Hitoshi Ueki

Hitoshi Ueki (植木 等, Ueki Hitoshi, February 25, 1927 – March 27, 2007) was a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and guitarist. He won six awards for acting.[1] His film credits stretch from 1960 to 1995.[2][3]

Hitoshi Ueki
Ueki in 1963
Born(1927-02-25)February 25, 1927
Aichi Prefecture, Japan
DiedMarch 27, 2007(2007-03-27) (aged 80)
NationalityJapanese
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, singer, guitarist
Years active1960–2007
Japanese name
Kanji植木 等
Hiraganaうえき ひとし

Ueki came to fame through the comic jazz-band The Crazy Cats led by Hajime Hana. His major appearances were in the Musekinin Otoko film series, the comedy variety show Shabondama Holiday, the prime-time television series The Hangman, and the ten 2-hour television shows in the Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari franchise.

He appeared in the Akira Kurosawa epic jidaigeki film Ran in 1985, receiving a nomination for the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, and earned the Japanese Academy, Kinema Junpo,and Mainichi film awards for best supporting actor for his role as the eccentric grandfather in Big Joys, Small Sorrows in 1987.[1][4][5]

On stage, he portrayed Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago, voiced the Roddy McDowall role in the Japanese market release of Planet of the Apes, and served as the narrator in the Japanese version of Tom and Jerry.

His hit song with Hana Hajime and the Crazy Cats, Sūdara-bushi, placed in the Oricon top ten,[6] and landed him an appearance on the NHK annual music spectacular Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Ueki received the Purple Ribbon Medal of Honour in 1993 and the 4th Class Order of the Rising Sun in 1999.

Currently, new technology is being used to create a Vocaloid voicebank using his voice.[7]

Discography

Albums
  • "Hai, oyobi desu" (ハイ、およびです, Hi, I come here), 1966
  • "Onna no sekai" (女の世界, The World of Women), 1971
  • "Sūdara-Densetsu" (スーダラ伝説, The Legend of "Sūdara"), 1990
  • "Ueki Hitoshi, The Concert" (植木等ザ・コンサート, Hitoshi Ueki, The Concert), 1991
  • "Sūdara-Gaiden" (スーダラ外伝, The Legend of "Sūdara" part2), 1992
  • "Ueki Hitoshi teki ongaku" (植木等的音楽, Music of Hitoshi Ueki), 1995

Partial filmography

Films

Television

References
  1. Hitoshi Ueki - Awards IMDB Retrieved June 21, 2008
  2. 植木等 JMDB Retrieved June 21, 2008
  3. Hitoshi Ueki IMDB Retrieved June 21, 2008
  4. "Japan Academy Film Awards". japan-academy-prize.jp. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  5. "List of past awards". mainichi.jp. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  6. 植木等、クレイジー・キャッツの主なランクイン作品売上データ ニュース-ORICON STYLE- Oricon ranking page for Ueki Hitoshi and the Crazy Cats Retrieved June 21, 2008
  7. link
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