Chieko Higashiyama

Actress. Real name Kono Sen, maiden name Watanabe. Born in Chiba Prefecture. After graduating from Gakushuin Women's College (1907), she married merchant Kono Tokuro and stayed in Moscow (1909-17), where she was moved by her first performance of "The Cherry Orchard" at the Moscow Art Theatre. In 1925 (Taisho 14) at the age of 34, she became a trainee at Tsukiji Little Theatre, and her debut role was as a noblewoman in "Tsar Jones" in March of the same year. After working for the Tsukiji Little Theatre Company and the New Tokyo Theatre Company, she became a founding member of Haiyuza Theatre Company in 1944 (Showa 19). Her role as Madame Ranevskaya in "The Cherry Orchard," which was said to be her lifelong hit, was performed 300 times from her first role at the Tsukiji Little Theatre Company (1927) until her first performance at Haiyuza Theatre Company in 1963 (Showa 38). In addition to modern Western classical plays, she also showed her talent in playing Japanese old ladies. She also appeared in films from an early stage, and showed graceful and dignified performances in films directed by Keisuke Kinoshita and Yasujiro Ozu. In 1966, she became the first actress to be selected as a Person of Cultural Merit. She also published an autobiography, "New Drama Actress" (1958).

[Shoji Sobue]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

女優。本名河野(こうの)せん。旧姓渡辺。千葉県生まれ。学習院女学部卒業（1907）後、貿易商河野通久郎(とおくろう)に嫁し、モスクワに滞在（1909～17）、初めて見たモスクワ芸術座の舞台『桜の園』に感動した。1925年（大正14）34歳で築地(つきじ)小劇場の研究生となり、同年3月の『皇帝ジョーンズ』の貴婦人役が初舞台であった。劇団築地小劇場、劇団新東京を経て、44年（昭和19）俳優座創立同人。生涯の当り役といわれた『桜の園』のラネーフスカヤ夫人は、築地小劇場での初役（1927）以来、63年（昭和38）の俳優座公演まで300回に及んだ。西洋の近代古典劇のほか、日本の老婦人役でも資質を発揮。映画にも早くから出演し、とくに木下恵介、小津安二郎(おづやすじろう)監督作品に気品と貫禄(かんろく)のある演技をみせた。66年、女優として最初の文化功労者に選ばれる。自伝『新劇女優』（1958）がある。

［祖父江昭二］

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