Minoru Chiaki

Biography

Minoru Chiaki was a Japanese character actor who moved easily between comedy and thoroughly disagreeable parts. He took degrees in economics and commerce at the University of Chuo, yet the theater drew him more, and in 1937 he started training with the Shin-Tsukiji Gekidan. He ran the Bara-Za theater company during the Second World War. Akira Kurosawa, having seen him on stage in the play Dataii, encouraged him to work in film, and Chiaki went on to appear in Stray Dog (1949) and many other films for the director. He played the decent Heihachi in Seven Samurai (1954) and the foolish deserter Tahei in The Hidden Fortress (1958). In 1985 he took the Japan Academy Award for Best Actor for Gray Sunset (1985). He was the last surviving member of the Seven Samurai cast, and he died in 1999.

Movie Career

Films: 13
Career span: 16 years1950 to 1966

Genres

Drama85%, 11 films
Adventure38%, 5 films
Action31%, 4 films
Crime15%, 2 films
Horror15%, 2 films

First and latest

Minoru Chiaki movies on Netflix

The Face of Another1966IMDb rating 7.8as Apartment Superintendent
High and Low1963IMDb rating 8.4as First Reporter
Love Under the Crucifix1962IMDb rating 6.8
Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2as Kobayashi
The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0as Tahei
The Lower Depths1957IMDb rating 7.2as Former Samurai
Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0as Yoshiaki Miki
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island1956IMDb rating 7.5as Sasuke the boatman
Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7as Kôji Kobayashi
I Live in Fear1955IMDb rating 7.3as Jiro Nakajima
Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6as Heihachi
The Idiot1951IMDb rating 7.1as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretary
Rashomon1950IMDb rating 8.1as Priest

Best known for

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

Top

Seven Samurai1954 Action, Adventure, Dramaas Heihachi
IMDb rating 8.6406K votes
Rashomon1950 Crime, Drama, Mysteryas Priest
IMDb rating 8.1199K votes
The Hidden Fortress1958as Tahei
IMDb rating 8.046K votes
Throne of Blood1957as Yoshiaki Miki
IMDb rating 8.061K votes
Godzilla Raids Again1955as Kôji Kobayashi
IMDb rating 5.710K votes
I Live in Fear1955as Jiro Nakajima
IMDb rating 7.36.2K votes
High and Low1963as First Reporter
IMDb rating 8.474K votes
The Lower Depths1957as Former Samurai
IMDb rating 7.26.5K votes

Most often with

Akira Kurosawa directed eight of these films, Motoyoshi Oda two. Takashi Shimura appears in ten 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.

Top

Takashi Shimura

Toshirô Mifune

Kichijirô Ueda

Yoshio Tsuchiya

Kokuten Kôdô

Eiko MiyoshiAkira KurosawaDirector, 8 films Motoyoshi OdaDirector, 2 films

Films together

Takashi Shimura10 films together, 1950 to 1963
Takashi Shimura's page
- High and Low1963IMDb rating 8.4Chiaki as First ReporterShimura as Chief of Investigation Section
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Chiaki as KobayashiShimura as Dr. Yamane
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as TaheiShimura as The Old General, Izumi Nagakura
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki MikiShimura as Noriyasu Odagura
- Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island1956IMDb rating 7.5Chiaki as Sasuke the boatmanShimura as Sado Nagaoka the court official
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Chiaki as Kôji KobayashiShimura as Kyohei Yamane-hakase
- I Live in Fear1955IMDb rating 7.3Chiaki as Jiro NakajimaShimura as Domestic Court Counselor Dr. Harada
- Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6Chiaki as HeihachiShimura as Kambei Shimada
- The Idiot1951IMDb rating 7.1Chiaki as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretaryShimura as Ono, Ayako's father
- Rashomon1950IMDb rating 8.1Chiaki as PriestShimura as Woodcutter
Toshirô Mifune9 films together, 1950 to 1963
Toshirô Mifune's page
- High and Low1963IMDb rating 8.4Chiaki as First ReporterMifune as Kingo Gondo
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as TaheiMifune as General Rokurota Makabe
- The Lower Depths1957IMDb rating 7.2Chiaki as Former SamuraiMifune as Sutekichi the Thief
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki MikiMifune as Taketoki Washizu
- Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island1956IMDb rating 7.5Chiaki as Sasuke the boatmanMifune as Musashi Miyamoto (Takezo)
- I Live in Fear1955IMDb rating 7.3Chiaki as Jiro NakajimaMifune as Kiichi Nakajima
- Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6Chiaki as HeihachiMifune as Kikuchiyo
- The Idiot1951IMDb rating 7.1Chiaki as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretaryMifune as Denkichi Akama
- Rashomon1950IMDb rating 8.1Chiaki as PriestMifune as Tajômaru
Kichijirô Ueda7 films together, 1950 to 1958
Kichijirô Ueda's page
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as TaheiUeda as Slave Trader
- The Lower Depths1957IMDb rating 7.2Chiaki as Former SamuraiUeda as Shimazo the Police Agent
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki MikiUeda as Washizu's workman
- Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island1956IMDb rating 7.5Chiaki as Sasuke the boatmanUeda as Priest Ogon
- I Live in Fear1955IMDb rating 7.3Chiaki as Jiro NakajimaUeda as Mr. Kuribayashi father
- Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6Chiaki as HeihachiUeda as Bandit Scout
- Rashomon1950IMDb rating 8.1Chiaki as PriestUeda as Commoner
Yoshio Tsuchiya5 films together, 1954 to 1959
Yoshio Tsuchiya's page
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Chiaki as KobayashiTsuchiya as Tajima
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as TaheiTsuchiya as Samurai on horse
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki MikiTsuchiya as Washizu samurai
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Chiaki as Kôji KobayashiTsuchiya as Tajima, Member of Osaka Defense Corps
- Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6Chiaki as HeihachiTsuchiya as Farmer Rikichi
Kokuten Kôdô5 films together, 1951 to 1958
Kokuten Kôdô's page
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as TaheiKôdô as Old man in front of sign
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki MikiKôdô as Military Commander
- Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island1956IMDb rating 7.5Chiaki as Sasuke the boatmanKôdô as Old Priest Nikkan
- Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6Chiaki as HeihachiKôdô as Old Man Gisaku
- The Idiot1951IMDb rating 7.1Chiaki as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretaryKôdô as Jumpei
Eiko Miyoshi5 films together, 1951 to 1958
Eiko Miyoshi's page
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as TaheiMiyoshi as Old Lady-in-Waiting
- The Lower Depths1957IMDb rating 7.2Chiaki as Former SamuraiMiyoshi as Asa, Tomekichi's Wife
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki MikiMiyoshi as Old Woman at castle
- I Live in Fear1955IMDb rating 7.3Chiaki as Jiro NakajimaMiyoshi as Toyo Nakajima
- The Idiot1951IMDb rating 7.1Chiaki as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretaryMiyoshi as Madame Kayama
Akira KurosawaDirector, 8 films, 1950 to 1963
- High and Low1963IMDb rating 8.4Chiaki as First Reporter
- The Hidden Fortress1958IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Tahei
- The Lower Depths1957IMDb rating 7.2Chiaki as Former Samurai
- Throne of Blood1957IMDb rating 8.0Chiaki as Yoshiaki Miki
- I Live in Fear1955IMDb rating 7.3Chiaki as Jiro Nakajima
- Seven Samurai1954IMDb rating 8.6Chiaki as Heihachi
- The Idiot1951IMDb rating 7.1Chiaki as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretary
- Rashomon1950IMDb rating 8.1Chiaki as Priest
Motoyoshi OdaDirector, 2 films, 1955 to 1959
All films by Motoyoshi Oda
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster1959IMDb rating 4.2Chiaki as Kobayashi
- Godzilla Raids Again1955IMDb rating 5.7Chiaki as Kôji Kobayashi

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top

IMDbFilmography (opens another site)