| Shintaro Katsu | |
| Birth Name: | Toshio Okumura |
| Birth Date: | 1931 11, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan |
| Death Place: | Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan |
| Occupation: | Actor, singer, producer, writer and director |
| Yearsactive: | 1954–97 |
| Spouse: | Tamao Nakamura |
was a Japanese actor, singer, and filmmaker. He is known for starring in the Akumyo series, the Hoodlum Soldier series, and the Zatoichi series.
Born Toshio Okumura (奥村 利夫 Okumura Toshio) on 29 November 1931. He was the son of Minoru Okumura (奥村 実), a noted kabuki performer who went by the stage name Katsutōji Kineya (杵屋 勝東治) and who was renowned for his nagauta and shamisen skills. He was the younger brother of actor Tomisaburo Wakayama.
Shintaro Katsu began his career in entertainment as a shamisen player. He switched to acting because he noticed it was better paid. In the 1960s he starred simultaneously in three long-running series of films, the Akumyo series, the Hoodlum Soldier series, and the Zatoichi series.
He played the role of blind masseur Zatoichi in a series of 25 films between 1962 and 1973, in 100 episodes across a four season television series from 1974 to 1979, and in a 26th and final film in 1989, which he also directed.[1]
In 1967, Katsu formed the company Katsu Productions.[2]
Katsu had a troubled personal life. A heavy drinker, Katsu had several brushes with the law over drug use as well, including marijuana, opium and cocaine with arrests in 1978, 1990 and 1992.[3]
He had also developed a reputation as a troublemaker on set. When director Akira Kurosawa cast him for the lead role in Kagemusha (1980), Katsu left before the first day of shooting was over.[4] Though accounts differ as to the incident, the most consistent one details Katsu's clash with Kurosawa regarding bringing his own film crew to the set (to film Kurosawa in action for later exhibition to his own acting students).[5] [6] Kurosawa is reputed to have taken great offense at this, resulting in Katsu's termination (he was replaced by Tatsuya Nakadai). In her book, Waiting on the Weather, about her experiences with director Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami chalks the differences between Katsu and Kurosawa up to a personality clash that had unfortunate artistic results.[7]
He was the husband of actress Tamao Nakamura (married in 1962), and father of actor Ryutaro Gan (Gan Ryūtarō).[8]
Stunt actor Yukio Kato was killed on the set of the 26th Zatoichi film by Katsu's son, who was co-starring, when an actual sword was mistaken for a prop, fatally wounding Kato.
In her book, Geisha, A Life, Kyoto geisha Mineko Iwasaki claimed to have had a long time affair with Katsu, whom she calls by his given name, Toshio. The affair ended in 1976, and eventually the two became good friends until his death.
Katsu produced the manga-based Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami) series of jidaigeki films starring his brother Tomisaburo Wakayama, two of which were later compiled into the movie Shogun Assassin, as well as co-writing, producing, and acting alongside his brother in the TV jidaigeki series Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (Mute Samurai) and Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun.
His other television work includes the police drama (Superintendent K) which he starred in (as Katsutoshi Gatsu), co-wrote, directed, and produced. His daughter,, co-starred.
His film work includes the Hanzo the Razor series as Detective Itami Hanzo. He was also an accomplished shamisen player, as well as a vocalist, recording several albums in both pop and Enka.
He died of pharyngeal cancer on 21 June 1997.
The character Fujitora in the manga series One Piece is based on him.
| Year | Title | Japanese | Romanization | Character | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love | Bara ikutabika | Akira Takakura | ||
| 1956 | Migratory Birds of the Flowers | Hana no Wataridori | |||
| 1956 | The Renyasai Yagyu Hidden Story | ||||
| 1956 | Sisters of the Gion | Gion no shimai | |||
| 1956 | Marason zamurai | ||||
| 1956 | Ghost-Cat of Gojusan-Tsugi | Kaibyo Gojusan-tsugi | |||
| 1956 | Tsukigata Hanpeita | ||||
| 1957 | An Osaka Story | Osaka monogatari | |||
| 1957 | Nijūkyū-nin no Kenka-jō | ||||
| 1957 | Ghost Cat of Yonaki Swamp | Kaibyo Yonaki numa | |||
| 1958 | Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion | Nichiren to mōko daishūrai | |||
| 1958 | The Gay Masquerade | Benten kozō | |||
| 1958 | The Loyal 47 Ronin | ||||
| 1958 | Ghost-Cat Wall of Hatred | Kaibyō noroi no kabe | |||
| 1959 | Samurai Vendetta | Hakuōki | |||
| 1959 | Seki no yatappe | ||||
| 1959 | Beni azami | ||||
| 1959 | Beauty Is Guilty | Bibō ni tsumi ari | |||
| 1959 | Hatsuharu tanuki gotten | ||||
| 1960 | Zoku Jirocho Fuji | ||||
| 1960 | The Demon of Mount Oe | Ooe-yama Shuten-dōji | Watanabe no Tsuna | ||
| 1960 | Secrets of a Court Masseur also titled The Blind Menace and Agent Shiranui | Shiranui kengyō | |||
| 1960 | Tsukinode no ketto | ||||
| 1961 | Mito komon umi o wataru | ||||
| 1961 | Kaze to kumo totoride | ||||
| 1961 | Hanakurabe tanuki dochu | ||||
| 1961 | Blind Devotion | Midaregami | |||
| 1961 | Tough Guy | Akumyō | Asakichi | ||
| 1961 | Buddha | Shaka | Devadatta | ||
| 1961 | Tough Guy, Part 2 | Zoku akumyo | Asakichi | ||
| 1962 | The Tale of Zatoichi | Zatōichi monogatari | Ichi | ||
| 1962 | New Bad Reputation | Shin akumyo | Asakichi | ||
| 1962 | The Whale God | Kujira gami | |||
| 1962 | The Great Wall | Shin no shikōtei | |||
| 1962 | The Tale of Zatoichi Continues | Zoku Zatōichi monogatari | Ichi | ||
| 1962 | New Bad Reputation Continues | Zoku shin akumyo | Asakichi | ||
| 1963 | The Money Dance | Dokonjo monogatari – zeni no odori | |||
| 1963 | Daisan no akumyo | Asakichi | |||
| 1963 | An Actor's Revenge | Yukinojo henge | |||
| 1963 | New Tale of Zatoichi | Shin Zatōichi monogatari | Ichi | ||
| 1963 | Akumyo ichiba | Asakichi | |||
| 1963 | Zatoichi The Fugitive | Zatōichi kyojo tabi | Ichi | ||
| 1963 | Akumyo hatoba | Asakichi | |||
| 1963 | Zatoichi on the Road | Zatōichi kenka-tabi | Ichi | ||
| 1963 | Akumyo ichiban | Asakichi | |||
| 1964 | Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold | Zatōichi senryō-kubi | Ichi | ||
| 1964 | Suruga yūkyōden: Toba arashi | ||||
| 1964 | Zatoichi's Flashing Sword | Zatōichi abare tako | Ichi | ||
| 1964 | Akumyo daiko | Asakichi | |||
| 1964 | Suruga yūkyōden | ||||
| 1964 | Fight, Zatoichi, Fight | Zatōichi kesshō-tabi | Ichi | ||
| 1964 | Kojiki Taishō | Kojiki taisho | Gotō Matabei | ||
| 1964 | If You're Happy, Clap Your Hands | Shiawasa nara te o tatake | |||
| 1964 | Adventures of Zatoichi | Zatōichi sekisho yaburi | Ichi | ||
| 1964 | Rōnin-gai | ||||
| 1964 | Dokonjō monogatari: Zuputo iyatsu | ||||
| 1965 | Suruga yūkyōden: Dokyō garasu | ||||
| 1965 | The Hoodlum Soldier | Heitai yakuza | Kisaburo Omiya | ||
| 1965 | Zatoichi's Revenge | Zatōichi nidan-kiri | Ichi | ||
| 1965 | Akumyo nobori | Asakichi | |||
| 1965 | Life of Matsu the Untamed | Muhomatsu no issho | |||
| 1965 | Zatoichi and the Doomed Man | Zatōichi sakate giri | Ichi | ||
| 1965 | Akumyo muteki | Asakichi | |||
| 1965 | Zatoichi and the Chess Expert | Zatōichi Jigoku tabi | Ichi | ||
| 1965 | Hoodlum Soldier and the C.O. | Zoku heitai yakuza | Ichi | ||
| 1966 | Akumyo zakura | Asakichi | |||
| 1966 | Zatoichi's Vengeance | Zatōichi no uta ga kikoeru | Ichi | ||
| 1966 | Zatoichi's Pilgrimage | Zatōichi umi o wataru | Ichi | ||
| 1966 | Hoodlum Soldier Deserts Again | Shin heitai yakuza | |||
| 1966 | Heitai yakuza datsugoku | ||||
| 1966 | Heitai yakuza daidassō | ||||
| 1967 | The Hoodlum Priest | Yakuza bozu | |||
| 1967 | Heitai yakuza ore ni makasero | ||||
| 1967 | Zatoichi's Cane Sword | Zatōichi tekka tabi | Ichi | ||
| 1967 | Akumyo ichidai | Asakichi | |||
| 1967 | Zatoichi the Outlaw | Zatōichi rōyaburi | Ichi | ||
| 1967 | Hoodlum Soldier on the Attack | Heitai yakuza nagurikomi | |||
| 1967 | Zatoichi Challenged | Zatōichi chikemuri kaidō | Ichi | ||
| 1968 | Zoku yakuza bozu | ||||
| 1968 | Tomuraishi tachi | ||||
| 1968 | Heitai yakuza godatsu | ||||
| 1968 | Akumyo juhachi-ban | Asakichi | |||
| 1968 | The Man Without a Map | Moetsukita chizu | |||
| 1968 | Zatoichi and the Fugitives | Zatōichi hatashi-jō | Ichi | ||
| 1968 | Samaritan Zatoichi | Zatōichi kenka-daiko | Ichi | ||
| 1969 | Devil's Temple | Oni no sumu yakata | |||
| 1969 | Hitokiri | Hitokiri | Okada Izō | ||
| 1969 | The Magoichi Saga | Shirikurae Magoichi | Oda Nobunaga | ||
| 1969 | Akumyo ichiban shobu | Asakichi | |||
| 1970 | Kenka ichidai: Dodekai yatsu | ||||
| 1970 | Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo | Zatōichi to Yōjinbō | Ichi | ||
| 1970 | Genkai yūkyōden: Yabure kabure | ||||
| 1970 | Incident at Blood Pass | Machibuse | |||
| 1970 | Yakuza Zessyō | Yakuza zessyō | |||
| 1970 | Zatoichi at the Fire Festival | Zatōichi abare-himatsuri | Ichi | ||
| 1970 | Fuji sanchō | Fuji sanchō | |||
| 1971 | Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman | Shin Zatōichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken | Ichi | ||
| 1971 | Inn of Evil | Inochi bō ni furō | |||
| 1971 | Kitsune no kureta akanbō | ||||
| 1971 | Kaoyaku | ||||
| 1972 | Zatoichi at Large | Zatōichi goyō-tabi | Ichi | ||
| 1972 | Shin heitai yakuza: Kasen | ||||
| 1972 | Zatoichi in Desperation | Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue aka | Ichi also director | ||
| 1972 | Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice | Goyōkiba | Hanzo Itami | ||
| 1973 | Mute Samurai | Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (TV series) | Manji | ||
| 1973 | Zatoichi's Conspiracy | Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri | Ichi | ||
| 1973 | Ōshō | Sankichi Sakata | |||
| 1973 | Hanzo the Razor: The Snare | Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme | Hanzo Itami | ||
| 1974 | The Homeless | Yadonashi | |||
| 1974 | Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold? | Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban | Hanzo Itami | ||
| 1974 | Akumyo: shima arashiaka | Asakichi | |||
| 1974 | Zatōichi monogatari (TV series) | Ichi | |||
| 1975 | Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun (TV series) | Kōchiyama Sōshun | |||
| 1983 | Meiso chizu | ||||
| 1987 | The one-eyed dragon Masamune (TV series) | Dokuganryu Masamune | Toyotomi Hideyoshi | ||
| 1988 | Teito monogatari | Shibusawa Eiichi | |||
| 1989 | Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally | Zatōichi | Ichi also director | ||
| 1990 | Saga of the Phoenix | Kujaku ō: Ashura densetsu | |||
| 1990 | Ronin Gai | Rōnin-gai |
| Year | Title | Japanese | Romanization | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo | Zatōichi to Yōjinbō | producer | ||
| 1970 | Zatoichi at the Fire Festival | Zatōichi abare-himatsuri | producer | ||
| 1971 | Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman | Shin Zatōichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken | producer | ||
| 1971 | Kaoyaku | Kaoyaku | executive producer | ||
| 1972 | Goyōkiba | producer | |||
| 1972 | Zatoichi at Large | Zatōichi goyō-tabi | producer | ||
| 1972 | New Hoodlum Soldier Story: Firing Line | Shin heitai yakuza: Kasen | producer | ||
| 1972 | Kozure Ōkami: Kowokashi udekashi tsukamatsuru | producer | |||
| 1972 | Kozure Ōkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma | producer | |||
| 1972 | Kozure Ōkami: Shinikazeni mukau ubaguruma | producer | |||
| 1972 | Zatoichi in Desperation | Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue | producer | ||
| 1973 | Mute Samurai | Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (TV series) | executive producer | ||
| 1973 | Zatoichi's Conspiracy | Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri | |||
| 1973 | Hanzo the Razor: The Snare | Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme | |||
| 1974 | The Homeless | Yadonashi | producer | ||
| 1974 | Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold? | Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban | producer | ||
| 1974 | Akumyo: Notorious Dragon | Akumyo: shima arashiaka | |||
| 1980 | Shogun Assassin | producer | |||
| 1989 | Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi | Zatōichi |
| Year | Title | Japanese | Romanization | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Kaoyaku | Kaoyaku | ||
| 1972 | Zatoichi in Desperation | Shin Zatōichi monogatari: Oreta tsue | ||
| 1973 | Mute Samurai | Oshi samurai (TV series) | ||
| 1974 | Zatoichi | Zatōichi monogatari (TV series) (episode "A Memorial Day and the Bell of Life") | ||
| 1989 | Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally | Zatōichi |
| Year | Title | Japanese | Romanization | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Zatoichi at the Fire Festival | Zatōichi abare-himatsuri | ||
| 1971 | Kaoyaku | Kaoyaku | ||
| 1989 | Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally | Zatōichi |