
Tetsuya Watari
Born
December 28, 1941
Died
August 10, 2020 (78 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Awaji Island, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University. Watari belonged to the karate club at university. He made his screen debut in 1964, in Isamu Kosugi's Abare Kishidō, and received one of the Elan d'or Awards. At Nikkatsu, Watari appeared in such films as Tokyo Drifter and the Outlaw series.
Watari was mentored at Nikkatsu by Yujiro Ishihara. When Nikkatsu shifted to focusing on Roman Porno films in the early seventies, Watari was one of many actors who left the studio.
Watari was due to play the main role in Kinji Fukasaku’s film Battles Without Honor and Humanity, but because of illness he was not able to appear. In 1974, he was forced to step down from the lead role of Katsu Kaishū in the Taiga drama Katsu Kaishū on NHK, again because of illness, after appearing in only nine episodes. In 1976, Watari won best actor of Blue Ribbon Award for his role in Kinji Fukasaku`s film Yakuza Graveyard.
In Japan, Watari is probably still best known for his role as Keisuke Daiomon in the detective series "Seibu Keisatsu" on TV Asahi. He also appeared in the popular detective drama "Taiyō ni Hoero!" as a replacement for Yujiro Ishihara in 1986.
Watari became the president of Ishihara Promotion after Yujiro's death in 1987 but in 2011 he resigned due to his declining health.
On June 10, 2015 he was hospitalised after suffering a heart attack and underwent surgery. Seven days later it was announced that he was in rehabilitation and would be discharged from hospital in about a month.
He had a younger brother, Tsunehiko Watase, who was also an actor. As a singer, Watari is known for his hit song "Kuchinashi no Hana" and he appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1974 and 1993.
He died of pneumonia on August 10, 2020, at the age of 78.

No Dropping Out: Back to School at 35
Yukinobu Asada · (11 episodes)
2013

Villain
Masato Kogure
2012

Clouds Over the Hill
東郷平八郎 · (5 episodes)
2009

Flower of Ice
(2 episodes)
2008

Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Rice Shop
카스가이 류헤이 · (8 episodes)
2007
マグロ
(2 episodes)
2007

Family: Absence of the Wife, Existence of the Husband
(8 episodes)
2006
Kazoku
Saeki Shinji · (1 episode)
2006

The Street Lawyers
(8 episodes)
2006

Yamato
2005
Middle-aged Divorce
(6 episodes)
2005

Gion Bayashi
(1 episode)
2005

Yoshitsune
Taira no Kiyomori (Hei-shi) · (49 episodes)
2005

Lady Joker
Seizo Monoi
2004

Marusa!!
Chikara Kokuryo · (12 episodes)
2003
スクープ
(1 episode)
2002

AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo
Muneaki Seta · (2 episodes)
2002
渡哲也サスペンス 絆
(1 episode)
2002

Shura Group Part 3
2002

Brother
Jinseikai Boss
2000

It Is a Long Walk
2000

Diary of Early Winter Shower
Kounosuke Mibu
1998

Bloody Journal of the Shinsengumi
Kondo Isami · (10 episodes)
1998

Abduction
1997
Night Train to the Stars
Masajiro Miyazawa
1996

SMAP×SMAP
Skit Guest · (1 episode)
1996

Hideyoshi
Oda Nobunaga · (49 episodes)
1996

Kin chan no Cinema Jack
1993

Sangokushi: The Yangtze Is Burning!
Cao Cao (voice)
1993

Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms
Cao Cao (voice)
1992
The Unruly Ronin's Journey
1991
Daihyô torishimariyaku deka
(20 episodes)
1990

Goryokaku
Toshizo Hijikata
1988

Clockwork- Goodbye Winter
1986

Again
1984

Haguregumo
(20 episodes)
1978

浮浪云
(1 episode)
1978

Big City: Days of Struggle
(35 episodes)
1976

Yakuza Graveyard
Ryu Kuroiwa
1976

Human Revolution II
1976

Conflagration
Third Officer Inoue
1975

Graveyard of Honor
Rikio Ishikawa
1975

Katsu Kaishu
Katsu Kaishu (adult) · (52 episodes)
1974

Wild Cop 2
1973

The Blossom and the Sword
Seijirô Tanaka
1973

Stray Dog
Detective Murakami
1973

The Human Revolution
1973

Wild Cop
1973

Flower and Dragon
1973

Rebellion Reward
Shun Muraki
1973

Theater Of Life
1972

Sword and Flower
1972

Chase That Man
1972

Law of the Outlaw
Goro Takei
1971

Expelled from the Kanto Mob
1971

Kanto Kanbu-kai
1971

The Earth is Born Again
Hironosuke Nakadate
1971

Kanto Drifter
1971

Epic Chushingura
Horibe Yasubei · (52 episodes)
1971

Step on the Gas!
1970

Pay Off Your Debt!
1970

Spartan Education
1970

Showdown in Gangland
1970

The Summit of Mt. Fuji
Yohei Kada
1970

Profile of a Boss' Son
1970

The Cleanup
Kurasawa
1969

やくざ番外地 抹殺
1969

Showdown at Nagasaki
Keiji Takama
1969

The Wild Sea
Yoji Kitami
1969

The Fatal Raid
1969

Ruthless Gambler
1969

前科・仮釈放
Ôhara Ryûji
1969

Outlaw: Kill!
Goro Fujikawa
1969

Savage Wolf Pack
1969

Exiled to Hell
1969

Outlaw: Black Dagger
Goro Fujikawa
1968

The Blazing Continent
1968

Outlaw: Goro the Assassin
Goro Fujikawa
1968

East China Sea
Naoyoshi
1968

Monument to the Girl's Corps
Young man
1968

The Final Winner?
1968

Outlaw: Heartless
Goro Fujikawa
1968

Song of my Life
Takuya Tsugami
1968

Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2
Goro Fujikawa
1968

The Code of Man
1968

Outlaw: Gangster VIP
Goro Fujikawa
1968

The Aftermath of War
1967

My Sweetheart
Akai
1967

Velvet Hustler
Goro
1967

Rusty Pendant
1967

Burning Clouds
1967

The Man of Victory
1967

Dreams Come True at Night
Makoto Katagiri
1967

The Black Sheep
1967

Tokyo Drifter 2: The Sea Is Bright Red as the Color of Love
Tetsu
1966

The Swan Elegy
1966

The Stormy Man
Shôichi Kokubu
1966

The Heart of Hiroshima
Yukio Mihara
1966

Your Life
1966

Love Eternal
Makoto Kanô
1966

Till We Meet Again
1966

Red Glass
Hiroshi
1966

Tokyo Drifter
Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo
1966

In Tears
1965

The Stars and I Decided...
Saburo Ohinata
1965

Shinkuna umi ga yon deru ze
1965

Seishun no Sabaki
1965