(27 July 1930 – 26 June 2019) was a Japanese actor and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

musician. He appeared in more than 100 films, including the

Toho is a Japanese entertainment company that primarily engages in producing and distributing films and exhibiting stage plays. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. ...

productions ''

King Kong vs. Godzilla is a 1962 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the third film in both the ''Godzilla'' and ''King Kong'' franchises, as well as the first T ...

'', ''

Atragon is a 1963 Japanese ''tokusatsu'' science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho, it is based on ''The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure'' by Shunrō ...

'', and '' Frankenstein vs. Baragon''. He also performed in stage musicals such as ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'' and appeared in several television shows.

Career

Takashima began participating in a jazz band while a student at

Kwansei Gakuin University , colloquially known as , is a private, non-denominational Christian coeducational university in Japan. The university offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees to around 25,000 students in almost 40 different disciplines across 11 underg ...

. He left the university before graduating when he joined the

Shintoho was a Japanese movie studio. It was one of the big six film studios (which also included Daiei, Nikkatsu, Shochiku, Toei Company, and Toho) during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. It was founded by defectors from the original Toho company ...

studio, debuting as an actor in 1952. He starred in the 1962 film ''

'' alongside

Yū Fujiki , born , was a Japanese film and television actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1954 to 2005. Career Born in Tokyo, Fujiki graduated from Doshisha University and joined the Toho studio in 1954. He began by playing straight male leads, ...

, and subsequently acted with Fujiki in several

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

s about

salarymen The term is a Japanese word for salaried workers. In Japanese popular culture, it is portrayed as a white-collar worker who shows unwavering loyalty and commitment to his employer, prioritizing work over anything else, including family. "Salary ...

, which were popular in Japan at that time. Takashima also appeared in ''

Son of Godzilla is a 1967 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Jun Fukuda, with special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa, under the supervision of Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the eighth film in the ''Godzilla'' franchise. It st ...

'' 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 ''

''. He also appeared on several television programs, including the

quiz show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating and narrating whe ...

''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 The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway theatre, Broadway-style productions of musicals and stories adapted from films, nov ...

. 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 is a Japanese actor and singer. Early life Takashima comes from a family of actors, including his father Tadao Takashima, his mother Hanayo Sumi, and his younger brother Masanobu Takashima. Career Acting Takashima debuted in the 1987 film '' ...

and

Masanobu Takashima is a Japanese film and television actor. Career Takashima appeared as Daisuke Matoba in the 2008 film '' L: Change the World'' (also known as ''Death Note: L Change the World'') (2008). Staff writer (undated"News Headline"(in Japanese language ...

, 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 Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

on 26 June 2019 at age 88.

Filmography

References

External links

Official profile
(in Japanese; archived fro
the original
on 29 August 2018) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Takashima, Tadao 1930 births 2019 deaths Male actors from Kobe Musicians from Kobe Kwansei Gakuin University alumni Japanese male film actors Japanese male television actors 20th-century Japanese male actors 20th-century Japanese musicians Japanese television presenters Japanese game show hosts Japanese jazz musicians