Tatsuyoshi Ehara, Veteran Toho Actor who Appeared in Kurosawa Films, Passes Away at 84

Tatsuyoshi Ehara in June 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Prolific Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara passed away on May 1 at 11:26 a.m. at his home in Nagano Prefecture. He was 84.

Ehara-san was born on March 26, 1937, in Tokyo. He began acting in the late 1940s as a child actor and continued acting well into adulthood, appearing in about 120 films. At Toho, he regularly appeared in the long-running Young Guy series, alongside star Yuzo Kayama, as Eguchi, the friend of the titular character. He was often cast by director Kihachi Okamaoto in numerous movies, including: Desperado Outpost (1959), Samurai Assassin (1965), Japan's Longest Day (1967), and Epoch of Murder Madness (1967).

Internationally, his best known credits are the Akira Kurosawa films Sanjuro (1962) as the samurai Sekiguchi, and Red Beard (1965) as Genzo Tsugawa. He also guest-starred in episode 1 of Ultra Q (1966) as the reporter Nitta. He quit acting in the 1970s and pursued business, as well as writing and journalism. (His autobiography, Memories from the Heart, was released earlier this year.)

With Tatsuyoshi Ehara in June 2016.

I was privileged to interview Ehara-san (part one and part two of the interview) and visit him several times between 2014 and 2017. Over the years, however, when his health began declining, I wasn't able to see him anymore. I always enjoyed his company.

A private funeral was already held by his widow, Yoko. Rest in peace, Ehara-san.

A Toho All-Star Flick in Ikebukuro

Arashi o yobu gakudan at Ikebukuro's Shin-Bungeiza. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night, I went to the Shin-Bungeiza theater in Ikebukuro to take in a late-night screening of Arashi o yobu gakudan (1960), an all-star Toho musical with several notable actors from the studio. Among the featured players are: Akira Takarada, Tadao Takashima, Izumi Yukimura, Tatsuyoshi Ehara, and Shinichi Yanagisawa.

I've known about this movie for years but have never had to chance to see it ... until last night. It's a mostly light-hearted take on a jazz band that organically comes together and achieves almost overnight success. However, love (and egos) get in the way, and soon the members break up and go their separate ways. But will they get back together before the ending?

It was an enjoyable film, and I especially enjoyed seeing Shinichi Yanagisawa in a Toho movie. (Yanagisawa-san is better known for his Nikkatsu and Shochiku roles.) Folks who need monsters in their Toho movies are really missing out. Last night was a great night at the movies.

DRINKS WITH A TOHO ACTOR! Hearing Many Great Stories from the Golden Age!

Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

By far, the highlight of the day was going to a cafe with former Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Ehara-san guest-starred in episode 1 of Ultra Q (1966), but worldwide he is probably best known for his work in Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro (1962) and Red Beard (1965). 

During his Toho years, Ehara-san worked with director Ishiro Honda. He wondered why Honda never cast him in a Godzilla movie, and Honda told him it was because his acting was too natural and realistic. I, for one, would have loved to see Ehara-san in a Godzilla flick.

AN AFTERNOON WITH A SHOWA STAR! Having Lunch with a Japanese Icon!

Retired Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I was privileged to have a great Japanese lunch with Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Ehara-san was the guest star of episode 1 of Ultra Q (1966), but he has done so much more. He began his career as a child actor at Shochiku Studios in the late 1940s, eventually moving to Toho Studios in the '50s where his career thrived.

Ehara-san can be seen in Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro (1962) and Red Beard (1965), and he was a fixture in Toho's Young Guy series with Yuzo Kayama. I could write several blog posts about Ehara-san's career. If Toho made it in the 1950s or '60s, there's a good chance Ehara-san is in it.

Many thanks to Ehara-san for spending the afternoon with me. He's a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

QUALITY TIME WITH A TOHO PERFORMER! Sharing Lunch with Tatsuyoshi Ehara!

 Retired Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, September 23, I was privileged to have lunch with former Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Ehara-san began his acting career for Shochiku Studios in the 1940s as a child actor, but he made his mark at Toho Studios, appearing the Akira Kurosawa classics Sanjuro (1962) and Red Beard (1965).

His sole sci-fi credit was appearing as the guest star of episode 1 of Ultra Q (1966), which of course paved the way for television's tokusatsu boom. I enjoyed hanging with Ehara-san again for the first time in a few months.

AN AFTERNOON WITH TATSUYOSHI EHARA! Spending Quality Time with a Great Toho Actor!

Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara poses for the paparazzi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today I was fortunate to meet with Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara for a couple of hours. We discussed his career as well as his current activities. I hadn't seen Ehara-san since January of last year, so the get-together was long overdue. 

Ehara-san guest-starred in episode 1 of Ultra Q (1966), but his wide-ranging acting career had very little to do with monsters. His career started as a child actor at Shochiku Studios during the 1940s, but by the 1950s, he had made the transition to Toho. At Toho, he would appear in several war films, numerous Young Guy flicks, and even a couple of Akira Kurosawa films, namely Sanjuro (1962) and Red Beard (1965).

Ehara-san speaks a little English, and he actually lived in Brentwood in the late 1970s. He told me that the first English phrase he ever learned was, "Give me chocolate," which was a phrase many children learned in postwar Japan that came in handy when they approached American soldiers.

The first part of my interview with Tatsuyoshi Ehara can be read at Vantage Point Interviews. If you enjoy Japanese films, you'll find it fascinating. Check it out!

TATSUYOSHI EHARA SPEAKS! The Toho Veteran Recounts His Memories at Vantage Point Interviews!

Actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara answers questions about his career during an interview in Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It has finally been finished! My interview with Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara (Sanjuro, Red Beard) has been published at Vantage Point Interviews.

But this is only the first part! The rest will be published on the blog Blossoming Japan in both English and Japanese. Amazing!

Now do yourself a favor and head on over to Vantage Point Interviews for some fine reading!

LUNCH WITH A MOVIE STAR! Ehara-san Pays Another Visit to Tokyo!

Former Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara signs some Young Guy DVD sleeves. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Monday, January 12, I had the distinct privilege of meeting Tatsuyoshi Ehara again in Tokyo. While Ehara-san makes his residence in Nagano Prefecture, he travels to Tokyo every once in a while, and during his last trip I was able to visit him and enjoy lunch with him.

Ehara-san would be best known in the West for his appearances in Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro (1962) and Red Beard (1965), but his acting career goes back to the 1940s as a child star for Shochiku Studios.

Our interview from last June approaches completion, so watch this space for any further developments.

AN ACTING LEGEND SPEAKS! Tatsuyoshi Ehara Shares His Toho Memories in an Upcoming Interview!

Actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara peruses a recent issue of G-FAN prior to our interview in Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I had the distinct privilege of interviewing actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara this morning, whose career in Japanese films dates back to the 1940s (!) as a child actor. Mr. Ehara has worked with pretty much all the great directors from Japan: Akira Kurosawa, Kihachi Okamoto, Hiroshi Inagaki, Kajiro Yamamoto, Kon Ichikawa, Masaki Kobayashi, Shiro Moritani, Seiji Maruyama, Nobuo Nakagawa, Jun Fukuda, and Ishiro Honda.

The list of actors he's worked alongside is just as impressive: Toshiro Mifune, Akira Takarada, Akira Kubo, Setsuko Hara, Yumi Shirakawa, Momoko Kochi, Izumi Yukimura, Akihiko Hirata, Yuzo Kayama, Keiju Kobayashi, and many others.

That's a wrap! Mr. Ehara poses with yours truly after our four-hour (!) interview.

Mr. Ehara's acting credits include: Outlaw Outpost (1959), Inao: Story of an Iron Arm (1959), Sanjuro (1962), Red Beard (1965), Chushingura (1962), Ultra Q (1966), Samurai Rebellion (1967), Japan's Longest Day (1967), Admiral Yamamoto (1968), and the long-running Young Guy series. Suffice it to say, I learned a lot ... and so will you! Special thanks to Asako Kato.