Ken Takakura

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

197

Gender

Male

Birthday

1931-02-16

Day of death

2014-11-10 (83 years old)

Place of Birth

Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan

Ken Takakura

Biography

Ken Takakura (高倉 健, Takakura Ken), born Gouichi Oda (February 16, 1931, in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan), was a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles. Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka. This subject was covered in one of his most famous movies, Showa Zankyo-den (Remnants of Chivalry in the Showa Era), in which he played an honorable old-school yakuza among the violent post-war gurentai. A graduate of Meiji University in Tokyo Takakura happened by an audition in 1955 at the Toei Film Company, and decided to look in. Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. Japan experienced a boom in gangster films in the 1960s as the Japanese people struggled with the generational differences between those raised in pre-war and post-war Japan and these were Takakura's stock and trade. His breakout role would be in the 1965 film Abashiri Prison, and its sequel Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen (Abashiri Prison: Longing for Home, also 1965), in which he played an ex-con antihero. By the time Takakura would leave Toei in 1976, he had appeared in over 180 films. Takakura gained international recognition after starring in the 1970 war film Too Late the Hero as the cunning Imperial Japanese Major Yamaguchi, the 1975 Sydney Pollack sleeper hit The Yakuza with Robert Mitchum and is probably best known in the West for his role in Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989) where he surprises American cops played by Michael Douglas and Andy García with the line, "I do speak fucking English". He again proved himself bankable to Western audiences with the 1992 Fred Schepisi comedy Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck. While he has slowed down a bit in his older years, he is still active. His most recent film was the 2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles by Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Takakura, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

  • SMAP×SMAP

    SMAP×SMAP

  • Station

    Station

  • The Yakuza

    The Yakuza

  • Umi e, See You

    Umi e, See You

  • The Bullet Train

    The Bullet Train

  • Railroad Man

    Railroad Man

  • A Fugitive from the Past

    A Fugitive from the Past

  • Mr. Baseball

    Mr. Baseball

  • Buddies

    Buddies

  • The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

    The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

  • Red Peony Gambler

    Red Peony Gambler

  • Demon

    Demon

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry

  • The Escape

    The Escape

  • Mount Hakkoda

    Mount Hakkoda

  • Antarctica

    Antarctica

  • Tokyo's Business District

    Tokyo's Business District

  • Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

    Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

  • The Yellow Handkerchief

    The Yellow Handkerchief

  • Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

    Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

  • 47 Ronin

    47 Ronin

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri

  • Never Give Up

    Never Give Up

  • Samurai Geisha

    Samurai Geisha

  • Golgo 13

    Golgo 13

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo

  • A Distant Cry from Spring

    A Distant Cry from Spring

  • Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

    Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

  • Classmates

    Classmates

  • Black Rain

    Black Rain

  • The Happy Family

    The Happy Family

  • Storm Party

    Storm Party

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

    Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

  • New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm

    New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm

  • A Fishwife's Tale

    A Fishwife's Tale

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

  • The Domain: Flower and Dragon

    The Domain: Flower and Dragon

  • Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

    Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

  • The Biggest Gamble

    The Biggest Gamble

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

  • Yakuza of the Present

    Yakuza of the Present

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

    Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

  • Choji Snack Bar

    Choji Snack Bar

  • The Outsiders

    The Outsiders

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

  • Showdown of Men

    Showdown of Men

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

  • Eleven Gangsters

    Eleven Gangsters

  • Blackmail

    Blackmail

  • Yukyo-retsuden

    Yukyo-retsuden

  • All Rascals

    All Rascals

  • Employee Full of Fight

    Employee Full of Fight

  • South Pacific Waves Are High

    South Pacific Waves Are High

  • Manhunt

    Manhunt

  • The Chivalrous Life

    The Chivalrous Life

  • Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

    Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

    Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

  • Devil's Nursery Rhyme

    Devil's Nursery Rhyme

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny

  • Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

    Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

  • Lady Sen and Hideyori

    Lady Sen and Hideyori

  • The Longest Tunnel

    The Longest Tunnel

  • Lightning Karate Blow

    Lightning Karate Blow

  • The Second Bullet is Marked

    The Second Bullet is Marked

  • Hell's Juggler

    Hell's Juggler

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

    Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

  • The Bullet and the Horse

    The Bullet and the Horse

  • Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

    Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

  • With Songs in My Heart

    With Songs in My Heart

  • Flower, Storm and Gangster

    Flower, Storm and Gangster

  • An Outlaw

    An Outlaw

  • Brave Red Flower of the North

    Brave Red Flower of the North

  • Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

    Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

  • Delinquent Angel

    Delinquent Angel

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

  • The International Gang of Kobe

    The International Gang of Kobe

  • A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

    A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

  • Life of Hishakaku

    Life of Hishakaku

  • Romance Freestyle

    Romance Freestyle

  • Sister with Sister

    Sister with Sister

  • The Deep Blue Sea

    The Deep Blue Sea

  • G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization

    G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization

  • Hell's Kitchen

    Hell's Kitchen

  • The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

    The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

  • The Domain: The Naniwa Story

    The Domain: The Naniwa Story

  • The Man

    The Man

  • Showdown in Blood

    Showdown in Blood

  • If You're Man Enough

    If You're Man Enough

  • The Domain: White Blade

    The Domain: White Blade

  • Great Jailbreak

    Great Jailbreak

  • Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

    Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

  • Midair Circus

    Midair Circus

  • The Firefly

    The Firefly

  • The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

    The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

  • Wolves, Pigs & Men

    Wolves, Pigs & Men

  • Karate Cop

    Karate Cop

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

  • His Pistol is Hell

    His Pistol is Hell

  • Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

    Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

  • Abashiri Prison

    Abashiri Prison

  • Winter's Flower

    Winter's Flower

  • The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Eternity

    The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Eternity

  • Manchurian Sunset

    Manchurian Sunset

  • 続べらんめぇ芸者

    続べらんめぇ芸者

  • The Kamikaze Guy

    The Kamikaze Guy

  • Rogue

    Rogue

  • Lullaby for a Tough Guy

    Lullaby for a Tough Guy

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

  • Mother Peacock

    Mother Peacock

  • Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

    Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

  • The Domain: Severed Relations

    The Domain: Severed Relations

  • 侠客の掟

    侠客の掟

  • The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

    The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

  • The Chop Professor

    The Chop Professor

  • The Day the Sun Rose

    The Day the Sun Rose

  • The Counterfeiters

    The Counterfeiters

  • Man of Thirteen Eyes

    Man of Thirteen Eyes

  • Monsoon Son Pt.2

    Monsoon Son Pt.2

  • A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

    A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

  • A Man's Dark Finger

    A Man's Dark Finger

  • Hell's Companion

    Hell's Companion

  • Meteor Karate Strike

    Meteor Karate Strike

  • Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

    Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

  • The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Whirlwind

    The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Whirlwind

  • A Dead Drifter

    A Dead Drifter

  • The Pledge

    The Pledge

  • Dagger

    Dagger

  • Jakoman and Tetsu

    Jakoman and Tetsu

  • The Sand City in Manchuria

    The Sand City in Manchuria

  • Tokyo Untouchable

    Tokyo Untouchable

  • The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

    The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

  • Detective Duel

    Detective Duel

  • The Great Road

    The Great Road

  • Japan's Top Gangster

    Japan's Top Gangster

  • The Revolt

    The Revolt

  • No Advice Taken

    No Advice Taken

  • Gambler's Legacy

    Gambler's Legacy

  • Monsoon Son

    Monsoon Son

  • Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack

    Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

  • 365 Nights

    365 Nights

  • The Homeless

    The Homeless

  • Gambler Biography

    Gambler Biography

  • The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Rush

    The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Rush

  • Jet Air Base 101

    Jet Air Base 101

  • Histories of the Chivalrous

    Histories of the Chivalrous

  • Dearest

    Dearest

  • Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

    Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

  • Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang

    Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang

  • The Last Kamikaze

    The Last Kamikaze

  • Patience Has An End

    Patience Has An End

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

    Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

  • Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

    Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

  • Bloodiest Flower

    Bloodiest Flower

  • House of Gamblers

    House of Gamblers

  • The Big Boss

    The Big Boss

  • Defeat the Boss

    Defeat the Boss

  • Brothers Serving Time

    Brothers Serving Time

  • The Bastards of Lawless Town

    The Bastards of Lawless Town

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

  • The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

    The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

  • Main Street in the Underworld

    Main Street in the Underworld

  • Men Fighting Whales

    Men Fighting Whales

  • Duel of the Underworld

    Duel of the Underworld

  • Beyond the Seasonal Wind

    Beyond the Seasonal Wind

  • The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

    The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

  • The Path of the King

    The Path of the King

  • Black Rain: Making The Film

    Black Rain: Making The Film

  • Operation Diamond

    Operation Diamond

  • Tales of President Mito

    Tales of President Mito

  • The Japan Derby Race

    The Japan Derby Race

  • The Drifting Avenger

    The Drifting Avenger

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

    Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

  • Ken San

    Ken San

  • The Domain: Rising Dragon

    The Domain: Rising Dragon

  • Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

    Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

  • Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

    Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

  • A Portrait of the Author

    A Portrait of the Author

  • Too Late the Hero

    Too Late the Hero

  • Older brother

    Older brother

  • The Boss

    The Boss

  • Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi

    Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi

  • The Domain

    The Domain

  • Prison Boss

    Prison Boss

  • 恐怖の空中殺人

    恐怖の空中殺人

  • Four Hours of Terror

    Four Hours of Terror

  • Third Generation Boss

    Third Generation Boss

  • Glorious Fights

    Glorious Fights

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

  • An Elegy of Tyrole

    An Elegy of Tyrole

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

  • Song of Kagoshima

    Song of Kagoshima