# Tadao Takashima

Tadao Takashima (高島忠夫, Takashima Tadao) (27 July 1930 – 26 June 2019) was a Japanese actor and jazz musician. He appeared in more than 100 films, including the Toho productions King Kong vs. Godzilla, Atragon, and Frankenstein vs. Baragon. He also performed in stage musicals such as My Fair Lady and appeared in several television shows.

## Career

Takashima began participating in a jazz band while a student at Kwansei Gakuin University. He left the university before graduating when he joined the Shintoho studio, debuting as an actor in 1952. He starred in the 1962 film King Kong vs. Godzilla alongside Yū Fujiki, and subsequently acted with Fujiki in several comedy films about salarymen, which were popular in Japan at that time. Takashima also appeared in Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.
He gained popularity as a romantic lead who could also sing, which led to roles in stage musicals, including the role of Professor Henry Higgins in a 1963 production of My Fair Lady. He also appeared on several television programs, including the quiz show Quiz! Do-re-mi-fa-don! and the cooking show Gochisosama.

## Personal life

In 1963, Takashima married Hanayo Sumi, a former member of Takarazuka Revue. His first-born son was murdered in 1964 at the age of five months by the family maid. He had two other sons, Masahiro Takashima and Masanobu Takashima, both of whom are actors. In 1998, Takashima developed depression, from which he subsequently recovered.
Takashima died of natural causes in his home in Tokyo on 26 June 2019 at age 88.

## Filmography

Film :
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1952 | Choito neesan omoide yanagi | Shinichi |
| 1952 | Asakusa yonin shimai | |
| 1953 | Onna to iu shiro - Mari no maki | |
| 1953 | Onna to iu shiro - Yuko no maki | |
| 1953 | Ai no sakyû | |
| 1953 | Ajapa tengoku | |
| 1953 | Senkan Yamato | |
| 1953 | Seishun Jazu Musume | Tahara |
| 1953 | Waga koi no lila no kokage ni | |
| 1954 | Musume jûroku jazz matsuri | |
| 1954 | Jazz on Parade 1954 nen: Tokyo Cinderella musume | |
| 1955 | Santashain no onna hisho | |
| 1956 | Hokkai no hanran | First Officer Mori |
| 1956 | Morishige no Shinkonryoko | |
| 1956 | Daigaku no buyuden | |
| 1956 | Daigaku no kengo keiraku no abarenbo | |
| 1956 | Fearful Attack of the Flying Saucers | Masao Hayashi |
| 1956 | Gunshin Yamamoto gensui to Rengô kantai | |
| 1957 | Oshaberi shacho | |
| 1957 | Nichibei Hanayome Hanamuko Irekae Torikae Gassen | Daikichi Matsukawa |
| 1957 | Meiji tennô to nichiro daisenso | Nogi Yasusuke |
| 1957 | Hibari ga oka no taiketsu | Yûkichi Hanayama |
| 1957 | Sen'un Ajia no joô | |
| 1958 | Joôbachi no ikari | Singer |
| 1959 | Kakkun chô tokkyû | Shintoyo Eiga Star |
| 1959 | Teisô no Arashi | Minoru Yagihashi |
| 1959 | Bôryoku musume | |
| 1959 | Jûdai no magari kado | |
| 1960 | Chikateikoku no shikeishitsu | |
| 1960 | Arashi o yobu gakudan | Jun Mitani |
| 1960 | Chinpindô shujin | |
| 1960 | Bakusho itohan nikki | |
| 1960 | Kyôsaitô sôsai ni eikô are | Haruhiko Wakayama |
| 1960 | Kamitsuita wakadan'na | |
| 1960 | Taiyô o dake | Takahiko Chiba |
| 1960 | Oneechan ni makashitoki | Matsuzaemon Matsuno |
| 1960 | Gametsui yatsu | Kanta, Shika's son |
| 1960 | Utamatsuri romansu dochu | |
| 1960 | Oneechan wa tsuiteru ze | Hikoichi Ôtsu |
| 1960 | Sazae-san to epuron obasan | |
| 1961 | Shusse kôsu ni shinro o tore | |
| 1961 | Fuku no kami: Sazae-san ikka | |
| 1961 | Wakarete ikiru toki mo | Kengo Inami |
| 1961 | Onna kazoku | |
| 1961 | Kaei | |
| 1961 | Ganba | |
| 1961 | Awamori-kun nishi-e iku | |
| 1962 | King Kong vs. Godzilla | Osamu Sakurai |
| 1962 | Shin kitsune to tanuki | |
| 1962 | Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki | Jûjirô Hazama |
| 1963 | Onna ni tsuyoku naru kufû no kazukazu | Gorô Miyake |
| 1963 | Love Me, Love Me | Inspector Ôki |
| 1963 | Hai hai sannin musume | |
| 1963 | Nippon jitsuwa jidai | |
| 1963 | Ichi ka bachi ka | |
| 1963 | Atragon | Susumu Hatanaka |
| 1964 | Hibari, Chiemi, Izumi: Sannin yoreba | |
| 1964 | You Can Succeed, Too | Nakai |
| 1964 | Meiji taitei goichidaiki | |
| 1964 | Danchi: Nanatsu no taizai | 2nd & 7 Sin-Masao Hanai |
| 1965 | Frankenstein vs. Baragon | Dr. Yuzo Kawaji |
| 1965 | Baka to Hasami | |
| 1966 | Ja ja umanarashi | |
| 1966 | Jinchoge | Minegishi |
| 1966 | Neko no kyujitsu | |
| 1967 | Take-chan shacho: Seishun wa ryu no mono da! | |
| 1967 | Take-chan shacho: Seishun de tsukkare! | |
| 1967 | Son of Godzilla | Dr. Kusumi |
| 1968 | Kamo to negi | Maruki |
| 1968 | Andersen monogatari | |
| 1969 | Mito Kômon man'yûki | Kakunojô Atsumi |
| 1971 | Rikugun rakugohei | |
| 1988 | Kanashi iro yanen | Sumio |
| 1993 | Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II | Chief Hosono |
| 1994 | Onna-zakari | Heigoroh Asaoka |