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