
Yōko Minamida
Biography
Yōko Minamida (南田 洋子, Minamida Yōko, March 1, 1933 – October 21, 2009) was a Japanese actress. Born in Tokyo, Minamida made her screen debut in 1953 for the Daiei studio and quickly rose to stardom, working with Kenji Mizoguchi on two films: “A Story from Chikamatsu” and “Princess Yang Kwei-fei.” In 1955, she moved to the Nikkatsu studio, where she starred in Takumi Furukawa’s “Season of the Sun” (1956), a smash hit that launched the so-called “Sun Tribe” boom for films about rebellious youth looking for sex and kicks on Shonan Beach — Japan’s nearest equivalent to Malibu. Minamida acted in dozens of movies for Nikkatsu, working with Shohei Imamura, Seijun Suzuki, and other directors.
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In 1961 she married her co-star on “Season of the Sun,” Hiroyuki Nagato. As she acted in fewer movies after the mid-1960s, Minamida made a smooth and successful transition to TV as both an actress and MC. She also continued to appear occasionally in movies, with the last being Nobuhiko Obayashi’s “Song of Goodbye” in 2006.
She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in November 2008, and a TV documentary was made about her condition and the efforts of her husband to care for her. She died in Tokyo.
Known for
HouseHausu Karei7.3
Chikamatsu MonogatariOtama7.8
Princess Yang Kwei-feiHung-tao6.7
Pigs and BattleshipsKatsuyo7.1
GokusenMatsubara8.0
A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu EraKoharu7.0
The Man with a ShotgunHarue
Stolen DesireChidori Yamamura
Tokyo KnightsKoji's Mother
Voice Without a ShadowAsako Kotani
Hungry SoulReiko Shiba
The MotiveKinue Ishida
Filmography
The 80 most recent of 144 credits.
- 2007Song of GoodbyeFilm: Kyoko Tanabe
- 2004The MotiveFilm: Kinue Ishida
- 2002GokusenSeries: Matsubara (10 episodes)
- 1997Lost ParadiseSeries: Eto Kuniko (12 episodes)
- 1995Salaryman SenkaFilm
- 1993Ai yo, NemuranaideFilm
- 1990砂山の唄殺人事件Series (1 episode)
- 1990Yellow FangsFilm: Kiyo
- 1989Tears of a SwanSeries: Atsuko Kawata (25 episodes)
- 1987This Story of LoveFilm
- 1987Star RanchFilm
- 1984ZeroFilm: Ine Hamada
- 1982Yôi donSeries: 栄市の母・せい (153 episodes)
- 1978At NoonFilm
- 1978Take Me Away!Film: Tomi Oguchi
- 1977HouseFilm: Hausu Karei
- 1977The Wild DaisyFilm: Fuki - Masao's Mother
- 1977Japanese Humanity and JusticeFilm
- 1977Ame no meguri aiFilm
- 1976Akai ShougekiSeries (29 episodes)
- 1975Time of First LoveFilm
- 1974Karafuto 1945 SummerFilm
- 1972The Kanto Scarlet Cherry GangFilm: Maid
- 1970NijiSeries: 三谷かな子 (310 episodes)
- 1970A Young Man's StrongholdFilm
- 1969Chivalrous PrideFilm
- 1969Tale of the Last Japanese YakuzaFilm
- 1967The Domain: Where The Blade EntersFilm
- 1967Portrait of ChiekoFilm: Kazuko Tsubaki
- 1967The Domain: White BladeFilm
- 1966Debt of HonorFilm: Oiku
- 1966Glorious FightsFilm: Akemi
- 1966NET PlayhouseSeries: Nobuko Muroi (1 episode)
- 1966Showdown of MenFilm
- 1965The Kingdom of Jirocho 4Film
- 1965The Domain: Kanto Legends of ChivalryFilm
- 1965Underworld CodeFilm
- 1965Irogotoshi harudanjiFilm: Otama
- 1965The Tattooed LordFilm
- 1965The Soundless CryFilm: Tokie Matsuura
- 1965The Domain: The Naniwa StoryFilm
- 1964Prison GamblerFilm: Kimura Uta
- 1964The DomainFilm
- 1964GamblerFilm: Kimura Uta
- 1964An OutlawFilm
- 1964Jakoman and TetsuFilm: Masa
- 1964To Your Majesty, The Emperor 2Film: Misato
- 1963Okashina yatsuFilm: Fujiko, Shuntô
- 1963The Gambling MonkFilm
- 1963Kyu-chan, Draw Your SwordFilm
- 1963Kiriko's TangoFilm
- 1963Love Comes with YouthFilm
- 1963I Have the Sun in My BackFilm: Sachiko
- 1963A Modern Samurai VillageFilm: Yasu Tajima
- 1963Beyond the Green HillsFilm: Umetaro
- 1962The Guys Who Put Money on MeFilm: Sanae Kitazawa
- 1962Glass-Hearted JohnnyFilm: Yumi
- 1962The Rambler Returns HomeFilm
- 1962Last RoundFilm
- 1962Sun and StarsFilm
- 1962Black DiceFilm
- 1962Otoko to otoko no ikiru machiFilm
- 1961Zurari oretacha yōjinbōFilm
- 1961Wind and waves of the SouthFilm: Yasuko, Kazuo's foster mother
- 1961Gun of NosappuFilm
- 1961The Crimson PlainsFilm: Sakie Yazaki
- 1961The Man with a ShotgunFilm: Harue
- 1961Quick Draw JoeFilm: Jane, the dancer
- 1961Joe of Aces: Gambling for a LivingFilm: Yuri Harada
- 1961Tokyo KnightsFilm: Koji's Mother
- 1961Pigs and BattleshipsFilm: Katsuyo
- 1961He Killed DadFilm
- 1960Tales of a Gunman: The Man Without TomorrowFilm: Sumi
- 1960The Rambler Rides AgainFilm
- 1960Bet on a Seaside RomanceFilm
- 1960Lone WolfFilm: Naomi
- 1960Jungle BlockFilm: Kayoko Komuro
- 1960Return of the VagabondFilm
- 1960Yakuza SongFilm
- 1960The Law's Bloody WoundsFilm: 榎本吟子
Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.