Sumiko Kurishima
Sumiko Kurishima was a Japanese actress and master of traditional Japanese dance. She is often considered Japan's first female movie star.
Career
On her father's side, Kurishima was the daughter of, an actor and newspaper reporter, and the granddaughter of Ayasegawa Sanzaemon, a professional sumo wrestler who reached the rank of ōzeki. Her aunt on her mother's side, Fumiko Katsuragi, was also an actress. She learned traditional Japanese dance from an early age and used the name Kakō Mizuki when performing. Also appearing on stage, she entered the Shōchiku studio in 1921 and debuted in Henry Kotani's adaptation of Natsume Sōseki's The Poppy. Often appearing as the tragic heroine of films directed by her future husband, Yoshinobu Ikeda, she is considered Japan's first popular female movie star, especially considering that male onnagata played female roles in the movies up until the early 1920s. She retired from the screen in 1938 and concentrated on teaching dance, becoming the leader of her own school. She did return to the screen in 1956, however, to appear in Mikio Naruse's Flowing.
Selected filmography
The Poppy Denkô to sono tsuma Toranku Omoi tsuma Ho no namida Yuku kumo Ono ga tsumi Nasanu naka Yama e kaeru Kenbu no musume - YûkoShakko Kure yuku ekiji Tokuri Kyokukô nami o terasu Konjiki yasha Umi no kiwami made Hototogisu Chikyôdai Chizôme no gûnki Haha no kokoro Gion yawa Sôfuren Hikareyuku hi - Ryohei's daughter SawakoYôjo no mai - Mizushima KanekoKokawa-dera Eien no nazo Zanko - Naoya's daughter ToshieYuki no yawa Kessakushûsui konjiki yasha Sendō kouta - OkimiMy Friend - Elder sister Shiniyuku tsuma - Wife KimieFutatsu no michi Gendai no josei - Younger daughter TaekoYami Wo Yuku - Sachie / Sachie's daughter MidoriNasuna koi - Baishi - daughter of MonseiJikatsu suru onna - Hayase KyokoHaha - Sadao's wife ShizueDaitokyo no ushimitsudoki daiippen higekihen - TsuyukaMizumo no hana - OhanaKosome to kinya - KosomeOyako no tabiji Tsumi no tobira - Akizuki MasakoOhimegusa - Otsuyu, MotherYuhoshu Ono ga tsumi Kanojo no unmei Eien no Haha - MisaoSweet Home - Factory woman OfusaHatachi no Koro #3 - DaughterNageki no kujaku - Murata MiyakoHototogisu namiko Koi no Hikyoku - TsuyukoAru Onna no Hanashi - Proprietress OchikaDaichi wa hohoemu - Daughter ShurenMahjong Umi no himitsu Kanashiki koi no gensō - Forest maiden HinameHakushaku Reijo Koizuma - HarukoHojoka - Wife Sonoko, ChoranSabishiki Michi - Daughter OkikuShô-chan no Kamata hômon Kowareta Ningyo - Maiko HaruyuSayoko - Nagasa SayokoShi no Komoriuta - Takayama KiyoChinpira Tantei - HidekoUtsukushiki Inori - Blind woman MichieNageki no bara - Kikue's friendJunanbana - Kikukawa SumikoYôfu gonin onna - Dai gohen: Reijô Osumi Koi no Wakare Michi Hisako no hanashi - Hisako, daughter of ShinchoShinju fujin Kindai Nyobo Kaizo Tama wo Nageutsu Seishun no Komichi Tengoku no Hito Onna no isshô - Hanako AndôFûfu Tôge no Rakuen Ai no Yukusue Kângeki no harû Aîjin tokie no mâki Tasogare no yuwaku Ukiyo komichi Kibô Oyaji to sono ko Kotoshidake Kekkongaku nyûmon - Toshiko, his wifeReijin - Tomoko MizuharaKânôjo wa dôkoê iku Onnâgokorô wa mîdasumâji Ojôsan - Young LadyMachî no runpên Shimai zenpen Shimai kohen Ômoîde oki onna Depâto no himegimi Sôshiju Sei naru chibusa Tsubakihime Kujakubune Seidon - SachikoEvery-Night Dreams - OmitsuÎro wa nioedô Kanraku no yo wa fukete Yumê no sasayâki Nihon josei no uta Daigaku no wakadanna - Nihonbare Haha no ai Kajuen no onna Eikyû no ai ramûru ekuruneru zenpen Eikyû no ai ramûru ekuruneru kohen What Did the Lady Forget? - Tokiko, madam in KojimachiNakimushi kozo - Sadako, Keikichi's motherFlowing - Ohama