Haruo Nakajima

Biography

The Japanese actor and stuntman Haruo Nakajima was a pioneer of suit acting. Born in Sakata, he entered films as a stunt performer in samurai pictures, earning his first credited part in Sword for Hire (1952), and he appeared briefly in Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954). His signature role was Godzilla, which he played in 12 consecutive films from the 1954 original to Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972). He also played other Toho monsters, including The War of the Gargantuas (1966), Rodan (1956) and Mothra (1961). Many regarded him as the finest suit actor in the Godzilla series, and effects director Eiji Tsuburaya considered him invaluable. After 24 years, he retired from suit acting in 1972, later appearing at monster conventions and publishing an autobiography in 2010.

88years old at death

Born January 1, 1929Sakata
Died August 7, 2017Tokyo
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19

Movie Career

Films: 13
Career span: 60 years1955 to 2015

Genres

Adventure62%, 8 films
Action54%, 7 films
Sci-Fi46%, 6 films
Horror38%, 5 films
Drama15%, 2 films

First and latest

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Getting ready for a role
Before shooting the first Godzilla in 1954, Nakajima spent a week at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo studying how elephants and bears moved, even throwing bread to the bears to watch them catch it.
Getting ready for a role
Nakajima said that when filming began the original suit weighed 100 kilograms and two men were needed to help him put it on, and he asked himself how he could act in it.
A change of course
Nakajima retired from suit acting after 24 years, finishing with Godzilla vs. Gigan in 1972 when the studio moved him out of its contract actor system.

Haruo Nakajima movies on Netflix

Mifune: The Last Samurai2015IMDb rating 7.2as Self - Actor
Godzilla vs. Hedorah1971IMDb rating 6.1as Godzilla
Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4as Gezora / Ganimes / Taro Kudo (water scene stunt double)
All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9as Gojira
Latitude Zero1969IMDb rating 5.9as Flying Lion / Giant Rat
King Kong Escapes1967IMDb rating 5.5as King Kong
Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2as Gojira
The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1as Gaira
Yearning1964IMDb rating 8.0as Shopkeeper
Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4as Matango
The Storm of the Pacific1960IMDb rating 6.3
Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2as Gigantis
Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7as Godzilla

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Godzilla vs. Hedorah1971 Action, Adventure, Horroras Godzilla
IMDb rating 6.17.9K votes
Son of Godzilla1967 Action, Adventure, Familyas Gojira
IMDb rating 5.27.0K votes
All Monsters Attack1969as Gojira
IMDb rating 3.96.5K votes
Godzilla Raids Again1955as Godzilla
IMDb rating 5.710K votes
Matango1963as Matango
IMDb rating 6.44.0K votes
King Kong Escapes1967as King Kong
IMDb rating 5.53.6K votes
Latitude Zero1969as Flying Lion / Giant Rat
IMDb rating 5.91.2K votes
The War of the Gargantuas1966as Gaira
IMDb rating 6.14.1K votes

Most often with

Ishirô Honda directed six of these films, Jun Fukuda two and Motoyoshi Oda two. Yoshio Tsuchiya appears in seven of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Yoshio Tsuchiya

Kenji Sahara

Hiroshi Koizumi

Wataru Ômae

Takashi Shimura

Akihiko HirataIshirô HondaDirector, 6 films Jun FukudaDirector, 2 films Motoyoshi OdaDirector, 2 films

Films together

Yoshio Tsuchiya7 films together, 1955 to 2015
Yoshio Tsuchiya's page
- Mifune: The Last Samurai2015IMDb rating 7.2Nakajima as Self - ActorTsuchiya as Self - Actor
- Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4Nakajima as Gezora / Ganimes / Taro Kudo (water scene stunt double)Tsuchiya as Dr. Kyoichi Mida
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Nakajima as GojiraTsuchiya as Furukawa
- Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4Nakajima as MatangoTsuchiya as Masafumi Kasai - Owner
- The Storm of the Pacific1960IMDb rating 6.3
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Nakajima as GigantisTsuchiya as Tajima
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Nakajima as GodzillaTsuchiya as Tajima, Member of Osaka Defense Corps
Kenji Sahara5 films together, 1963 to 1970
Kenji Sahara's page
- Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4Nakajima as Gezora / Ganimes / Taro Kudo (water scene stunt double)Sahara as Makoto Obata
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Nakajima as GojiraSahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Nakajima as GojiraSahara as Morio
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Nakajima as GairaSahara as Dr. Yuzo Majida
- Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4Nakajima as MatangoSahara as Senzô Koyama - Sailor
Hiroshi Koizumi4 films together, 1955 to 1963
Hiroshi Koizumi's page
- Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4Nakajima as MatangoKoizumi as Naoyuki Sakuta - Skipper
- The Storm of the Pacific1960IMDb rating 6.3
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Nakajima as GigantisKoizumi as Tsukioka
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Nakajima as GodzillaKoizumi as Shoichi Tsukioka
Wataru Ômae4 films together, 1967 to 1971
Wataru Ômae's page
- Godzilla vs. Hedorah1971IMDb rating 6.1Nakajima as GodzillaÔmae as Police Officer
- Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4Nakajima as Gezora / Ganimes / Taro Kudo (water scene stunt double)Ômae as Sakura
- Latitude Zero1969IMDb rating 5.9Nakajima as Flying Lion / Giant RatÔmae as Advisor
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Nakajima as GojiraÔmae as Radio Operator
Takashi Shimura3 films together, 1955 to 1960
Takashi Shimura's page
- The Storm of the Pacific1960IMDb rating 6.3Shimura as Tosaku
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Nakajima as GigantisShimura as Dr. Yamane
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Nakajima as GodzillaShimura as Kyohei Yamane-hakase
Akihiko Hirata3 films together, 1960 to 1969
Akihiko Hirata's page
- Latitude Zero1969IMDb rating 5.9Nakajima as Flying Lion / Giant RatHirata as Dr. Sugata
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Nakajima as GojiraHirata as Fujisaki
- The Storm of the Pacific1960IMDb rating 6.3Hirata as Fleet Staff Officer
Ishirô HondaDirector, 6 films, 1963 to 1970
All films by Ishirô Honda
- Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4Nakajima as Gezora / Ganimes / Taro Kudo (water scene stunt double)
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Nakajima as Gojira
- Latitude Zero1969IMDb rating 5.9Nakajima as Flying Lion / Giant Rat
- King Kong Escapes1967IMDb rating 5.5Nakajima as King Kong
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Nakajima as Gaira
- Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4Nakajima as Matango
Jun FukudaDirector, 2 films, 1967 to 1969
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Nakajima as Gojira
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Nakajima as Gojira
Motoyoshi OdaDirector, 2 films, 1955 to 1959
All films by Motoyoshi Oda
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Nakajima as Gigantis
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Nakajima as Godzilla
Also three films together16 more actors
- Yoshibumi TajimaAll Monsters Attack (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and The War of the Gargantuas (1966)
- Hideyo AmamotoAll Monsters Attack (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and Matango (1963)
- Ikio SawamuraAll Monsters Attack (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and The War of the Gargantuas (1966)
- Sachio SakaiSpace Amoeba (1970), All Monsters Attack (1969) and King Kong Escapes (1967)
- Akira KuboSpace Amoeba (1970), Son of Godzilla (1967) and Matango (1963)
- Akira TakaradaLatitude Zero (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and The Storm of the Pacific (1960)
- Susumu KurobeLatitude Zero (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Yoshifumi TajimaAll Monsters Attack (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and The War of the Gargantuas (1966)
- Yutaka SadaAll Monsters Attack (1969), Yearning (1964) and The Storm of the Pacific (1960)
- Shôichi HiroseKing Kong Escapes (1967), The War of the Gargantuas (1966) and Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
- Chôtarô TôginSpace Amoeba (1970), All Monsters Attack (1969) and Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Kazuo SuzukiAll Monsters Attack (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Ren YamamotoThe War of the Gargantuas (1966), Gigantis, the Fire Monster (1959) and Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
- Tadashi OkabeGodzilla vs. Hedorah (1971), King Kong Escapes (1967) and The War of the Gargantuas (1966)
- Katsumi TezukaMatango (1963), Gigantis, the Fire Monster (1959) and Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
- Hiroshi SekitaLatitude Zero (1969), King Kong Escapes (1967) and Son of Godzilla (1967)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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