Isuzu Yamada (山田 五十鈴, Yamada Isuzu, 5 February 1917 – 9 July 2012) was a Japanese stage and screen actress whose career spanned seven decades.
Yamada was born in Osaka as Mitsu Yamada, the daughter of Kusudu Yamada, a shinpa actor specialising in onnagata roles, and Ritsu, a geisha. Yamada debuted as a film actress in 1930 at age twelve, appearing in the Nikkatsu film Tsurugi wo koete. She soon became one of Nikkatsu's top actresses, but it was her portrayals of strong-willed modern girls in Kenji Mizoguchi's Osaka Elegy and Sisters of the Gion in 1936 at the new Daiichi Eiga studio that earned her popularity and critical acclaim. Moving to Shinkō Kinema and then to Toho, she became a star with Mikio Naruse's Tsuruhachi and Tsurujiro (1938).
During the second half of the 1950s, Yamada's main attention shifted towards the stage, but she still appeared in a number of distinguished films like Naruse's Flowing (1956), Yasujirō Ozu's Tokyo Twilight (1957) and Akira Kurosawa's The Lower Depths (1957) and Throne of Blood (1957). Other directors she worked with during this decade include Keisuke Kinoshita, Kaneto Shindō and Shirō Toyoda. In addition to her theatre engagements, she appeared on television, including the long-running Hissatsu series. Her last TV appearance was in 2002.
Yamada died from multiple organ failure in Tokyo on 9 July 2012 at the age of 95. She was married four times, to actor Ichirō Tsukita, to producer Kazuo Takimura, to actor Yoshi Katō, and to actor Tsutomu Shimomoto. Her daughter with Tsukita, Michiko, became known as the actress Michiko Saga (1935–1992).
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Known For
Yojimbo
(1961)
Orin
Throne of Blood
(1957)
Lady Asaji Washizu
Tokyo Twilight
(1957)
Kisako Soma
The Lower Depths
(1957)
Osugi the Landlady
Full Filmography
Acting
Suronin Chuya
(1930)
The Revenge Champion
(1931)
In Search of Mother
(1931)
Otose
The 26 Martyrs of Japan
(1931)
The Greatest Man in the World
(1932)
Oyae
Banquet Under the Midnight Sun
(1932)
Oichi
Yataro's Hat - Comings and Goings
(1932)
Professional Killer
(1932)
Bangaku no issho
(1933)
Tange Sazen - Dai-ippen
(1933)
The Elegant Swordsman
(1934)
Martial Arts Encyclopedia
(1934)
Happy Daughter
(1934)
Michiko Yamada
Oyuki the Virgin
(1935)
Oyuki
The Downfall of Osen
(1935)
Osen
Miss Okichi
(1935)
Okichi
The Comb of Oroku
(1935)
Okinu
Osaka Elegy
(1936)
Ayako Murai
Sisters of the Gion
(1936)
O-mocha
The Siege of Osaka
(1937)
Senhime
Tsuruhachi and Tsurujiro
(1938)
Tsuruhachi
Ichiyo Higuchi
(1939)
Ichiyo Higuchi
The Day Before
(1939)
Osaki
Shinpen Tange Sazen: Sekigan no maki
(1939)
Oshiho
The Fighting Firemen
(1939)
Koina
The Snake Princess
(1940)
Oshima
Keshô yuki
(1940)
Yukiko and Natsuyo
(1941)
Natsuyo
The Man Who Disappeared Yesterday
(1941)
The Battle of Kawanakajima
(1941)
Oshino
Schoolgirl Records
(1941)
Shanghai Moon
(1941)
The Man Who Waited
(1942)
Onna keizu
(1942)
Otsuta
Musashibo Benkei
(1942)
The Song Lantern
(1943)
O-Sode
音楽大進軍
(1943)
Isuzu Yamada
Kantaro of Ina
(1943)
The Way of Drama
(1944)
Four Marriages
(1944)
The Sword
(1945)
Sasae Onoda
Until Victory Day
(1945)
Lord for a Night
(1946)
Actress
(1947)
Sumako Matsui
The Motherland Far Far Away
(1950)
Masako
A Mother's Love
(1950)
Fencing Master
(1950)
Oharu
A Man from Akagi
(1950)
Kagebōshi
(1950)
お夏
続影法師
(1950)
風雲金毘羅山
(1950)
Home Sweet Home
(1951)
Namiko, Kosaku's wife
Five Men of Edo
(1951)
Okane, Chobei's wife
Fireworks Over the Sea
(1951)
Kaoru Uozumi
The Killing of Otsuya
(1951)
Otsuya
Satsuma-bikyaku
(1951)
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
(1951)
Misawa
Kurama Tengu: Acrobat in a lion mask
(1951)
Modern People
(1952)
Tsukigata Hanpeita
(1952)
Somehachi
Devil’s Statue
(1952)
Become a Mother, Become a Woman
(1952)
Harue Yasukawa
Castle of Revenge
(1952)
The Stand in Hakone
(1952)
A Lonely Woman in a Lonely Land
(1953)
Sayo Yamada
Miniature
(1953)
Tamiko
Hiroshima
(1953)
At the End of the Clouds
(1953)
Wild Lion
(1953)
江戸いろは祭
(1953)
女房おなか
A Billionaire
(1954)
Hanakuma
Three Loves
(1954)
Mother
Chushingura
(1954)
Oishi Riku
Hirate Miki the Swordman
(1954)
Christ in Bronze
(1955)
Kimika
Chutaro of Banba
(1955)
Such is Life
(1955)
Oharu
Burden of Love
(1955)
Some Kaita
Growing Up
(1955)
The Big Ambition
(1955)
Ai Sureba Koso
(1955)
Yaeko (segment 3)
Ishigassen
(1955)
Minamoto Yoshitsune
(1955)
振袖釼法
(1955)
母つじ
荒木又右衛門
(1955)
妻みね
Flowing
(1956)
Otsuta
Shozo, a Cat and Two Women
(1956)
Shinako
How Sorrowful
(1956)
Farewell to Dream
(1956)
Seiji's mother, Kiyo
大当り男一代
(1956)
お吉
涙の花道
(1956)
江戸紫女将そよ
Throne of Blood
(1957)
Lady Asaji Washizu
The Lower Depths
(1957)
Osugi the Landlady
Tokyo Twilight
(1957)
Kisako Soma
Black River
(1957)
Landlady
The Horse Boy
(1957)
Down Town
(1957)
A Matter of Valour
(1957)
The Spell of the Hidden Gold
(1958)
Chizuin
The Days of Evil Women
(1958)
The Seasons of Love
(1958)
Urako
The Shop Curtain
(1958)
The Undefeated Woman
(1958)
Taikoki - The Saga of Hideyoshi
(1958)
A Boy and Three Mothers
(1958)
Natsu, the Foster Mother
The Hidden Treasure
(1959)
Love in the Mountains
(1959)
風来物語任侠篇
(1959)
Pineapple Butai
(1959)
Shigeyo (Mother)
The Lovelorn Geisha
(1960)
Deep River Melody
(1960)
Bonchi
(1960)
Sei
Goodbye to Glory
(1960)
Otake
Princess Sen in Edo
(1960)
Kisaragi
Hanjiro of Kusama: Bird of Passage
(1960)
Otoku
Secret
(1960)
風来物語 あばれ飛車
(1960)
Mission Accomplished
(1960)
Yojimbo
(1961)
Orin
Daredevil in the Castle
(1961)
Yodogami
Buddha
(1961)
Kalideva
誰よりも金を愛す
(1961)
The Orphan Brother
(1961)
Yashio (voice)
The Shrikes
(1961)
Case of a Young Lord 9: Black Camellia
(1961)
The Great Wall
(1962)
Dowager Empress
365 Nights
(1962)
Four Sisters
(1962)
Tatsuko Katagiri
Glory on the Summit
(1962)
Taka Hirooka
The Body
(1962)
Woman Boss
(1970)
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
(1975)
Shogun's Samurai
(1978)
Oeyo
Suspicion
(1982)
Tokie Horiuchi
Arashi Tatsunari
(1982)
Tatsu
Sure Death
(1984)
Sure Death! Brown, You Bounder!
(1985)
Oriku
Kurosawa
(2000)
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Throne of Blood'
(2002)
Self