Daisuke Katō


Daisuke Katō was a Japanese actor. He appeared in over 200 films, including Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, and Ikiru. He also worked repeatedly for noted directors such as Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse and Kenji Mizoguchi.

Career

Born as Tokunosuke Katō to a theatrical family, his older brother was the actor Kunitarō Sawamura and his older sister the actress Sadako Sawamura. He joined the Zenshinza Theatre Company in 1933 and appeared in a number of stage and film productions under the stage name Enji Ichikawa, including Sadao Yamanaka's Humanity and Paper Balloons and Kenji Mizoguchi's The 47 Ronin. After spending the war in New Guinea, he returned to Japan and signed with the Daiei Film studio, appearing now under the name Daisuke Katō.
In addition to appearing in traditional jidaigeki roles, notably as one of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Katō became a popular everyman in contemporary shōshimin-eiga movies. His transfer to Toho in 1951 was an astute career choice, as he emerged as one of the studio's most prolific performers. Toho leveraged Katō's cherubic appeal, featuring him heavily in promotional materials, and his celebrity grew beyond the typical status of a supporting player. In the late 50's, Katō's capacity as a headliner was confirmed by his role as the central character in the series of adaptations of the Shishi Bunroku novel Ōban; scholar Donald Richie noted Katō’s “perfect interpretation” of the portly go-getter in the popular tetralogy. Katō also co-starred in major releases, including Toho's Company President comedies.
His 1961 book about his wartime experiences, Minami no shima ni yuki ga furu, was adapted by Toho as a showcase for Katō, who was top-billed, paired with major studio comic actor Junzaburō Ban, and supported with guest appearances by A-list Toho stars Hisaya Morishige, Tatsuya Mihashi, Keiju Kobayashi, and Frankie Sakai. The book later became an NHK television drama, a stage play, and a second film.

Honors

Daisuke Katō won the Blue Ribbon Award and Mainichi Film Concours for Best Supporting Actor in 1952 for Kettō Kagiya no Tsuji and Mother, and the Blue Ribbon Award in 1954 for Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji and Koko ni izumi ari.
On June 7, 1963, Katō was the subject of the Asahi Shimbun Interview, a distinction reserved for notable members of the arts, sports, political, and business communities.
In 2008, Katō was one of the actors commemorated in the Seven Supporting Characters film festival held at the now-defunct Cinema Artone in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa entertainment district.

Family

Kato's nephews are the actors Masahiko Tsugawa and Hiroyuki Nagato. His son, Haruyuki Katō, married Kazuko Kurosawa, the costume designer and daughter of Akira Kurosawa. His grandson by Harayuki and Kazuko is actor Takayuki Kato.

Selected filmography

Kōchiyama Sōshun - KentaHumanity and Paper Balloons - Isuke - Yatagoro henchmanAbe ichizoku The 47 Ronin - Fuwa Kazuemon Bosu Bangaku Edo e yuku Saheiji torimonohikae: Murasaki zukin - YasuSaheiji torimonohikae: Murasaki zukin - Kaiketsu-hen - YasuShinshaku Yotsuya kaidan: kōhen - ShinkichiOnna koroshi abura jigoku Tengu hikyaku Nippon G Men: Dai-ni-wa - Nansenzaki no kettō Ore wa yojinbo Harukanari haha no kuni - Tommy ShōkyokusaiRashomon - PolicemanAkagi Kara kita otoko Gorotsuki-bune - SōkichiOboro kago Tsuki no wataridori - MatagorōJiyū gakkō - TakayamaJoshu Garasu Mesu inu - MatobaVendetta for a Samurai - RokusukeThe Life of Oharu - Tasaburo HishiyaZoku Shurajō hibun - Hiun no maki - InosukeMother - Uncle KimuraYonjū-hachinin me no otoko Shanhai no onna - Liu, Ding's menIkiru - YakuzaAshi ni sawatta onna Fuun senryobune Jinsei gekijo: dai ichi bu/dai ni bu Edokko hangan Pu-san Yasugorō shusse Aoiro kakumei - Takegoro InugaiJirochō sangokushi: hatsu iwai Shimizu Minato Kaiketsu Murasaki-zukin: Sōshūban Jirochō sangokushi: seizoroi Shimizu Minato Yonin no haha Seven Samurai - ShichirōjiShiosai - Chiyoko's Father, the lighthouse keeperWatashi no subete o Late Chrysanthemums - ItayaToran būran: Tsuki no hikari - Private SasakiDorodarake no seishun - Miyamori, publicity managerSamurai I: Musashi Miyamoto - TojiTarao bannai hayabusa no maō Floating Clouds - Seikichi MukaiKoko ni izumi ari Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji - GentaNo Time for Tears - Magazine reporterTōjūrō no Koi - KichisukeTasogare sakaba - KibeSamurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple - Tōji GionThe Lone Journey aka The Road Mune yori mune ni - HazamaSamurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island - Toji GionSudden Rain - KawakamiEarly Spring - SakamotoIzumi Kengō nitōryū - Kamo JinnaiStreet of Shame - president of Brothel Owners' AssociationTsuma no kokoro Shiroi magyo Gendai no yokubō - InoueOnibi Ani to sono musume - HayashiArashi - IshiiGogo 8 ji 13 pun - Keisaku YatabeFlowing - Yoneko's exItohan monogatari - MatsukichiÔban - Ushinosuke AkabaWasureji no gogo 8 ji 13 pun - Police Detective YatabeSnow Country Untamed - Her second husbandSalaryman shusse taikōki - Hajime SōdaZoku Ôban: Fūun hen - Ushinosuke AkabaIppon-gatana dohyō iri - Mohei KomagataZoku sarariman shussetai kōki Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotō hen - Ushinotsuke AkabaneShachō sandaiki Futari dake no hashi - Takeshi SaitōZoku shachō sandaiki A Holiday in Tokyo - Sales ManagerYajikata dōchū sugoroku - Yajirobei Tochimen'yaAnzukko - SugaOban kanketsu hen Shu to midori Summer Clouds Zokuzoku sarariman shussetai kōki Wakai musumetachi - Zenkichi Shibata - Sumiko's fatherKami no taisho Hadaka no taishō - Master of RestaurantYajikita dōchū sugoroku - Yajirobei Tochimen'yaShachō taiheiki - Gōnosuke AsahinaZoku shachō taiheiki Kitsune to tanuki Sarariman shussetai koki daiyonbu - HajimeDaigaku no nijuhachin Moro no Ichimatsu yūrei dochu Shin santō jūyaku - Kumehei OnizukaUwayaku, shitayaku, godōyaku Wakai koibitotachi - Renzō DōjimaThe Three Treasures - God FudetamaOsorubeki hiasobi Yari hitosuji nihon bare - Genshin TawaraboshiWatashi wa kai ni naritai Kiri aru jyoji Shiranami gonin otoko: tenka no ō-dorobō Shin santō jūyaku: Tabi to onna to sake no maki Yama no kanata ni - Dai ichi-bu: Ringo no hoo: Dai ni-bu: Sakana no seppun - Yakichi WadaHito mo arukeba - Namigoro NamikiSarariman shussetai kōki daigobu - HajimeKunisada Chūji - Enzo NikoHawai Middowei daikaikūsen: Taiheiyō no arashi Shin santō jūyaku: Ataru mo hakke no maki - Uchū TakedaMusume tsuma haha - Shusuke TetsumotoTaiyō o dake - Kyōsuke TsumuraShin santo juyaku: teishu kyo iku no maki Shin jōdaigaku Gametsui yatsu Aki tachinu - Tomioka - The LoverKane-dukuri taikō-ki - Hirayama, ShūheiWhen a Woman Ascends the Stairs - Matsukichi SekineJiyūgaoka fujin Zoku sararîman Chūshingura - Jyusaburo OnoderaYojimbo - Inokichi - Ushitora's Rotund BrotherZoku shachō dochuki: onna oyabun taiketsu no maki Shachō dōchūki Honkon no yoru The End of Summer - Kitagawa YanosukeGanba Kigeki ekimae bentō Salary man Shimizu minato - ÔmasaOnna no za - Tamura Ryokichi, Matsuyo no ottoZoku sararîman shimizu minato Ika naru hoshi no moto ni - SōtarōShachō yōkōki Zoku shachō yōkōki Ottamage ningyo monogatari - Heiroku TsubakiStar of Hong Kong - ShūheiShin kitsune to tanuki Hōrō-ki - Nobuo SadaokaChūshingura - Kichiemon TerasakaAn Autumn Afternoon - Yoshitarō SakamotoKawa no hotori de - Kenkichi TakayamaKigeki: Detatoko shōbu - 'Chinjarara monogatari' yori - NishiyamaShachō manyūki Onna ni tsuyoku naru kufū no kazukazu - Daizō SugishitaZoku shachō manyūki Shachō gaiyūki Kureji sakusen: Sentehisshō Kigeki: Tonkatsu ichidai - Denji TamakiMinami no shima ni yuki ga furu Zoku shachō gaiyūki Kigeki ekimae chagama Miren - Master at 'Sekine'Onna no rekishi Warera sarariman Shachō shinshiroku Kigeki ekimae okami - Rikizō KawaguchiZoku shachō shinshiroku Ore wa bodigado Samé - GenjiHadaka no jūyaku - Tadokori - ExecutiveNippon paradaisu - Daiten KuramotoKuro no chōtokkyu - NakaeDanchi: Nanatsu no taizai - Ichirō MitaniShachō ninpōchō Zoku shachō ninpōchō - Tyuzo TogashiHi no ataru isu - Natsuki ShibusawaRadishes and Carrots - Bit PartSanshiro Sugata - Hansuke MuraiSenjo ni nagareru uta - YamamotoAku no kaidan - KonishiShachō gyōjōki Abare Gōemon - Budeuemon HattoriThe Stranger Within a Woman Zoku shachō gyōjōki - Tyuzo TogashiHikinige - KawashimaNakano Spy School - Lieutenant KusanagiRikugun Nakano gakko: Kumoichigō shirei - KusanagiThe Daphne - ShimadaAkogare Shachō senichiya Rikugun Nakano gakko: Ryu-sango shirei Mesu ga osu o kuikorosu: Kamakiri - Gunpei OtaguroZoku izuko e Zoku namonaku mazushiku utsukushiku: Haha to ko - TaroChichi to ko: Zoku Na mo naku mazushiku utsukushiku - Shintaro SakaiZoku shachō senichiya Rikugun Nakano gakko: Mitsumei Japan's Longest Day - Kenjiro Yabe - NHK Domestic Bureau DirectorKigeki: Ippatsu shōbu - Tadashi NinomiyaScattered Clouds - HayashidaNise keiji Shachō hanjōki Zoku shacho hanjōki Rikugun Nakano gakkō: Kaisen zen'ya Bakuchi-uchi: Nagurikomi - KichigorōNiji no naka no remon - Gōzō MaedaRengō kantai shirei chōkan: Yamamoto Isoroku - Chief of Press SectionKōdōkan hamonjō - Junpei SekineShachō enmachō Zoku shachō enmachō Shachō gaku ABC Zoku shachō gaku ABC Futari dake no asa Showa hito keta shachō tai futaketa shain Zoku Showa hito keta shachō tai futaketa shain: Getsu-getsu kasui moku kinkin Hajimete no tabi
  • ''Tokyo do mannaka''