Masao Inoue

Actor. Real name Kosaka Yuichi. Born in Ehime Prefecture. As a boy, he worked as an apprentice for a pottery merchant, but after seeing the Osaka Shinpa theater Seibidan, he decided to become an actor and performed with the Sakai Masatoshi troupe under the name Inoue Masao (later Masao). He later went to Tokyo and won acclaim for his role as Hashimi Hideo in "Meoto Nami" by the Ii Yoho troupe at the Masagoza in 1905 (Meiji 38). The following year, he was selected to play Ushimatsu in "Hakai," solidifying his position as a Shinpa actor. Inspired by the rise of new theater, he organized the New Period Drama Association in 1917 and received favorable reviews for his show "Umadorobou," but returned to Shinpa in 1919 (Taisho 8). From then on, he played an important role in the theater world as a senior executive, with his excellent character portrayals and profound acting. He also appeared in films, and in the early Taisho period, he also worked on resengeki. In 1936 (Showa 11), he opened the Inoue Theater Dojo, advocating "intermediate theater" between Shinpa and New Drama, and staged refreshing plays by Miyoshi Juro, Hisaita Eijiro, Hojo Hideji, Yagi Ryuichiro, and others. Just after the end of World War II, he briefly joined the Shinkyo Theater Company, and in his later years, he participated in Shinpa. In 1949 (Showa 24), he became a member of the Academy of Arts. His hits included Taiga Imazo in "Sakechu Nikki," Hikoroku in "Hikoroku Laughs a Lot," Tomioka Kosuke in "Tomioka Sensei," His Excellency, and Morita Shinzo in "The Captain's Daughter." His books include "The Raccoon Dog Failed to Disguise."

[Akira Kikuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

俳優。本名小坂勇一。愛媛県生まれ。少年時代陶器商に奉公したが、大阪の新派劇・成美団(せいびだん)を見て俳優を志し、酒井政俊一座に井上政夫（のち正夫）の名で出演。のち東京に出て、1905年（明治38）真砂座(まさござ)で伊井蓉峰(いいようほう)一座の『女夫波(めおとなみ)』の橋見秀夫役で喝采(かっさい)を博し、翌年『破戒』の丑松(うしまつ)に抜擢(ばってき)され、新派俳優としての地位を固めた。新劇の興隆に刺激されて、10年新時代劇協会を組織して、ショー作『馬盗坊(うまどろぼう)』などに好評を得たが、19年（大正8）新派に復帰。以後大幹部として優れた性格描写と重厚な演技で劇壇に重きをなした。映画にも出演、また大正初期には連鎖劇をも手がけた。36年（昭和11）には新派と新劇との「中間演劇」を標榜(ひょうぼう)して、井上演劇道場を開き、三好(みよし)十郎、久板栄二郎(ひさいたえいじろう)、北条秀司、八木隆一郎などの清新な戯曲を上演した。第二次世界大戦終了直後、一時新協劇団に入団、晩年は新派に参加した。49年（昭和24）芸術院会員になる。当り芸は『酒中日記』の大河今蔵、『彦六大いに笑う』の彦六、『富岡先生』の富岡小助、『閣下』の閣下、『大尉の娘』の森田慎蔵など。著書に『化け損ねた狸(たぬき)』がある。

［菊池　明］

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