Utaemon Ichikawa
Acting • Born 1904-02-11 – Died 1999-09-16
Biography
Utaemon Ichikawa was a Japanese film actor famous for starring roles in Jidaigeki from the 1920s to the 1960s. Trained in kabuki from childhood, he made his film debut in 1925 at Makino Film Productions under Shōzō Makino. Quickly gaining popularity, he followed the example of Makino stars such as Tsumasaburō Bandō in starting his own independent production company, Utaemon Ichikawa Productions, in 1927. It was there he first began the "Idle Vassal" (Hatamoto taikutsu otoko) series, which would become his signature role. When his company folded in 1936 as sound film came to the fore, he moved to Shinkō Kinema and then Daiei Studios before helping form the Toei Company after World War II. He served on the board of directors along with fellow samurai star Chiezō Kataoka. Utaemon appeared in over 300 films during his career. His son, Kin'ya Kitaōji, is also a famous actor in film and television.
Filmography
117 credits
Thus the Divine Wind Blows
Movie • 1944
Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Coral Mansion
Movie • 1962
G-men of Japan 2: Bloody Duel at Shipwreck Cape
Movie • 1950
Ooka Seidan: Devil Image
Movie • 1960
Ooka Tadasuke
The 47 Ronin
Movie • 1941
Tsunatoyo Tokugawa
Eight Views of Samurai
Movie • 1958
The Samurai Markets
Movie • 1960
Chûsuke Yamakawa
A Thousand Standards of Stone
Movie • 1950
Sôkichi Fudôyama
Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Ghost Ship
Movie • 1956
Chûshingura - Zempen: Akahokyô no maki
Movie • 1932
Bored Hatamoto: Mysterious Letter of Challenge
Movie • 1955
Bored Hatamoto Detective, Part 1: The Seven Brides
Movie • 1950
Bored Hatamoto Detective, Part 2: Poisoning of the Demon Lord
Movie • 1950
Kisaragi Sword
Movie • 1962
Tsukinosuke Ryûtan
Monsters Catcher Oedo Seven Changes
Movie • 1949
Otoko dokyō no ayame kasa
Movie • 1962
Bored Hatamoto: The Imposter
Movie • 1952
Saotome Mondonosuke
Skull
Movie • 1927
Reinosuke Ushio
Travels of Lord Mito Pt.1
Movie • 1952
Travels of Lord Mito Pt.2
Movie • 1952
Flowers on the Trail
Movie • 1957
The Sun
Movie • 1953
Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Phantom Mansion
Movie • 1954
花吹雪男祭り
Movie • 1952
Red-Lacquered Sword
Movie • 1956
Ancient Coins
Movie • 1956
Shadow Over Fuji
Movie • 1957
Sato
Kokusai Mitsuyudan
Movie • 1944
Epic Crash
Movie • 1958
疾風愛憎峠
Movie • 1954
Bored Hatamoto: The Million-ryo Mystery
Movie • 1954
続変化大名
Movie • 1954
Fencing Master
Movie • 1950
Kojiki Taishô
Movie • 1952
Gotō Mototsugu
牢獄の花嫁
Movie • 1955
Aoi Secret Book
Movie • 1958
Uotaro Toge
The Lord's spy
Movie • 1964
紅顏鼓笛隊
Movie • 1945
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Movie • 1932
Awajinokami Wakisaka / Gorobei Kakimi
豪快三人男
Movie • 1951
Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Demon Palace
Movie • 1955
Drenched Swallow Gonpachi
Movie • 1958
Queen of the Treasure Island
Movie • 1960
Chusuke Yamakawa
東海水滸伝
Movie • 1945
Samurai Hawk
Movie • 1961
Five Men of Edo
Movie • 1951
Jurozaemon Mizuno
Seven from Edo
Movie • 1958
Katsukawa
Botan dôrô
Movie • 1926
The 47 Masterless Samurai
Movie • 1959
Runway to Hell
Movie • 1960
Sôshun Kôchiyama
A Spectacular Showdown
Movie • 1959
Sasagawa no Shigezo
The Man Who Challenged 8,000,000-Koku
Movie • 1961
Yamanouchi Iganosuke
Tsukigata Hanpeita
Movie • 1952
Tsukigata Hanpeita
A Chivalrous Spirit
Movie • 1958
Nikichi
Lord Mito
Movie • 1957
Shimizu Port of Chivalry
Movie • 1957
Boss Omaeda
The Mansion of Intrigue
Movie • 1957
Saotome Mondonosuke
Bored Hatamoto
Movie • 1930
Bored Hatamoto in Kyoto
Movie • 1930
Bored Hatamoto Appears in Sendai
Movie • 1931
Bored Hatamoto Returns to Edo
Movie • 1931
Bored Hatamoto on a Rampage
Movie • 1933
Bored Hatamoto on the Nakasendo
Movie • 1935
Bored Hatamoto Judges 100,000-koku
Movie • 1935
Bored Hatamoto on Mt. Fuji
Movie • 1937
Bored Hatamoto Enters the Mountain of Treasure
Movie • 1938
Bored Hatamoto: The Demon of Chinatown
Movie • 1951
Bored Hatamoto Passes By
Movie • 1953
Bored Hatamoto: House of Skulls
Movie • 1954
Bored Hatamoto: Mysterious Crimson Tower
Movie • 1957
The Acrobats of Death
Movie • 1959
Saotome Mondonosuke
Ninja Assassins
Movie • 1960
Saotome Mondonosuke
The Mysterious Cape
Movie • 1963
Saotome Mondonosuke
Showdown at Lightning Pass
Movie • 1962
Takata Matabei Yoshitsugu
Samurai Knights
Movie • 1961
The Ako Retainers
Movie • 1961
Rebellion
Movie • 1957
Satahiko
Drunken Sword
Movie • 1962
No Stronger Swords
Movie • 1959
Bored Hatamoto: The Daimonji Conspiracy
Movie • 1959
Saotome Mondonosuke
Bored Hatamoto: Idle Vassal Tribute
Movie • 1958
Saotome Mondonosuke
Jiruba no Tetsu
Movie • 1950
A Prisoner in Search of Daughter
Movie • 1963
Kumokiri Nizaemon
The Killing of Otsuya
Movie • 1951
Shinsuke
Bored Hatamoto: Island of No Return
Movie • 1960
Saotome Mondonosuke
Tokaido Fullhouse
Movie • 1963
Street of Wandering Men
Movie • 1963
Road of Chivalry
Movie • 1960
Virtue in Spades
Movie • 1956
Knightly Advice
Movie • 1962
Travels of Gonkuro
Movie • 1961
The Cave of the Vampire Bats
Movie • 1961
Saotome Mondonosuke
The Lost Public Funds
Movie • 1958
Asaka Keinosuke
Lord Mito: All Star Version
Movie • 1960
Lord of Steel Heart
Movie • 1961
Matabei Goto
Bloody Battle at Dawn
Movie • 1959
Lords of Oppression
Movie • 1957
Lords of Oppression 2
Movie • 1957
The Unleashed Lord
Movie • 1959
Lord of Red Banner
Movie • 1960
Goblin Warrior
Movie • 1955
Golden Valley
Movie • 1955
Turbulent Highways
Movie • 1959
Bloody Record of the Shinsengumi
Movie • 1963
The Swordsman In The Golden Valley
Movie • 1960
Four Swordsmen of Ashura
Movie • 1955
A Color Print of Edo
Movie • 1939
Masujiro Omura
Movie • 1942
Mito Kōmon Manyu-ki
Movie • 1938
Goblin Courier
Movie • 1949
Haiyaku tengu no Chōta
The Terror of Z
Movie • 1948
やくざ大名
Movie • 1956
快剣士・笑いの面
Movie • 1956
Tokugawa Chronicles: Ambition of the 3 Branches
TV • 1986
Mito Mitsukuni
The Diary of Chuji's Travels
TV • 1992
Sanada Yukimura
TV • 1989
The Bored Samurai
TV • 1973