Original Chanbara (Sword Fighting) Archives

Denjiro Okochi

Stage name

Denjiro Okochi
Real name

Masuo Obe
Nickname

Yabu no Kamisama (when he worked in Nikkatsu Uzumasa)
Date of birth

February 5, 1898
Date of death

1962Died on July 18, 1962, at age 64
Debut starring work

November 15, 1926
Chogon - filmed by Nikkatsu Uzumasa
Best works
  • Chuji Kunisada in Chuji Tabi Nikki: A Trilogy (1927, Nikkatsu)
  • Yasube Nakayama in Chikemuri Takadanobaba (1928, Nikkatsu)
  • Kuranosuke Oishi in Genroku Kaikyo Dai Chushingura (1930, Nikkatsu)
  • Echizennokami Ooka, Kyonosuke Kamio, and Ukon Ibara in Ooka Seidan Sequel Mazo Part No.1 (1930, Nikkatsu)
  • Sazen Tange in Tange Sazen After Story, Hyakumanryo no Tsubo (The Million-Dollar Vase) (1935, Nikkatsu)
  • Chuya Marubashi in Suronin Chuya (1930, Nikkatsu)
  • Nezumi Kozo Jirokichi (Jirokichi the Rat) in Oatsurae Jirokichi Koshi - Jirokichi the Rat (1931, Nikkatsu)
  • Bangaku Adigawa in Bangaku no Issho (1933, Nikkatsu)
  • Benkei in The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1952, Toho)
History
  • 1923: Entered the second term of the New Folk Theatre School led by Sentaro Kurahashi, under the stage name Isamu Ogimachi.
  • 1925: His screenplay The Killing Fields of Midagahara was filmed by Union Film Artists' Association as its second production with the director Teinosuke Kinugasa. He also appeared in the film under his stage name Jiro Muromachi.
  • August 1926: Joined Nikkatsu Taishogun Studio. In November, he made his debut as a lead actor in a film directed by Daisuke Ito under the name Denjiro Okochi and gained popularity.
  • March 1927: Starred in Daisuke Ito's Chuji Tabi Nikki, Part 1: Koshu Tate Hen, which was a huge hit and made him a star.
  • 1931: Purchased land at the top of Mt. Kameyama in Arashiyama and began to maintain it as Okochi Sanso.
  • June 1937: Transferred to J.O. Studio (which later became Toho).
  • 1946: Toho labor dispute erupted. He formed Ten Flag Association and left Toho.
  • 1947: Participated in the establishment of Shintoho.
  • 1949: Transferred to Daiei Kyoto Studio, and later appeared in films for companies such as Daiei, Shintoho, Takarazuka Eiga, and Toei.
  • May 1957: Joined Toei Studios Kyoto.

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