Remembering Toshirō Mifune

Toshirō Mifune was born on April 1, 1920 in Qingdao, Shandong, China to Japanese parents. He worked in his father's photography shop as a youth until he was 19 and then was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army Aviation where he served as an Aerial Photographer in World War II. He returned to Japan in 1946. He then took a job at Toho Studios. When many actors left Toho to start a new company (Shin Toho), A search was begun by Toho for new faces and friends of Toshirō submitted his photo and application. He along with 48 others were accepted and after a screen test was signed to a contract. His first film was “Shin Baka Jidai” (1947). His association with Akira Kurosawa made him an international star. In later life he opened an acting school but it failed after three years because of mismanagement of funds. Mifune died on December 24, 1997 of organ failure in Mitaka City, Japan. Mifune appeared in only one Euro-western 1971's “Red Sun” with Charles Bronson. Today we celebrate what would have been Toshirō Mifune's 90th birthday.