Jûzô Itami
Actor

Jûzô Itami Net Worth

Juzo Itami was a Japanese actor, writer, and director who was born in Kyoto in 1933. He was the son of a successful filmmaker and began his career in television and films before making a late career shift into screenwriting and directing at age 50. His films often depicted idiosyncrasies that he felt were unique to the evolving Japanese culture, and he was credited with reviving the country's stake in international cinema during the 1980s. His most successful and critically acclaimed film was Tampopo (1985), a gastronomic "noodle western" which was an episodic venture of a restaurateur determined to create the best possible noodle for the best possible noodle eatery. His other films included Osôshiki (1984), Marusa no onna (1987), Minbo (1992), and Marutai no onna (1997). Tragically, Itami was found seriously injured on the street below his office in 1997 and later died in the hospital. He left behind a suicide note expressing innocence to a tabloid's accusation of his infidelity with a younger woman. Itami's films were popular both domestically and maintained a staunch international following, and he was compared to his French counterpart, Jacques Tati, for their similar styles of critiquing their society's cultural transition.
Jûzô Itami is a member of Actor

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Actor, Writer, Director
Birth Day May 15, 1933
Birth Place  Kyoto, Japan, Japan
Age 87 YEARS OLD
Died On December 20, 1997(1997-12-20) (aged 64)\nTokyo, Japan
Birth Sign Gemini
Native name 伊丹 十三
Occupation Film director, screenwriter, actor
Years active 1960–1989
Spouse(s) Kazuko Kawakita (1960–66) Nobuko Miyamoto (1969–1997)

💰 Net worth

Jûzô Itami, a renowned actor, writer, and director from Japan, is expected to have a net worth ranging from $100K to $1M in 2024. His diverse talents and contributions to the entertainment industry have garnered him both critical acclaim and commercial success. Itami is widely recognized for his captivating performances, exceptional storytelling skills, and his ability to seamlessly transition between different roles in acting, writing, and directing. With his impressive portfolio and continued influence, Jûzô Itami remains an influential figure in Japanese cinema.

Biography/Timeline

1960

Itami studied acting at an acting school called Budai Geijutsu Gakuin in Tokyo. In January 1960 he joined Daiei Film and was given the stage name Itami Ichizō (伊丹 一三) by Masaichi Nagata. In May 1960, Itami married Kazuko Kawakita, the daughter of film Producer Nagamasa Kawakita. He first acted on screen in Ginza no Dora-Neko (1960). In 1961 he left Daiei and started to appear in foreign-language films such as 55 Days at Peking. In 1965 he appeared in the big-budget Anglo-American film Lord Jim. In 1965 he published a book of essays which became a hit, Yoroppa Taikutsu Nikki ("Diary of boredom in Europe"). In 1966 he and Kazuko agreed to divorce.

1967

In 1967, when working with Nagisa Oshima on a film Sing a Song of Sex (Nihon Shunka Kō) he met Nobuko Miyamoto. He and Miyamoto married in 1969. Around this time, he changed his stage name to "伊丹 十三" (Itami Jūzō) with the kanji "十" (ten) rather than "一" (one), and worked as a character actor in film and television.

1968

In 1968 he played Saburo Ishihara, the father of Takeshi and Koji during season II, in the series for children Cometo-San. He is well known for these series, even today, in most Spanish speaking countries along singer Yumiko Kokonoe who played Cometo-San.

1970

In the 1970s, he joined the TV Man Union television production company and produced and presented documentaries for television, which influenced his later career as a film Director. He also worked as a reporter for a TV programme called Afternoon Show.

1983

In 1983, Itami played the father in Yoshimitsu Morita's The Family Game, and The Makioka Sisters for which roles he won the Yokohama Film Festival and Hochi Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.

1984

Itami's debut as Director was the movie Osōshiki (The Funeral) in 1984, at the age of 50. This film proved popular in Japan and won many awards, including Japanese Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. However, it was his second movie, the "noodle western" Tampopo, that earned him international exposure and acclaim.

1992

On May 22, 1992, six days after the release of his anti-yakuza satire Minbō no Onna, Itami was attacked, beaten, and slashed on the face by five members of the Goto-gumi, a Shizuoka-based yakuza clan, who were angry at Itami's film's portrayal of yakuza members. This attack led to a government crackdown on the yakuza.

1997

He died on December 20, 1997 in Tokyo, after falling from the roof of the building where his office was located, after the press published evidence that he was having an extramarital affair. The suicide letter he reportedly left behind denied any involvement in such an affair. One theory is that Itami's suicide was forced by members of the Goto-gumi yakuza faction. A former member of the Goto-gumi faction told Journalist Jake Adelstein in 2008, “We set it up to stage his murder as a suicide. We dragged him up to the rooftop and put a gun in his face. We gave him a choice: jump and you might live or stay and we’ll blow your face off. He jumped. He didn’t live.”

2000

His brother-in-law and childhood friend Kenzaburo Oe wrote The Changeling (2000), which modeled their relationship.

2014

Itami was born Yoshihiro Ikeuchi in Kyoto. The name Itami was passed on from his father, Mansaku Itami—who was a renowned satirist and film Director before World War II. He was the brother-in-law of Kenzaburō Ōe and uncle of Hikari Ōe. He played the father Ishihara in the comic TV program Cometa-san.

Some Jûzô Itami images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.