Actor
Minoru Chiaki
Born 28 April 1917 · Hokkaido, Japan — died 1 November 1999
Minoru Chiaki (1917–1999) was a Japanese character actor best remembered for his supporting roles in Akira Kurosawa's films, especially the good-natured Heihachi in Seven Samurai. He later worked often in Toei productions and earned late-career recognition for Gray Sunset (1985).
Key films
Seven Samurai (1954)On Cinespective
His best-known role: the genial samurai Heihachi in Kurosawa's landmark epic.
Rashomon (1950)On Cinespective
Appeared in Kurosawa's internationally acclaimed drama that brought Japanese cinema to Western audiences.
Ikiru (1952)
Supporting role in Kurosawa's celebrated drama, showing his range among the director's regular players.
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Another Kurosawa adventure in which he featured in the supporting cast.
Gray Sunset (1985)
Late-career Toei film for which he received the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor.
Key awards
- 1986 Japan Academy Prize, Best Actor (for Gray Sunset)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 139
- 1949Stray Dog · as Girlie Show directorActor
- 1950Rashomon · as PriestActor
- 1950ScandalActor
- 1950The Rainbow-Colored FlowerActor
- 1950The Emperor's HatActor
- 1950Golden Beast · as Eiji YabukiActor
- 1950Beyond the HillsActor
- 1951The Idiot · as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretaryActor
- 1951Sekidô matsuriActor
- 1951Saijoke no kyoenActor
- 1951Cordon at MidnightActor
- 1951Koi no Oranda-zakaActor
- 1951Wakôdo no uta · as HayashiActor
- 1952Ikiru · as NoguchiActor
- 1952Vendetta of a SamuraiActor
- 1952Today is Payday · as General Manager of General Affairs DepartmentActor
- 1952Beauty and the Thief · as Takeichi no TakamaruActor
- 1952Riverside Fish Market EmpireActor
- 1952Daigaku no kotenguActor
- 1952Mōjū Tsukai no ShōjoActor
- 1953Mole AlleyActor
- 1953Sunflower GirlActor
- 1953Yōsei wa hana no nioi gasuruActor
- 1954Seven Samurai · as Heihachi HayashidaActor
- 1954The Story of ShunkinActor
- 1954Mother's First LoveActor
- 1954Jirocho in DisgraceActor
- 1954Hatsu sugata ushimatsu gōshiActor
- 1954乾杯！女学生Actor
- 1955Godzilla Raids Again · as Kôji KobayashiActor
- 1955I Live in Fear · as Jiro NakajimaActor
- 1955Bodyguard from HellActor
- 1955A Girl Who Delivers HappinessActor
- 1955Tactics of LoveActor
- 1955The Immortal PitcherActor
- 1956Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island · as Sasuke the boatmanActor
- 1956A Wife's Heart · as ZenichiActor
- 1956The Vampire Moth · as Sango KawaseActor
- 1956ScoundrelActor
- 1956The Mandarin Room · as MinagawaActor
- 1956All Sold OutActor
- 1956A Strong Wind Blows · as Zentarō (Takako’s brother)Actor
- 1956Gendai no yokubôActor
- 1956The Hoodlum and the Young MasterActor
- 1957Throne of Blood · as Yoshiaki MikiActor
- 1957The Lower Depths · as Former SamuraiActor
- 1957Talkative Company President · as Omaeda (President)Actor
- 1957The Shadow Daughter · as Eri Kiku OwnerActor
- 1957The Men of Toho-ku · as Tasuke ZummuActor
- 1957Ujō · as Kenkichi TanabeActor
- 1957TurtledoveActor
- 1957Skin-Colored Moon · as Umekichi IshikuraActor
- 1957The 36 PassengersActor
- 1958The Hidden Fortress · as TaheiActor
- 1958Little Peach · as Saburo YoshidaActor
- 1958The Scarlet Cherry LordActor
- 1958Eight Views of SamuraiActor
- 1958The Scroll’s SecretActor
- 1958Flower's Yearning · as Yanami FukuzoActor
- 1958Fearless OppositionActor
- 1958The Bride In Uguisu CastleActor
- 1958A Bridge for Two AloneActor
- 1959The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity · as Onodera HeichôActor
- 1959Gigantis, the Fire Monster · as Kobayashi (as Mindru Chiaki)Actor
- 1959Chikamatsu's Love in OsakaActor
- 1959Saga of the Vagabonds · as JibuActor
- 1959Goblin in StirrupsActor
- 1959The Unleashed LordActor
- 1959Pilgrimage at Night · as NobuyukiActor
- 1959Our MotherActor
- 1959The Bell of LoveActor
- 1959Three 'Black Crow' WivesActor
- 1959Talkative WifeActor
- 1959UnmarriedActor
- 1960Hero of the Red Light District · as JôsukeActor
- 1960Lord Mito: All Star VersionActor
- 1960Official with a TattooActor
- 1960Samurai VagabondsActor
- 1960ShinranActor
- 1960If You're Man EnoughActor
- 1960What Price Love? · as MatashiroActor
- 1960Shinran, Part IIActor
- 1960Yakuza of Ina · as KichitaroActor
- 1960Scarier than the DevilActor
- 1960Case of a Young Lord 8Actor
- 1960Won't Stand for Dying · as Brother RyotaActor
- 1960Mighty ShosukeActor
- 1961Young Lord YakuzaActor
- 1961Run, Genta, Run!Actor
- 196120 Duels of Young Shingo, Part 1Actor
- 1961The Youth and His AmuletActor
- 1961Case of a Young Lord 9: Black CamelliaActor
- 196120 Duels of Young Shingo, Part 2Actor
- 1961Futaridake no taiyōActor
- 1961Young Lord and Second SonActor
- 1962The Inheritance · as Junichi FujiiActor
- 1962Love Under the CrucifixActor
- 1962The Christian RevoltActor
- 1962The BodyActor
- 1962A Carpenter and ChildrenActor
- 1962Drunken SwordActor
- 1962Travels of Hibari and Chiemi: The Tumultuous JourneyActor
- 1962Till Tomorrow IsActor
- 1962The Phantom GoblinActor
- 1962The Ambitious YouthActor
- 1962Lion Festival of EchigoActor
- 1962The Princess and the Bearded LordActor
- 1962The Paper CraneActor
- 1962Tokyo's Business DistrictActor
- 1962Jirocho' s Days of Youth: Whirlwind on the TokaidoActor
- 1963High and Low · as First ReporterActor
- 1963A House in the Quarter · as Jinzo TakesueActor
- 1963Sasuke and His Comedians · as Yukimura SanadaActor
- 1963Street of Wandering MenActor
- 1963Cases of Umon: The Woman with an Umbrella · as Kakurai YosukeActor
- 196320 Duels of Young Shingo: ConclusionActor
- 1963Jolly Barbers · as Ebina GinpeiActor
- 1963Uogashi no senpū musumeActor
- 1963Five RoninsActor
- 1963Travels of Hibari and Chiemi 2Actor
- 1964Black ThiefActor
- 1964The SharksActor
- 1964Kono sora no aru kagiriActor
- 1965Cold Rice, Osan, ChanActor
- 1965Taking the CastleActor
- 1966The Face of Another · as Apartment SuperintendentActor
- 1966Koto—The Lake of Tears · as Kitao MomoseActor
- 1966Zero FighterActor
- 1966Yakuza VassalActor
- 1967Song of Love · as The Ship-masterActor
- 1967LibidoActor
- 1969Japan's No. 1 Disconnected Man · as ShimizuActor
- 1969Inu to AsachanActor
- 1970Innocent SinnerActor
- 1974Karafuto 1945 SummerActor
- 1977Kyojin-gun monogatari: Susume eikô eActor
- 1980Tokugawa Ichizoku no HoukaiActor
- 1985Gray Sunset · as Fuyukichi TakanoActor
- 1987Don Matsugoro's Big Adventure · as Amenomori SeikaiActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.