Akihiko Hirata

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Akihiko Hirata in Godzilla , 1954

Akihiko Hirata ( Japanese 平 田 昭 彦 , Hirata Akihiko ; born December 26, 1927 in Keijō , Chōsen Province , Japanese Empire (now Seoul , South Korea ) as Akihiko Onoda ( 小野 田 昭 彦 , Onoda Akihiko ); † July 25, 1984 in Tokyo , Japan ) was a Japanese actor who was known for his numerous appearances in films from the Tōhō studios.

Life

Hirata had an unusual background for an actor: his training began in kindergarten, where he was discovered by the Japanese military. He received his training in a military academy. After graduating from Tokyo University , he surprised his family because he wanted to pursue an acting career.

His first roles, for example in the film Tetsuwan namida ari , brought him the attention of director Ishirō Honda . This cast him in his film Saraba Rabauru in 1954. A little later in 1954 he got a role that should make him better known: that of Daisuke Serizawa in the film Godzilla . Although this film also starred the other actors, Hirata became the most famous actor to star in a Godzilla film. This shouldn't be his only genre film, however. He also starred in The Return of King Kong , Frankenstein and the Monsters from the Sea , Frankenstein's Monsters Chasing Godzilla's Son , King Kong versus Godzilla and The Devil's Brood, Konga, Godzilla, King Kong .

Hirata was the favorite of many Japanese directors. In addition to Ishirō Honda, there were Jun Fukuda , Hiroshi Inagaki and many more. Hirata appeared in almost every production of the Tōhō studios: In monster films (in addition to Godzilla it was Rodan , Varan - The monster from prehistoric times and Mothra threatens the world ), in war films ( Hell before eyes , Port Arthur - The battle in Chinese Sea , dive into hell and Taiheiyō kiseki no sakusen: Kisuka ) in samurai films ( Samurai , Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijōji no kettō and Miyamoto Musashi: Kettō Ganryūjima ), in space films ( UFOs destroy the earth and The Great War of the Planets ) and many other films. Hirata became Japan's most famous actor with all of these films.

Hirata was originally supposed to have an appearance as a major in the 1984 Godzilla film Godzilla - The Return of the Monster . However, he was already suffering from lung cancer at the time and died at the age of 56 after a long history of cancer before his scene could be filmed.

Hirata was married to actress Yoshiko Kuga until his death .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Hirata, Akihiko
ALTERNATIVE NAMES 平 田 昭 彦 (Japanese); Onoda Akihiko (real name); 小野 田 昭 彦 (Japanese, real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Japanese actor
DATE OF BIRTH December 26, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Seoul , South Korea
DATE OF DEATH July 25, 1984
Place of death Tokyo , Japan