Masahiko Tsugawa (津川 雅彦, Tsugawa Masahiko), born Masahiko Katō (加藤 雅彦 Katō Masahiko; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018) was a Japanese actor and director.

Masahiko Tsugawa (津川 雅彦)
Tsugawa in 2005
Born
Masahiko Katō

(1940-01-02)2 January 1940
DiedAugust 4, 2018(2018-08-04) (aged 78)
Other namesMasahiko Makino
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film director
  • critic
Years active1945–2018
AgentGrandpa Pro Productions
Height171 cm (5 ft 7+12 in)
Spouse
(m. 1973⁠–⁠2018)
FatherKunitaro Sawamura

Career

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Tsugawa was born January 2, 1940, in Kyoto, Japan.[1] After acting as a child, he made his major debut at 16 in the Kō Nakahira film Crazed Fruit in 1956.[2] Tsugawa's family was deeply rooted in the film industry since before his birth. Tsugawa attended school until dropping out of Waseda University Graduate School to pursue acting.[3]

Tsugawa gained popularity playing villain roles in TV jidaigeki drama series as the Hissatsu series[3][4] and appeared in films like Otoko wa tsurai yo: Watashi no Tora-san and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. He became a favorite actor of director Juzo Itami, appearing in nearly all his films since Tampopo.[1][2]

In television, Tsugawa portrayed Tokugawa Ieyasu five times,[2] including in the 2000 Aoi Tokugawa Sandai[1] becoming the oldest lead actor in a Taiga drama.[5]

Tsugawa recently debuted as a director under the pseudonym Makino Masahiko with his film Nezu no Ban.[1] He chose this name because he is the nephew of the Japanese director Masahiro Makino, his mother's brother. Legend has it that Tsugawa was so awed by the director while watching him at work as a young child that he asked if he could use Makino as his last name should he ever be a director, because of the similarities of the first names.[3]

Tsugawa comes from an illustrious film family. His older brother Hiroyuki Nagato was an actor.[1] His wife Yukiji Asaoka was an actress. His grandfather is the director Shōzō Makino, his father, Kunitarō Sawamura, and his mother, Tomoko Makino, were both actors.[1] His aunt and uncle through his father are the actors Sadako Sawamura and Daisuke Katō.

Tsugawa died on August 4, 2018, due to heart failure.[1] He was 78.[2]

Filmography

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Director

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Film

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Television

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Dubbing

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Awards and honors

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Honor

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Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Masahiko Tsugawa 知恵蔵mini「津川雅彦」の解説". KOTOBANK. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "津川雅彦さん、突然死だった…退院予定日直前に 死去当日も朝食ペロリ". サンスポ. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "甘いもの好きが原因?糖尿病治療中の津川雅彦さん". 病ナビ. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "私の職務履歴書「第19回 映画監督・演出家 マキノ雅彦の場合」". 宅ふぁいる便. オージス総研. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  5. ^ "16年大河は"三谷戦国"主役候補に役所広司、佐藤浩市ら". スポニチ. May 7, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  6. ^ "宮本武蔵". Haiyaku Jiten. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "華麗なる一族". MBS. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "リトルプリンス 星の王子さまと私". Fukikaeru. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  9. ^ 第 11 回日本アカデミー賞優秀作品 (in Japanese). Japan Academy Prize. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
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