Tadao Takashima


Tadao Takashima was a Japanese actor and jazz musician. He appeared in more than 100 films, including the Toho productions King Kong vs. Godzilla, Atragon, and Frankenstein vs. Baragon. He also performed in stage musicals such as My Fair Lady and appeared in several television shows.

Career

Takashima began participating in a jazz band while a student at Kwansei Gakuin University. He left the university before graduating when he joined the Shintoho studio, debuting as an actor in 1952. He starred in the 1962 film King Kong vs. Godzilla alongside Yū Fujiki, and subsequently acted with Fujiki in several comedy films about salarymen, which were popular in Japan at that time. Takashima also appeared in Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.
He gained popularity as a romantic lead who could also sing, which led to roles in stage musicals, including the role of Professor Henry Higgins in a 1963 production of My Fair Lady. He also appeared on several television programs, including the quiz show Quiz! Do-re-mi-fa-don! and the cooking show Gochisosama.

Personal life

In 1963, Takashima married Hanayo Sumi, a former member of Takarazuka Revue. His first-born son was murdered in 1964 at the age of five months by the family maid. He had two other sons, Masahiro Takashima and Masanobu Takashima, both of whom are actors. In 1998, Takashima developed depression, from which he subsequently recovered.
Takashima died of natural causes in his home in Tokyo on 26 June 2019 at age 88.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1952Choito neesan omoide yanagiShinichi
1952Asakusa yonin shimai
1953Onna to iu shiro - Mari no maki
1953Onna to iu shiro - Yuko no maki
1953Ai no sakyû
1953Ajapa tengoku
1953
1953Seishun Jazu MusumeTahara
1953Waga koi no lila no kokage ni
1954Musume jûroku jazz matsuri
1954Jazz on Parade 1954 nen: Tokyo Cinderella musume
1955Santashain no onna hisho
1956Hokkai no hanranFirst Officer Mori
1956Morishige no Shinkonryoko
1956Daigaku no buyuden
1956Daigaku no kengo keiraku no abarenbo
1956Fearful Attack of the Flying SaucersMasao Hayashi
1956Gunshin Yamamoto gensui to Rengô kantai
1957Oshaberi shacho
1957Nichibei Hanayome Hanamuko Irekae Torikae GassenDaikichi Matsukawa
1957Meiji tennô to nichiro daisensoNogi Yasusuke
1957Hibari ga oka no taiketsuYûkichi Hanayama
1957Sen'un Ajia no joô
1958Joôbachi no ikariSinger
1959Kakkun chô tokkyûShintoyo Eiga Star
1959Teisô no ArashiMinoru Yagihashi
1959Bôryoku musume
1959Jûdai no magari kado
1960Chikateikoku no shikeishitsu
1960Arashi o yobu gakudanJun Mitani
1960Chinpindô shujin
1960Bakusho itohan nikki
1960Kyôsaitô sôsai ni eikô areHaruhiko Wakayama
1960Kamitsuita wakadan'na
1960Taiyô o dakeTakahiko Chiba
1960Oneechan ni makashitokiMatsuzaemon Matsuno
1960Gametsui yatsuKanta, Shika's son
1960Utamatsuri romansu dochu
1960Oneechan wa tsuiteru zeHikoichi Ôtsu
1960Sazae-san to epuron obasan
1961Shusse kôsu ni shinro o tore
1961Fuku no kami: Sazae-san ikka
1961Wakarete ikiru toki moKengo Inami
1961Onna kazoku
1961Kaei
1961Ganba
1961Awamori-kun nishi-e iku
1962King Kong vs. GodzillaOsamu Sakurai
1962Shin kitsune to tanuki
1962Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no MakiJûjirô Hazama
1963Onna ni tsuyoku naru kufû no kazukazuGorô Miyake
1963Love Me, Love MeInspector Ôki
1963Hai hai sannin musume
1963Nippon jitsuwa jidai
1963Ichi ka bachi ka
1963AtragonSusumu Hatanaka
1964Hibari, Chiemi, Izumi: Sannin yoreba
1964You Can Succeed, TooNakai
1964Meiji taitei goichidaiki
1964Danchi: Nanatsu no taizai2nd & 7 Sin-Masao Hanai
1965Frankenstein vs. BaragonDr. Yuzo Kawaji
1965Baka to Hasami
1966Ja ja umanarashi
1966JinchogeMinegishi
1966Neko no kyujitsu
1967Take-chan shacho: Seishun wa ryu no mono da!
1967Take-chan shacho: Seishun de tsukkare!
1967Son of GodzillaDr. Kusumi
1968Kamo to negiMaruki
1968Andersen monogatari
1969Mito Kômon man'yûkiKakunojô Atsumi
1971Rikugun rakugohei
1988Kanashi iro yanenSumio
1993Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla IIChief Hosono
1994Onna-zakariHeigoroh Asaoka