Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
03-18-22 | 12:37 PM
#1
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Legend
Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
Akira Takarada, the last surviving star of the original GOJIRA (GODZILLA, 1954), has passed away in Japan at the age of 87. He was 20 when he made that film and many of his scenes survive in the American re-edit that came out in 1956 as GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (in which newly shot scenes with Raymond Burr were intercut with the original Japanese scenes). Takarada was under contract to Toho Pictures and GOJIRA director Ishiro Honda liked him enough to cast him in several more of his films, including GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO, KING KONG ESCAPES and LATITUDE ZERO, in all of which he was paired with Hollywood co-stars. He also starred in GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA (1964) and GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER (1966), among many others in the genre. He was a light leading man in most of his Toho films, including starring in several musicals, but he also appeared in stark dramatic roles for director Mikio Naruse. He went on to appear in much later Godzilla films, including GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA (1992) and GODZILLA: FINAL WARS (2004). He acted from 1954 right up until the end. What a career!
Mark Schilling wrote a short obit for Variety:
https://variety.com/2022/film/asia/t...mFLWmyKe2MqmIY
Takarada with Momoko Kochi in GOJIRA (1954):
And here he is with Nick Adams in GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO (1965):
Mark Schilling wrote a short obit for Variety:
https://variety.com/2022/film/asia/t...mFLWmyKe2MqmIY
Takarada with Momoko Kochi in GOJIRA (1954):
And here he is with Nick Adams in GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO (1965):
Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 03-21-22 at 06:06 PM.
The following 2 users liked this post by Ash Ketchum:
Crocker Jarmen (06-24-24),
PhantomStranger (03-18-22)
The following users liked this post:
John Pannozzi (03-18-22)
The following users liked this post:
John Pannozzi (03-18-22)
03-21-22 | 12:45 AM
#4
DVD Talk Godfather
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 65,300
Received 2,704 Likes
on
1,602 Posts
From: Gateway Cities/Harbor Region
Re: Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
Rip
03-21-22 | 12:58 AM
#5
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
Akira Takarada is a full on LEGEND.
Wonderful actor, and a great gentleman from all I've read.
I just wish his scene had been included in the 2014 Godzilla. He deserved a little recognition at the end.
Wonderful actor, and a great gentleman from all I've read.
I just wish his scene had been included in the 2014 Godzilla. He deserved a little recognition at the end.
The following users liked this post:
Mikezilla3k (03-21-22)
06-24-24 | 03:11 PM
#6
Senior Member
Re: Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
And now thanks to Toho Kingdom, the deleted scene from Godzilla (2014) featuring Takarada is available to watch:
https://www.tohokingdom.com/blog/god...kira-takarada/
https://www.tohokingdom.com/blog/god...kira-takarada/
The following 4 users liked this post by John Pannozzi:
06-24-24 | 05:13 PM
#7
DVD Talk Godfather
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 65,300
Received 2,704 Likes
on
1,602 Posts
From: Gateway Cities/Harbor Region
Re: Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
I see him on the Godzilla PlutoTV channel several times a week. Thanks for posting that link to his scene.
The following 4 users liked this post by Toddarino:
06-24-24 | 08:14 PM
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Japanese actor Akira Takarada, star of numerous Godzilla films, dies at 87
Agreed. The flick may have been slow, but those 24 seconds wouldn't have made a discernable difference to the pacing. I'm guessing it got chopped out along with some other connecting scenes before Brody bails out his dad.
