as Chieko
1938
0.0
Banchō sarayashiki
1937
0.0
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
0.0
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
0.0
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
as Kinuyo Yamaoka
1937
4.6
Song of the Flower Basket
as Yoko
1937
0.0
The New Road: Ryota
1936
8.0
The New Road: Akemi
1936
7.0
Men vs. Women
1936
0.0
Burden of Life
as Itsuko Kuriyama
1935
6.4
Okoto and Sasuke
as Okoto
1935
6.7
An Innocent Maid
as Oshige
1935
0.0
My Elder Brother
as Sumako
1934
6.0
🎬
That Night's Woman
1934
0.0
Osayo Koi Sugata
as Osayo
1934
0.0
🎬
Storm in the City
1934
0.0
🎬
Honeymoon
1934
0.0
🎬
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934
0.0
🎬
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
1934
0.0
🎬
Sakura Ondo
1934
0.0
The Genealogy of Women
as Otsuta
1934
0.0
🎬
Mother of the East
as Taeko
1934
0.0
🎬
Sôbô
as Yoshiko Chō
1933
0.0
Daphne
as Tamayō (Geisha)
1933
0.0
Before the Wedding
as Yukiko Takada
1933
0.0
🎬
The Road to Marriage
1933
0.0
🎬
Clear and Cloudy
as Fusako Kawahara
1933
0.0
Dragnet Girl
as Tokiko
1933
6.7
🎬
The Cheerleading Captain's Love
as Omitsu
1933
0.0
Woman of Tokyo
as Harue
1933
6.8
The Dancing Girl of Izu
as Kaoru, a dancer
1933
6.5
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
as Haruko, bride
1933
0.0
The Loyal 47 Ronin
as Yae
1932
0.0
🎬
Storm Zone
1932
0.0
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
as Oshige
1932
6.5
🎬
Love in Tokyo
1932
0.0
Shine, Japanese Women
as Shigeko
1932
0.0
Studio Romance: A Guide to Love
1932
0.0
🎬
The Sun Rises from the East
as Miyoko
1932
0.0
🎬
The Willows of Ginza
1932
0.0
🎬
My Brother's a Fool
1932
0.0
Victory or Defeat
1932
0.0
🎬
The Golden Demon
as Omiya
1932
0.0
🎬
Woman of Suffering
1931
0.0
ABC Lifeline
1931
6.1
ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
1931
0.0
🎬
The Tramp and His Daughter
1931
0.0
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
as Wife of the playwright
1931
6.5
🎬
Sisters: Part 2
1931
0.0
🎬
Sisters: Part 1
1931
0.0
🎬
Cry Cheerfully!
1931
0.0
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
as Mayumi
1931
0.0
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
as Mayumi
1931
0.0
Young Lady
as Kinuko
1930
0.0
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
as Kozue Uesugi
1930
0.0
Record of Love and Desire
1930
0.0
The Tale of Kinuyo
as Kinuyo
1930
0.0
Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
1930
0.0
🎬
The Great Ship
1930
0.0
🎬
The Big City: Explosion
1930
0.0
Where Do Women Go?
as Omitsu
1930
0.0
🎬
A Smiling Life
1930
0.0
I Flunked, But...
as Cafe's Waitress
1930
5.9
🎬
Song of Youth
as Kinuko Yamada
1930
0.0
Marching On
as Toshiko Yamamoto
1930
0.0
🎬
The Beating
1930
0.0
🎬
The Father and His Son
1929
0.0
🎬
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
as Yuki Matsuyama
1929
0.0
I Graduated, But...
as Machiko Nomoto
1929
5.6
🎬
Cheerful Song
as Mamoko
1929
0.0
🎬
The Model of New Women
1929
0.0
🎬
The Big City: Labor
as Okimi (cleaning woman)
1929
0.0
🎬
The Village Where the Skylark Sings
1929
0.0
🎬
Him and Life
1929
0.0
🎬
Echigo Lion
1929
0.0
The Blacksmith of the Forest
as Omitsu
1929
0.0
🎬
Symphony of Youth
as Kinuko Noguchi
1928
0.0
The Glory of the Shōwa Era
as Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa chapter)
1928
0.0
King of the Land
as Namiko
1928
0.0
🎬
Thank You for Your Hard Work
1928
0.0
🎬
A Wife Quits
1928
0.0
🎬
The Face of Humanity
1928
0.0
🎬
What a Handsome Man!
as Shikanyu (geisha)
1928
0.0
🎬
Iron Virgin
as Namiko
1928
0.0
The Eternal Heart
1928
0.0
🎬
Immortal Love
1928
0.0
🎬
The Age of Emotion
1928
0.0
🎬
The Village Bride
1928
0.0
🎬
If Only She...
1928
0.0
Chronicles of a Sea Country
as Oaki (sister)
1928
0.0
🎬
Modern Warrior Training
1928
0.0
🎬
Night is a Trickster
1927
0.0
🎬
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
1927
0.0
🎬
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
as Oshizu (Tazaemon's daughter)
1927
0.0
🎬
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
as Kaōgi (courtesan)
1927
0.0
🎬
Madame Pearl
1927
0.0
🎬
Song of the Border Patrol
as Tsutae
1927
0.0
🎬
Magic
1927
0.0
🎬
An Embarrassing Dream
1927
0.0
🎬
Takada no Baba
1927
0.0
🎬
The Harakiri at Tennōji
1927
0.0
🎬
Yakko no Koman
1927
0.0
🎬
The Basement
1927
0.0
🎬
Secret Struggle
1927
0.0
🎬
Flashing Blade
1926
0.0
🎬
Her
1926
0.0
🎬
Buried Youth
1926
0.0
🎬
The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge
1926
0.0
🎬
Useless Button
1926
0.0
🎬
The Cursed Sword
as Owaka
1926
0.0
🎬
Love and Courage
1926
0.0
🎬
The Betrayed
as O-Fumi
1926
0.0
🎬
Torrent
1926
0.0
Young Master
as Tamako (Geisha in training)
1926
0.0
🎬
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
1926
0.0
🎬
Townspeople
1926
0.0
🎬
Troubled Days
as Osaki (Reiko's Sister)
1926
0.0
🎬
No Need for Your Opinion
as Daughter
1925
0.0
🎬
Love's Snare
as Osato (Thread Shop Owner)
1925
0.0
Fallen Samurai
as Omaki
1925
0.0
🎬
The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
as Otami
1925
0.0
🎬
Nature Is the Judge
1925
0.0
🎬
Brave Love
1925
0.0
🎬
Cry of the Raging Current
as Okimi
1925
0.0
🎬
The Little Traveling Entertainer
as Okiku
1925
0.0
Village Pasture
as Oharu
1924
0.0
🎬
A Woman from the Genroku Era
1924
0.0