Akiko Wakabayashi
Akiko Wakabayashi ( Japanese 若 林映子 Wakabayashi Akiko ; born August 26, 1941 in Tokyo ) is a Japanese actress who became internationally known for her role as Aki in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice . In addition, she shot many films in her native Japan, especially the monster films of the Tōhō studios such as X 3000 - Fantome versus Gangster and Ghidrah - The Three-Headed Monster .
Career
At the age of 15, Akiko auditioned for her first film role with the award-winning director Akira Kurosawa , but could not assert herself. Still convinced of her talent, Kurosawa sent her to further screen tests, and she eventually signed a long-term contract with the Japanese Toho studios.
Her career highlight was her engagement for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice - by which time she had already worked in over 60 films and television dramas. She is responsible for two kinds of changes to the Bond script. On the one hand, she offered her own nickname Aki for her role , and on the other hand, she pushed through a role swap with her colleague Mie Hama . After Wakabayashi was made famous by James Bond, she made just one more movie before disappearing from the big screen.
Filmography
- 1958: Song for a Bride
- 1959: Love has many faces
- 1959: Yajû shisubeshi
- 1959: Dangerous Playing with Fire
- 1960: Shin santô jûyaku: Ataru mo hakke no maki
- 1961: Akiko
- 1961: Until the end of all days (director: Franz Peter Wirth ) with Hanns Lothar and Helmut Griem
- 1961: Bandits on the Wind
- 1961: Ganba
- 1962: Love of Frozen Lake
- 1962: Scarlet Sky
- 1962: The return of King Kong
- 1962: Weed of Crime
- 1962: Gekkyū dorobo
- 1963: Sensation Seekers
- 1963: Interpol Code 8
- 1963: Walleyed Nippon
- 1963: The Lion of the Yellow Sea
- 1964: Good Morning, My Baby
- 1964: X 3000 - Fantome versus gangsters
- 1964: Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: hiba no maki
- 1964: Frankenstein's monster fighting Ghidorah
- 1965: Ultra Q (TV series)
- 1965: Key of Keys
- 1966: The Stranger Within a Woman
- 1966: Adventure at Kigan Castle
- 1966: It Started in the Alps
- 1966: What's Up, Tiger Lily?
- 1967: James Bond 007 You Only Live Twice
- 1968: Diamonds of the Andes
Web links
- Akiko Wakabayashi in the Internet Movie Database (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Wakabayashi, Akiko |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | 若 林映子 (Japanese) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Japanese actress |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 26, 1941 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Tokyo , Japan |