Noribumi Suzuki

Noribumi Suzuki (鈴木則文 Suzuki Noribumi?), also known as Norifumi Suzuki, is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his works for studio Toei (東映株式会社), especially the Red Peony Gambler and Truck Yarō series.

Suzuki was born November 26, 1933 in Shizuoka. He dropped out of Ritsumeikan University’s Department of Economics, and subsequently joined Toei’s Kyoto Studio as an assistant director in 1956, learning his craft under Masahiro Makino, Tai Kato and Tomu Uchida. He made his screenwriting debut on director Kōkichi Uchide’s 1963 film Zoku: Tenamonya Sandogasa (続・てなもんや三度笠, co-written with Takaharu Sawada), and his directorial debut in 1965 with Osaka Dokonjō Monogatari: Doerai Yatsu (大阪ど根性物語 どえらい奴), starring Makoto Fujita.

At the behest of Toei producer Shigeru Okada, Suzuki wrote the script for female gambler film Red Peony Gambler (緋牡丹博徒, 1968) starring Junko Fuji, which became a hit series spanning eight films.

His 1975 film Truck Yarō: Goikenmuyō (トラック野郎　御意見無用) starring Bunta Sugawara and co-written with Shinichiro Sawai, was also a huge success and spawned nine sequels.

After directing and co-writing Kotaro Makaritōru! (コータローまかりとおる!, 1984), Suzuki left Toei to go freelance.

At the 1985 Yokohama Film Festival, he was awarded a special prize for his career.

Suzuki’s last film to date was Binbari High School (びんばりハイスクール), released in 1990 and produced by Koji Wakamatsu. —Wikipedia