Kumeko Urabe

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

176

Gender

Female

Birthday

1902-10-05

Day of death

1989-10-26 (87 years old)

Place of Birth

Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Kumeko Urabe

Biography

Kumeko Urabe (Japanese: 浦辺粂子), born Kimura Kume ((木村 くめ)), (October 5, 1902 – October 26, 1989) was a Japanese movie actress, one of the first in the country. She worked on stage and in film and television. Urabe was born in a rural part of the Shizuoka Prefecture. She lived in several homes while growing up, as she relocated with her father, a Buddhist priest, among the temples to which he was assigned. Urabe completed her education in Numazu, and left school in 1919 to join a theatre company, touring under various stage names as an actor and dancer. In 1923, Urabe auditioned at the film studio Nikkatsu, and adopted the name Kumeko Urabe, by which she was known for the rest of her life. She appeared in her first film the following year, and continued to act until 1987. She worked with such directors as Kenji Mizoguchi and Mikio Naruse, and performed in over 320 films, including Ikiru, Older Brother, Younger Sister, Portrait of Madame Yuki, She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum, and Street of Shame. She also starred in television dramas, including thirteen episodes of Toshiba Sunday Theatre between 1958 and 1980. In the following decade, she carved a niche as a Grandma idol, until her death in 1989.

Known For

  • Ikiru

    Ikiru

  • The Wild Geese

    The Wild Geese

  • Repast

    Repast

  • The Story of Shunkin

    The Story of Shunkin

  • Itohan Monogatari

    Itohan Monogatari

  • Jakoman and Tetsu

    Jakoman and Tetsu

  • Hibi no haishin

    Hibi no haishin

  • Hachiko

    Hachiko

  • Floating Weeds

    Floating Weeds

  • Tokyo Twilight

    Tokyo Twilight

  • Yearning

    Yearning

  • Twenty-Four Eyes

    Twenty-Four Eyes

  • Early Spring

    Early Spring

  • Stakeout

    Stakeout

  • Miss Lonely

    Miss Lonely

  • Street of Shame

    Street of Shame

  • She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum

    She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum

  • The Golden Demon

    The Golden Demon

  • Somewhere Beneath the Wide Sky

    Somewhere Beneath the Wide Sky

  • Lightning

    Lightning

  • Two in the Shadow

    Two in the Shadow

  • White Cliffs

    White Cliffs

  • 母山彦

    母山彦

  • Young Lovers

    Young Lovers

  • Twice on a Certain Night

    Twice on a Certain Night

  • Brother and Sister

    Brother and Sister

  • The Bad Guy Blues

    The Bad Guy Blues

  • The Broken Commandment

    The Broken Commandment

  • Tora-san's Pure Love

    Tora-san's Pure Love

  • A Woman's Testament

    A Woman's Testament

  • Portrait of Madame Yuki

    Portrait of Madame Yuki

  • I Sell My Husband

    I Sell My Husband

  • Destroyer Yukikaze

    Destroyer Yukikaze

  • Where Chimneys Are Seen

    Where Chimneys Are Seen

  • Yanagase Blues

    Yanagase Blues

  • Fighting Letter for 29 People

    Fighting Letter for 29 People

  • Scarred Yosaburo

    Scarred Yosaburo

  • Goodbye, Hello

    Goodbye, Hello

  • Snow Country

    Snow Country

  • Teppo Yasu no Shogai

    Teppo Yasu no Shogai

  • Women of the Night

    Women of the Night

  • Women of the Night

    Women of the Night

  • An Innocent Witch

    An Innocent Witch

  • Being Two Isn't Easy

    Being Two Isn't Easy

  • Stray Dog

    Stray Dog

  • Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director

    Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director

  • Bridge of Japan

    Bridge of Japan

  • The Body

    The Body

  • Color

    Color

  • Mother

    Mother

  • Night Scandal

    Night Scandal

  • The Water Magician

    The Water Magician

  • Secret Club 000

    Secret Club 000

  • An Heir's Place

    An Heir's Place

  • Kyū-chan ondo

    Kyū-chan ondo

  • Who Is the Criminal?

    Who Is the Criminal?

  • The Final Gamble

    The Final Gamble

  • When a Woman Loves

    When a Woman Loves

  • Gakusei geisha koi to kenka

    Gakusei geisha koi to kenka

  • Parakin to Kyū-chan mōshiwakenai yarō-tachi

    Parakin to Kyū-chan mōshiwakenai yarō-tachi

  • The Pretty Jade

    The Pretty Jade

  • Uogashi no senpū musume

    Uogashi no senpū musume

  • A Woman's Life

    A Woman's Life

  • 18 Roughs

    18 Roughs

  • Teinen Taishoku

    Teinen Taishoku

  • Tsukinode no ketto

    Tsukinode no ketto

  • The Makioka Sisters

    The Makioka Sisters

  • The Passionate Spinster

    The Passionate Spinster

  • The Secret Ceremony

    The Secret Ceremony

  • Eyes, the Sea and a Ball

    Eyes, the Sea and a Ball

  • We Are Salarymen

    We Are Salarymen

  • Kono ni uruwashi

    Kono ni uruwashi

  • Chained Bitch

    Chained Bitch

  • The Woman Who Touched Legs

    The Woman Who Touched Legs

  • Irohanihoheto

    Irohanihoheto

  • Moment of Terror

    Moment of Terror

  • Women Doing Time

    Women Doing Time

  • Saigo no kikyō

    Saigo no kikyō

  • 湖愁

    湖愁

  • The Life of a Horse Trader

    The Life of a Horse Trader

  • Nocturnal Lights

    Nocturnal Lights

  • Eriko

    Eriko

  • Yaneura no Onna-tachi

    Yaneura no Onna-tachi

  • Adults Games

    Adults Games

  • 喜劇 右向けェ左！

    喜劇 右向けェ左！

  • The Magistrate

    The Magistrate

  • A Certain Woman

    A Certain Woman

  • 刑事部屋

    刑事部屋

  • The Refugee

    The Refugee

  • Ghost Story of Devil's Fire Swamp

    Ghost Story of Devil's Fire Swamp

  • Ah, My Hometown

    Ah, My Hometown

  • 母子鶴

    母子鶴

  • Four and A Half Mats

    Four and A Half Mats

  • Confronting Fear

    Confronting Fear

  • Oogonju

    Oogonju

  • The Feast of Gion

    The Feast of Gion

  • Flower Cards Chivalry

    Flower Cards Chivalry

  • Gateway to Glory

    Gateway to Glory

  • The Cold-Hearted Sea

    The Cold-Hearted Sea

  • Game of Chance

    Game of Chance

  • Snow-Flake

    Snow-Flake

  • (Street of Wandering Pigeons) When Will the Birds Come Home

    (Street of Wandering Pigeons) When Will the Birds Come Home

  • Duel in the Sun

    Duel in the Sun

  • Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree

    Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree

  • Victory and Defeat

    Victory and Defeat

  • New Snow

    New Snow

  • Night Mist Makes Women Cry

    Night Mist Makes Women Cry

  • Wedding March

    Wedding March

  • Haru no sanmyaku

    Haru no sanmyaku

  • A Grain of Wheat

    A Grain of Wheat

  • A Ripple in a Morning

    A Ripple in a Morning

  • Refresher Course for Wives

    Refresher Course for Wives

  • Sound in the Mist

    Sound in the Mist

  • Storm on the Silvery Peaks

    Storm on the Silvery Peaks

  • The Rainbow Man

    The Rainbow Man

  • Koina no Ginpei

    Koina no Ginpei

  • The Straits of Love and Hate

    The Straits of Love and Hate

  • Mistress of a Foreigner

    Mistress of a Foreigner

  • The Man From Chungking

    The Man From Chungking

  • Nocturnal Gate

    Nocturnal Gate

  • Tokyo Eyes

    Tokyo Eyes

  • Training Ship of Yearning

    Training Ship of Yearning

  • Ginza Cancan Girls

    Ginza Cancan Girls

  • Dupe

    Dupe

  • Sarari man donto bushi - Kiraku na kagyô to kita monda

    Sarari man donto bushi - Kiraku na kagyô to kita monda

  • Girl in College

    Girl in College

  • The Song Lantern

    The Song Lantern

  • Tsuki yori no shisha

    Tsuki yori no shisha

  • A Man Among Men

    A Man Among Men

  • Love's Family Tree

    Love's Family Tree

  • Bot-chan

    Bot-chan

  • Submarine Ro Hasn't Surfaced

    Submarine Ro Hasn't Surfaced

  • Before Spring

    Before Spring

  • Shi no machi wo nogarete

    Shi no machi wo nogarete

  • A Face Glowing at Night

    A Face Glowing at Night

  • Koyoi Tsuma to Narinu

    Koyoi Tsuma to Narinu

  • Inazuma Kaidō

    Inazuma Kaidō

  • White Runway

    White Runway

  • Victory or Defeat

    Victory or Defeat

  • Irresponsible Rascal of Japan

    Irresponsible Rascal of Japan

  • Kanpai! Tokyo Musume

    Kanpai! Tokyo Musume

  • Fantasy of Youth

    Fantasy of Youth

  • Hibari no komoriuta

    Hibari no komoriuta

  • A Mother's Love

    A Mother's Love

  • And Yet They Go On

    And Yet They Go On

  • The Precipice

    The Precipice

  • The Tiger of Malaya

    The Tiger of Malaya

  • Elegy of the North

    Elegy of the North

  • Dadakko Shachou

    Dadakko Shachou

  • The 26 Martyrs of Japan

    The 26 Martyrs of Japan

  • Passion to Soar

    Passion to Soar

  • Aru yo no seppun

    Aru yo no seppun

  • The Cat Knew

    The Cat Knew

  • Children Seeking a Mother

    Children Seeking a Mother

  • 俺は死なない

    俺は死なない

  • Diary of a Substitute Doctor

    Diary of a Substitute Doctor

  • Ie naki musume

    Ie naki musume

  • A Bridge for Two Alone

    A Bridge for Two Alone

  • Yaji and Kita: Yasuda's Rescue

    Yaji and Kita: Yasuda's Rescue

  • Yurakucho 0 Street

    Yurakucho 0 Street

  • 日輪　前篇

    日輪　前篇

  • Typhoon Over Nagasaki

    Typhoon Over Nagasaki

  • Seisaku no tsuma

    Seisaku no tsuma

  • Kininaru Yomesan

    Kininaru Yomesan

  • Nippon no obaachan

    Nippon no obaachan

  • Kokoro no jitsugetsu: Retsujitsu hen - Gekko hen

    Kokoro no jitsugetsu: Retsujitsu hen - Gekko hen

  • Moken no himitsu

    Moken no himitsu

  • Tokyo Omnibus

    Tokyo Omnibus

  • Flower's Yearning

    Flower's Yearning

  • Love and the Shop Curtain

    Love and the Shop Curtain

  • 続二等兵物語　決戦体制の巻

    続二等兵物語　決戦体制の巻

  • Onna Ikitemasu: Sakariba Wataridori

    Onna Ikitemasu: Sakariba Wataridori

  • Koi no otome kawa

    Koi no otome kawa

  • The Song of the Cart

    The Song of the Cart

  • Osumi and Her Mother

    Osumi and Her Mother

  • Akireta musumetachi

    Akireta musumetachi