Togo Yamamoto
Encyclopedia
was a pioneering actor who appeared on stage and film in the United States and Japan.
Born in Yokohama
, Japan on November 4, 1886, Togo emigrated to the United States and began an acting career in the early years of the twentieth century.
Yamamoto told Blanche Partington
in a 1906 interview that he had been "in the dramatic business" in Japan, playing "tragedy, comedy, both" before coming to the United States. His first appearance on the American stage was in The White Tigress of Japan (1904), a play about the Russo-Japanese War
. "I was Japanese spy--I killed half a dozen Russians every night!" he told Partington. Theatrical manager Kirke La Shelle spotted him in the production and hired him to play the part of a Japanese servant in The Heir to the Hoorah (1905).
Yamamoto subsequently appeared in a number of stage plays, including The Offenders (1908), An American Widow (1909), The Inferior Sex (1910), The Muezzin (1910), Kismet
(1911), Miss Phoenix (1913), and others.
In 1918, Yamamoto made his first appearances on the silver screen in The Midnight Patrol (1918) and The City of Dim Faces (1918). In both films he played Chinese characters, as he did in many of his later American films. He appeared in more than a dozen American films, most notably Cecil B. DeMille
's Something to Think About
, in which he played a Japanese servant, and Flesh and Blood
, a 1922 film starring Lon Chaney
, in which he played a Chinese character, The Prince.
In 1925, Yamamoto returned to his native Japan and appeared with Tokihiko Okada
in a film entitled Maboroshi no hansen. After a four year hiatus, he returned to the Japanese screen in two 1929 films and no fewer than eleven 1930 films, including Sono yo no tsuma and Ojosan, both directed by Yasujiro Ozu
. He worked steadily through the 1930s, appearing in more than forty films, working with directors like Ozu and Hiroshi Shimizu
, usually in supporting roles. In the 1940s, however, he appeared in only a handful of films. Among his last were Nishi manrui (Two outs, bases loaded, 1946) and Yottsu no koi no monogatari (Four tales of passion, 1947).
Born in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan on November 4, 1886, Togo emigrated to the United States and began an acting career in the early years of the twentieth century.
Yamamoto told Blanche Partington
Blanche Partington
Blanche Partington was a prominent San Francisco journalist and member of the San Francisco Bay Area literary and cultural scene...
in a 1906 interview that he had been "in the dramatic business" in Japan, playing "tragedy, comedy, both" before coming to the United States. His first appearance on the American stage was in The White Tigress of Japan (1904), a play about the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. "I was Japanese spy--I killed half a dozen Russians every night!" he told Partington. Theatrical manager Kirke La Shelle spotted him in the production and hired him to play the part of a Japanese servant in The Heir to the Hoorah (1905).
Yamamoto subsequently appeared in a number of stage plays, including The Offenders (1908), An American Widow (1909), The Inferior Sex (1910), The Muezzin (1910), Kismet
Kismet (play)
Kismet is a three-act play written in 1911 by Edward Knoblauch . The title means Fate or Destiny in Turkish and Urdu. The play ran for an extraordinary two years in London...
(1911), Miss Phoenix (1913), and others.
In 1918, Yamamoto made his first appearances on the silver screen in The Midnight Patrol (1918) and The City of Dim Faces (1918). In both films he played Chinese characters, as he did in many of his later American films. He appeared in more than a dozen American films, most notably Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
's Something to Think About
Something to Think About
-Cast:* Elliott Dexter - David Markely* Gloria Swanson - Ruth Anderson* Monte Blue - Jim Dirk* Theodore Roberts - Luke Anderson* Claire McDowell - Housekeeper* Michael D. Moore - Bobby * Julia Faye - Banker's Daughter...
, in which he played a Japanese servant, and Flesh and Blood
Flesh and Blood (1922 film)
Flesh and Blood is a 1922 film starring Lon Chaney Sr. and directed by Irving Cummings. The film originally had a segment with Chinese players in color.-Synopsis:...
, a 1922 film starring Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney
Chaney is an American surname of French origin, and may refer to:* Charles "Bubba" Chaney , Louisiana politician* Chris Chaney, US musician* Darrel Chaney, US baseball player* Don Chaney, US basketballer* Esty Chaney , US baseballer...
, in which he played a Chinese character, The Prince.
In 1925, Yamamoto returned to his native Japan and appeared with Tokihiko Okada
Tokihiko Okada
was a Japanese silent film star in Japan during the 1920's and early 1930's. A Tokyo native, he first started at the Taikatsu studio and later he was a leading player for such legendary Japanese directors as Yasujiro Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi. Film critic Tadao Sato recounts that Okada was among the...
in a film entitled Maboroshi no hansen. After a four year hiatus, he returned to the Japanese screen in two 1929 films and no fewer than eleven 1930 films, including Sono yo no tsuma and Ojosan, both directed by Yasujiro Ozu
Yasujiro Ozu
was a prominent Japanese film director and script writer. He is known for his distinctive technical style, developed during the silent era. Marriage and family, especially the relationships between the generations, are among the most persistent themes in his body of work...
. He worked steadily through the 1930s, appearing in more than forty films, working with directors like Ozu and Hiroshi Shimizu
Hiroshi Shimizu
Hiroshi Shimizu may refer to:*Hiroshi Shimizu , Japanese film director*Hiroshi Shimizu , Japanese film director*Hiroshi Shimizu , professor at Keio University, project leader of Eliica...
, usually in supporting roles. In the 1940s, however, he appeared in only a handful of films. Among his last were Nishi manrui (Two outs, bases loaded, 1946) and Yottsu no koi no monogatari (Four tales of passion, 1947).