Kinuyo Tanaka
Known for Acting · 223 credits
- Born
- 1909-11-28
- Died
- 1977-03-21
- Place of birth
- Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Also known as
- 다나카 키누요 · کینو تاناکا · 田中 絹代
Biography
Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director.
Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at seventeen years old, appearing in Heinosuke Gosho's An Embarrassing Dream in 1927. She proceeded to take leading parts in, among others, Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929, Gosho's Aiyoku no ki in 1930, and in 1931, Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Gosho.
She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975. Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki.
Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role.
Known For
TV Shows (1)
Movies (222)
Let's Go, Grandma!
1975
as Kiku Sasaki
Red Beard
1965
as Madame Yasumoto
Sansho the Bailiff
1954
as Tamaki
Ugetsu
1953
as Miyagi
Sandakan No. 8
1974
as Old Osaki
The Ballad of Narayama
1958
as Orin
The Life of Oharu
1952
as Oharu
Her Brother
1960
as Mother
Equinox Flower
1958
as Kiyoko Hirayama
The Three Treasures
1959
as Princess Yamato
Forever a Woman
1955
as Neighbor's Wife
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
The Moon Has Risen
1955
as Yoneya
Women of the Night
1948
as Fusako Owada
Mother
1952
as Masako Fukuhara
Army
1944
as Waka
Symphony of Youth
1928
as Kinuko Noguchi
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932
as Oshige
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975
as Self
Utamaro and His Five Women
1946
as Okita
A Legend or Was It?
1963
as Shizuko Sonobe
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
Alone Across the Pacific
1963
as Youth's Mother
The Scent of Incense
1964
as Tsuna
Ginza Cosmetics
1951
as Yukiko Tsuji
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
A Hen in the Wind
1948
as Tokiko Amamiya
The Love of the Actress Sumako
1947
as Sumako Matsui
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931
as Wife of the Playwright
Dragnet Girl
1933
as Tokiko
The Woman in the Rumor
1954
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
The Eternal Rainbow
1958
as Fumi
Flame of My Love
1949
as Eiko Hirayama
The Munekata Sisters
1950
as Setsuko Munekata
Where Chimneys Are Seen
1953
as Hiroko Ogata
Love Letter
1953
as Landlady
The Lady of Musashino
1951
as Michiko Akiyama
On This Earth
1957
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
Flowing
1956
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
Okoto and Sasuke
1935
as Okoto
Osaka Woman
1940
Bright Sea
1963
as Nobuko Yazaki
A Certain Woman
1942
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941
The Ataka Family
1952
as Kuniko Ataka
A Wanderer's Notebook
1962
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
Okayo's Preparedness
1939
as Okayo
Women in Prison
1956
as Prison Warden
Woman of Tokyo
1933
as Harue
The New Road: Ryota
1936
Eternity of Love
1961
as Michi's Mother
Kinuyo's First Love
1940
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
as The Old Family Mistress
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949
as Oiwa / Osode
Five Sisters
1954
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
1951
as Onaka
The Tree of Love
1938
as Katsue Takaishi
Confession
1956
Mama, I Need You!
1962
My Elder Brother
1934
as Sumako
I Graduated, But...
1929
as Machiko Nomoto
Cape of the North
1976
as Old Nun
King of the Land
1928
as Namiko
Marriage
1947
as Fumie Matsukawa
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
1931
as Mayumi
I Flunked, But...
1930
as Cafe's Waitress
Burden of Life
1935
as Itsuko Kuriyama
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945
as Okinu
Useless Button
1926
ABC Lifeline
1931
The Storm
1956
Yellow Crow
1957
as Yukiko Matsumoto
The Blacksmith of the Forest
1929
as Omitsu
Victory Song
1945
as Woman who sings lullaby
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
An Heir's Place
1953
as Hisa Hosho
The New Road: Akemi
1936
House of Many Pleasures
1955
as Oshige
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
1940
as Chiyo
Okinu and Banto
1940
Song of the Flower Basket
1937
as Yoko
Phoenix
1947
as Sayoko Aihara
Miss Oyu
1951
as Oyû Kayukawa
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
Wedding Ring
1950
as Noriko Kuki
Double Wedding
1963
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964
The Fencing Master
1962
as Oharu
How Sorrowful
1956
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933
as Haruko, bride
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
The Loyal 47 Ronin
1932
as Yae
Stepbrothers
1957
as Rie
The Genealogy of Women
1934
as Otsuta
An Innocent Maid
1935
as Oshige
Flower
1941
Sincere Heart
1953
as Kuniko
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
1931
as Mayumi
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959
as Myokan
Mother and Child
1938
as Chieko
Victory of Women
1946
as Hiroko Hosokawa
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
1937
as Kinuyo Yamaoka
Miyamoto Musashi
1944
as Shinobu Nonomiya
Ornamental Hairpin
1941
as Emi
The Big City: Labor
1929
as Okimi (cleaning woman)
The Dancing Girl of Izu
1933
as Kaoru, a dancer
Spring Thunder
1939
Sanbaba
1974
Banchō sarayashiki
1937
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941
The Model of New Women
1929
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934
Men vs. Women
1936
Weeds with flowers
1939
Kaisen no Zenya
1943
Storm in the City
1934
Story of Lightning
1951
Marching On
1930
as Toshiko Yamamoto
The Village Bride
1928
About Kinuyo Tanaka
Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director. Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at seventeen years old, appearing in Heinosuke Gosho's An Embarrassing Dream in 1927. She proceeded to take leading parts in, among others, Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929, Gosho's Aiyoku no ki in 1930, and in 1931, Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Gosho. She had a close working relationship with director Ken… With 223 credits spanning from 1924 to 2022, Kinuyo Tanaka has appeared in 222 films and 1 TV show.
Fans searching for Kinuyo Tanaka movies, Kinuyo Tanaka filmography, or the latest projects starring Kinuyo Tanaka can stream many of these titles on HinFlix, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Kinuyo Tanaka Movies
- Let's Go, Grandma! (1975) — as Kiku Sasaki
- Red Beard (1965) — as Madame Yasumoto
- Sansho the Bailiff (1954) — as Tamaki
- Ugetsu (1953) — as Miyagi
- Sandakan No. 8 (1974) — as Old Osaki
Where to Watch Kinuyo Tanaka Films
Most Kinuyo Tanaka movies and series are available to stream on HinFlix in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Kinuyo Tanaka, check our movies catalogue and browse page.