Kinuyo Tanaka
Known for Acting · 223 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 (222)
Red Beard
1965
as Madame Yasumoto
Sansho the Bailiff
1954
as Tamaki
Ugetsu
1953
as Miyagi
Equinox Flower
1958
as Kiyoko Hirayama
The Three Treasures
1959
as Princess Yamato
The Ballad of Narayama
1958
as Orin
The Life of Oharu
1952
as Oharu
Sandakan No. 8
1974
as Old Osaki
Her Brother
1960
as Mother
Flowing
1956
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
A Wanderer's Notebook
1962
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
The Woman in the Rumor
1954
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
Mother
1952
as Masako Fukuhara
How Sorrowful
1956
Dragnet Girl
1933
as Tokiko
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
1931
as Mayumi
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
The Munekata Sisters
1950
as Setsuko Munekata
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
The Love of the Actress Sumako
1947
as Sumako Matsui
Eternity of Love
1961
as Michi's Mother
A Hen in the Wind
1948
as Tokiko Amamiya
The Lady of Musashino
1951
as Michiko Akiyama
Miss Oyu
1951
as Oyû Kayukawa
Army
1944
as Waka
The Moon Has Risen
1955
as Yoneya
On This Earth
1957
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
The Loyal 47 Ronin
1932
as Yae
Mama, I Need You!
1962
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
The Scent of Incense
1964
as Tsuna
A Legend or Was It?
1963
as Shizuko Sonobe
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932
as Oshige
Women of the Night
1948
as Fusako Owada
Burden of Life
1935
as Itsuko Kuriyama
Ornamental Hairpin
1941
as Emi
House of Many Pleasures
1955
as Oshige
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959
as Myokan
Ginza Cosmetics
1951
as Yukiko Tsuji
Double Wedding
1963
I Flunked, But...
1930
as Cafe's Waitress
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
1951
as Onaka
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
1931
as Mayumi
The Eternal Rainbow
1958
as Fumi
The Fencing Master
1962
as Oharu
Forever a Woman
1955
as Neighbor's Wife
Bright Sea
1963
as Nobuko Yazaki
The Genealogy of Women
1934
as Otsuta
The Storm
1956
Mother and Child
1938
as Chieko
Stepbrothers
1957
as Rie
Five Sisters
1954
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931
as Wife of the Playwright
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
as The Old Family Mistress
Zoku aizen katsura
1939
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964
The Ataka Family
1952
as Kuniko Ataka
Yellow Crow
1957
as Yukiko Matsumoto
Where Chimneys Are Seen
1953
as Hiroko Ogata
I Graduated, But...
1929
as Machiko Nomoto
The New Road: Akemi
1936
Cape of the North
1976
as Old Nun
Alone Across the Pacific
1963
as Youth's Mother
Flame of My Love
1949
as Eiko Hirayama
Wedding Ring
1950
as Noriko Kuki
Spring Thunder
1939
Okoto and Sasuke
1935
as Okoto
The Blacksmith of the Forest
1929
as Omitsu
Banchō sarayashiki
1937
Geisha in the Old City
1957
as Oei
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Let's Go, Grandma!
1975
as Kiku Sasaki
Woman of Tokyo
1933
as Harue
Men vs. Women
1936
King of the Land
1928
as Namiko
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945
as Okinu
Osaka Woman
1940
Love Letter
1953
as Landlady
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
1943
as Kiyo
Miyamoto Musashi
1944
as Shinobu Nonomiya
The Dancing Girl of Izu
1933
as Kaoru, a dancer
Useless Button
1926
Sanbaba
1974
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
1937
as Kinuyo Yamaoka
Sôbô
1933
as Yoshiko Chō
Flower
1941
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
1940
as Chiyo
Women in Prison
1956
as Prison Warden
Story of Lightning
1951
Osayo Koi Sugata
1934
as Osayo
Sincere Heart
1953
as Kuniko
Okayo's Preparedness
1939
as Okayo
That Night's Woman
1934
Weeds with flowers
1939
Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958
Utamaro and His Five Women
1946
as Okita
Kaisen no Zenya
1943
Victory Song
1945
as Woman who sings lullaby
Shōnen shikeishū
1955
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
1930
as Kozue Uesugi
Hahakogusa
1959
as Shige Ozawa
An Heir's Place
1953
as Hisa Hosho
The Father and His Son
1929
The Village Bride
1928
The Big City: Labor
1929
as Okimi (cleaning woman)
Young Lady
1930
as Kinuko
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
Marching On
1930
as Toshiko Yamamoto
My Elder Brother
1934
as Sumako
An Innocent Maid
1935
as Oshige
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
Marriage
1947
as Fumie Matsukawa
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941
Victory of Women
1946
as Hiroko Hosokawa
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933
as Haruko, bride
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975
as Self
Confession
1956
A Certain Woman
1942
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
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 223 credits spanning from 1924 to 2022, Kinuyo Tanaka has appeared in 222 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
- Red Beard (1965) — as Madame Yasumoto
- Sansho the Bailiff (1954) — as Tamaki
- Ugetsu (1953) — as Miyagi
- Equinox Flower (1958) — as Kiyoko Hirayama
- The Three Treasures (1959) — as Princess Yamato
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.