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In Remembrance: Tetsuro Tamba
Born Shosaburo Tamba on July 17, 1922 in Tokyo, Japan, Tamba 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 currently in theatrical release in Japan. |
Tetsuro Tamba, the
Japanese actor best know to international audiences for his role as
the suave Japanes opposite number of James Bond, Tiger Tanaka, in
You Only Live Twice (1967), has passed away in Tokyo, Japan on
September 24, 2006. He was 84.