Susumu Fujita (è—¤ç"° 進|Fujita Susumu) (8 January 1912 â€" 23 March
1991) was a Japanese film and television actor. He played the lead
role in Akira Kurosawa's first feature, Sanshiro Sugata, and appeared
in other Kurosawa films including The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's
Tail (as Togashi, commander of the border guards) and The Hidden
Fortress (as General Tadokoro). Later, he was a supporting actor in
IshirÅ Honda's Mothra vs. Godzilla, among many other films.Before and
during World War II Fujita was considered one of the great stars of
Japanese cinema. In the post-war period he became known for supporting
roles, often playing a soldier in war films. During the sixties and
seventies he played minor roles in "special effects pictures" such as
Ultraman and Frankenstein Conquers the World.Fujita was born in
Kurume, Fukuoka in Japan. After graduating from high school in 1929 he
moved to Tokyo, where he took entrance examinations for several
universities, but failed to gain admission. Before returning to
Fukuoka he stayed in Kyoto with Takuji Furumi, a film director from
his home town. With assistance from Furumi, he secured employment with
producer Utaemon Ishikawa as an extra. He was hired as an actor by Toa
Cinema in 1931, but did not appear in any films that year. In 1932 he
was drafted into military service and enlisted in the 12th Artillery
Division. After being discharged from the army in 1934, Fujita went to
work for Masahiro Makino's Kyoto Film Recording as an audio engineer.
He returned to acting in 1939, when he moved to Toho studios.
1991) was a Japanese film and television actor. He played the lead
role in Akira Kurosawa's first feature, Sanshiro Sugata, and appeared
in other Kurosawa films including The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's
Tail (as Togashi, commander of the border guards) and The Hidden
Fortress (as General Tadokoro). Later, he was a supporting actor in
IshirÅ Honda's Mothra vs. Godzilla, among many other films.Before and
during World War II Fujita was considered one of the great stars of
Japanese cinema. In the post-war period he became known for supporting
roles, often playing a soldier in war films. During the sixties and
seventies he played minor roles in "special effects pictures" such as
Ultraman and Frankenstein Conquers the World.Fujita was born in
Kurume, Fukuoka in Japan. After graduating from high school in 1929 he
moved to Tokyo, where he took entrance examinations for several
universities, but failed to gain admission. Before returning to
Fukuoka he stayed in Kyoto with Takuji Furumi, a film director from
his home town. With assistance from Furumi, he secured employment with
producer Utaemon Ishikawa as an extra. He was hired as an actor by Toa
Cinema in 1931, but did not appear in any films that year. In 1932 he
was drafted into military service and enlisted in the 12th Artillery
Division. After being discharged from the army in 1934, Fujita went to
work for Masahiro Makino's Kyoto Film Recording as an audio engineer.
He returned to acting in 1939, when he moved to Toho studios.
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