1904-10-11 ( 120 years old ) in Aoyama, Tokyo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Kenichi Enomoto (October 11, 1904 – January 7, 1970) was a popular Japanese singing comedian, mostly known by his stage name Enoken.
A major innovator during his heyday, Enoken's stage shows, radio appearances, and film roles were a major influence within Tokyo theatre before World War II, and was a catalyst for the revival of comedy in the postwar period.
Born in Aoyama, Tokyo, the son of rice cracker shop owners, Enomoto fell under the spell of such stars of the Asakusa Opera as Taya Rikizo and Fujiwara Yoshie, and in 1922 he made his stage debut at age 18 as a chorus member of the Asakusa Kinryukan Theatre. The Great Kanto Earthquake of the following year dealt a great blow to the opera world in Tokyo, at which time Enomoto shifted to comic theatre. Playing small roles in various comedy productions, he returned to the Asakusa stage in 1929 as part of the troupe Casino Folly. The following year saw him launch his own troupe, Enoken Gekidan, which would firmly establish him as a leading figure in Tokyo theatrical circles. In 1934, he starred in the movie Enoken no Seishun Suikoden (Enoken’s Tale of Youth’s Folly), and gained national popularity. His subsequent film career saw him parody a whole parade of Japanese historical personages, including Kondo Isami and Sakamoto Ryoma, in a series of "jidai-geki" (historical dramas) and "chanbara" (samurai drama) films, including some directed by Kajirō Yamamoto, Nobuo Nakagawa and Akira Kurosawa.
Enomoto became afflicted with necrosis of the right leg in the 1950s, which required amputation, curtailing his film and stage career. He did, however, make a legendary comeback at the Shinjuku Koma Theatre 1963 wearing a prosthetic leg. He died in 1970, and is entombed in Hase Temple in Nishi-Azabu, Minato, Tokyo, on whose tombstone is inscribed "The King of Comedy".
Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenichi Enomoto, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Movies
The Dangoro Party in the Sky
1962-04-15
Pleasant Company
1962-03-07
A Country Boss
1962-01-25
次郎長社長と石松社員 威風堂々
1962-01-09
The Happy-Go-Lucky Guy
1961-12-06
誰よりも金を愛す
1961-02-02
The Three Treasures
1959-11-01
Nitōhei monogatari: Aa senyū no maki
1958-12-28
Dai Abare Tokaido
1958-12-28
The Beloved Imposters
1958-11-11
とんちんかん八百八町
1957-02-25
The Paradise Island Story
1957-01-29
Excursion to Treasure Isle
1956-07-20
Masura o hashutsu fukai
1956-02-05
A Doting Parent’s Lullaby
1955-11-01
むっつり右門捕物帖 鬼面屋敷
1955-07-06
Nonki saiban
1955-04-24
Diary of the First Incredible Laughing Trip
1955-01-03
Enomoto's Heaven and Hell
1954-10-12
Fighting Yasubei
1952-07-30
Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
1952-05-14
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
1952-04-24
The Well-known Magistrate
1951-06-07
右門捕物帖 片眼狼
1951-01-08
Enoken the Hero
1950-10-15
The Tokyo Kid
1950-09-09
Enoken roppa no yajikita bugiugi dōchū
1950-07-09
Enoken ohako rakuda no Ma-san
1950-03-26
The Adventures of Tobisuke
1949-09-27
Enoken’s Boxing Generation
1949-02-08
Enoken's Singing Detective Story
1948-12-31
Enoken's Home Run King
1948-09-07
These Foolish Times
1947-10-12
Four Love Stories
1947-04-01
聟入り豪華船
1947-01-14
Life Is like a Somersault
1946-06-27
Uta e! Taiyō
1945-11-22
Until Victory Day
1945-01-25
Bravo! Tebare Ishin
1945-01-11
Sagohei the Three-footer
1944-07-06
Idaten Kaido
1944-01-14
Hyoroku's Dream Tale
1943-04-01
Exploits of Heisuke Isokawa
1942-11-05
The Man Who Waited
1942-04-23
The Monkey King
1940-11-06
Enoken's Bow-Wow General
1940-07-16
Enoken Enters the Ring
1940-05-15
Enoken's Cropped Hair
1940-03-27
Enoken's Yaji and Kita
1939-12-29
Rivals
1939-09-19
Enoken's Mori no Ishimatsu
1939-08-10
Enoken's Kurama Tengu
1939-05-21
Enoken’s Shrewd Period
1939-01-11
Enoken's Surprising Life
1938-12-29
Enoken's Hokaibo
1938-06-21
Enoken's Sarutobi Sasuke
1937-12-31
Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 2 – Returning Is Scary, but the Weather Will Clear If You Wait
1937-08-01
Enoken’s Ten Millions Sequel
1936-09-01
Enoken’s Ten Millions
1936-07-21
Enoken's Donguri Tonbei
1936-01-31
Enoken's Kondo Isami
1935-10-11
Enoken's The Magician
1934-10-25
Romantic and Crazy
1934-05-03
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