Kinuyo Tanaka
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Kinuyo Tanaka (田中絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 28 November 1910 - 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director.
Tanaka was born in Yamaguchi, Japan. She became a leading actress at an early age, appearing in Yasujiro Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929. Two years later she appeared in Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine (1931), directed by Heinosuke Gosho.
She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 oh his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965).
Tanaka was the first Japanese woman who worked as a film director. Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953.
