Toshirō Mifune
Born
April 1, 1920
Died
December 24, 1997 (77 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Qingdao, China
Toshirō Mifune (April 1, 1920 - December 24, 1997) was a Japanese actor who is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema. He was born in Qingdao, China, but was raised in Japan. Mifune's career spanned over 50 years, during which he collaborated extensively with renowned director Akira Kurosawa, creating some of the most iconic films in Japanese cinema.
Mifune gained international recognition for his performances in Kurosawa's films, particularly in samurai films. He portrayed strong, dynamic, and often rebellious characters, bringing a raw intensity to his roles. Some of his notable collaborations with Kurosawa include "Rashomon" (1950), "Seven Samurai" (1954), "Yojimbo" (1961), and "The Hidden Fortress" (1958), which inspired George Lucas's "Star Wars."
Apart from his work with Kurosawa, Mifune appeared in numerous other films, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He played roles in various genres, including dramas, comedies, and war films. Some of his other notable films include "The Throne of Blood" (1957), "High and Low" (1963), and "Red Beard" (1965).
Mifune's charismatic presence, powerful performances, and ability to convey complex emotions made him an iconic figure in Japanese cinema. He received international recognition and awards for his contributions to the film industry, including several honors at the Venice Film Festival and a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity
Self (archive footage)
2020
Mifune: The Last Samurai
Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)
2016
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress'
Self
2002
Kurosawa
Self (archive footage)
2000
Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman
Self (archive footage)
1998
The Making of '1941'
Self (archive footage)
1996
Picture Bride
The Benshi
1995
Deep River
Tsukada
1995
Shadow of the Wolf
Kroomak
1992
Journey of Honor
Ieyasu Tokugawa
1991
Strawberry Road
Taoka
1991
Heaven and Earth: Dawn Episode
Nagao Tamekage
1990
Death of a Tea Master
Rikyu Sen-no
1989
cf Girl
Shūichirō Hase
1989
The Demon Comes in Spring
Kukkune no jî
1989
Princess from the Moon
Taketori-no-Miyatsuko
1987
The Retired Samurai
Hikozaemon Ōkubo
1987
Tora-san Goes North
Junkichi Ueno
1987
The Shatterer
Murai
1987
The Ballad of the Sea of Genkai
Kyūbei Matsufuji
1986
No More God, No More Love
Kōzō Kanzaki
1985
The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel
Fisherman
1984
Okita Soji: Swordsman of Fire
Shūsai Kondō
1984
Burning Mountain River
Otsuichi Amo · (51 episodes)
1984
Secret of the Forbidden Valley
1983
The Women of Osaka Castle
Tokugawa Ieyasu
1983
Lowly Ronin 6: Betrayal at Yatate Pass
Sûrônin Hinoki Sajûrô
1983
Battle Anthem
Admiral Heihachiro Togo
1983
Lowly Ronin 5: The Teenage Orphan Girl
Sûrônin Rakuyôjûrô
1983
Lowly Ronin 4: Living Hell
Sanjuro Hinoki
1983
Theater Of Life
Hyōtarō Aonari
1983
Lowly Ronin 2: The Spray of Blood
Sanjuro Hinoki
1982
Domineering
Masao Tadokoro
1982
The Challenge
Toru Yoshida
1982
The Lowly Ronin 3: Duel at Dawn
1982
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 2
Tamon Umei
1982
Lowly Ronin
Sanjuro Hinoki
1981
Tuesday Suspense Theater
(1 episode)
1981
The Bushido Blade
Shogun's Commander
1981
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 1
Tamon Umei
1981
Inchon
Saito-San
1981
Sekigahara
Sakon Shima · (3 episodes)
1981
Shogun
Lord Yoshi Toranaga
1980
Shōgun
Lord Yoshi Toranaga · (5 episodes)
1980
Port Arthur
Emperor Meiji
1980
1941
Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura
1979
Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police
Sadanobu Matsudaira
1979
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
Kindaichi of 11th Generation in "The Woman in the Eye"
1979
Winter Kills
Keith
1979
The 47 Ronins of Ako
Tachibana Sakon · (36 episodes)
1979
Lord Mito
Sakuzaemon Okumura
1978
The Fall of Ako Castle
Tsuchiya Michinao
1978
Japanese Godfather: Conclusion
Kosuke Oishi
1978
Love and Faith
Taiko Hideyoshi
1978
Shag
Captain Takeo Murata
1978
Shogun's Samurai
Yoshinao Tokugawa
1978
Falcons of Edo
Kanbei Uchiyama · (38 episodes)
1978
Japanese Godfather: Ambition
Kosuke Oishi
1977
Proof of the Man
Yohei Kori
1977
Midway
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
1976
Ronin in a Lawless Town
Mr. Danna · (11 episodes)
1976
Paper Tiger
Ambassador Kagoyama
1975
Ronin of the Wastelands
Kujuro Toge · (13 episodes)
1972
Red Sun
Kuroda Jubei
1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self · (1 episode)
1971
Epic Chushingura
Oishi Kuranosuke · (52 episodes)
1971
The Militarists
Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto
1970
The Walking Major
Kinugasa Tadao
1970
Incident at Blood Pass
Yojimbo
1970
The Ambitious
Shojiro Goto
1970
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
Yojimbo/Sasa
1970
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
Isami Kondo
1969
Red Lion
Gonzo
1969
Battle of the Japan Sea
Admiral Heihachiro Togo
1969
Safari 5000
Yūichirō Takase
1969
Samurai Banners
Kansuke Yamamoto
1969
Hell in the Pacific
Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda
1968
The Day the Sun Rose
Kumaza
1968
Admiral Yamamoto
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
1968
The Sands of Kurobe
Kitagawa
1968
Japan's Longest Day
War Minister General Korechika Anami
1967
Samurai Rebellion
Isaburo Sasahara
1967
Grand Prix
Izō Yamura
1966
Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions
Self
1966
Rise Against the Sword
Abare Gōemon
1966
The Mad Atlantic
Heihachirô Murakami
1966
Adventure in Kigan Castle
Osami
1966
The Sword of Doom
Toranosuke Shimada
1966
Fort Graveyard
Sergeant Kosugi
1965
The Retreat from Kiska
Omura
1965
Sanshiro Sugata
Shogoro Yano
1965
Red Beard
Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")
1965
Samurai Assassin
Tsuruchiyo Niiro
1965
Whirlwind
Lord Akashi
1964
Samurai Pirate
Sukezaemon Naya, aka 'Luzon' [Sinbad, in US version]
1963
Legacy of the 500,000
Takeichi Matsuo
1963
High and Low
Kingo Gondo
1963
Attack Squadron
Lt. Colonel Senda
1963
Chûshingura
Genba Tawaraboshi
1962
Three Gentlemen Return from Hong Kong
Zhang Zhizhang
1962
Doburoku no Tatsu
Tatsu
1962
Sanjuro
Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin
1962
The Important Man
Ánimas Trujano
1961
The Youth and His Amulet
Fudo-Myo (Immovable Bright King)
1961
Yojimbo
Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
1961
The Masterless 47 – Part II
1961
Daredevil in the Castle
Mohei
1961
The Masterless 47
Kazuo Momoi
1960
The Bad Sleep Well
Kôichi Nishi
1960
Man Against Man
Kaji
1960
The Storm of the Pacific
Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi
1960
The Gambling Samurai
Kunisada Chuji
1960
The Last Gunfight
Detective Saburo Fujioka
1960
The Three Treasures
Prince Yamato Takeru
1959
Desperado Outpost
Battalion Commander
1959
Saga of the Vagabonds
Rokuro Kai
1959
Samurai Saga
Heihachiro Komaki
1959
The Big Boss
Kashimura
1959
The Hidden Fortress
General Rokurota Makabe
1958
Theater of Life
1958
All About Marriage
Acting teacher
1958
Yaji and Kita on the Road
Toshinoshin Taya
1958
The Rickshaw Man
Matsugorō Tomishima
1958
A Holiday in Tokyo
Tenkai's nephew Jirō
1958
Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II
Tasaburo
1958
Down Town
Yoshio Tsuruishi
1957
The Lower Depths
Sutekichi the Thief
1957
A Dangerous Hero
Kawada
1957
Yagyu Secret Scrolls
Tasaburō Kasumi
1957
Good Luck to These Two
Toshio Maruyama
1957
A Man in the Storm
Saburō Watari
1957
Throne of Blood
Taketoki Washizu
1957
Rebels on the High Sea
Matsuo Tokuzō
1956
Scoundrel
Kanji
1956
A Wife's Heart
Kenkichi
1956
Settlement of Love
Shuntarō Ōhira
1956
The Underworld
Chief Inspector Kumada
1956
Rainy Night Duel
Masahiko Koseki
1956
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
1956
I Live in Fear
Kiichi Nakajima
1955
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
1955
No Time for Tears
Mitsuo Yano
1955
All is Well 2
Daikichi Risshun
1955
All is Well
Daikichi Risshun
1955
A Man Among Men
"Buick" Maki
1955
The Black Fury
Eiichi Tsuda
1954
The Surf
Skipper of the Utashima-maru
1954
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
1954
Seven Samurai
Kikuchiyo
1954
The Eagle of the Pacific
1st Lieutenant Tomonaga
1953
Sunflower Girl
Ippei Hitachi
1953
The Last Embrace
Shinkichi / Hayakawa
1953
My Wonderful Yellow Car
Matsumura
1953
The Man Who Came to Port
Gorō Niinuma
1952
Swift Current
Shunsuke Kosugi
1952
Tokyo Sweetheart
Kurokawa
1952
Sword for Hire
Sasa Hayatenosuke
1952
Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
1952
The Life of Oharu
Katsunosuke
1952
Foghorn
Chiyokichi
1952
Vendetta of a Samurai
Mataemon Araki
1952
Who Knows a Woman's Heart
Mizuno
1951
The Life of a Horse Trader
Yonetaro Katayama
1951
Sasaki Kojiro
Miyamoto Musashi
1951
Meeting of the Ghost of Apres-Guerre
Kenji Kawakami
1951
Pirates
Tora
1951
The Idiot
Denkichi Akama
1951
Elegy
Prosecutor Daisuke Toki
1951
Beyond Love and Hate
Gorō Sakata
1951
Rashomon
Tajômaru
1950
Wedding Ring
Takeshi Ema
1950
Scandal
Ichirô Aoye
1950
Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka
Teisaku Nagasawa
1950
Escape from Prison
Shinkichi
1950
Stray Dog
Det. Murakami
1949
Jakoman and Tetsu
Tetsu
1949
The Quiet Duel
Dr. Kyoji Fujisaki
1949
Drunken Angel
Matsunaga
1948
These Foolish Times
Genzaburo Onō, Gang Boss
1947
Snow Trail
Eijima
1947