Kiyoshi Atsumi

Actor. Born in Tokyo. Real name: Yasuo Tadokoro. After graduating from Sugamo Junior High School (old system), he worked in a number of popular theater companies before joining the France-za in Asakusa in 1953 (Showa 28). He honed his talent as a comedian during the golden age of Asakusa light theater. In 1954, he had one lung removed due to tuberculosis, but returned three years later. In 1959, he made his debut on television. In 1962, he played the lead role in Fuji TV's "Oban" and became popular with living rooms across the nation. His breakthrough as a film actor was the 1963 Shochiku film "Dear Emperor," in which he vividly portrayed an ignorant, earnest, and lovable commoner. In 1968, he starred in Fuji TV's serial drama "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" (written by Yamada Yoji), which was made into a movie the following year in 1969, making him a popular national actor. The "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" film series, which ran for a total of 48 films up until the New Year's release in 1996 (Heisei 8), became an unparalleled long-running series, registered in the Guinness Book of World Records. The main character, "Tora the Vagabond = Tora-san," who travels around the country, was created by director Yamada Yoji based on his own memories of a street vendor he saw as a boy, and became synonymous with Atsumi Kiyoshi. He won numerous awards, including the Kinema Junpo Award for Best Actor in 1969, the Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor in 1982. In 1988, he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon. Posthumously, he was awarded the People's Honor Award. He passed away on August 4, 1996.

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Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

俳優。東京都生まれ。本名田所康雄。巣鴨中学（旧制）卒業後、数々の大衆演劇劇団を経て、1953年（昭和28）浅草のフランス座に入る。浅草軽演劇の黄金時代に、コメディアンの才を磨く。1954年肺結核で片肺を切除したが、3年後に復帰。1959年にテレビに進出。1962年フジテレビ『大番』の主役でお茶の間の人気を博す。1963年の松竹映画『拝啓天皇陛下様』が映画俳優としての出世作で、無知でひたむきな愛すべき庶民像を生き生きと演じた。1968年フジテレビの連続ドラマ『男(おとこ)はつらいよ』（山田洋次脚本）に主演、翌1969年に映画化され国民的人気俳優となった。映画『男はつらいよ』は1996年（平成8）の正月公開作品まで全48作というギネスブックにも登録される世界にも類のない長寿シリーズとなった。全国を渡り歩く主人公「フーテンの寅(とら)＝車寅次郎」は、自身が少年時代に見かけたテキ屋の思い出をもとに山田洋次監督が作り出したキャラクターで、渥美清の代名詞ともなった。1969年キネマ旬報主演男優賞、毎日映画コンクール男優主演賞、1982年ブルーリボン賞主演男優賞ほか数々の賞を受賞。1988年には紫綬褒章(しじゅほうしょう)を受章。死後、国民栄誉賞が贈られた。平成8年8月4日没。

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