Shintaro Katsu
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Shintaro Katsu (勝新太郎 Katsu Shintarō), born Toshio Okumura (November 29, 1931 – June 21, 1997; nicknamed "Katsu-shin") was a Japanese actor, singer, producer, and also directed some of his movies. Katsu was the son of kabuki performer Katsutoji Kineya (Kineya Katsutōji) who was renowned for his nagauta and shamisen skills, younger brother of actor Tomisaburo Wakayama (Wakayama Tomisaburō), husband of actress Tamao Nakamura, and father of actor Ryotaro Gan (Gan Ryūtarō).
His best known role was as Zatoichi in the series of films of by the same name, which were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Katsu played Zatoichi in 25 movies between 1962 and 1973, and in a 26th in 1989 which he directed himself. Additionally he played the role in four seasons of a spin-off television series. He is also known for his troubled personal life and had developed a reputation for being something of a troublemaker on set. When director Akira Kurosawa cast him for the lead role in Kagemusha (1980), Katsu left before the first day of shooting was over (either fired, or of his own accord – stories differ). He produced the manga-based Lone Wolf and Cub series of violent jidaigeki films starring his brother Tomisaburo Wakayama which were later compiled into the movie Shogun Assassin. He also starred in the Hanzo the Razor trilogy of exploitation movies. Nonetheless, his name remains synonymous with Zatoichi, the blind swordsman.
He died of throat cancer on June 21 1997.