Kazuo Hasegawa is an amazing actor of the kabuki theater, a movie hero of historical films about samurai, who conquered the world space of the film industry and television with his acting.
Kazuo Hasegawa () is a Japanese theater actor, famous film and television artist. Coming from a dynasty of kabuki masters, a remarkable man of that era. He was able to conquer the audience with his game, effectively transforming himself into women, pharaohs, vassals. On account of Kazuo five highest national awards.
Biography
The future star of the theater scene was born on February 27, 1908. His family lived in the central part of the island of Honshu, in the administrative center of Kyoto. Relatives and parents were related to art, my uncle had a small troupe at the Shochiku-dza theater. Kazuo spent his early years and youth in this theater, the kid did not have primary education.
Participating in a family team, the kid deftly applied makeup, learned from the elders to maintain the correct posture. He mastered the skill of onnagata, at first he played bit parts of little girls. Gradually gaining experience, he performed under the pseudonym Nakamura, Arasi Kazuo, Hayashi Chomaru and conquered the audience with his charm. He retained this love and talent for transforming into beautiful women throughout his life.
Career
The first steps on the road to fame began in 1913, when a five-year-old boy first crossed the threshold of the theater, and lasted for 10 years. But the young man was always interested in cinema, he decided to go to acting courses. His characteristics from theater critics, reviews of colleagues on the stage helped to move forward.
The first film debut took place in 1927, when the guy tried a new role for himself - a superhero, a master of hand-to-hand combat, ronin. The Japanese film company "Shochiku" () signed a contract with a young performer, he began acting as Chojiro Hayashi, a colorful hero of the era of emperors. For 10 years of close cooperation, more than one hundred and twenty films of dramatic, historical and yakuza direction have been released on the screens.
1937 was marked for the artist by the transition to another company Toho (kabushiki-gayashi), which was part of the holding company Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. For an experienced, talented and purposeful person, this was a chance to start a new milestone in his achievements, to get used to the face with the scar that he received during an armed attack by robbers. If not for a quarrel with the former owner of the studio, perhaps fate would have decreed otherwise. Having terminated the previously signed contract, the young man began to appear under his own name.
Simultaneously with filming, he did not stop attending the theatrical stage, even gathered his troupe Shin Engiza (1942), which eventually became a large, full-fledged film studio (in 1948). In addition, he signs a cooperation agreement with Shin-Toho and begins to actively get used to new roles, trying on the heroes of the yakuza, robbers and romantic geishas.
The next fourteen years of active filming (1949-1963) made a great contribution to the collection of roles, movie characters with his signature style. He became recognizable, loved, films with his participation were expected on television screens. At the same time, he was engaged in administrative work at the Daiei Theater, helped with the decoration of the scenery, listened to newcomers, made proposals for the design of makeup (since 1957).
On account of Kazuo about three hundred films, television series, radio appearances. He played well in women's kabuki, reincarnated as historical heroes, modern police officers, generals and leaders of the yakuza. The most memorable were: the heroine Yamirato in the film novel Otokichi Mikami "Revenge of Yukinojo", detective Zenigata Heidi in a series of stories by Kodo Nomura and the main vassal Oishi Kuranosuke from the film adaptation of the historical saga "Ako's Revenge" about forty-seven samurai.
Kazuo's most recent films include Kizu senryo, Zoku Jirocho Fuji, Kuroi Sandogasa, Actor's Revenge, The Great Wall and a number of films from 1960-1963. On this, the film actor's career was completed and since 1964 he began to take an active part in theatrical performances, taught college students, attended TV shows and programs dedicated to kabuki.
For his creative career, he was awarded the following awards:
- the special popularity prize in the field of cinema "Blue Ribbon" (1953), awarded by critics and journalists in the field of cinema;
- Kikuchi Kana Writer Prize (1958)
- Medal of Honor for the Purple Ribbon (1965) - for services and achievements in the field of theatrical performances;
- Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure (established by the emperor in 1988) III class;
- State Prize of People's Honor (posthumously, in 1984).
Personal life
Hasegawa lived a long, happy life. He was married twice, raised three children who followed in the footsteps of their parents, became professional and sought-after actors.
With his first wife, Tami Nakamura, he lived for 12 years without ever having a child. The couple broke up in 1942, practically ceasing to communicate. But Kazuo loved her, thought it forever, because he was not known as a womanizer, but was a responsible and caring husband.
He met his second wife at one of the theatrical evenings in 1942. Shige Iijima struck him with kindness, tenderness and devotion to his spouse. She gave Hasegawa three adorable children who became followers of her father's work.
(Hasegawa) - daughter, announcer, TV presenter, actress.
(stage name - Lin, adult) - son, graduated from Keio Theater University, actor of kabuki and modern cinema, master of voice acting for cartoon characters (seishu).
Kiyo Hasegawa ("Revue") - daughter, continued the family dynasty, is fond of kabuki, draws well, periodically acts in films and on television.
The actor passed away at the age of 76 in April 1984 at his home in Tokyo. He is buried in Yanaka Bochi Cemetery (Taito District), a calm and beautiful place strewn with cherry blossoms.
