Tetsuya Watari

Person

Tetsuya Watari

Acting December 28, 1941

Awaji 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 o…

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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.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2013
    No Dropping Out: Back to School at 35

    TV show Yukinobu Asada

  2. 2012
    Villain

    Movie Masato Kogure

  3. 2009
    Clouds Over the Hill

    TV show 東郷平八郎

  4. 2008
    Flower of Ice

    TV show

  5. 2007
    Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Rice Shop

    TV show 카스가이 류헤이

  6. 2007
    Tuna

    TV show

  7. 2006
  8. 2006
  9. 2005
    Yamato

    Movie

  10. 2005
  11. 2005
    Gion Bayashi

    TV show

  12. 2005
    Yoshitsune

    TV show Taira no Kiyomori (Hei-shi)

  13. 2004
    Lady Joker

    Movie Seizo Monoi

  14. 2004

    TV show

  15. 2004
    Western Police Special

    Movie Keisuke Daimon

  16. 2003
    Marusa!!

    TV show Chikara Kokuryo

More credits
  1. 2002
    スクープ

    TV show

  2. 2002
    AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo

    TV show Muneaki Seta

  3. 2002
  4. 2002
  5. 2001
  6. 2000
    Brother

    Movie Jinseikai Boss

  7. 2000
  8. 1998
    Diary of Early Winter Shower

    Movie Kounosuke Mibu

  9. 1998
    Bloody Journal of the Shinsengumi

    TV show Kondo Isami

  10. 1997
    Abduction

    Movie Hiroshi Tsuba

  11. 1996
    Night Train to the Stars

    Movie Masajiro Miyazawa

  12. 1996
    SMAP×SMAP

    TV show Skit Guest

  13. 1996
    Hideyoshi

    TV show Oda Nobunaga

  14. 1993
  15. 1993
    Sangokushi: The Yangtze Is Burning!

    Movie Cao Cao (voice)

  16. 1992
  17. 1992
    三国志

    TV show Creator

  18. 1991
  19. 1990
  20. 1988
    Goryokaku

    Movie Toshizo Hijikata

  21. 1986
  22. 1984
    Again

    Movie

  23. 1979
    Seibu Keisatsu

    TV show Daimon Keisuke

  24. 1978
    Haguregumo

    TV show