08-08-2017, 12:09 AM
Haruo Nakajima (中島 春雄 Nakajima Haruo) (January 1, 1929 – August 7, 2017) was a Japanese actor, best known for portraying Godzilla in twelve consecutive films, from Godzilla (1954) to Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972).
Nakajima was born in Yamagata, Japan. He was considered by many to be the best suit actor in the long history of the franchise.[1] At the time, Toho's visual effects director, Eiji Tsuburaya considered him completely invaluable,[1] and he was employed to essay the roles of most of the kaiju (Japanese monsters) during his career as a suit actor. After 24 years, he retired from suit acting upon completion of Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972), when the studio cycled him out of their contract actor system, after it split into several subsidiaries in 1970. He stayed employed by Toho for several years, and was transferred to a job at its bowling alley, located on the studio lot (now defunct).
Starting in the late 1990s, Nakajima made a series of personal appearances in Chicago, New York City, New Jersey, and Hollywood (in 2000) at various Japanese monster-themed conventions. He appeared at the Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank, California on April 8–10, 2011. His Japanese-language autobiography, 『怪獣人生 元祖ゴジラ俳優・中島春雄』 (Monster Life: Haruo Nakajima, the Original Godzilla Actor), published by Yosensha, was released on July 17, 2010.
(He also played a bandit in Seven Samurai ).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruo_Nakajima
Nakajima was born in Yamagata, Japan. He was considered by many to be the best suit actor in the long history of the franchise.[1] At the time, Toho's visual effects director, Eiji Tsuburaya considered him completely invaluable,[1] and he was employed to essay the roles of most of the kaiju (Japanese monsters) during his career as a suit actor. After 24 years, he retired from suit acting upon completion of Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972), when the studio cycled him out of their contract actor system, after it split into several subsidiaries in 1970. He stayed employed by Toho for several years, and was transferred to a job at its bowling alley, located on the studio lot (now defunct).
Starting in the late 1990s, Nakajima made a series of personal appearances in Chicago, New York City, New Jersey, and Hollywood (in 2000) at various Japanese monster-themed conventions. He appeared at the Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank, California on April 8–10, 2011. His Japanese-language autobiography, 『怪獣人生 元祖ゴジラ俳優・中島春雄』 (Monster Life: Haruo Nakajima, the Original Godzilla Actor), published by Yosensha, was released on July 17, 2010.
(He also played a bandit in Seven Samurai ).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruo_Nakajima
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