Shozaburo Tanba was born on July 17, 1922 in Tokyo,
Japan. Known to the film world as Tetsurô Tamba, he appeared in nearly 200
films over his five and a half decade career starting with a small role in
1952’s “Murder Suspect”. He achieved his greatest fame for roles in the films
“The Human Revolution” (1973) and “The Castle of Sand” (1974). He also appeared
in the Japanese eco-disaster box office hit “Japan Sinks” (1973).
Tamba worked with noted director Kinji Fukasaku on “The
Yakuza Papers: Proxy War” (1973) the third volume of the director’s landmark
series and again for 1978’s campy Star Wars knockoff “Message From Space”.
Tamba worked with director Takishi Miike on the critically acclaimed “Happiness
of The Katakuris” (2001) and the cult favorite “Gozu” (2003). He contributed
the voice of the Cat King to 2002’s Studio Ghibli animated film “The Cat
Returns”. “You Only Live Twice” was one of three English language films that
Tamba appeared in. His other English-speaking roles were in the films “The
Bushido Blade” (1981) and “Tokyo Pop” (1988). Tamba’s final film role was a
cameo appearance in the remake of “Japan Sinks”. Tamba appeared in only one
Euro-western “The 5-Man Army” (1969) as Samurai.
Tetsurô the father of actor Yoshitaka Tamba [1955- ],
died in Tokyo of pneumonia on September 24, 2006.
Today we remember Tetsurô Tamba on what would have been
his 90th birthday.
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