Under the Devil's Star

... After graduating from Ebara Middle School and Mita English School in Tokyo, he entered the Nikkatsu Acting Training School in Kyoto in 1920, and made his film debut in a supporting role in Sengoku Gonbei starring Onoe Matsunosuke. After several supporting roles in Makino Shozo's Makino films, he made his full-fledged film debut in While the Millet Rice is Cooked starring Bando Tsumasaburo in 1924. He continued to star alongside Bando Tsumasaburo in Kirarazaka, The Slain, and Day of Revenge, and was recognized for his performances, becoming the leading star in the two-part Blade Light series directed by Numata Koryoku. From then on, he played a spectacular role as a star of Makino period dramas, solidifying his popularity in such films as Revenge of Civilization (1925), Ashura Hachikou and Fall (both 1926), Under the Devil's Star, A Tragic Journey, and The Spell of Sand Art (both 1927). During this time, he often starred with Makino Shozo's daughter Makino Teruko (later Tomoko) in productions such as "Bijojo" (1926). Although he had a wife and children, they became romantically involved and eloped, causing a commotion that led to Makino Shozo temporarily firing him.

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Under the Devil's Star" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　東京の荏原中学，三田英語学校を経て，1920年，京都の日活俳優養成所に入り，尾上松之助主演《仙石権兵衛》に端役で映画初出演，やがて牧野省三のマキノ映画で，数本の端役出演ののち，24年，阪東妻三郎主演《粟飯の焚ける間》で本格的な映画デビューを果たし，さらに《雲母阪（きららざか）》《討たるる者》《復讐の日》とつづけて阪東妻三郎と共演して認められ，沼田紅緑監督《刃光》二部作で主演スターとなった。以後，マキノ時代劇の一翼をになうスターとしての活躍は華々しく，《文明の復讐》(1925)，《修羅八荒》《転落》(ともに1926)，《悪魔の星の下に》《道中悲記》《砂絵呪縛》(ともに1927)などで，人気を不動のものにした。この間，《美丈夫》(1926)などで牧野省三の娘のマキノ輝子(のち智子)と共演することが多く，妻子がありながら恋愛関係になってかけおち騒ぎまで起こし，怒った牧野省三から一時馘首（かくしゆ）された。…

※「《悪魔の星の下に》」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報