Utaemon Ichikawa
Born
February 11, 1904
Died
September 16, 1999 (95 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
Utaemon Ichikawa was a Japanese film actor famous for starring roles in Jidaigeki from the 1920s to the 1960s. Trained in kabuki from childhood, he made his film debut in 1925 at Makino Film Productions under Shōzō Makino. Quickly gaining popularity, he followed the example of Makino stars such as Tsumasaburō Bandō in starting his own independent production company, Utaemon Ichikawa Productions, in 1927. It was there he first began the "Idle Vassal" (Hatamoto taikutsu otoko) series, which would become his signature role. When his company folded in 1936 as sound film came to the fore, he moved to Shinkō Kinema and then Daiei Studios before helping form the Toei Company after World War II. He served on the board of directors along with fellow samurai star Chiezō Kataoka. Utaemon appeared in over 300 films during his career. His son, Kin'ya Kitaōji, is also a famous actor in film and television.

The Diary of Chuji's Travels
(1 episode)
1992

Sanada Yukimura
(26 episodes)
1989

Tokugawa Chronicles: Ambition of the 3 Branches
Mito Mitsukuni · (13 episodes)
1986
The Bored Samurai
(25 episodes)
1973

The Lord's spy
1964

A Prisoner in Search of Daughter
Kumokiri Nizaemon
1963

Bloody Record of the Shinsengumi
1963

Street of Wandering Men
1963

The Mysterious Cape
Saotome Mondonosuke
1963

Tokaido Fullhouse
1963

Showdown at Lightning Pass
Takata Matabei Yoshitsugu
1962

Drunken Sword
1962

Otoko dokyō no ayame kasa
1962

Kisaragi Sword
Tsukinosuke Ryûtan
1962

Knightly Advice
1962

Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Coral Mansion
1962

Travels of Gonkuro
1961

The Man Who Challenged 8,000,000-Koku
Yamanouchi Iganosuke
1961

The Cave of the Vampire Bats
Saotome Mondonosuke
1961

Samurai Knights
1961

The Ako Retainers
1961
Samurai Hawk
1961

Lord of Steel Heart
Matabei Goto
1961

Queen of the Treasure Island
Chusuke Yamakawa
1960

The Swordsman In The Golden Valley
1960

Lord Mito: All Star Version
1960

Ninja Assassins
Saotome Mondonosuke
1960

Ooka Seidan: Devil Image
Ooka Tadasuke
1960

Runway to Hell
Sôshun Kôchiyama
1960

The Samurai Markets
Chûsuke Yamakawa
1960

Lord of Red Banner
1960

Bored Hatamoto: Island of No Return
Saotome Mondonosuke
1960

Road of Chivalry
1960

Bloody Battle at Dawn
1959

A Spectacular Showdown
Sasagawa no Shigezo
1959

Bored Hatamoto: The Daimonji Conspiracy
Saotome Mondonosuke
1959

No Stronger Swords
1959

Turbulent Highways
1959

The Unleashed Lord
1959

The 47 Masterless Samurai
1959

The Acrobats of Death
Saotome Mondonosuke
1959

The Lost Public Funds
Asaka Keinosuke
1958
Drenched Swallow Gonpachi
1958

Epic Crash
1958

Bored Hatamoto: Idle Vassal Tribute
Saotome Mondonosuke
1958

Eight Views of Samurai
1958

Seven from Edo
Katsukawa
1958

Aoi Secret Book
Uotaro Toge
1958

A Chivalrous Spirit
Nikichi
1958

The Mansion of Intrigue
Saotome Mondonosuke
1957

Shadow Over Fuji
Sato
1957

Lord Mito
1957

Rebellion
Satahiko
1957

Lords of Oppression 2
1957

Lords of Oppression
1957

Flowers on the Trail
1957

Bored Hatamoto: Mysterious Crimson Tower
1957

Shimizu Port of Chivalry
Boss Omaeda
1957

Red-Lacquered Sword
1956

やくざ大名
1956
Ancient Coins
1956

Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Ghost Ship
1956

Virtue in Spades
1956

快剣士・笑いの面
1956

Bored Hatamoto: Mysterious Letter of Challenge
1955

Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Demon Palace
1955

牢獄の花嫁
1955

Four Swordsmen of Ashura
1955

Golden Valley
1955

Goblin Warrior
1955

Bored Hatamoto: The Mysterious Phantom Mansion
1954

続変化大名
1954

Bored Hatamoto: The Million-ryo Mystery
1954

疾風愛憎峠
1954

Bored Hatamoto: House of Skulls
1954

The Sun
1953

Bored Hatamoto Passes By
1953

花吹雪男祭り
1952

Tsukigata Hanpeita
Tsukigata Hanpeita
1952

Kojiki Taishô
Gotō Mototsugu
1952

Travels of Lord Mito Pt.2
1952

Travels of Lord Mito Pt.1
1952

Bored Hatamoto: The Imposter
Saotome Mondonosuke
1952

Five Men of Edo
Jurozaemon Mizuno
1951

Bored Hatamoto: The Demon of Chinatown
1951

豪快三人男
1951

The Killing of Otsuya
Shinsuke
1951

A Thousand Standards of Stone
Sôkichi Fudôyama
1950

Bored Hatamoto Detective, Part 2: Poisoning of the Demon Lord
1950

Bored Hatamoto Detective, Part 1: The Seven Brides
1950

Fencing Master
1950

Jiruba no Tetsu
1950

G-men of Japan 2: Bloody Duel at Shipwreck Cape
1950

Monsters Catcher Oedo Seven Changes
1949

Goblin Courier
Haiyaku tengu no Chōta
1949
The Terror of Z
1948

東海水滸伝
1945
紅顏鼓笛隊
1945

Thus the Divine Wind Blows
1944
Kokusai Mitsuyudan
1944
Masujiro Omura
1942

The 47 Ronin
Tsunatoyo Tokugawa
1941

A Color Print of Edo
1939

Bored Hatamoto Enters the Mountain of Treasure
1938

Mito Kōmon Manyu-ki
1938

Bored Hatamoto on Mt. Fuji
1937
Bored Hatamoto Judges 100,000-koku
1935
Bored Hatamoto on the Nakasendo
1935
Bored Hatamoto on a Rampage
1933

Chûshingura - Zempen: Akahokyô no maki
1932

The Loyal 47 Ronin
Awajinokami Wakisaka / Gorobei Kakimi
1932
Bored Hatamoto Returns to Edo
1931
Bored Hatamoto Appears in Sendai
1931
Bored Hatamoto in Kyoto
1930
Bored Hatamoto
1930
Skull
Reinosuke Ushio
1927
Botan dôrô
1926