Kiyoshi Atsumi
Acting
Biography
Kiyoshi Atsumi (渥美 清 Atsumi Kiyoshi), born Yasuo Tadokoro (田所 康雄 Tadokoro Yasuo, 10 March 1928 in Tokyo – 4 August 1996 in Tokyo), was a Japanese film actor. He started his career in 1951 as a comedian at a strip-show theater in Asakusa. After two years of fighting pulmonary tuberculosis, he made his debut on TV in 1956 and on film in 1957. His vivid performance of a lovable, innocent man in a film “Dear Mr. Emperor” (Haikei Tenno-Heika-Sama) in 1963 established his reputation as an actor. Later he became the star of the highly popular Tora-san series of films, from the original Otoko wa Tsurai yo (translated in English as 'It's Tough being a Man') in 1969 to the 48th film released in 1995, the year before his death. The enduring success of the series made him synonymous with the Tora-san character, and many Japanese regarded his death as the death of Tora-san, not the death of Yasuo Tadokoro or Kiyoshi Atsumi.
Born: March 10, 1928
Place of Birth: Tokyo, Japan
Known For
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
Tora-san arrives in Shibamata on Mitsuo's first day of school only to find that on his account, Mitsuo was embarrassed. After a fight with his family, he goes to a bar to drink, then brings home a surly old man with a sad story, whose identity will surprise everyone. Later, Tora meets Botan, a geisha.
Talk of the Town Tora-san
After a chance encounter with Hiroshi's father on a bus, Tora decides to get serious and reflect on the mortality of man. His plans are derailed when a beautiful lady starts working at Toraya.
Tora-san Plays Daddy
A playboy-gambler friend of Tora-san’s dies and, abandoned by his mother, his little boy suddenly turns up in Shibamata. Searching for the boy’s mother, Tora-san meets a cosmetics saleslady and the three become a surrogate family, with Tora-san as “daddy”.
Tora-san, My Uncle
Tora-san's nephew Mitsuo is exchanging letters with Izumi, a former classmate whose parents divorced and took her out of Tokyo.
Tora-san Goes North
When his travels take him to rural Hokkaido, Tora-san helps a cantankerous old veterinarian (Mifune) in his relationships with his estranged daughter, and a woman in whom he is secretly interested.
Tora-san's Pure Love
When Tora-san's infatuation with his nephew's school teacher causes family turmoil, he leaves on his travels again. When he returns, he falls in love with the teacher's mother.
Tora-san Meets His Lordship
Tora-san befriends the descendant of a feudal lord. The man asks Tora to locate his deceased son's wife who resides somewhere in Tokyo.
Tora-san, the Matchmaker
Tora-san helps out a runaway bride.
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial
In his travels through Japan, Tora-san meets and falls in love with a female doctor, however he is afraid of committing to a relationship.
Tora-san, the Expert
Tora-san gets into an argument with his uncle and sets out on the road again. In Kyushu he meets a young woman named Keiko and the shy zoologist Saburō, and attempts to play matchmaker between the two when they all return to Tokyo.
Filmography
as Tora-san (archive footage)
as Torajiro Kuruma(Tora-san)
as Torajiro Kuruma(Tora-san)
as Torajiro Kuruma(Tora-san)
as Torajiro Kuruma(Tora-san)
as (cameo)
as Tora
as Torajiro Kuruma(Tora-san)
as Torajiro Kuruma(Tora-san)
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Narrator (voice)
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Kihachi
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Kuruma Torajiro
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Tora
as Kondo
as Kuruma Torajiro
as Torajiro
as Tora
as Kubo
as Torajirō
as Kosuke Kindaichi
as Watanabe Kacho
as Torajiro
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro
as Torajiro
as Movie Theater Manager
as Torajiro
as Kinnosuke
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Matsushita
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Tamiji Nishiyama
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajirō Kuruma
as Torajirô Kuruma
as Traveler
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Okera Goro
as 木村
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Cook #1 (uncredited)
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajiro Kuruma
as Torajirô Kuruma
as 参竜斉清山
as Matsujiro Minamida
as Katsuji 'Watakatsu' Watanabe
as Tashiro
as Yoshitaro Hirai
as Teiji Yoshida
as Minobu no Asakichi
as Toshi
as Hospital Guard
as Kakumaru
as Zensuke Yamashita
as Kashô Sanyûtei
as Ichibei
as Driver
as Mitsuo Aoi
as Sasaki
as Ushi