Tetsuya Watari | WatchedThis

Tetsuya Watari

Tetsuya Watari

Acting

Biography

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

Acting

Poster for Lady Joker
MOVIE

Lady Joker

7.3(0.0K)
Lady Joker
Seizo Monoi
Poster for The Summit of Mt. Fuji
MOVIE

The Summit of Mt. Fuji

The Summit of Mt. Fuji
Yohei Kada
Poster for The Cleanup
MOVIE

The Cleanup

10.0(0.0K)
The Cleanup
Kurasawa
Poster for Goryokaku
MOVIE

Goryokaku

Goryokaku
Toshizo Hijikata
Poster for The Wild Sea
MOVIE

The Wild Sea

10.0(0.0K)
The Wild Sea
Yoji Kitami
Poster for The Blazing Continent
MOVIE

The Blazing Continent

10.0(0.0K)
The Blazing Continent
Poster for Tokyo Drifter
MOVIE

Tokyo Drifter

7.1(0.2K)
Tokyo Drifter
Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo
Poster for Yakuza Graveyard
MOVIE

Yakuza Graveyard

6.6(0.0K)
Yakuza Graveyard
Ryu Kuroiwa
Poster for 前科・仮釈放
MOVIE
前科・仮釈放
Ôhara Ryûji
Poster for Rebellion Reward
MOVIE

Rebellion Reward

Rebellion Reward
Shun Muraki

Gallery

Tetsuya Watari portrait
Tetsuya Watari portrait