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Haruo Nakajima is a Actor and Stunts Japonais born on 1 january 1929 at Yamagata Prefecture (Japon)

Haruo Nakajima

Haruo Nakajima
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Nationality Japon
Birth 1 january 1929 at Yamagata Prefecture (Japon)
Death 7 august 2017 (at 88 years)

Haruo Nakajima (中島 春雄, Nakajima Haruo) (born January 1, 1929) is a Japanese actor, best known for portraying Godzilla from the 1950s through the early 1970s.

Nakajima was born in Yamagata, Japan. He is considered by many to be the best suit actor in the long history of the franchise. At the time, Toho's visual effects director, Eiji Tsuburaya considered Nakajima completely invaluable, and was employed to essay the roles of most of the kaiju (Japanese monsters) during his career as a suit actor. After 24 years, Nakajima retired from suit acting upon completion of Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972), when the studio cycled him out of their contract actor system, after Toho had been split into several subsidiaries in 1970. Nakajima was still employed by Toho for several years, and was transferred to a job at Toho's bowling alley, located on the studio lot (now defunct).

Starting in the late 1990s, Nakajima made a series of personal appearances in Chicago, New York City, New Jersey, and Hollywood (in 2000) at various Japanese monster-themed conventions. He appeared at the Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank, California on April 8–10, 2011. His Japanese-language autobiography, 『怪獣人生 元祖ゴジラ俳優・中島春雄』(Monster Life: Haruo Nakajima, The Original Godzilla Actor), published by Yosensha, was released on July 17, 2010.

Best films

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
(In Memory Of)
Seven Samurai (1954)
(Stunts)

Usually with

Tomoyuki Tanaka
Tomoyuki Tanaka
(35 films)
Ishirō Honda
Ishirō Honda
(26 films)
Yoshio Tsuchiya
Yoshio Tsuchiya
(17 films)
Akihiko Hirata
Akihiko Hirata
(19 films)
Kenji Sahara
Kenji Sahara
(19 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Haruo Nakajima (44 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Submersion of Japan, 2h23
Directed by Shirō Moritani
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Action
Themes La fin du monde, Films based on science fiction novels, Disaster films
Actors Keiju Kobayashi, Ayumi Ishida, Hiroshi Fujioka, Tetsurō Tanba, Lorne Greene, Shōgo Shimada
Roles Prime Minister's Chauffeur
Rating55% 2.771572.771572.771572.771572.77157
Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes shake Japan. Firestorms burn beautiful Japanese cities to the ground. A weather survey group discovers that the Japanese Archipelago is moving towards the Japanese Trench, which if left to continue on its collision course, would bring the whole island of Japan under the sea.
Godzilla vs. Gigan, 1h29
Directed by Jun Fukuda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about dragons, Films about extraterrestrial life, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Disaster films
Actors Haruo Nakajima, Kunio Murai
Roles Godzilla / JSDF Officer / Background Comic Editor
Rating56% 2.810892.810892.810892.810892.81089
Giant insectoid aliens from a dying planet in "Space Hunter Nebula-M" plot to colonize the Earth. The aliens assume the forms of dead humans and work as the development staff of the peace-themed theme park, World Children's Land, the centerpiece of which is "Godzilla Tower". The Nebula-M aliens plan to use the space monsters Gigan and King Ghidorah, guided by two "Action Signal Tapes," to wipe out human civilization.
Godzilla vs. Hedorah, 1h27
Directed by Yoshimitsu Banno
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Action, Horror, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Environmental films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films
Actors Haruo Nakajima
Roles Godzilla
Rating61% 3.057933.057933.057933.057933.05793
The microscopic alien lifeform Hedorah feeds on Earth's pollution and grows into a poisonous, acid-secreting sea monster. After it sinks an oil tanker and attacks Dr. Toru Yano and his young son Ken Yano, scarring them both, Hedorah's toxic existence is revealed to the public. Ken Yano has visions of Godzilla fighting the world's pollution, and insists Godzilla will come to humankind's aid against Hedorah.
Space Amoeba, 1h24
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Natural horror films, Films about cephalopods, Giant monster films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Reptile, Disaster films
Actors Kenji Sahara, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akira Kubo, Yukiko Kobayashi, Haruo Nakajima, Yu Fujiki
Roles Gezora/Ganimes
Rating54% 2.7160352.7160352.7160352.7160352.716035
The Helios 7 space probe is sent on a mission to study the planet Jupiter. While on its outward journey to the gas giant, the probe is overtaken by the Space Amoeba, an amorphous parasitic extraterrestrial. The probe returns to Earth and crashes into the South Pacific, where the Amoeba leaves the device and inhabits the body of a cuttlefish, causing it to mutate into what is called "Gezora." The tentacled kaiju begins attacking ships and islands in the area.
All Monsters Attack, 1h10
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about insects, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films
Actors Hideyo Amamoto, Kenji Sahara, Haruo Nakajima
Roles Godzilla
Rating39% 1.9710351.9710351.9710351.9710351.971035
Ichiro Miki (Tomonori Yazaki) is a highly imaginative but lonely latchkey kid growing up in urban (and at that time, polluted) Kawasaki. Every day he comes home to his family's empty apartment. His only friends are a toymaker named Shinpei Inami (Eisei Amamoto) and a young girl named Sachiko (Hidemi Ito). Every day after school, Ichiro is tormented by a gang of bullies led by a child named Sanko Gabara (Junichi Ito). To escape his loneliness, Ichiro sleeps and dreams about visiting Monster Island. During his visit he witnesses Godzilla battle three Kamacuras and Ebirah, a giant sea monster. Ichiro is then chased by a rogue Kamacuras and falls into a deep cave, but luckily avoids being caught by Kamacuras. Shortly afterwards, Ichiro is rescued from the cave by Godzilla's Son, Minilla. Ichiro quickly learns that Minilla has bully problems too, as he is bullied by a monstrous ogre known as Gabara.
Latitude Zero, 1h29
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Underwater action films, Submarine films
Actors Joseph Cotten, Cesar Romero, Akira Takarada, Masumi Okada, Richard Jaeckel, Patricia Medina
Roles Flying Lion/Giant Rat
Rating59% 2.950682.950682.950682.950682.95068
Three men (Dr. Ken Tashiro, Dr. Jules Masson, and Perry Lawton) are trapped in a bathysphere due to seismic activity. They are rescued by the crew of the supersubmarine Alpha, captained by Craig Mackenzie (Cotten), who they learn is over 200 years old (and that the Alpha was launched in the early 19th century). Mackenzie takes them to Latitude Zero to deal with the serious injuries of Dr Masson. While returning to Latitude Zero, they are attacked by a rival supersubmarine, the Black Shark, captained by Kuroi, who works for a rival of Mackenzie, Malic, who is also over 200 years old and has a base at Blood Rock.
Destroy All Monsters, 1h29
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Sur la Lune, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about spiders, Films about insects, Films about dragons, Films about extraterrestrial life, Les fées, Giant monster films, Space opera, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Disaster films
Actors Yoshio Tsuchiya, Haruo Nakajima, Yukiko Kobayashi, Kenji Sahara, Akira Kubo, Andrew Hughes
Roles Godzilla / Military Advisor
Rating64% 3.2051153.2051153.2051153.2051153.205115
At the close of the 20th century, all of the Earth's kaiju have been collected by the United Nations Science Committee and confined in an area known as Monsterland, located in the Ogasawara island chain. A special control center is constructed underneath the island to ensure that the monsters stay secure, and to serve as a research facility to study them.
Son of Godzilla, 1h26
Directed by Jun Fukuda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about spiders, Films about insects, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films
Actors Akihiko Hirata, Tadao Takashima, Akira Kubo, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kenji Sahara, Haruo Nakajima
Roles Godzilla
Rating52% 2.619772.619772.619772.619772.61977
A team of scientists are trying to perfect a weather-controlling system. Their efforts are hampered by the arrival of a nosy reporter and by the sudden presence of 2-meter tall giant praying mantises. The first test of the weather control system goes awry when the remote control for a radioactive balloon is jammed by an unexplained signal coming from the center of the island. The balloon detonates prematurely, creating a radioactive storm that causes the giant mantises to grow to enormous sizes. Investigating the mantises, which are named Kamacuras (Gimantis in the English-dubbed version), the scientists find the monstrous insects digging an egg out from under a pile of earth. The egg hatches, revealing a baby Godzilla. The scientists realize that the baby's telepathic cries for help were the cause of the interference that ruined their experiment. Shortly afterwards, Godzilla arrives on the island in response to the infant's cries, demolishing the scientist's base while rushing to defend the baby. Godzilla kills two of the Kamacuras during the battle while one manages to fly away to safety, Godzilla then adopts the baby.
King Kong Escapes, 1h44
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Robot films, Disaster films
Actors Akira Takarada, Rhodes Reason, Mie Hama, Hideyo Amamoto, Ryūji Kita, Andrew Hughes
Roles King Kong
Rating55% 2.76132.76132.76132.76132.7613
An evil genius named Dr. Who creates Mechani-Kong, a robotic version of King Kong, to dig for a highly radioactive Element X, found only at the North Pole. Mechani-Kong enters an ice cave and begins to dig into a glacier, but the radiation destroys its brain circuits and the robot shuts down. Who then sets his sights on getting the real Kong to finish the job. Who is taken to task by a beautiful female overseer, Madame Piranha. Her country's government is financing the doctor's schemes, and she frequently berates him for his failure to get results.
What's Up, Tiger Lily?, 1h20
Directed by Woody Allen, Senkichi Taniguchi
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Spy
Themes Spy films
Actors Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Akiko Wakabayashi, Tatsuya Mihashi, Susumu Kurobe, Kumi Mizuno
Roles Wong Henchman
Rating57% 2.896972.896972.896972.896972.89697
The plot provides the setup for a string of sight gags, puns, jokes based on Asian stereotypes, and general farce. The central plot involves the misadventures of secret agent Phil Moskowitz, hired by the Grand Exalted High Majah of Raspur ("a nonexistent but real-sounding country") to find a secret egg salad recipe that was stolen from him.
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, 1h27
Directed by Jun Fukuda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Films about music and musicians, La préhistoire, Films about terrorism, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about insects, Les fées, Giant monster films, Musical films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films
Actors Akira Takarada, Kumi Mizuno, Akihiko Hirata, Hideyo Amamoto, Tōru Watanabe, Haruo Nakajima
Roles Godzilla (uncredited)
Rating55% 2.7604652.7604652.7604652.7604652.760465
After Yata (Toru Ibuki) is lost at sea, his brother Ryota (Toru Watanabe) steals a yacht with his two friends and a bank robber, the crew runs afoul of the giant lobster Ebirah, and washes up on the shore of an island, where a terrorist organization manufactures heavy water for their purposes, as well as a chemical that keeps Ebirah at bay. The organization, known as the Red Bamboo, has enslaved natives from Infant Island to help them, but the natives hope to awaken Mothra (now a full-grown moth metamorphosed from the larva that appeared in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster) to rescue them.
The War of the Gargantuas, 1h27
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Horror
Themes Films about animals, La fin du monde, Films about computing, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films based on science fiction novels, Films about cephalopods, Frankenstein films, Giant monster films, Cyberpunk films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Russ Tamblyn, Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, Kipp Hamilton, Nobuo Nakamura, Haruo Nakajima
Roles Gaira
Rating62% 3.1028853.1028853.1028853.1028853.102885
As the film opens, a small boat is seen chugging through stormy seas. A giant octopus appears from the ocean and seems bent on killing the sole crew member on deck. Suddenly, the octopus releases the man and retracts its tentacles from the boat. Relieved, the sailor peers out the porthole to see Gaira, a large green man-like creature, fighting the octopus. After easily defeating it, Gaira turns his attention to the boat and sinks it.
Frankenstein Conquers the World, 1h34
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Films about computing, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Films based on science fiction novels, Films about cephalopods, Frankenstein films, Giant monster films, Cyberpunk films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Haruo Nakajima, Tadao Takashima, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kenji Sahara
Roles Baragon (uncredited)
Rating55% 2.7630252.7630252.7630252.7630252.763025
The prologue is set in Nazi Germany during the final days of World War II. A Kriegsmarine Officer, flanked by three Commandos, barges into the laboratory of a Dr. Riesendorf with orders to seize the immortal heart of the Frankenstein Monster, on which Riesendorf is busy experimenting. The heart is summarily transported by U-Boat to be passed off to their Japanese allies via the Atlantic. In the Indian Ocean, off the Maldives, the U-Boat meets up with a Japanese Imperial Navy submarine to make the exchange. They are sighted by an Allied Forces scout plane and bombed, but not before the Kriegsmarine pass the heart (contained in a locked chest) to the Japanese, who take it back to Hiroshima for further experimentation. But just as the experiments are about to begin, Hiroshima is bombed by the Allied Forces, and the heart and the experiments vanish in the atomic fireball.
Invasion of Astro-Monster, 1h36
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about dragons, Films about extraterrestrial life, Giant monster films, Space opera, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Disaster films
Actors Akira Takarada, Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akira Kubo, Haruo Nakajima
Roles Godzilla
Rating62% 3.105763.105763.105763.105763.10576
In the 1960s, two astronauts, Fuji and Glenn, are sent to investigate the surface of the mysterious "Planet X". There they encounter advanced and seemingly benevolent human-like beings called the Xiliens and their leader The Controller. The aliens usher the astronauts into their underground base, and moments later the surface is attacked by a creature the Xiliens call "Monster Zero", but which the astronauts recognize as King Ghidorah, a planet-destroying monster that had attacked Earth once before. The monster eventually leaves, but the Controller states that Ghidorah has been attacking repeatedly, forcing them to live underground in constant fear. He requests to borrow the Earth monsters Godzilla and Rodan to act as sentries against Ghidorah's attacks, in return for the cure for cancer (the English dub says the formula can cure any disease). The astronauts return to Earth and deliver the message.
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, 1h32
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about insects, Films about dragons, Les fées, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films
Actors Yuriko Hoshi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Haruo Nakajima, Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata
Roles Godzilla (uncredited)
Rating65% 3.2574553.2574553.2574553.2574553.257455
Police Detective Shindo (Yosuke Natsuki) is assigned to guard Princess Selina Salno of Selgina (Akiko Wakabayashi) during the Princess' visit to Japan, due to a suspected assassination plot. Although Shindo is smitten with Selina's photograph, her plane never makes it to Japan, as it is destroyed by a bomb en route. At exactly the same time a meteorite shower draws the attention of Professor Murai (Hiroshi Koizumi), who along with his team of scientists strikes out into the wilderness to examine the largest of the meteors, which has magnetic properties.