- Atsumi, Kiyoshi
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▪ 1997(TADOKORO YASUO), Japanese comic actor (b. March 10, 1928, Tokyo, Japan—d. Aug. 4, 1996, Tokyo), portrayed the character Tora-san—the beloved bumbling hero of the 48-episode film series Otoko wa tsurai yo (1969-96; "It's Tough Being a Man"), the longest-running cinema series ever. Tora-san (Kuruma Torajiro) is a middle-aged peddler in a frumpy beige suit and hat who, in a typical story line, sells trinkets to passersby; visits his half sister, a candy shop owner in old Tokyo; tours a picturesque provincial town; and, most centrally, unsuccessfully courts a pretty woman. Atsumi infused the role with witty wordplay and a folksy sincerity that struck a chord of nostalgia among moviegoers who remembered a simpler, gentler era. Atsumi grew up in a run-down neighbourhood of Tokyo. While still a child, he left school to work in factories during World War II and then took odd jobs in the theatre. He later established a reputation as a comedian in the city's Asakusa entertainment district. Atsumi first played the role of Tora-san on television in 1968 and made his film debut the following year. Despite their formulaic sentimentality and lack of international appeal, the films were box-office hits in Japan, grossing an average of $10 million each. Until 1988 Tora-san installments were released biannually, in the summer and on New Year's Day. Atsumi made few other films and rarely appeared in public, but when he did, he generally wore his character's trademark garb. In 1980 the Japan Academy Awards honoured Atsumi for his portrayal of the lovable loser.
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Universalium. 2010.