Minoru Chiaki
Actor
Known for
Born on Hokkaido in 1917, Minoru Chiaki is inseparable from Akira Kurosawa's greatest run. He is the woodcutter of Rashomon (1950), the priest Heihachi in Seven Samurai (1954) and, in a lighter register, one of the two peasants whose bickering opens The Hidden Fortress (1958), the pair that later inspired R2-D2 and C-3PO. He kept working in Japanese cinema and television for decades in supporting roles for Toho and other studios. Weather-beaten, quick and generous with his scene partners, he was one of the essential Kurosawa faces.
Minoru Chiaki
Actor
Born on Hokkaido in 1917, Minoru Chiaki is inseparable from Akira Kurosawa's greatest run. He is the woodcutter of Rashomon (1950), the priest Heihachi in Seven Samurai (1954) and, in a lighter register, one of the two peasants whose bickering opens The Hidden Fortress (1958), the pair that later inspired R2-D2 and C-3PO. He kept working in Japanese cinema and television for decades in supporting roles for Toho and other studios. Weather-beaten, quick and generous with his scene partners, he was one of the essential Kurosawa faces.
Movies (44 titles)
Plays First Reporter
High and Low
1963
Plays Noguchi
Ikiru
1952
Plays Heihachi Hayashida
Seven Samurai
1954
Plays Priest
Rashomon
1950
Plays Tahei
The Hidden Fortress
1958
Plays Onodera Heichô
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
1959
Plays Yoshiaki Miki
Throne of Blood
1957
Plays Kôji Kobayashi
Godzilla Raids Again
1955
Plays Girlie Show director
Stray Dog
1949
Plays Apartment Superintendent
The Face of Another
1966
Plays Sasuke the boatman
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
1956
Plays Mutsuo Kayama, the secretary
The Idiot
1951
Plays Jiro Nakajima
I Live in Fear
1955
Plays Kobayashi (as Mindru Chiaki)
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
1959
Plays Jinzo Takesue
A House in the Quarter
1963
Plays Zenichi
A Wife's Heart
1956
Plays Former Samurai
The Lower Depths
1957
Plays Jôsuke
Hero of the Red Light District
1960
Plays Junichi Fujii
The Inheritance
1962
Plays Saburo Yoshida
Little Peach
1958
Plays Sango Kawase
Vampire Moth
1956
Plays Fuyukichi Takano
Gray Sunset
1985
Plays Kenkichi Tanabe
Ujō
1957
Plays Yukimura Sanada
Sasuke and His Comedians
1963
Plays Kitao Momose
Koto—The Lake of Tears
1966
Plays Amenomori Seikai
Don Matsugoro's Big Adventure
1987
Plays Jibu
Saga of the Vagabonds
1959
TV Shows (1 title)
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Karafuto 1945 Summer
Full Filmography 45
Don Matsugoro's Big Adventure
Amenomori Seikai
1987
Gray Sunset
Fuyukichi Takano
1985
Chiba Shusaku: Kendo Masshigura
Urayama Juzada (Chiba Kōemon) · 44 episodes
1970–
Japan's No. 1 Disconnected Man
Shimizu
1969
Song of Love
The Ship-master
1967
Koto—The Lake of Tears
Kitao Momose
1966
The Face of Another
Apartment Superintendent
1966
Sasuke and His Comedians
Yukimura Sanada
1963
Jolly Barbers
Ebina Ginpei
1963
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Minoru Chiaki still alive?
Minoru Chiaki passed away on November 1, 1999 at age 82.
What are the most famous roles of Minoru Chiaki?
Minoru Chiaki is best known for roles in Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Ikiru.
How many movies has Minoru Chiaki been in?
Over a 50-year career (since 1949), Minoru Chiaki has appeared in 44 movies and 1 TV shows.
What was Minoru Chiaki's first movie?
The career of Minoru Chiaki began with Stray Dog (1949).
What is Minoru Chiaki's most recent movie or series?
Minoru Chiaki's most recent release is Don Matsugoro's Big Adventure, which premiered on December 19, 1987.
What TV shows has Minoru Chiaki appeared in?
On television, Minoru Chiaki has appeared in Chiba Shusaku: Kendo Masshigura.
Minoru Chiaki
1917-04-28 · Hokkaido, Japan
Minoru Chiaki (April 28, 1917 - November 1, 1999) was a Japanese actor who appeared in such films as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress.
In Seven Samurai he was the good-natured samurai Heihachi. Later in his career he appeared as a secondary actor in many Toei films. In 1986 he was given the Best Actor prize at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony for his performance in Toei's Gray Sunset (1985).Minoru Chiaki, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.