Nakamura Ganjirō II (二代目 中村鴈治郎, Nidaime Nakamura Ganjirō, 17 February 1902 – 13 April 1983) was a Japanese kabuki and film actor.[1] He appeared in more than 70 films between 1941 and 1980, directed by notable filmmakers such as Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Akira Kurosawa, and Mikio Naruse.[2][3]

Nakamura Ganjirō II
Ganjirō in 1958
Born
Yoshio Hayashi[a]

(1902-02-17)17 February 1902
Osaka, Japan
Died13 April 1983(1983-04-13) (aged 81)
OccupationActor
Years active1906–1980
ChildrenSakata Tōjūrō IV (eldest son)
Tamao Nakamura (youngest daughter)
FatherNakamura Ganjirō I
RelativesNakamura Kanjaku III (grandfather)
Hayashi Mataichirō II (brother)
Nakamura Ganjirō IV (grandson)
Nakamura Senjaku III (grandson)
Nakamura Kazutarō (great-grandson)
Nakamura Toranosuke (great-grandson)

Lineage

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Born into a renowned Kabuki acting family from Kansai, Ganjirō II was the youngest son of Nakamura Ganjirō I, one of the most celebrated Kabuki actors from the 1870s to the 1930s and grandson of Nakamura Kanjaku III, one of the most outstanding kaneru yakusha in the history of Kabuki theater.

His older brother, Hayashi Mataichirō II was a Kabuki actor like him and was known for his spectacular and outstanding skills as a Kabuki dancer.

Ganjirō II was the second in the line of actors to inherit the prestigious name Nakamura Ganjirō (the first being his father, Nakamura Ganjirō I) and his son and his eldest grandson would also inherit the name, being known respectively as Nakamura Ganjirō III (currently Sakata Tōjūrō IV) and Nakamura Ganjirō IV.

Before being known as Nakamura Ganjirō II, he was known as Nakamura Senjaku I and his son and youngest grandson would inherit the name Nakamura Senjaku, being known respectively as Nakamura Senjaku II (currently Sakata Tōjūrō IV) and Nakamura Senjaku III.

His two great-grandsons are also Kabuki actors, Nakamura Kazutarō (son of Nakamura Ganjirō IV) and Nakamura Toranosuke (son of Nakamura Senjaku III). Due to the fact that he is the son and heir of Ganjirō IV (eldest son of Sakata Tōjūrō IV and eldest grandson of Ganjirō II) and the eldest great-grandson of Ganjirō II, Kazutarō is expected to become the head of the Kamigata branch of the Narikomaya house and inherit the name Nakamura Ganjirō V (五代目 中村鴈治郎) in a near future.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1941 The Life of an Actor
1957 An Osaka Story Nihei
1957 Koto no tsume
1957 The Lower Depths Rokubei (Osugi's husband)
1957 Onna goroshi abura jigoku Father
1957 Floating Vessel Emperor
1958 Tsukihime keizu
1958 Edokko matsuri Hikozaemon Ôkubo
1958 Furisode matoi
1958 The Loyal 47 Ronin Gorobei Kakimi
1958 Ôsaka no onna Hanmaru Suzunoya
1958 Enjō Tayama Dosen
1958 Summer Clouds Wasuke
1958 Mito Kômon man'yûki Tokugawa "Mito Kōmon" Mitsukuni
1958 Noren
1958 Musume no boken
1959 Kagerô-gasa Tan'an Ogisu
1959 Odd Obsession Kenji Kenmochi
1959 Denwa wa yugata ni naru
1959 The Birth of Japan Emperor Keikō
1959 Floating Weeds Komajuro (troupe leader)
1959 Hatsuharu tanuki goten Tanuemon
1960 Jokyo Gosuke
1960 When a Woman Ascends the Stairs Goda
1960 The Demon of Mount Oe
1960 Kaidan Kasane-ga-fuchi
1960 Shirakoya Komako Shôzaburô
1960 Tadanao kyo gyojoki
1960 Sen-hime goten Tokugawa Ieyasu
1960 Futari no musashi Shekishusai Yagyu
1961 Ginzakko monogatari Seikichi Takarai
1961 Koshoku ichidai otoko
1961 Tokyo onigiri musume Tsurukichi
1961 Iro no michi oshiemasu: Yume san'ya
1961 The End of Summer Kohayagawa Manbei
1961 Buda Ashoka
1961 Zoku akumyô Boss of Matsushima
1961 Wakai yatsura no kaidan Shôkichi
1962 Gan no tera Nangaku Kishimoto
1962 The Outcast Buddha priest
1962 Love Under the Crucifix Sen no Rikyū
1962 Kaidan yonaki-doro
1962 Edo e hyaku-nana-jû ri Sukezaemon Tsukagoshi
1962 Tateshi Danpei Danpei Ichikawa
1962 Shin no shikôtei Hsu Fu
1962 Nakayoshi ondo: Nippon ichi dayo
1963 An Actor's Revenge Sansai Dobe
1963 Onsen geisha Kesazô
1963 Nyokei kazoku Uichi
1963 Gurentai junjyôha Ganemon
1963 Echizen take-ningyô Boatman
1963 Warera sarariman
1964 Shinobi no mono: Kirigakure Saizo Ieyasu Tokugawa
1964 Kwaidan Publisher (segment "Chawan no naka")
1964 Onsen jôi Tahei
1964 Gendai inchiki monogatari: Dotanuki
1965 Onna mekura monogatari
1966 The Pornographers Elderly Executive From Hakucho Company
1966 Lake of Tears Samezaemon
1974 Akumyo: shima arashi Motojime
1975 Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director Himself Documentary
1980 Tokugawa ichizoku no houkai

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1979 Hissatsu Shigotonin Shikazo Hissatsu series

Honors

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Notes

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  1. ^ While the stage names of all kabuki actors have retained traditional order (Surname-Givenname) on Wikipedia, birth names of those born after the Meiji Restoration are in Western order (Givenname-Surname).

References

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  1. ^ "中村 鴈治郎(2代目) (Nakamura Ganjirō II)". Kotobank (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  2. ^ "中村鴈治郎 (Nakamura Ganjirō)". Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  3. ^ "二代目中村鴈治郎 (Nakamura Ganjirō II)". Kinenote (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 July 2021.
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