Kamiyama Soujin

Actor. Real name Mita Tadashi. Born in Sendai. Dropped out of Waseda University. After working at the Tokyo Actor Training School and the Literary Association, he founded the Modern Drama Association in October 1912 (Taisho 1) to compete with Geijutsuza. In 1919, he moved to the United States with his wife, actress Yamakawa Uraji. While working as an extra in Hollywood, he appeared in the film The Thief of Bagdad (1924) starring Douglas Fairbanks, and became famous for his unique costume and appearance. After that, he appeared in 47 films, mainly playing Chinese roles, and returned to Japan in 1929 (Showa 4). Although he starred in some films for Shochiku and Shinko Eiga, his performances gradually declined, and in his later years he only appeared as a silent biwa priest in Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.

[Nobuo Chiba]

"The Real Hollywood" by Ueyama Sojin (1930, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

俳優。本名三田貞(ただし)。仙台生まれ。早稲田(わせだ)大学中退。東京俳優養成所、文芸協会などを経て、1912年（大正1）10月近代劇協会を設立、芸術座と対抗した。1919年に妻で女優の山川浦路とともに渡米。ハリウッドでエキストラなどをしているうち、ダグラス・フェアバンクス主演の映画『バグダッドの盗賊』（1924）に出演、特異な扮装(ふんそう)と顔だちで一躍有名となった。以後おもに中国人役で47本の映画に出演、1929年（昭和4）帰国。松竹や新興映画で主演作もあったが、しだいに振るわず、晩年は黒澤明(あきら)の『七人の侍』で無言の琵琶(びわ)法師役で出演するなどにとどまった。

［千葉伸夫］

『上山草人著『素顔のハリウッド』（1930・実業之日本社）』

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