
Acting
Born November 28, 1909 · Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
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.

Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022

The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009

Lullaby of the Earth
1976

Cape of the North
1976

Let's Go, Grandma!
1975

Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975

Sandakan No. 8
1974

Sanbaba
1974

Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972

Red Beard
1965

Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964

The Scent of Incense
1964

Bright Sea
1963

Alone Across the Pacific
1963

A Legend or Was It?
1963

Double Wedding
1963

Mama, I Need You!
1962

The Fencing Master
1962

A Wanderer's Notebook
1962

Eternity of Love
1961

Her Brother
1960

The Three Treasures
1959

Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959

Hahakogusa
1959

The Eternal Rainbow
1958

Equinox Flower
1958

The Ballad of Narayama
1958

Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958

On This Earth
1957

Geisha in the Old City
1957