Takashi Shimura

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Takashi Shimura (志村喬 Shimura Takashi, 12 March 1905 – 11 February 1982) is one of the great Japanese actors of the last century.

Born in Ikuno, Japan, one of his earliest film roles was in Kenji Mizoguchi's Osaka Elegy (1936).

After Toshiro Mifune, Shimura was probably the next most closely associated actor with Akira Kurosawa. Shimura appeared in many of Kurosawa's most important movies - as well as many lesser known ones - in such roles as the lead samurai in The Seven Samurai, the woodcutter in Rashōmon, the main character in Ikiru, and a veteran detective in Stray Dog, just to name a few.

The last movie of Kurosawa's in which Shimura appeared was Kagemusha (1980), where Kurosawa specifically wrote a part just for Shimura. However, the scene was cut from the western release, and so many do not know that he was even in the film. The release of the movie by the Criterion Collection rescued the lost footage and has included it within their US release of the film.

Outside of his career working with Kurosawa, Shimura is probably best known for his roles in several Japanese monster movies, including the scientist Kyohei Yamane in the first two Godzilla films.

Shimira died from emphysema at the age of 77.

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