http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RL9PVH0/?tag=2022091-20
1949
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0716RKN44/?tag=2022091-20
1959
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D20JFC/?tag=2022091-20
1960
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SNZV4PY/?tag=2022091-20
1962
智衆 笠
Chishū Ryū was born on the 13th of May, 1906. He was born in Tamamizu Village, Tamana County, a rural area of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, the most southerly and westerly of the four main islands of Japan. His father was chief priest of Raishōji (来照寺), a temple of the Honganji School of Pure Land Buddhism.
Ryū attended the village elementary school and a prefectural middle school before entering the Department of Indian Philosophy and Ethics at Tōyō University to study Buddhism.
His parents hoped he would succeed his father as priest of Raishōji, but Ryū had no wish to do so and in 1925 dropped out of university and enrolled in the acting academy of the Shōchiku motion picture company's Kamata Studios. Shortly afterwards his father died and Ryū returned home to take on the role of priest. Within half a year or so, however, he passed the office to his older brother and returned to Kamata.
After many years' service in minor roles, was picked out to play in a starring role in Daigaku Yoitoko (The University Is A Good Place) directed by Yasujiro Ozu (1936). His acting that reflected his simple and honest personality met with public approval. He has been since figuring as an excellent by-player in pictures directed mostly by Ozu.
Twice received the Mainichi Movie Concours Prize for Acting, also received the Blue Ribbon Prize for Best Supporting Role. He played mainly bit parts at first, but after playing a small role in Ozu’s second motion picture, Wakodo no yume (1928; "The Dreams of Youth"), he joined the director’s stock company of actors. Ryu’s subtle characterizations, low-key acting style, and on-screen air of benevolence and melancholy were used to advantage in Ozu’s films, notably Chichi ariki (1942; "There Was a Father"), Banshun (1949; "Late Spring"), Tokyo monogatari (1953; Tokyo Story), and Samma no aji (1962; "An Autumn Afternoon").
After Ozu’s death in 1963, Ryu worked with other directors, including Akira Kurosawa in Akahige (1965; Red Beard) and Dreams (1990). Between 1969 and 1991 Ryu played the recurring role of a kindly temple priest in the popular "Tora-san" series of some 45 sentimental comedies.
