Takashi Shimura
Takashi Shimura (March 12, 1905 – February 11, 1982) was a Japanese actor renowned for his extensive film career spanning over 200 roles from 1934 to 1981.[1][2]
A key figure in Akira Kurosawa's ensemble, Shimura appeared in 21 of the director's 30 films, delivering standout performances as the introspective bureaucrat Kanji Watanabe seeking purpose in Ikiru (1952), the strategic ronin leader Kambei Shimada in Seven Samurai (1954), and the principled scientist Dr. Kyohei Yamane confronting atomic destruction in Godzilla (1954).[1][2][3]
His range extended from vulnerable everymen to commanding authorities, showcasing a depth that solidified his status as one of the 20th century's premier character actors, often transitioning seamlessly between dramatic intensity and subtle humanity across genres including jidaigeki, noir, and kaiju.[4][5]