Haruo Nakajima: Difference between revisions

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(Mothra vs. Godzilla anecdote was extremely inaccurate. I'll have a corrected version by tomorrow.)
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|character    =[[Godzilla]], [[Invisible Man Akita]], [[Meganulon]], [[Rodan]], [[Moguera]], [[Varan]], Transitional [[Human Vapor]], [[Mothra]], [[Maguma]], [[Matango]], [[Baragon]], [[Gaira]], [[King Kong]], [[Griffon]], [[Giant Rat]], [[Bat People|Bat Person]], [[Gezora]], [[Ganimes]], numerous bit parts
|character    =[[Godzilla]], [[Invisible Man Akita]], [[Meganulon]], [[Rodan]], [[Moguera]], [[Varan]], Transitional [[Human Vapor]], [[Mothra]], [[Maguma]], [[Matango]], [[Baragon]], [[Gaira]], [[King Kong]], [[Griffon]], [[Giant Rat]], [[Bat People|Bat Person]], [[Gezora]], [[Ganimes]], numerous bit parts
|birthday    =January 1, 1929
|birthday    =January 1, 1929
|death        = August 7, 2017
|death        =August 7, 2017
|birthplace  =Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
|birthplace  =Yamagata Prefecture, [[Japan]]
|first      =[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'']] (1954)
|first      =[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'']] (1954)
|notable    =''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964)
|notable    =''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964)
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}}
}}
{{Quote|Inside the [[Godzilla]] suit, it was very dark, lonely, and isolated. Usually the person who wears the suit becomes nervous and anxious. During summertime it’s very hot, it can become hell in there. But '''Mr. Nakajima''' always persevered. He acted in the suit underwater, he was buried underground, he withstood pyrotechnic explosions… and through it all he was always Godzilla.|[[Teruyoshi Nakano]] on Haruo Nakajima}}
{{Quote|Inside the [[Godzilla]] suit, it was very dark, lonely, and isolated. Usually the person who wears the suit becomes nervous and anxious. During summertime it’s very hot, it can become hell in there. But '''Mr. Nakajima''' always persevered. He acted in the suit underwater, he was buried underground, he withstood pyrotechnic explosions… and through it all he was always Godzilla.|[[Teruyoshi Nakano]] on Haruo Nakajima}}
'''Haruo Nakajima''' {{Nihongo|中島春雄|Nakajima Haruo}} was a retired Japanese actor and stuntman, most famous for playing [[Godzilla]] in the character's first twelve films from 1954 to 1972. During that time, he appeared in nearly every one of [[Toho]]'s science-fiction films, either as a monster, an extra, or both. He retired from suit acting in 1972, several years after the death of [[Eiji Tsuburaya]], who was a close friend of Nakajima as well as the special effects director for most of Toho's kaiju films in the Showa era. In 2010, he published an autobiography titled ''Kaiju Life''.<ref name="SFJ">[http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/haruo-nakajima-attends-publishing-party-for-autobiography-kaiju-jinsei/ Haruo Nakajima Attends Publishing Party for Autobiography Kaiju Jinsei]</ref>
'''Haruo Nakajima''' {{Nihongo|中島春雄|Nakajima Haruo}} was a [[Japan]]ese actor and stuntman, most famous for playing [[Godzilla]] in the character's first twelve films from 1954 to 1972. During that time, he appeared in nearly every one of [[Toho]]'s science-fiction films, either as a monster, an extra, or both. He retired from suit acting in 1972, several years after the death of [[Eiji Tsuburaya]], who was a close friend of Nakajima as well as the special effects director for most of Toho's kaiju films in the Showa era. In 2010, he published an autobiography titled ''Kaiju Life''.<ref name="SFJ">[http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/haruo-nakajima-attends-publishing-party-for-autobiography-kaiju-jinsei/ Haruo Nakajima Attends Publishing Party for Autobiography Kaiju Jinsei]</ref>
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Kaiju Filmography==
==Kaiju Filmography==
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*''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan]]'' (1972) as Godzilla / Background Comic Editor / JSDF Officer
*''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan]]'' (1972) as Godzilla / Background Comic Editor / JSDF Officer
*''[[Submersion of Japan]]'' (1973) as Prime Minister Yamamoto's Driver
*''[[Submersion of Japan]]'' (1973) as Prime Minister Yamamoto's Driver
*''[[Godzilla vs. Megalon]]'' (1973) as Godzilla (stock footage)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Megalon]]'' (1973) as Godzilla [stock footage]
*''[[Sayonara Jupiter]]'' (1984) as Godzilla (stock footage)
*''[[Sayonara Jupiter]]'' (1984) as Godzilla [stock footage]
*''[[The Return of Godzilla#U.S. Release|Godzilla 1985]]'' (1985) as Godzilla (stock footage)
*''[[The Return of Godzilla#U.S. Release|Godzilla 1985]]'' (1985) as Godzilla [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'' (2002) as Godzilla (stock footage)
*''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'' (2002) as Godzilla [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004) as Godzilla (stock footage)
*''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004) as Godzilla [stock footage]
 
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
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Haruo Nakajima with Matt Frank0.JPG|Haruo Nakajima with [[Matt Frank]]
Haruo Nakajima with Matt Frank0.JPG|Haruo Nakajima with [[Matt Frank]]
M1 Haruo Nakajima figure.JPG|M1 Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla suit figure
M1 Haruo Nakajima figure.JPG|M1 Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla suit figure
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Videos==
==Videos==
{{Videos|
{{Videos|
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{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GE6WpMQS6I8</youtube>|Haruo Nakajima tries on the Godzilla suit one last time}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GE6WpMQS6I8</youtube>|Haruo Nakajima tries on the Godzilla suit one last time}}
}}
}}
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Nakajima's only serious injury sustained while playing a [[kaiju]] took place during the filming of ''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'', when an exploding truck burned his stomach.<ref name="Kaiju Conversations">[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/nakajima.htm Interview with David Milner and Guy Tucker (March 1995)]</ref>
*Nakajima's only serious injury sustained while playing a [[kaiju]] took place during the filming of ''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'', when an exploding truck burned his stomach.<ref name="Kaiju Conversations">[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/nakajima.htm Interview with David Milner and Guy Tucker (March 1995)]</ref>
==External Links==
==External Links==
*[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/nakajima.htm Interview by David Milner (March 1995)]
*[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/nakajima.htm Interview by David Milner (March 1995)]

Revision as of 21:54, 7 August 2017

Haruo Nakajima
Haruo Nakajima
Born January 1, 1929
Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Died August 7, 2017
Notable role(s) Godzilla, Invisible Man Akita, Meganulon, Rodan, Moguera, Varan, Transitional Human Vapor, Mothra, Maguma, Matango, Baragon, Gaira, King Kong, Griffon, Giant Rat, Bat Person, Gezora, Ganimes, numerous bit parts
First work Godzilla (1954)
Notable work Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Imdb.pngWp.png
Inside the Godzilla suit, it was very dark, lonely, and isolated. Usually the person who wears the suit becomes nervous and anxious. During summertime it’s very hot, it can become hell in there. But Mr. Nakajima always persevered. He acted in the suit underwater, he was buried underground, he withstood pyrotechnic explosions… and through it all he was always Godzilla.
„ 

Teruyoshi Nakano on Haruo Nakajima

Haruo Nakajima (中島春雄,   Nakajima Haruo) was a Japanese actor and stuntman, most famous for playing Godzilla in the character's first twelve films from 1954 to 1972. During that time, he appeared in nearly every one of Toho's science-fiction films, either as a monster, an extra, or both. He retired from suit acting in 1972, several years after the death of Eiji Tsuburaya, who was a close friend of Nakajima as well as the special effects director for most of Toho's kaiju films in the Showa era. In 2010, he published an autobiography titled Kaiju Life.[1]

Kaiju Filmography

Gallery

Videos

The Man Who Was Godzilla
SciFi Japan Interview
Anime Boston Interview
Haruo Nakajima tries on the Godzilla suit one last time

Trivia

  • Nakajima's only serious injury sustained while playing a kaiju took place during the filming of Varan, when an exploding truck burned his stomach.[2]

External Links

References

This is a list of references for Haruo Nakajima. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

Real World
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