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Tetsuya Watari

Tetsuya Watari

Acting

Born: December 28, 1941Awaji Island, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan

He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University. Watari belonged to the karate club at university. He made his screen debut in 1964, in Isamu Kosugi's Abare Kishidō, and received one of the Elan d'or Awards. At Nikkatsu, Watari appeared in such films as Tokyo Drifter and the Outlaw series. Watari was mentored at Nikkatsu by Yujiro Ishihara. When Nikkatsu shifted to focusing on Roman Porno films in the early seventies, Watari was one of many actors who left the studio. Watari was due to play the main role in Kinji Fukasaku’s film Battles Without Honor and Humanity, but because of illness he was not able to appear. In 1974, he was forced to step down from the lead role of Katsu Kaishū in the Taiga drama Katsu Kaishū on NHK, again because of illness, after appearing in only nine episodes. In 1976, Watari won best actor of Blue Ribbon Award for his role in Kinji Fukasaku`s film Yakuza Graveyard. In Japan, Watari is probably still best known for his role as Keisuke Daiomon in the detective series "Seibu Keisatsu" on TV Asahi. He also appeared in the popular detective drama "Taiyō ni Hoero!" as a replacement for Yujiro Ishihara in 1986. Watari became the president of Ishihara Promotion after Yujiro's death in 1987 but in 2011 he resigned due to his declining health. On June 10, 2015 he was hospitalised after suffering a heart attack and underwent surgery. Seven days later it was announced that he was in rehabilitation and would be discharged from hospital in about a month. He had a younger brother, Tsunehiko Watase, who was also an actor. As a singer, Watari is known for his hit song "Kuchinashi no Hana" and he appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1974 and 1993. He died of pneumonia on August 10, 2020, at the age of 78.

Known For
Filmography
Villain

Villain

Masato Kogure

2012
Yamato

Yamato

2005
Lady Joker

Lady Joker

Seizo Monoi

2004
Shura Group Part 3

Shura Group Part 3

2002
Brother

Brother

Jinseikai Boss

2000
It Is a Long Walk

It Is a Long Walk

2000
Diary of Early Winter Shower

Diary of Early Winter Shower

Kounosuke Mibu

1998
Abduction

Abduction

1997

Night Train to the Stars

Masajiro Miyazawa

1996
Kin chan no Cinema Jack

Kin chan no Cinema Jack

1993
Sangokushi: The Yangtze Is Burning!

Sangokushi: The Yangtze Is Burning!

Cao Cao (voice)

1993
Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms

Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms

Cao Cao (voice)

1992

The Unruly Ronin's Journey

1991
Goryokaku

Goryokaku

Toshizo Hijikata

1988
Clockwork- Goodbye Winter

Clockwork- Goodbye Winter

1986
Again

Again

1984
Yakuza Graveyard

Yakuza Graveyard

Ryu Kuroiwa

1976
Human Revolution II

Human Revolution II

1976
Conflagration

Conflagration

Third Officer Inoue

1975
Graveyard of Honor

Graveyard of Honor

Rikio Ishikawa

1975
Wild Cop 2

Wild Cop 2

1973
The Blossom and the Sword

The Blossom and the Sword

Seijirô Tanaka

1973
Stray Dog

Stray Dog

Detective Murakami

1973
The Human Revolution

The Human Revolution

1973
Wild Cop

Wild Cop

1973
Flower and Dragon

Flower and Dragon

1973
Rebellion Reward

Rebellion Reward

Shun Muraki

1973
Theater Of Life

Theater Of Life

1972
Sword and Flower

Sword and Flower

1972
Chase That Man

Chase That Man

1972
Law of the Outlaw

Law of the Outlaw

Goro Takei

1971
Expelled from the Kanto Mob

Expelled from the Kanto Mob

1971
Challenge at Dawn

Challenge at Dawn

1971
Kanto Kanbu-kai

Kanto Kanbu-kai

1971
The Earth is Born Again

The Earth is Born Again

Hironosuke Nakadate

1971
Kanto Drifter

Kanto Drifter

1971
Step on the Gas!

Step on the Gas!

Yuuji Nishigami

1970
Pay Off Your Debt!

Pay Off Your Debt!

1970
Spartan Education

Spartan Education

1970
Showdown in Gangland

Showdown in Gangland

1970
The Summit of Mt. Fuji

The Summit of Mt. Fuji

Yohei Kada

1970
Profile of a Boss' Son

Profile of a Boss' Son

1970
The Cleanup

The Cleanup

Kurasawa

1969
やくざ番外地 抹殺

やくざ番外地 抹殺

1969
Showdown at Nagasaki

Showdown at Nagasaki

Keiji Takama

1969
The Wild Sea

The Wild Sea

Yoji Kitami

1969
The Fatal Raid

The Fatal Raid

1969
Ex Convict: Sword Storm

Ex Convict: Sword Storm

1969
Ruthless Gambler

Ruthless Gambler

1969
前科・仮釈放

前科・仮釈放

Ôhara Ryûji

1969
Yakuza Wanderer: Villainous Livelihood

Yakuza Wanderer: Villainous Livelihood

1969
Outlaw: Kill!

Outlaw: Kill!

Goro Fujikawa

1969
Savage Wolf Pack

Savage Wolf Pack

1969
Exiled to Hell

Exiled to Hell

1969
Outlaw: Black Dagger

Outlaw: Black Dagger

Goro Fujikawa

1968
The Blazing Continent

The Blazing Continent

1968
Outlaw: Goro the Assassin

Outlaw: Goro the Assassin

Goro Fujikawa

1968
East China Sea

East China Sea

Naoyoshi

1968
Monument to the Girl's Corps

Monument to the Girl's Corps

Young man

1968
The Final Winner?

The Final Winner?

1968
Outlaw: Heartless

Outlaw: Heartless

Goro Fujikawa

1968
Song of my Life

Song of my Life

Takuya Tsugami

1968
Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2

Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2

Goro Fujikawa

1968
The Code of Man

The Code of Man

1968
Outlaw: Gangster VIP

Outlaw: Gangster VIP

Goro Fujikawa

1968
The Aftermath of War

The Aftermath of War

1967
My Sweetheart

My Sweetheart

Akai

1967
Velvet Hustler

Velvet Hustler

Goro

1967
Rusty Pendant

Rusty Pendant

1967
The Debt of Blood

The Debt of Blood

1967
Burning Clouds

Burning Clouds

1967
The Man of Victory

The Man of Victory

1967
Dreams Come True at Night

Dreams Come True at Night

Makoto Katagiri

1967
The Black Sheep

The Black Sheep

1967
陽のあたる坂道

陽のあたる坂道

1967
Tokyo Drifter 2: The Sea Is Bright Red as the Color of Love

Tokyo Drifter 2: The Sea Is Bright Red as the Color of Love

Tetsu

1966
The Swan Elegy

The Swan Elegy

1966
The Stormy Man

The Stormy Man

Shôichi Kokubu

1966
The Heart of Hiroshima

The Heart of Hiroshima

Yukio Mihara

1966
Your Life

Your Life

1966
Love Eternal

Love Eternal

Makoto Kanô

1966
Till We Meet Again

Till We Meet Again

1966
Red Glass

Red Glass

Hiroshi

1966
Tokyo Drifter

Tokyo Drifter

Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo

1966
In Tears

In Tears

1965
The Stars and I Decided...

The Stars and I Decided...

Saburo Ohinata

1965
Shinkuna umi ga yon deru ze

Shinkuna umi ga yon deru ze

1965
Seishun no Sabaki

Seishun no Sabaki

1965