Kinuyo Tanaka
Known for Acting · 224 credits
- Born
- 1909-11-28
- Died
- 1977-03-21
- Place of birth
- Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Also known as
- 다나카 키누요 · کینو تاناکا · 田中 絹代
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
TV Shows (1)
Movies (223)
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975
as Self
Flame of My Love
1949
as Eiko Hirayama
The New Road: Ryota
1936
A Certain Woman
1942
Utamaro and His Five Women
1946
as Okita
Red Beard
1965
as Madame Yasumoto
Women in Prison
1956
as Prison Warden
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941
An Heir's Place
1953
as Hisa Hosho
My Elder Brother
1934
as Sumako
Song of the Flower Basket
1937
as Yoko
Kinuyo's First Love
1940
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
Confession
1956
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
Sansho the Bailiff
1954
as Tamaki
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
The Tree of Love
1938
as Katsue Takaishi
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941
Ugetsu
1953
as Miyagi
Love Letter
1953
as Landlady
Okinu and Banto
1940
An Innocent Maid
1935
as Oshige
The Ballad of Narayama
1958
as Orin
Victory Song
1945
as Woman who sings lullaby
ABC Lifeline
1931
Marriage
1947
as Fumie Matsukawa
Sandakan No. 8
1974
as Old Osaki
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
1929
as Yuki Matsuyama
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933
as Haruko, bride
Honeymoon
1934
Equinox Flower
1958
as Kiyoko Hirayama
Phoenix
1947
as Sayoko Aihara
The Life of Oharu
1952
as Oharu
This Is Home
1956
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
Sakura Ondo
1934
Himitsu
1952
The Munekata Sisters
1950
as Setsuko Munekata
Shine, Japanese Women
1932
as Shigeko
A Wanderer's Notebook
1962
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
Kanojo no hatsugen
1946
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Women of the Night
1948
as Fusako Owada
The Three Treasures
1959
as Princess Yamato
The Basement
1927
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934
Song of the Border Patrol
1927
as Tsutae
Ginza Cosmetics
1951
as Yukiko Tsuji
Sisters: Part 1
1931
Madame Pearl
1927
Mother
1952
as Masako Fukuhara
Flashing Blade
1926
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
1934
Alone Across the Pacific
1963
as Youth's Mother
Her Brother
1960
as Mother
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
1926
Flowing
1956
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
Cry Cheerfully!
1931
Forever a Woman
1955
as Neighbor's Wife
Sisters: Part 2
1931
Shōnen shikeishū
1955
I Graduated, But...
1929
as Machiko Nomoto
A Hen in the Wind
1948
as Tokiko Amamiya
Where Chimneys Are Seen
1953
as Hiroko Ogata
Storm in the City
1934
Woman of Suffering
1931
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
1927
Immortal Love
1928
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
1940
as Chiyo
The New Road: Akemi
1936
Army
1944
as Waka
Mama, I Need You!
1962
The Moon Has Risen
1955
as Yoneya
Love and Courage
1926
I Flunked, But...
1930
as Cafe's Waitress
Dragnet Girl
1933
as Tokiko
The Road to Marriage
1933
Buried Youth
1926
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
Ornamental Hairpin
1941
as Emi
Geisha in the Old City
1957
as Oei
The Woman in the Rumor
1954
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
The Loyal 47 Ronin
1932
as Yae
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
as The Old Family Mistress
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931
as Wife of the Playwright
Miss Oyu
1951
as Oyû Kayukawa
Miyamoto Musashi
1944
as Shinobu Nonomiya
A Legend or Was It?
1963
as Shizuko Sonobe
Okoto and Sasuke
1935
as Okoto
Eternity of Love
1961
as Michi's Mother
Her
1926
Woman of Tokyo
1933
as Harue
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
Burden of Life
1935
as Itsuko Kuriyama
Let's Go, Grandma!
1975
as Kiku Sasaki
Zoku aizen katsura
1939
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
Stepbrothers
1957
as Rie
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932
as Oshige
The Dancing Girl of Izu
1933
as Kaoru, a dancer
On This Earth
1957
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
Mother of the East
1934
as Taeko
Sincere Heart
1953
as Kuniko
Victory of Women
1946
as Hiroko Hosokawa
Cheerful Song
1929
as Mamoko
Double Wedding
1963
Yakko no Koman
1927
No Need for Your Opinion
1925
as Daughter
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945
as Okinu
Yellow Crow
1957
as Yukiko Matsumoto
How Sorrowful
1956
Flower
1941
The Face of Humanity
1928
Mother and Child
1938
as Chieko
Daphne
1933
as Tamayō (Geisha)
The Storm
1956
Hahakogusa
1959
as Shige Ozawa
Bright Sea
1963
as Nobuko Yazaki
About Kinuyo Tanaka
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 Ken… With 224 credits spanning from 1924 to 2022, Kinuyo Tanaka has appeared in 223 films and 1 TV show.
Fans searching for Kinuyo Tanaka movies, Kinuyo Tanaka filmography, or the latest projects starring Kinuyo Tanaka can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Kinuyo Tanaka Movies
- Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director (1975) — as Self
- Flame of My Love (1949) — as Eiko Hirayama
- The New Road: Ryota (1936)
- A Certain Woman (1942)
- Utamaro and His Five Women (1946) — as Okita
Where to Watch Kinuyo Tanaka Films
Most Kinuyo Tanaka movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Kinuyo Tanaka, check our movies catalogue and browse page.