
Hideyo Amamoto

Hideyo Amamoto
Original Name | 天本 英世 |
Aliases | Eisei Amamoto (天本 英世) |
Born | January 2, 1926 Wakamatsu, Fukuoka, Japan |
Died | March 23, 2003 (77) Wakamatsu, Fukuoka, Japan |
Amamoto was forcibly drafted into the Japanese army at age 19, an experience that kicked off a lifelong disgust with Japanese society in general, particularly its attitudes towards war and non-Japanese. He was especially fond of Spain and Spanish culture (he was apparently also a Catholic), often stating that he wished to emigrate there
Despite being the same age or younger than many of his contemporaries, Amamoto’s features made him look much older, and he was often cast as older or more grotesque characters (priests, witches, etc.). He was frequently cast by director Kihachi Okamoto, who referred to Amamoto as his “stamp” on his works. His final role was as the mysterious old hermit predicting the return of monsters in Shusuke Kaneko’s GMK (2001).
Amamoto is best remembered for playing the arch-villain Dr. Death on the popular Masked Rider television series in the 70s. In 2005, Amamoto “reprised” the role via archive footage for the Masked Rider film reboot.
Original Name | 天本 英世 |
Aliases | Eisei Amamoto (天本 英世) |
Born | January 2, 1926 Wakamatsu, Fukuoka, Japan |
Died | March 23, 2003 (77) Wakamatsu, Fukuoka, Japan |
Amamoto was forcibly drafted into the Japanese army at age 19, an experience that kicked off a lifelong disgust with Japanese society in general, particularly its attitudes towards war and non-Japanese. He was especially fond of Spain and Spanish culture (he was apparently also a Catholic), often stating that he wished to emigrate there
Despite being the same age or younger than many of his contemporaries, Amamoto’s features made him look much older, and he was often cast as older or more grotesque characters (priests, witches, etc.). He was frequently cast by director Kihachi Okamoto, who referred to Amamoto as his “stamp” on his works. His final role was as the mysterious old hermit predicting the return of monsters in Shusuke Kaneko’s GMK (2001).
Amamoto is best remembered for playing the arch-villain Dr. Death on the popular Masked Rider television series in the 70s. In 2005, Amamoto “reprised” the role via archive footage for the Masked Rider film reboot.
- The Birth of Japan (1959)...Deity
- The Secret of the Telegian (1960)...Bodyguard
- Daredevil in the Castle (1961)...Portuguese Interpreter
- Yojimbo (1961)...Seibei Underling
- Gorath (1962)...Barfly
- Matango (1963)...Mushroom Man
- Samurai Pirate (1963)...Granny the Witch
- Atragon (1963)...High Priest of Mu
- Dogora, the Space Monster (1964)...Gangster
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)...Salno's Manservant
- The Adventures of Taklamakan (1966)...Granny the Witch
- Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)...Red Bamboo Officer
- King Kong Escapes (1967)...Dr. Who
- Godzilla's Revenge (1969)...Shinpei Minami
- Message from Space (1978)...Elder Dark
- The Red Spectacles (1987)...Moongaze Ginji
- Eko Eko Azarak II: Birth of the Wizard (1996)...Elder
- GMK (2001)...Yoshitoshi Isayama
- Masked Rider: The First (2005)...Shocker Executive
-
The Birth of Japan (1959)
...Deity -
The Secret of the Telegian (1960)
...Bodyguard -
Daredevil in the Castle (1961)
...Portuguese Interpreter -
Yojimbo (1961)
...Seibei Underling -
Gorath (1962)
...Barfly -
Matango (1963)
...Mushroom Man -
Samurai Pirate (1963)
...Granny the Witch -
Atragon (1963)
...High Priest of Mu -
Dogora, the Space Monster (1964)
...Gangster -
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
...Salno's Manservant -
The Adventures of Taklamakan (1966)
...Granny the Witch -
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)
...Red Bamboo Officer -
King Kong Escapes (1967)
...Dr. Who -
Godzilla's Revenge (1969)
...Shinpei Minami -
Message from Space (1978)
...Elder Dark -
The Red Spectacles (1987)
...Moongaze Ginji -
Eko Eko Azarak II: Birth of the Wizard (1996)
...Elder -
GMK (2001)
...Yoshitoshi Isayama -
Masked Rider: The First (2005)
...Shocker Executive