Choei Takahashi (left) looks on as Koichi Ueda (right) signs an autograph. Photo by Brett Homenick.
Tonight, I was pleased to attend a special dinner event with two special actors. The event followed a screening of their film Walking with a Friend (2013), which I had to miss due to my work schedule. But the dinner event was well worth attending.
Actor Choei Takahashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.
I was particularly eager to meet actor Choei Takahashi. Takahashi-san played the lead role in the Toho thriller Lake of Dracula (1971), the middle entry in the great Bloodthirsty trilogy. Actors from that film are especially difficult to meet, so the chance to meet the film's star was one I couldn't pass up. I brought a couple of Lake of Dracula stills for him to sign.
Actor Koichi Ueda. Photo by Brett Homenick.
Also on hand was Koichi Ueda, a prolific Japanese actor whose career still thrives to this day. Most tokusatsu fans in the West probably know that Ueda-san appeared in every Godzilla movie from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) through Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). (He told me that his role in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah was his favorite of all his Godzilla appearances.) His other SFX and fantasy credits include: Kaiju Booska (1966-67), Ultra Seven (1967-68), Ultraman Taro (1973-74), Jumborg Ace (1973), and Barom-1 (1972). However, his best-known credit of all would likely be Shall We Dance? (1996).
I especially had a great time speaking with Ueda-san, who is extremely approachable and friendly. I certainly hope to have another chance to visit with him some day. Likewise, I hope to have another chance to see Takahashi-san again. I'd sure love to hear his stories from the set of Lake of Dracula!
That's all for now. Stay tuned to this blog for all the latest happenings!
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