Akira Takarada

Akira Takarada (宝田 明, Takarada Akira, April 29, 1934 -) is a Japanese film actor who is most known in the west for his roles in the Godzilla film series.

Life and career

Takarada was born in Japan-occupied Korea, and lived for a time in Harbin, China. His father worked as an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway. After the war, he remained in Harbin, and he is able to speak Mandarin Chinese and English.

Takarada moved to Japan with his family in 1948. He joined Toho as part of their "New Face" program in April 1953. In his film debut, he had a small role in And Then the Liberty Bell Rang, a biography of the educator Fukuzawa Yukichi. His big break came when he was cast as navy diver Hideto Ogata in the original Godzilla (1954). He became a popular actor at Toho for his good looks and charismatic, sophisticated character. He continued his association with the Godzilla series in Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), and Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966). He returned to the series in 1992 with Godzilla vs. Mothra and appeared again in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Other Toho science-fiction/special-effects films in which he appeared include Half Human (1955), The Last War (1961), Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), King Kong Escapes (1967), and Latitude Zero (1969).

Toho prepared a musical production of Gone with the Wind with Broadway composer-lyricist Harold Rome for its new Teigeki theater in 1970. Entitled Scarlett, Takarada was originally scheduled to play the role of Rhett Butler. However, injuries sustained in an accident in which he fell off a bulldozer while filming prevented him from participating in this stage production.

Takarada made a guest appearance at the fan convention G-Fest XVII in 2010, and once more at G-Fest XIX in July 2012. On March 27, 2013, Takarada posed for publicity photographs with director Gareth Edwards on the set of the Legendary/Warner Bros Godzilla reboot, suggesting a cameo of sorts in the new movie. His scenes were filmed, but ultimately cut from the movie. He is still listed in the movie credits.

Roles

Selected Filmography

Television

Television drama

• Shiratori Reiko de Gozaimasu! (1993) (Shōtarō Hakuchō)
• Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1998) (Takatsukasa Masamichi)
• Watashi no Aozora (2000) (Jōji Murai)
• Shōtoku Taishi (2001) (Mononobe no Moriya)
• Rokkā no Hanako-san (2002) (Kaichō Tatsumi)
• Saka no Ue no Kumo (2009) (Fujino Susumu)
• Carnation (2011) (Seizaburō Matsuzaka)
• Keisei Saimin no Otoko Part 3 (2015) (Ikeda Shigeaki)

Dubbing roles

Live action

• The Ambushers (Matt Helm)
• Doctor Dolittle (Doctor Dolittle)
• Murderers' Row (Matt Helm)

Animation

• Aladdin (Jafar)
  • The Return of Jafar
• Disney's House of Mouse (Ratigan, Jafar)
• Disney's The Great Mouse Detective (Ratigan)
• Star Wars Rebels Season 3 (Bendu)

Video games

• Adventure of Tokyo Disney Sea ~Losing of Jewel's Secret (Jafar)
• Kingdom Hearts (Jafar)
• Kingdom Hearts II (Jafar)

Stage productions

• My Fair Lady
• South Pacific

Other

• Tokyo Disneyland attraction: Country Bear Jamboree (Henry)

• Filmography: "AKIRA TAKARADA". Complete Index to World Film. Retrieved 2010-01-29. , Akira Takarada at the Internet Movie Database, 宝田明 たからだ・あきら (in Japanese). www.allcinema.net. Retrieved 2010-01-29.  , 宝田明 (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-29. , and 宝田明( 出演 ) (in Japanese). Kinema Junpo. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
• disney-studio.jp Aladdin DVD
• disney-studio.jp The Return of Jafar DVD
• disney-studio.jp Olivia-chan no Daibōken(The Great Mouse Detective) BD/DVD
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