The Ono Kenyukai's current honcho as Kamen Rider No. 2 circa 1971.
Showing posts with label Suit Actor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suit Actor. Show all posts
Monday, May 8, 2017
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASARU OKADA: MAY 8, 1950 Movie & Television Stunt Coordinator Turns 67
大野剣友会代表の岡田勝先生、お誕生日おめでとう！
The Ono Kenyukai's current honcho as Kamen Rider No. 2 circa 1971.
The Ono Kenyukai's current honcho as Kamen Rider No. 2 circa 1971.
Monday, July 4, 2016
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SATOSHI "ULTRAMAN" FURUYA!
JULY 5, 1943
お誕生日おめでとう、古谷敏！ウルトラマンとアマギ隊員よ永遠に！
At a fit 73, Satoshi "Bin" Furuya still has the right "Ultra Stuff"!
On the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the seminal ULTRAMAN series, read more about the man who played the red and silver hero from the stars, here! This July 15th-17th, Mr. Furuya will be appearing at G-Fest XXIII in Chicago, along with his co-star Hiroko Sakurai, who played Akiko Fuji. If you're a fan, its your duty to come by and wish Mr. Ultraman a very happy ultra birthday!
Read about my thoughts on Mr. Furuya, here.
At a fit 73, Satoshi "Bin" Furuya still has the right "Ultra Stuff"!
On the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the seminal ULTRAMAN series, read more about the man who played the red and silver hero from the stars, here! This July 15th-17th, Mr. Furuya will be appearing at G-Fest XXIII in Chicago, along with his co-star Hiroko Sakurai, who played Akiko Fuji. If you're a fan, its your duty to come by and wish Mr. Ultraman a very happy ultra birthday!
Read about my thoughts on Mr. Furuya, here.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SATOSHI "BIN" FURUYA!
JULY 5, 1943
お誕生日おめでとう、古谷敏！ウルトラマンとアマギ隊員よ永遠に！
Alas, poor Ultraman! I knew him, Officer Amagi...
At the age of five or six, ULTRAMAN came into my life through our living room television set, my life would never be the same. While I loved dinosaurs, monsters, the space age, and having already met Godzilla kith and kin, it was the weekday broadcasts of the silver and red superhero, which drove me to obsess over science fiction and fantasy films and teleseries from the land of the rising monsters.
And the actor who brought this savior from the stars to life was Satoshi "Bin" Furuya.
Born in Tokyo's upscale Azabu Ward (now a part of the Minato Ward), Furuya was picked as one of Toho Studio's 15th Annual "New Faces" (along with his ULTRAMAN co-star Masanari Nihei), after graduating from Toho's Acting School in 1960. Cast in several small or background parts, in films such as Ishiro Honda's MOTHRA (1961), he garnered his first screen credit (as "Ken") in the Jun Fukuda crime thriller, THE HOWLING JAILBREAKERS (1962).
After appearing in a number of kaiju eiga (such as GHIDRAH), Furuya's towering stature and physical proportions didn't go unnoticed by Eiji Tsuburaya, who thought the tall thesp would be a wonderful monster suit actor for the series ULTRA Q (1966). Furuya resisted, at first, but who could refuse working for Japan's visual effects wizard? He soon found himself under the wing of Haruo Nakajima, Godzilla himself. After ULTRA Q, Eiji thought that Furuya would be the perfect choice to portray the titular character of his next series: ULTRAMAN.
And the rest, as they say, is history — Furuya was the first and the best Ultraman. Shortly after the conclusion of the series, all of the young actor's efforts and suffering beneath the suffocating suit, was rewarded by Tsuburaya Productions for their next series. This time, featured — sans masks — in the main cast of ULTRA SEVEN (1967) as "Officer Amagi" of the Ultra Guard; a character who has endeared himself to a generation of Japanese fans to this very day.
But, to me, he will always be the one and only Ultraman!
Alas, poor Ultraman! I knew him, Officer Amagi...
At the age of five or six, ULTRAMAN came into my life through our living room television set, my life would never be the same. While I loved dinosaurs, monsters, the space age, and having already met Godzilla kith and kin, it was the weekday broadcasts of the silver and red superhero, which drove me to obsess over science fiction and fantasy films and teleseries from the land of the rising monsters.
And the actor who brought this savior from the stars to life was Satoshi "Bin" Furuya.
Born in Tokyo's upscale Azabu Ward (now a part of the Minato Ward), Furuya was picked as one of Toho Studio's 15th Annual "New Faces" (along with his ULTRAMAN co-star Masanari Nihei), after graduating from Toho's Acting School in 1960. Cast in several small or background parts, in films such as Ishiro Honda's MOTHRA (1961), he garnered his first screen credit (as "Ken") in the Jun Fukuda crime thriller, THE HOWLING JAILBREAKERS (1962).
After appearing in a number of kaiju eiga (such as GHIDRAH), Furuya's towering stature and physical proportions didn't go unnoticed by Eiji Tsuburaya, who thought the tall thesp would be a wonderful monster suit actor for the series ULTRA Q (1966). Furuya resisted, at first, but who could refuse working for Japan's visual effects wizard? He soon found himself under the wing of Haruo Nakajima, Godzilla himself. After ULTRA Q, Eiji thought that Furuya would be the perfect choice to portray the titular character of his next series: ULTRAMAN.
And the rest, as they say, is history — Furuya was the first and the best Ultraman. Shortly after the conclusion of the series, all of the young actor's efforts and suffering beneath the suffocating suit, was rewarded by Tsuburaya Productions for their next series. This time, featured — sans masks — in the main cast of ULTRA SEVEN (1967) as "Officer Amagi" of the Ultra Guard; a character who has endeared himself to a generation of Japanese fans to this very day.
But, to me, he will always be the one and only Ultraman!
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
ULTRAMAN KNOWS THE WAY TO SAN JOSE!
Satoshi "Bin" Furuya at Big Wow!: May 17 & 18
ウルトラマン＝古谷敏がサンノゼに上陸！5月17・18日！
Satoshi "Bin" Furuya, the once and future protector of the world!
SHUWATCH! Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine is proud to bring back Satoshi "Bin" Furuya to the San Francisco Bay Area to join Mr. Kenpachiro Satsuma for the Big Wow! Comic Fest on May 17th & 18th at the San Jose Convention Center! Starting at Toho Studios in the early 1960s, Mr. Furuya would become one of the greatest super heroes of all time in the visual effects series: ULTRAMAN! For 39 episodes, he captivated audiences as the silver and red alien took on hordes of giant monsters and evil aliens. The 1966 show launched a worldwide franchise spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs over the last 48 years.
Mr. Furuya also appeared from behind the mask as a regular cast member in Tsuburaya Productions' popular follow-up, ULTRA SEVEN (1967), as Agent Amagi, the Ultra Guard's computer expert. He also has small roles in such Toho classics as KING KING VS. GODZILLA (1962), GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964), and THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966). He left acting in the 1970s to start a talent and stunt group, Bin Promotions, but has recently returned to make cameos in such genre films as the kaiju comedy MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G-8 SUMMIT (2008).
Appearing alongside Mr. Satsuma and Mr. Furuya, I will be hosting and moderating their presentations (to be announced), as well as signing the new paperback edition of my book, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters" (Chronicle Books) at the event on both days!
Stay tuned for more details on the show, guests, and more by checking out their website: Big Wow! Comics Fest!
Satoshi "Bin" Furuya, the once and future protector of the world!
SHUWATCH! Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine is proud to bring back Satoshi "Bin" Furuya to the San Francisco Bay Area to join Mr. Kenpachiro Satsuma for the Big Wow! Comic Fest on May 17th & 18th at the San Jose Convention Center! Starting at Toho Studios in the early 1960s, Mr. Furuya would become one of the greatest super heroes of all time in the visual effects series: ULTRAMAN! For 39 episodes, he captivated audiences as the silver and red alien took on hordes of giant monsters and evil aliens. The 1966 show launched a worldwide franchise spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs over the last 48 years.
Mr. Furuya also appeared from behind the mask as a regular cast member in Tsuburaya Productions' popular follow-up, ULTRA SEVEN (1967), as Agent Amagi, the Ultra Guard's computer expert. He also has small roles in such Toho classics as KING KING VS. GODZILLA (1962), GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964), and THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966). He left acting in the 1970s to start a talent and stunt group, Bin Promotions, but has recently returned to make cameos in such genre films as the kaiju comedy MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G-8 SUMMIT (2008).
Appearing alongside Mr. Satsuma and Mr. Furuya, I will be hosting and moderating their presentations (to be announced), as well as signing the new paperback edition of my book, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters" (Chronicle Books) at the event on both days!
Stay tuned for more details on the show, guests, and more by checking out their website: Big Wow! Comics Fest!
Monday, March 10, 2014
GODZILLA KNOWS THE WAY TO SAN JOSE! Kenpachiro Satsuma at Big Wow!: May 17 & 18
ゴジラ＝薩摩剣八郎がサンノゼに上陸！5月17・18日！
Mr. Satsuma will be appearing in Nor Cal for the first time this May!
This spring, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine brings Godzilla to San Jose's Big Wow! Comic Fest on May 17th & 18th! KENPACHIRO SATSUMA will be flying into the San Francisco Bay Area to meet fans and sign autographs as part of the Famous Monsters Pavilion at this year's show! One of the most famous of the "Men In Suits" actors, Mr. Satsuma was featured in several Toshiro Mifune productions, before cutting his teen in the kaiju eiga where he played the Smog Monster in GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER (1971) and Gigan in GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972), and again in GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973).
Taking over the reigns from Mr. Haruo Nakajima, the original Godzilla suit actor, Mr. Satsuma went on to play the titular role of the Big G in RETURN OF GODZILLA (1984) through GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH (1995), and he even did a little suit acting on television during the '70s as well, under his former stage name — "Kengo Nakayama." Appearing alongside Mr. Satsuma, I will be moderating and hosting his presentations (to be announced), as well as signing the new paperback edition of my book, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters" (Chronicle Books) at the San Jose Convention Center!
Stay tuned for more details on the show, guests, and more by checking out their website: Big Wow! Comics Fest!
Mr. Satsuma will be appearing in Nor Cal for the first time this May!
This spring, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine brings Godzilla to San Jose's Big Wow! Comic Fest on May 17th & 18th! KENPACHIRO SATSUMA will be flying into the San Francisco Bay Area to meet fans and sign autographs as part of the Famous Monsters Pavilion at this year's show! One of the most famous of the "Men In Suits" actors, Mr. Satsuma was featured in several Toshiro Mifune productions, before cutting his teen in the kaiju eiga where he played the Smog Monster in GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER (1971) and Gigan in GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972), and again in GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973).
Taking over the reigns from Mr. Haruo Nakajima, the original Godzilla suit actor, Mr. Satsuma went on to play the titular role of the Big G in RETURN OF GODZILLA (1984) through GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH (1995), and he even did a little suit acting on television during the '70s as well, under his former stage name — "Kengo Nakayama." Appearing alongside Mr. Satsuma, I will be moderating and hosting his presentations (to be announced), as well as signing the new paperback edition of my book, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters" (Chronicle Books) at the San Jose Convention Center!
Stay tuned for more details on the show, guests, and more by checking out their website: Big Wow! Comics Fest!
Friday, February 7, 2014
"GODZILLA VS. ULTRAMAN" IN SAN FRANCISCO
Suit Acting Legends Appear at Fear FestEvil!
Mr. ゴジラ 中島とウルトラマン古谷 、サンフランシスコに上陸！
Recent photo of Mr. Nakajima and Mr. Furuya by Godzilla Museum.
Legendary men-in-suit actors, Haruo "Mr. Godzilla" Nakajima and Satoshi "Ultraman" Furuya will appear this weekend at Kirk von Hammett's Fear FestEvil, a full-blown horror convention and metal concert, held at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco — February 7th & 8th. Flying in from Japan, this dynamic duo will be signing autographs and taking photographs with fans — as well as appearing together on-stage for an hour long talk about their long careers in the kaiju business on Saturday, February 8th at 3:30 - 4:15 pm. You don't want to miss this show and meet these historic giants of monsterdom — as well as the other fangtastic guests, vendors, special events, and music!
Here are their bios from the event website:
Nakajima taking a break during GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971).
FEAR FESTEviL is pleased to welcome legendary monster suit actor HARUO NAKAJIMA! Mr. Nakajima is known the world over for having portrayed the screen’s most famous monster, GODZILLA — a role which he pioneered throughout the first 12 films of Toho’s long‐running science fiction series. It was following the performance of a dangerous fire stunt as a fighter pilot in Ishiro Honda’s EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC (1953) that Nakajima was recommended to play Godzilla in the original 1954 film, since donning the heavy costume beneath sweltering studio lights required an unusual amount of strength and endurance.
Special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya was so impressed by Nakajima’s skill as a stunt performer and choreographer that he featured the actor in nearly every science fiction, horror and fantasy film produced throughout his own illustrious career. In addition to Godzilla, Nakajima would also embody an unprecedented number of notable movie monsters including RODAN (1956), Mogera in THE MYSTERIANS (1957), VARAN (1958), MOTHRA (1960), MATANGO (1963), Baragon in FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965), Gaira in THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966) and even King Kong in KING KONG ESCAPES (1967).
His impressive body of film work also includes appearances in Akira Kurosawa’s SEVEN SAMURAI (1954) and THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (1958). In 1966, Tsuburaya once again tapped Nakajima’s talents when the effects director first brought his monsters to television in the ground‐breaking series ULTRA Q and ULTRAMAN. Nakajima finally retired as the reigning champion of monster suit actors with 1972’s GODZILLA VS. GIGAN. Beginning in 1996, Nakajima made guest appearances at various sci‐fi & horror conventions throughout the United States, Japan, and most recently Germany, where thousands of adoring fans have flocked to meet him.
Satoshi Furuya and his Ultra-ego from a 1967 magazine interview.
Joining us next on the guest list is SATOSHI "BIN" FURUYA! Mr. Furuya portrayed one of the world’s most enduring superheroes in Tsuburaya Productions' 1966 sci-fi action television series ULTRAMAN. In 39 half-hour episodes, audiences thrilled to the colossal silver and red alien’s battles with large monsters in the imaginative program that spawned dozens of sequels. Those sequels continue to this day on both the small and big screens. No stranger to acting sans mask, Furuya had a regular role as Ultra Guard Agent Amagi in all 49 episodes of the extremely popular series ULTRA SEVEN (1967). Though he retired from acting during the 1970s, he has made appearances in several genre films, including the kaiju comedy MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G-8 SUMMIT (2008).
For more information, please visit the official Fear FestEvil website!
Recent photo of Mr. Nakajima and Mr. Furuya by Godzilla Museum.
Legendary men-in-suit actors, Haruo "Mr. Godzilla" Nakajima and Satoshi "Ultraman" Furuya will appear this weekend at Kirk von Hammett's Fear FestEvil, a full-blown horror convention and metal concert, held at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco — February 7th & 8th. Flying in from Japan, this dynamic duo will be signing autographs and taking photographs with fans — as well as appearing together on-stage for an hour long talk about their long careers in the kaiju business on Saturday, February 8th at 3:30 - 4:15 pm. You don't want to miss this show and meet these historic giants of monsterdom — as well as the other fangtastic guests, vendors, special events, and music!
Here are their bios from the event website:
Nakajima taking a break during GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971).
FEAR FESTEviL is pleased to welcome legendary monster suit actor HARUO NAKAJIMA! Mr. Nakajima is known the world over for having portrayed the screen’s most famous monster, GODZILLA — a role which he pioneered throughout the first 12 films of Toho’s long‐running science fiction series. It was following the performance of a dangerous fire stunt as a fighter pilot in Ishiro Honda’s EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC (1953) that Nakajima was recommended to play Godzilla in the original 1954 film, since donning the heavy costume beneath sweltering studio lights required an unusual amount of strength and endurance.
Special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya was so impressed by Nakajima’s skill as a stunt performer and choreographer that he featured the actor in nearly every science fiction, horror and fantasy film produced throughout his own illustrious career. In addition to Godzilla, Nakajima would also embody an unprecedented number of notable movie monsters including RODAN (1956), Mogera in THE MYSTERIANS (1957), VARAN (1958), MOTHRA (1960), MATANGO (1963), Baragon in FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965), Gaira in THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966) and even King Kong in KING KONG ESCAPES (1967).
His impressive body of film work also includes appearances in Akira Kurosawa’s SEVEN SAMURAI (1954) and THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (1958). In 1966, Tsuburaya once again tapped Nakajima’s talents when the effects director first brought his monsters to television in the ground‐breaking series ULTRA Q and ULTRAMAN. Nakajima finally retired as the reigning champion of monster suit actors with 1972’s GODZILLA VS. GIGAN. Beginning in 1996, Nakajima made guest appearances at various sci‐fi & horror conventions throughout the United States, Japan, and most recently Germany, where thousands of adoring fans have flocked to meet him.
Satoshi Furuya and his Ultra-ego from a 1967 magazine interview.
Joining us next on the guest list is SATOSHI "BIN" FURUYA! Mr. Furuya portrayed one of the world’s most enduring superheroes in Tsuburaya Productions' 1966 sci-fi action television series ULTRAMAN. In 39 half-hour episodes, audiences thrilled to the colossal silver and red alien’s battles with large monsters in the imaginative program that spawned dozens of sequels. Those sequels continue to this day on both the small and big screens. No stranger to acting sans mask, Furuya had a regular role as Ultra Guard Agent Amagi in all 49 episodes of the extremely popular series ULTRA SEVEN (1967). Though he retired from acting during the 1970s, he has made appearances in several genre films, including the kaiju comedy MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G-8 SUMMIT (2008).
For more information, please visit the official Fear FestEvil website!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
GODZILLA WALKS AMONG US!
Nakajima Goes Hollywood After Monsterpalooza
中島ゴジラ様は、ロサンゼルスを征服！
"They call me, MISTER Godzilla!" Photo: August Ragone
During his stint in Southern California, to appear as the Guest of Honor at the amazing Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank last weekend, our intrepid team was able to take Mr. Nakajima and his daughter to various sightseeing spots this past Monday — including the world-famous Hollywood sign. It was in-between shots being taken by our photographer, Chris Mirjahangir, that I was able to catch this awesome candid of the man who played Godzilla, wearing an authentic Cowboy Hat (given to him by Texan, Brad Thompson)!
"Pimp" does not even begin to describe how cool Mr. Nakajima is!
"They call me, MISTER Godzilla!" Photo: August Ragone
During his stint in Southern California, to appear as the Guest of Honor at the amazing Monsterpalooza convention in Burbank last weekend, our intrepid team was able to take Mr. Nakajima and his daughter to various sightseeing spots this past Monday — including the world-famous Hollywood sign. It was in-between shots being taken by our photographer, Chris Mirjahangir, that I was able to catch this awesome candid of the man who played Godzilla, wearing an authentic Cowboy Hat (given to him by Texan, Brad Thompson)!
"Pimp" does not even begin to describe how cool Mr. Nakajima is!
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