Chieko Higashiyama (東山 千栄子, Higashiyama Chieko, 30 September 1890 – 8 May 1980) was a Japanese stage and film actress. She appeared in more than 60 films from 1936 to 1967.

Chieko Higashiyama
東山 千栄子
Chieko Higashiyama in the 1953 film Tokyo Story
Born30 September 1890
Chiba, Japan
Died8 May 1980(1980-05-08) (aged 89)
Yokohama, Japan
NationalityJapanese
OccupationActress
Years active1925–1980

Career

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Graduating from the girls' school at Gakushuin, she married a businessman in 1909 and spent eight years in Moscow.[1] In 1925, at the age of 35, she decided to become an actress and began training at the Tsukiji Shōgekijō.[1] She appeared in many stage productions, most famously as Madame Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard.[1] She also appeared in films, including Tokyo Story, which was voted the best film of all time in a poll of film directors by Sight and Sound magazine.[2]

Selected filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1947 The Love of the Actress Sumako
1951 The Idiot
The Tale of Genji
Early Summer Shige
1952 The Life of Oharu
Carmen's Pure Love Housemaid
1953 Tokyo Story Tomi
1954 The Garden of Women Schoolmaster
The Princess Sen Yodo-dono
1955 The Maid's Kid Hatsu's mother
1958 The Loyal 47 Ronin Otaka
1959 The Snow Flurry Tomi
1960 The Wandering Princess
1966 The Kii River

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Higashiyama Chieko". Kotobanku (in Japanese). Asahi Shinbun. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  2. ^ Directors’ 10 Greatest Films of All Time, Sight and Sound. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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