Denjirô Ôkôchi

Popular for his idiosyncratic characters and powerful performances, he was a period film superstar on the same level as Tsumasaburo Bando.
Okochi joined the No. 2 New National Theater in pursuit of a career as a playwright, but soon after became an actor. In 1925, he made his first acting appearance under the stage name “Shiro Muromachi,” but did not gain the spotlight until the following year when he joined Nikkatsu and changed his stage name to Denjiro Okochi. There, he caught the attention of director Daisuke Ito and played the lead in Chokon, which brought him his first taste of popularity. In 1927, he collaborated with director Ito and cinematographer Hiromitsu Karasawa to produce the three-part Diary of Chuji’s Travels, which became one of the masterpieces of Japanese film and cemented Okochi’s status as a movie star. He went on to star in a succession of hits, including Blood Splattered at Takadanobaba, Ooka’s Trial (both made in 1928), and Jirokichi the Rat (1931). Okochi continued to perform in starring roles even after the introduction of talkies, for example in the Tange Sazen series. —Matsuda Film Productions