So Yamamura (original) (raw)

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Japanese actor (1910–2000)

Sō Yamamura
Born Koga Hirosada(1910-02-24)24 February 1910Tenri, Japan
Died 26 May 2000(2000-05-26) (aged 90)Tokyo, Japan
Other names Satoshi Yamamura
Occupation Actor
Years active 1936–1997

Sō Yamamura (山村聰, Yamamura Sō, 24 February 1910 – 26 May 2000), sometimes credited as Satoshi Yamamura, was a Japanese actor and film director.[1]

Yamamura was born Koga Hirosada in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, and graduated from the University of Tokyo.[2] In 1942, Yamamura and Isao Yamagata formed the Bunkaza Theatre Company.[3]

He began his career as a screen actor in 1946[2] and appeared in over one hundred films between 1947 and 1997.[4][5] In 1953, he debuted as a director with his film Kanikōsen,[2] the first of six films he directed.[4][5] Yamamura was introduced to Western audiences in the 1958 film The Barbarian and the Geisha.[2] In the US, he is well known for his portrayals of Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Combined Fleet in Tora! Tora! Tora!, and of Mr. Sakamoto,[2] the CEO of Assan Motors in Gung Ho.

Yamamura appeared in many jidaigeki television dramas. He played the role of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the taiga drama Haru no Sakamichi in 1971.[6] His major historical roles were Yagyū Munenori in the 1978 The Yagyu Conspiracy and Hoshina Masayuki in the 1980 Shadow Warriors.[7] In addition to historical parts, he appeared in fictional series. He portrayed Otowaya Hanemon in the Hissatsu series Hissatsu Shikakenin, resprising the character in the film series later.[2]

Selected filmography

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  1. ^ "So Yamamura". Complete Index to World Film. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "So Yamamura". kotobank.jp. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  3. ^ "新撰 芸能人物事典 明治~平成「山形 勲」の解説". KOTOBANK. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b "山村聰". Kinenote (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b "山村聰". Kinenote (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  6. ^ "春の坂道". the.tv. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  7. ^ 春日太一『時代劇は死なず! 完全版 京都太秦の「職人」たち』河出書房新社 p.240-241 ISBN 9784309413495
  8. ^ "華麗なる一族". Family Gekijyo. Retrieved 27 August 2021.