Ken Takakura

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

196

Gender

Male

Birthday

1931-02-16

Day of death

2014-11-10 (83 years old)

Place of Birth

Kitakyūshū, 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

  • Black Rain

    Black Rain

  • Railroad Man

    Railroad Man

  • Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

    Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

  • His Pistol is Hell

    His Pistol is Hell

  • Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

    Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

  • Black Rain: Making The Film

    Black Rain: Making The Film

  • Histories of the Chivalrous

    Histories of the Chivalrous

  • The Bullet Train

    The Bullet Train

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2

  • Winter's Flower

    Winter's Flower

  • Mount Hakkoda

    Mount Hakkoda

  • A Distant Cry from Spring

    A Distant Cry from Spring

  • Antarctica

    Antarctica

  • べらんめぇ藝者罷り通る

    べらんめぇ藝者罷り通る

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

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

  • Hell's Companion

    Hell's Companion

  • The Domain: Rising Dragon

    The Domain: Rising Dragon

  • 47 Ronin

    47 Ronin

  • Bloodiest Flower

    Bloodiest Flower

  • The Pledge

    The Pledge

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

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo

  • Flower, Storm and Gangster

    Flower, Storm and Gangster

  • Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

    Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues

  • The Man

    The Man

  • Tokyo's Business District

    Tokyo's Business District

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4

  • The Escape

    The Escape

  • If You're Man Enough

    If You're Man Enough

  • No Advice Taken

    No Advice Taken

  • Midair Circus

    Midair Circus

  • A Man's Dark Finger

    A Man's Dark Finger

  • All Rascals

    All Rascals

  • Buddies

    Buddies

  • A Fugitive from the Past

    A Fugitive from the Past

  • The Chivalrous Life

    The Chivalrous Life

  • Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

    Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza

  • Brothers Serving Time

    Brothers Serving Time

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf

  • 続べらんめぇ芸者

    続べらんめぇ芸者

  • Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

    Miyamoto Musashi: Birth of Two Sword Style

  • Brave Red Flower of the North

    Brave Red Flower of the North

  • Operation Diamond

    Operation Diamond

  • Meteor Karate Strike

    Meteor Karate Strike

  • Sister with Sister

    Sister with Sister

  • Blackmail

    Blackmail

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6

  • A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

    A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm

  • A Fishwife's Tale

    A Fishwife's Tale

  • The Happy Family

    The Happy Family

  • Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

    Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro

  • Monsoon Son

    Monsoon Son

  • Delinquent Angel

    Delinquent Angel

  • Monsoon Son Pt.2

    Monsoon Son Pt.2

  • The Domain

    The Domain

  • The Big Boss

    The Big Boss

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

    Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

  • Jakoman and Tetsu

    Jakoman and Tetsu

  • Tokyo Untouchable

    Tokyo Untouchable

  • The Revolt

    The Revolt

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

  • The Domain: White Blade

    The Domain: White Blade

  • The Deep Blue Sea

    The Deep Blue Sea

  • Storm Party

    Storm Party

  • Main Street in the Underworld

    Main Street in the Underworld

  • Yakuza of the Present

    Yakuza of the Present

  • The Biggest Gamble

    The Biggest Gamble

  • Dagger

    Dagger

  • Showdown in Blood

    Showdown in Blood

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

    G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization

  • The Japan Derby Race

    The Japan Derby Race

  • Life of Hishakaku

    Life of Hishakaku

  • The Sand City in Manchuria

    The Sand City in Manchuria

  • The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

    The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate

  • The Yellow Handkerchief

    The Yellow Handkerchief

  • The Chop Professor

    The Chop Professor

  • Gambler's Legacy

    Gambler's Legacy

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2

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

    Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

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

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

  • Showdown of Men

    Showdown of Men

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

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

  • Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

    Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san

  • The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

    The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry

  • The Second Bullet is Marked

    The Second Bullet is Marked

  • Yukyo-retsuden

    Yukyo-retsuden

  • Jet Air Base 101

    Jet Air Base 101

  • Mother Peacock

    Mother Peacock

  • The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

    The Domain: Where The Blade Enters

  • Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

    Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy

  • Lady Sen and Hideyori

    Lady Sen and Hideyori

  • Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

    Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

  • Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

    Miyamoto Musashi: The Duel at Ichijo Temple

  • The Bastards of Lawless Town

    The Bastards of Lawless Town

  • The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

    The detective whose path was crossed by a snake

  • Man of Thirteen Eyes

    Man of Thirteen Eyes

  • Classmates

    Classmates

  • Beyond the Seasonal Wind

    Beyond the Seasonal Wind

  • The Domain: The Naniwa Story

    The Domain: The Naniwa Story

  • Japan's Top Gangster

    Japan's Top Gangster

  • Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

    Gang Loyalty and Vengeance

  • Abashiri Prison

    Abashiri Prison

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri

  • Manchurian Sunset

    Manchurian Sunset

  • Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

    Tokyo Untouchable: Escape

  • Red Peony Gambler

    Red Peony Gambler

  • Samurai Geisha

    Samurai Geisha

  • A Dead Drifter

    A Dead Drifter

  • The Day the Sun Rose

    The Day the Sun Rose

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow

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

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

  • The Domain: Flower and Dragon

    The Domain: Flower and Dragon

  • Detective Duel

    Detective Duel

  • The Outsiders

    The Outsiders

  • Men Fighting Whales

    Men Fighting Whales

  • Hell's Kitchen

    Hell's Kitchen

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape

  • The Longest Tunnel

    The Longest Tunnel

  • Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

    Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony

  • Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang

    Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri

    New Prison Walls of Abashiri

  • The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

    The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado

  • Great Jailbreak

    Great Jailbreak

  • The Drifting Avenger

    The Drifting Avenger

  • An Outlaw

    An Outlaw

  • Gambler Biography

    Gambler Biography

  • Karate Cop

    Karate Cop

  • Duel of the Underworld

    Duel of the Underworld

  • The International Gang of Kobe

    The International Gang of Kobe

  • Hell's Juggler

    Hell's Juggler

  • The Counterfeiters

    The Counterfeiters

  • The Homeless

    The Homeless

  • Choji Snack Bar

    Choji Snack Bar

  • House of Gamblers

    House of Gamblers

  • Romance Freestyle

    Romance Freestyle

  • Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

    Memoir of Japanese Assassinations

  • Devil's Nursery Rhyme

    Devil's Nursery Rhyme

  • Eleven Gangsters

    Eleven Gangsters

  • Never Give Up

    Never Give Up

  • With Songs in My Heart

    With Songs in My Heart

  • Employee Full of Fight

    Employee Full of Fight

  • The Great Road

    The Great Road

  • The Yakuza

    The Yakuza

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

    Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry

    Brutal Tales of Chivalry

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4

  • Glorious Fights

    Glorious Fights

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

    Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

  • Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

    Uragirimono wa jigoku daze

  • Manhunt

    Manhunt

  • Lightning Karate Blow

    Lightning Karate Blow

  • The Path of the King

    The Path of the King

  • Demon

    Demon

  • The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

    The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang

  • The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

    The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown

  • The Kamikaze Guy

    The Kamikaze Guy

  • The Bullet and the Horse

    The Bullet and the Horse

  • 365 Nights

    365 Nights

  • The Last Kamikaze

    The Last Kamikaze

  • Lullaby for a Tough Guy

    Lullaby for a Tough Guy

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

    The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3

  • Tales of President Mito

    Tales of President Mito

  • Ken San

    Ken San

  • Wolves, Pigs & Men

    Wolves, Pigs & Men

  • Patience Has An End

    Patience Has An End

  • South Pacific Waves Are High

    South Pacific Waves Are High

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2

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

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

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

    Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

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

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

  • The Firefly

    The Firefly

  • A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

    A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life

  • Mr. Baseball

    Mr. Baseball

  • Dearest

    Dearest

  • The Domain: Severed Relations

    The Domain: Severed Relations

  • Golgo 13

    Golgo 13

  • Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

    Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game

  • Rogue

    Rogue

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

    Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

  • 侠客の掟

    侠客の掟

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

    Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

  • A Portrait of the Author

    A Portrait of the Author

  • Umi e, See You

    Umi e, See You

  • Older brother

    Older brother

  • Song of Kagoshima

    Song of Kagoshima

  • Station

    Station

  • Third Generation Boss

    Third Generation Boss

  • Too Late the Hero

    Too Late the Hero

  • Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi

    Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi

  • An Elegy of Tyrole

    An Elegy of Tyrole

  • Prison Boss

    Prison Boss

  • The Boss

    The Boss

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

    Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die

  • Four Hours of Terror

    Four Hours of Terror