Kazuo Hasegawa
Born to a sake brewing family in Kyoto, he first appeared on stage at age five in a theater run by his family as a side business. In 1918, he became a student of Nakamura Ganjirō I and performed kabuki in the Kansai region. He joined the Shochiku studio in 1927 and made his film debut in Chigo no kenpō under the name Chōjirō Hayashi. His good looks and graceful fighting style made him a major jidaigeki star, and he appeared in more than 120 films for Shochiku in 11 years, with the best works being directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. He moved to the Toho studio in 1937. On 11 November 1937, however, he was attacked by ruffians and his face slashed with razor blades. According to the historian Daisuke Miyao, "Even though there was no clear evidence, it was widely assumed that this violent incident was Shochiku's retaliatory measure against Hayashi's so-called betrayal." He recovered and changed his stage name to his real name, Kazuo Hasegawa. Hasegawa appeared in many successful films for Toho, including several "national-policy pictures with Chinese settings," such as Song of the White Orchid (1939) and China Night (1940), with co-star Ri Koran. He moved to Daiei Film in 1950 and continued appearing in the popular Zenigata Heiji series. He also appeared in many classic films including Kozaburo Yoshimura's The Tale of Genji (1951), Kinugasa's Gate of Hell (1953), and Kenji Mizoguchi's The Crucified Lovers (1954). He was appointed to Daiei's board of directors in 1957. To celebrate his 300th film, Hasegawa appeared in a new version of Yukinojō henge (known abroad as An Actor's Revenge) in 1963, directed by Kon Ichikawa. He left Daiei that year and continued to appear on stage and television, including starring in the second NHK Taiga drama Akō Rōshi in 1964. He also directed the Takarazuka Revue version of The Rose of Versailles in 1974.
Filmography (115 Appearances)
Akō Rōshi
An Actor's Revenge
The Great Wall
The Demon of Sendai's Castle
Nakayoshi ondo: Nippon ichi dayo
Sabakareru Echizen no kami
The Casebooks of Zenigata Heiji: The Beautiful Shark
Mito Komon’s Journey to Ezo
Zenigata Heiji Case Files: Enma's Nightly Ledger
Zenigata Heiji Case Files: The Night of Enma
晴小袖
風来物語 あばれ飛車
Scars of Honor
The Last Betrayal
Jirocho Fuji 2: The Chivalrous
The Demon of Mount Oe
The Two Musashis
風来物語任侠篇
Utamaro, Painter of the Woman
Actor Shark
The Ghost of Yotsuya
Jirocho Fuji
The Gaijin
The Woman and the Pirate
Gambler and the Princess
Ambush at Iga Pass
Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion
Hana no yukyo-den
Inochi wo Kakeru Otoko
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Shogun's Holiday
The Magnificent Five
Secret of Naruto
Floating Vessel
Daiei Studio is Bustling
Zenigata Heiji torimono hikae: madara hebi
Tsukigata Hanpeita
Notebooks of Heiji Zenigata: Spider on the Skin
Zangiku monogatari
Zenigata Heiji Case Files: The Dead Beauty in the Bathhouse
Three Women Around Yoshinaka
Migratory Birds of the Flowers
A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love
Chikamatsu Monogatari
Zenigata Heiji: Ghost Lord
A Samurai's Love
Omatsuri hanjiro
Gate of Hell
An Heir's Place
One Thousand Ryo Ship in the Wind and Clouds
勘太郎月夜唄
Dedication of the Great Buddha
治郎吉格子
The Man from the Moon
Lantern Under a Full Moon
The Tale of Genji
Judge of the Ashuras
Zenigata Heiji Detective Story: Heiji Covers All of Edo
Yūkyō no mure
Ghosts Die at Dawn
The Devil of Edo
Lord for a Night
Hinoki Butai
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
I Believe I Am Being Followed
Harbor of Life
The Way of Drama
Idaten Kaido
音楽大進軍
Kantaro of Ina
Dance of the Capital
Omokage no machi
Onna keizu
The Man Who Waited
A Man's Flower Road of Triumph
The Battle of Kawanakajima
Dancers of Awa
Iemitsu and Hikoza
The Seven Changes of a Paper Crane (Part 2)
The Seven Changes of a Paper Crane (Part 1)
The Man Who Disappeared Yesterday
Oath on the Burning Sands
Zoku Hebihimesama
The Burning Sky
The Snake Princess
China Night
Song of the White Orchid
The Fighting Firemen
Blizzard Ronin
Tsuruhachi and Tsurujiro
Tojuro's Love
Banchō sarayashiki
The Siege of Osaka
Yukinojō henge, Kanketsu-hen
The Palanquin Carrier Magistrate
An Actor's Revenge
The Groom Talks in His Sleep
My Elder Brother
With a Single Sword Bale
Genpei the Carp
Two Lanterns
Chûshingura - Zempen: Akahokyô no maki
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Rikugun Daikoshin
The Golden Demon
Reimei izen
Nogitsune Sanji
Kurotegumi Sukeroku
Tôribêyama shinjû
Kaitō Samimaro
Kagaribi
Castle of Wind and Clouds
Chronicles of a Sea Country
Benten kozo
Demon Thistle