Kinuyo Tanaka
Acting
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.
TV Shows(1)
Movies(221)
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
Self (archive footage)
2022
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Self (archive footage)
2009
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
Cape of the North
Old Nun
1976
Let's Go, Grandma!
Kiku Sasaki
1975
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
Self
1975
Sandakan No. 8
Old Osaki
1974
Sanbaba
1974
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
The Old Family Mistress
1972
Red Beard
Madame Yasumoto
1965
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964
The Scent of Incense
Tsuna
1964
Bright Sea
Nobuko Yazaki
1963
Alone Across the Pacific
Youth's Mother
1963
A Legend or Was It?
Shizuko Sonobe
1963
Double Wedding
1963
Mama, I Need You!
1962
The Fencing Master
Oharu
1962
A Wanderer's Notebook
Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
1962
Eternity of Love
Michi's Mother
1961
Her Brother
Mother
1960
The Three Treasures
Princess Yamato
1959
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
Myokan
1959
Hahakogusa
Shige Ozawa
1959
The Eternal Rainbow
Fumi
1958
Equinox Flower
Kiyoko Hirayama
1958
The Ballad of Narayama
Orin
1958
Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958
On This Earth
Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
1957
Geisha in the Old City
Oei
1957
Stepbrothers
Rie
1957
Yellow Crow
Yukiko Matsumoto
1957
Flowing
Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
1956
The Storm
1956
Women in Prison
Prison Warden
1956
How Sorrowful
1956
Confession
1956
Forever a Woman
Neighbor's Wife
1955
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
Shōnen shikeishū
1955
House of Many Pleasures
Oshige
1955
The Moon Has Risen
Yoneya
1955
The Woman in the Rumor
Hatsuko Mabuchi
1954
Five Sisters
1954
Sansho the Bailiff
Tamaki
1954
Love Letter
Landlady
1953
An Heir's Place
Hisa Hosho
1953
Ugetsu
Miyagi
1953
Where Chimneys Are Seen
Hiroko Ogata
1953
Sincere Heart
Kuniko
1953
Himitsu
1952
Mother
Masako Fukuhara
1952
The Ataka Family
Kuniko Ataka
1952
The Life of Oharu
Oharu
1952
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
Story of Lightning
1951
The Lady of Musashino
Michiko Akiyama
1951
Miss Oyu
Oyû Kayukawa
1951
Ginza Cosmetics
Yukiko Tsuji
1951
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
Onaka
1951
The Munekata Sisters
Setsuko Munekata
1950
Wedding Ring
Noriko Kuki
1950
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
Oiwa / Osode
1949
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
Oiwa / Osode
1949
Flame of My Love
Eiko Hirayama
1949
A Hen in the Wind
Tokiko Amamiya
1948
Women of the Night
Fusako Owada
1948
Phoenix
Sayoko Aihara
1947
The Love of the Actress Sumako
Sumako Matsui
1947
Marriage
Fumie Matsukawa
1947
Utamaro and His Five Women
Okita
1946
Victory of Women
Hiroko Hosokawa
1946
Kanojo no hatsugen
1946
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
Okinu
1945
Victory Song
Woman who sings lullaby
1945
Miyamoto Musashi
Shinobu Nonomiya
1944
Army
Waka
1944
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
Kiyo
1943
Kaisen no Zenya
1943
A Certain Woman
1942
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941
Ornamental Hairpin
Emi
1941
Flower
1941
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941
Okinu and Banto
1940
Osaka Woman
1940
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
Chiyo
1940
Kinuyo's First Love
1940
Weeds with flowers
1939
Zoku aizen katsura
1939
Spring Thunder
1939
Okayo's Preparedness
Okayo
1939
The Tree of Love
Katsue Takaishi
1938
Mother and Child
Chieko
1938
Banchō sarayashiki
1937
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
Kinuyo Yamaoka
1937
Song of the Flower Basket
Yoko
1937
The New Road: Ryota
1936
The New Road: Akemi
1936
Men vs. Women
1936
Burden of Life
Itsuko Kuriyama
1935
Okoto and Sasuke
Okoto
1935
An Innocent Maid
Oshige
1935
My Elder Brother
Sumako
1934
That Night's Woman
1934
Osayo Koi Sugata
Osayo
1934
Storm in the City
1934
Honeymoon
1934
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
1934
Sakura Ondo
1934
The Genealogy of Women
Otsuta
1934
Mother of the East
Taeko
1934
Sôbô
Yoshiko Chō
1933
Daphne
Tamayō (Geisha)
1933
Before the Wedding
Yukiko Takada
1933
The Road to Marriage
1933
Clear and Cloudy
Fusako Kawahara
1933
Dragnet Girl
Tokiko
1933
The Cheerleading Captain's Love
Omitsu
1933
Woman of Tokyo
Harue
1933
The Dancing Girl of Izu
Kaoru, a dancer
1933
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
Haruko, bride
1933
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Yae
1932
Storm Zone
1932
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
Oshige
1932
Love in Tokyo
1932
Shine, Japanese Women
Shigeko
1932
Studio Romance: A Guide to Love
1932
The Sun Rises from the East
Miyoko
1932
The Willows of Ginza
1932
My Brother's a Fool
1932
Victory or Defeat
1932
The Golden Demon
Omiya
1932
Woman of Suffering
1931
ABC Lifeline
1931
ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
1931
The Tramp and His Daughter
1931
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
Wife of the Playwright
1931
Sisters: Part 1
1931
Sisters: Part 2
1931
Cry Cheerfully!
1931
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
Mayumi
1931
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
Mayumi
1931
Young Lady
Kinuko
1930
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
Kozue Uesugi
1930
Record of Love and Desire
1930
The Tale of Kinuyo
Kinuyo
1930
Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
1930
The Great Ship
1930
The Big City: Explosion
1930
Where Do Women Go?
Omitsu
1930
A Smiling Life
1930
I Flunked, But...
Cafe's Waitress
1930
Song of Youth
Kinuko Yamada
1930
Marching On
Toshiko Yamamoto
1930
The Beating
1930
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
Yuki Matsuyama
1929
The Father and His Son
1929
I Graduated, But...
Machiko Nomoto
1929
Cheerful Song
Mamoko
1929
The Model of New Women
1929
The Big City: Labor
Okimi (cleaning woman)
1929
The Village Where the Skylark Sings
1929
Him and Life
1929
Echigo Lion
1929
The Blacksmith of the Forest
Omitsu
1929
Symphony of Youth
Kinuko Noguchi
1928
The Glory of the Shōwa Era
Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa Chapter)
1928
King of the Land
Namiko
1928
Thank You for Your Hard Work
1928
A Wife Quits
1928
The Face of Humanity
1928
What a Handsome Man!
Shikanyu (geisha)
1928
Iron Virgin
Namiko
1928
The Eternal Heart
1928
Immortal Love
1928
The Age of Emotion
1928
The Village Bride
1928
If Only She...
1928
Chronicles of a Sea Country
Oaki (Sister)
1928
Modern Warrior Training
1928
Night is a Trickster
1927
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
1927
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
Oshizu (Tazaemon's Daughter)
1927
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
Kaōgi (Courtesan)
1927
Madame Pearl
1927
Song of the Border Patrol
Tsutae
1927
Magic
1927
An Embarrassing Dream
1927
Takada no Baba
1927
The Harakiri at Tennōji
1927
The Basement
1927
Yakko no Koman
1927
Secret Struggle
1927
Her
1926
Flashing Blade
1926
Buried Youth
1926
The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge
1926
Useless Button
1926
The Cursed Sword
Owaka
1926
Love and Courage
1926
The Betrayed
O-Fumi
1926
Torrent
1926
Young Master
Tamako (Geisha in training)
1926
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
1926
Townspeople
1926
Troubled Days
Osaki (Reiko's Sister)
1926
No Need for Your Opinion
Daughter
1925
Fallen Samurai
Omaki
1925
Love's Snare
Osato (Thread Shop Owner)
1925
The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
Otami
1925
Nature Is the Judge
1925
Brave Love
1925
Cry of the Raging Current
Okimi
1925
The Little Traveling Entertainer
Okiku
1925
Village Pasture
Oharu
1924
A Woman from the Genroku Era
1924